Summer, 2016

PRinTs – Pequannock Reads in the Summer

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PRinTS is a district-wide

initiative to encourage students

to read throughout the summer.

This year, the PTHS Humanities

Department is presenting you

with a choice of a book to read.

We encourage you to select a

book that will be of high

interest to you, but if you

cannot think of a book, on the

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next few pages, you’ll find a

few suggestions that other

students have recommended.

You are still required to read at

least one book and to complete

an assessment given by your

teacher, but this year the choice

of the book you’re going to read

is yours!

- Maya Angelou

SEE PAGE 6 FOR SUGGESTIONS OF BOOKS THAT WERE ENJOYED AND RECOMMENDED BY OTHER STUDENTS.

Pequannock Township

High School

“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.”

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Requirements as you read

Guided Reading Focus: Theme

Every book has at least one message. In order to successfully identify and write about a book's theme(s), you need to closely read the text, plan before you write, and provide sufficient analysis and direct quotes from the story to support your point.

Find the Central Concept The central concept of a text is the primary focus, pattern, purpose, or thought process guiding a text or section of text. This is built and revealed by both plot and theme. A book’s central concept is the proposed suggestion, message, moral, lesson, or philosophical stance taken away from a text. This can be on either the reader’s or the author’s part – one can take away things (or miss) the author did not necessarily intend. Find the Theme

A theme is a philosophical idea found behind the motives, actions, emotions, images, symbols, and language of a text. Themes can be found in either what the reader thinks a text means or what the text itself seems to suggest. A theme may be a universal idea that is a reflection of human experience suggested by the text. A prevailing theme can also be identified by examining the characters' strengths, weaknesses, values, thoughts, and actions, or by the images and events that recur through a text.

Take Notes

Concepts and themes may not be explicitly stated, so your notes are crucial in identifying and evaluating the book's central theme. When considering characters, think not only of the characterization, but also of the tone, setting, conflict, plot, imagery, figurative language, and symbolism as devices or tools that help ensure that the reader "gets" the meaning that the writer intended him or her to learn. Literary themes are implied through the aforementioned elements of the text, so close reading and taking notes as you read help you identify and gather the book's clues and evidence for your essay.

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Close Reading Guide: Reading “closely” means reading slowly and actively, paying attention to language, making thoughtful observations, and tracking your interpretations of the messages the author delivers. You should note your questions and observations in your journal along with supporting evidence. Underlining interesting passages, jotting down questions, marking moments when characters have to make important or difficult decisions, and recording instances of symbolism and foreshadowing will deepen your interpretation and understanding of theme within your book while also building a toolbox of material to draw from when you write your essay. Below is a guide to literary elements to help you to uncover a major theme in your book. Take notes in your journal. Be sure to cite specific evidence from your novel.

Literary Elements What to Look For

Central Concept The primary focus, repeating patterns, author’s purpose, or principal worldview guiding the text. Essentially, this is the author’s message.

Themes The ideas found behind motives, actions, emotions, images, symbols, and language of a text.

Conflict – external and internal Beliefs, goals, or the motivations of characters clash or cause tension in the text.

Symbol An object given significant attention or detail, which is used to suggest or represent greater meaning.

Motif A recurring object or idea in a work that serves to develop a theme. A motif allows one to see themes an author is trying to express, in order that one might interpret the work more accurately.

Characterization: Direct characterization through narration; Indirect characterization through dialogue, actions, and a character’s thoughts.

What does the writer or narrator say about the character? What does the character or characters say to show who he, she, or they are? What does the character do to show who he or she is? What does the character think or feel to show who he or she is?

Setting The geographical location, era, or specific moment as an important aspect of the text.

Imagery and Figurative Language Diction that includes sensory cues, created through descriptive language that hold significant meaning and stimulate a reader’s awareness.

Adapted from http://classroom.synonym.com/write-essay-theme-book-2200.html Your first major writing task will be an essay that demonstrates your knowledge of the text, your understanding of literary elements, and your ability to use textual evidence to connect the elements to the central concept or a major theme in the novel. An essay on the concepts and themes of a book is a synthesis of your reflections on elements of the story and an analysis of their relationship to a deeper and broader meaning. The analysis shows how the concepts are illustrated in the text and why the themes matter, both in story and in the real world. Your analysis might examine why characters make specific choices, how the book's setting has an impact on themes, how symbols are used, what conflicts exist in the text, or how those conflicts are resolved. Overall, your response will draw attention to the critical aspects of the text and reveal to the reader how you use evidence to interpret and draw conclusions.

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A Note on Reading Non-Fiction Texts If you pick a non-fiction text as your choice reading – such as a memoir or historical account – keep in mind the following aspects, as non-fiction may differ significantly from literary fiction in several important ways: Structure of the text How did the writer organize the text?

• sequence or time order • similar and/or contrasting ideas • description of concrete or abstract details • patterns of cause and effect • how does the writer use these structures to

communicate? • how do structural elements help make ideas clear?

Author’s viewpoint What is the author’s opinion, conclusion, and overall attitude toward the topic?

• diction: an author’s word choice creates tone, which in turn creates the mood of a text. An author’s attitude toward a topic is revealed in this way.

• evidence: what types of examples or anecdotes does the author use, and why? Does the author show multiple perspectives? is there a bias evident in the text?

• fact vs. opinion: what is presented as fact, and what is opinion, and how do you know?

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Required Summer Writing Assignment For Seniors Only

Each incoming senior should create a rough draft of college essay (if you are not planning to attend college, write a 500-word essay to describe your strengths to a fictional employer). This will be annotated and edited for your college applications. 2016-2017 COMMON APP Essay Prompts 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Useful Resources Princeton Review – “The College Essay” http://www.princetonreview.com/college/essay.aspx http://www.commonapp.org/

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Fiction

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. Binchy, Maeve. Circle of Friends Brashares, Ann. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants or Second Summer of Sisterhood. Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower Farmer, Nancy. A Girl Named Disaster Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars or Looking for Alaska Guest, Judith. Ordinary People. Hanauer, Cathi. My Sister’s Bones. Lake, Nick. In Darkness Lipsyte, Robert. One Fat Summer. Meyers, Walter Dean. Monster Nelson, Jandy. I’ll Give You the Sun Oates, Joyce Carol. Small Avalanches or Freaky Green Eyes. Quindlen, Anna. Object Lessons. Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Smith, Betty. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Toibin, Colm. Brooklyn. Voigt, Cynthia. Dicey’s Song/Izzy, Willy-nilly. Wells, Rebecca. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Mystery/Suspense

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. Gilstrap, John. Nathan’s Run. Grafton, Sue. The “Alphabet” Mysteries. King, Laurie. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. Roosevelt, Elliot. White House Pantry Murder. Truman, Margaret. Murder at the National Cathedral or Murder in Georgetown.

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Fantasy/Sci-Fi / Asimov, Isaac. Foundation (series) Dashner, James. The Maze Runner Paolini, Christopher. Eragon (Trilogy) Roth, Veronica. Divergent (Trilogy) Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit; Fellowship of the Ring (Trilogy) Collins, Suzanne. Hunger Games (Trilogy) Cline, Ernest. Ready, Player One or Armada Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion

Non-Fiction

Abagnale, Frank, W. Catch Me If You Can. Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie. Alverez, Walter, T. Rex and the Crater of Doom. Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of World. Aronson, Marc. Art Attack: A Short Cultural History of the Avant Garde. Atkin, S. Beth. Voices from the Streets. Boorstin, Jon. Making Movies Work: Thinking Like A Filmmaker. Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down. Codell, Esme Raji. Educating Esme. Copeland, Aaron. What to Listen for in Music. Dent, David, J. In Search of Black America: Discovering the African American Dream. Dubner, Stephen J. & Steven Levitt. Freakonomics.

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Gladwell, Malcolm, The Tipping Point (on any other title) Hajdu, David. Positively 4th Street. Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes. Hillenbrand, Laura. Seabiscuit or Unbroken. Mathabane, Mark. Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid Africa. McCourt, Frank. Angela’s Ashes. Paulos, John Allen. Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences. Walls, Jeanette. The Glass Castle.

Sports

Asinof, Eliot. Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series. Blaise, Madeleine. In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle. Breslin, Jimmy. Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game? Earnhardt, Dale, Jr. Driver #8. Gallen, David, ed. Baseball Chronicles. Johnson, Scott. Safe at Second. Lally, Richard. Bombers. Lipsyte, Robert. The Contender or The Brave. McKissack, Patricia. Black Diamond: The Story of the Negro Baseball Leagues. Myers, Walter Dean. Hoops. Rushin, Steve. Road Swing. Schwarzenegger, Arnold and Douglas Hall. Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder.