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High School Summer Assignments 2008
NINTH GRADE
English
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
You are going to read a novel about a young woman who, while yearning for her mother and suffering at the hands of a harsh father, learns hope and acceptance. As you read, consider the ways in which Lily transforms from the frightened girl we met at the beginning of the novel to the strong young woman at the end. As you read, look for places in the text where you can detect a change in Lily. We will discuss that change in September.
World Cultures
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah (This book replaces the one previously assigned.)
Adeline Yen Mah tells the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair. Adeline's affluent, powerful family considers her bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her. Life does not get any easier when her father remarries. She and her siblings are subjected to the disdain of her stepmother, while her stepbrother and stepsister are spoiled. Although Adeline wins prizes at school, they are not enough to compensate for what she really yearns for -- the love and understanding of her family.” http://www.adelineyenmah.com/index2.html.
After reading Chinese Cinderella, read online about traditional family life in China. How are Chinese children typically raised? How important are elders in their families? How important is respect in Chinese families? How are children educated? Please use Nettrekker or World Geography as your search engines for this research. You can also access these search engines through the Academy of Notre Dame website, select the Library button above and select NetTrekker or World Geography. You will need to know the NDA usernames and passwords, which will be mailed to you.
With this background information, write an essay predicting how Adeline’s life might have been different if her father had not remarried. The essay should contain five paragraphs. The first paragraph should be an introduction, followed by three paragraphs each citing one aspect of how Adeline’s life would be different, and a concluding paragraph. Remember your essay must reflect Chinese values.
This essay should be typed, double spaced, and sent to the World Cultures teacher, Mrs. McCoy by August 26, 2008. You many send by regular mail to school or email to tmccoy@ndapa.org.
TENTH GRADE
English: British Literature
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This work will be the basis of our first in-depth look at the British novel. Students are to read the novel and be prepared to discuss it on the first full day of classes. There will be a test, oral presentation, and a writing assignment on the novel within the first week of school.
Advanced Placement US Government and Politics
AP US Government and Politics is an exciting and challenging class. I am looking forward to working with you in this your first college course. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me - sgallagher@ndapa.org. Click here for the full assignment.
American Government
Goal: To gain an appreciation of contemporary American politics.
How? Reading an enjoyable book (perhaps a biography) or any other book dealing with
contemporary political issues (women in politics, environment, constitutional struggles,
civil rights, regional politics, national politics etc.) Click here for a list of suggested titles.
Due date: Monday, September 8, 2008 (for all students). Bonus Points for completed report turned in on the official start of school, September 4, 2008. Click here for the full assignment.
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ELEVENTH GRADE
English
Choose THREE of the following books (two novels, and one drama) and write two-page journal responses to each text you read. Specifically, think about themes and style (characterization, word choice and sentence structure, imagery, figurative language, etc). How did you respond to the style of each novel you chose to read?
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (drama)
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman (drama)
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
All My Sons by Arthur Miller
Any novel by Ernest Hemingway
United States History
Film: Gone with the Wind
Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters by Sarah L. Delaney,
A. Elizabeth Delaney and Amy Hill Hearth
After reading Having Our Say, you should be able to discern their similarities and differences both in their character, personality, and looks. This assignment puts into your words how you “read” either Bessie or Sadie. . I hope you enjoy reading the book as well as expressing yourself through the bio-poem format. Click here for the full assignment.
Advanced Placement United States History
A People and a Nation (first three chapters)
All summer work is due on Friday, September 5th: There are 2 kinds of work: oral and written. I will check your class notes for your oral work. I will collect all written answers and identifications. Timeliness is important. Click here for the full assignment.
Kindly e-mail me if you have any questions at any point over the summer at: lmcmahon@ndapa.org.
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ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH GRADES
Advanced Placement Biology
The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries about the Teenage Brain
Tell Us About Our Kids by Barbara Strauch
Students are to write an essay (3-4 double-spaced typed pages) as a response to the groundbreaking new research in the neurophysiology of the teenage brain and its implications for parents, teachers and the students themselves. How should we respond to this new information? The essay is due the first day of classes and will count as 40 points
Advanced Placement Environmental Science
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson.
Written in 1962, Silent Spring described in detail how DDT enters the food chain and accumulates in the fatty tissue of animals and humans. Rachel Carson explained how the presence of this and other toxins causes cancer and genetic damage. She concluded that DDT and other pesticides had poisoned the world’s food chain. Some of the latest scientific research shows that her findings were, if anything, understated.
In a two-page essay, double-spaced, typed, describe the essence of her work, citing specific examples from her text. Due the first full day of classes.
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TWELFTH GRADE
English: Contemporary Themes in Literature
Mrs. Kim Burke
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Students are to read the following novels and write a short reflection (250-300 words) discussing how isolation affects the development of the main character from each novel. Consider what individuals or factors isolate each character and how this isolation affects his or her individuality and freedom.
Traditional Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition
Ms. Elizabeth Collins
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Please read all of the above texts carefully (and enjoy). When school reconvenes in September, we will discuss, in-depth, Crime and Punishment and Wuthering Heights.
Checktests will be given to ascertain careful reading of the other texts, and we will also have in-class discussions.
Multidisciplinary Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition
Dr. David Califf
Students are to read the following novels and then consider an essential question each novel raises. In a 250–300 word reflection that does not include summary, the student is to identify an essential question posed by the novel and then discuss the ways in which the characters, situations, or events of the novel provoke that question.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Advanced Placement Comparative Government
Reading Lolita in Tehran: a memoir in books by Azar Nafisi
Please write complete, thoughtful answers to each of the questions listed below. No research is necessary. Write your answers based on information gleaned and inferred from reading the book.
- From reading about the hopes of the people, what did you infer were some of the reasons for the revolution? What seem to have been the hopes of the people concerning post-revolutionary Iran? Explain differences in the hopes, and account for the differences.
- In the aftermath of the revolution, how did the Islamic Republic live up to the hopes of the people? Were only some satisfied? Explain.
- Identify with one person in the story other than Azar Nafisi. What did the experience of the Islamic revolution and life in the new Republic do to and for this person. Explain.
- What did Azar Mafisi learn about herself, Islam, women, and literature through her teaching experiences in Tehran , both in the university and in her home?
- What was your most significant learning as a result of reading this book?
Your answers should be typed and ready to hand to Sister Nancy on the first day of class. Please remember that you cannot answer any of the questions in depth in a single paragraph. This book will be discussed in class when we begin Iran in October.
Happy reading!
ALL GRADES
Mathematics
Returning Notre Dame students receive a summer assignment in their math classes before the current school year concludes. Extra copies of all assignments are available in the school’s main office.
Foreign Language Courses
The Foreign Language Department assigns short readings appropriate to each language level accompanied by study guides, reading
comprehension or writing exercises. With the exception of Latin, the readings are distributed to incoming students in class
before summer vacation. Each teacher provides specific instructions regarding when the written assignments are due and how
they will be assessed. Below is the list of foreign language courses with summer work. Each course has a link to the
description of the assignment. Please email the teacher of the course with any questions or problems.
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