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Summer Reading 2022

General Instructions

General Instructions:

Find your honors or regular humanities class below. Note that for some classes, you have a choice of books to read. Some courses have specific instructions for required notes or activities in addition to the actual reading. 

If you would prefer a single Word document listing these requirements, download it here:

FileSummer Reading 2022.docx.

Humanities 9

Humanites 9

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

cover image for Things Fall Apart

This is a fascinating book for our ninth grade Humanities class because it will help us identify the role of "identity" in our individual and shared cultural histories. To some extent, we will always be part of our family's and local community’s history. That is something to celebrate. But we also have to grow. The main character in the story is flawed. His story helps us see how power is not always good, and how "pride comes before a fall.” Okonkwo (o-KON-kwo) is a local hero whose life changes dramatically when Europeans and their influence arrive in his village in Nigeria. We will use this story to help us recognize the role culture plays in shaping our identity and how we can learn from alternative cultures to celebrate diversity.

Honors Humanities 9

Honors Humanities 9

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

cover image for Things Fall ApartAssignment:

  1. Read Things Fall Apart and annotate according to the following topics (#2–5 below) as you read. Annotation means underlining in the book as you read and also making written notes to remind you why you marked certain passages. (This is the preferred way—on paper, in a book). If, however, you are reading on a Kindle or ebook, you may make these notes on paper as long as you include the page number for each note, or you may highlight and make notes in the Kindle reader as long as you know how to email yourself [and your teacher!] a copy of your notes and highlights. Please understand that the purpose of annotating is to allow you to refer back to the ideas you had while reading. If your method of “annotating” does not allow you to find the original passage connected with your annotation, it does not work.)
  2. Note passages that are confusing to you.
  3. Note passages that feel familiar to you.
  4. Note passages that jump out and feel particularly interesting to you.
  5. Note passages that provide examples of individuals’ identities or personalities in conflict with their society.

Humanities 10

Humanities 10

Choose ONE of the following:

  • The Girl Who Fell To Earth by Sophia Al-Maria

  • All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

  • The Diary of a Young Girl, (also known as The Diary of Anne Frank) by Anne Frank

Honors Humanities 10

Honors Humanities 10

There will be a separate communication to students from the instructor regarding their options.

Humanities 11

Humanities 11

Choose ONE of the following:

  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

  • Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

  • Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

  • Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi

  • Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

  • Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy B. Tyson

Assignment:

1. Choose one of these books, read and annotate.  In particular, be looking for ideas/themes about what it suggests about the American experience.

2. Find three current events over the summer that relate to some aspect of the story.

3. Pick two people in your lives that are similar to characters in the story. Explain why you think they are similar.

Honors Humanities 11

Honors Humanities 11

Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy B. Tyson

(Mr. Pyles will send the class details and expectations early in the summer.) cover image Blood Done Sign My Name

Humanities 12

Humanities 12

Choose ONE of the following:

  • Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

  • The Mere Future by Sara Schulman

Assignment:

  1. Choose one of these books, read and annotate.  In particular, be looking for these themes to connect to the modern world: Freedom vs. Government (or corporate) control, The Dehumanizing characteristics of modern corporate working experiences, Wealth and Power in Modern Society.
  2. Find three current events over the summer that relate to some aspect of the story.
  3. Research what satire is and explain what you think your book is satirizing.

Honors Humanities 12

Honors Humanities 12

Thank you for Being Late by Thomas Friedman cover image Thank You for Being Late