Name:_________________________________ Date:____________ Period:_______
Summer
Reading
Mr. White
Summer Reading Overview
Why Summer reading?
Although the summer months are used as a vacation from school and schoolwork, it is
also one of the most critical times for high school students to make strides in their
academic abilities. In order to give each student the best chance at meeting his or her
academic potential and to be successful on the PARCC in the upcoming year, it has been
decided that the students will benefit from a Summer Reading Assignment.
What is the purpose of this assignment?
1. To offer a shared educational experience among the Applied 10th graders that will
enable them to have a successful year.
2. To provide a foundation for the literary and rhetorical objectives that will be required
of the students on the PARCC.
3. To introduce common core themes: overcoming a struggle, perception, maturity,
personal journey, and relationships with family and friends.
4. To establish course expectations for reading: students will engage in active reading,
make inferences, and draw conclusions.
5. To introduce course expectations for writing: students will establish and sustain a clear
argument, support the argument with evidence, and write with a sophisticated style.
What do I expect the students to learn from the assignment?
The students will be completing an assignment (detailed on the following page) that
corresponds to the students’ reading. The students should think about the four proceeding
questions during and after reading the book. The students should also annotate (write
down your thoughts) while reading in order to practice annotating skills and give them
notes that will allow them to actively participate in class.
What can you expect in class during your first few days of school?
The first few days of school will be used to allow the students an opportunity to get to
know me and for me to get to know the students. We will use a variety of activities
throughout the first week in order to give the students a chance to feel comfortable and
ready for a rigorous year of English 10.
How will learning be assessed?
The work will be collected on Tuesday, August 25. Although it will be due on Tuesday, I
will be collecting students’ work on Monday if it is finished. I know the first day of
school can be hectic, so hopefully the extra day will give each student the opportunity to
complete the assignment to the best of his or her ability. The students will be assessed
based on the correctness, completeness, and thoughtfulness of the assignment. The
writing will be used as an introduction for me to each student as a writer.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Directions: During or after reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, you will need to
complete two journal entries, answer five short answer questions, and write one
essay. Feel free to hand write or type any or all of the questions. All three should be
compiled (with a paper clip, staple, in a folder, etc.) and turned in to me no later
than Tuesday, August 25. Any late assignments will be reduced by 20% for each day
it is late.
Journals (at least 75 words each):
1. Santiago’s quest is more than to just find the treasure. What could be the other reasons
that he took this journey? Why do you feel this way?
2. Choose one name of a character in the story. Look up the significance of that name.
Explain to me why Coelho chose that particular name for that particular character.
Short Answer (complete sentences)
1. Who is Narcissus? What does the word narcissism mean?
2. What is alchemy? How does alchemy relate to the story (other than the character in the
story)?
3. Describe the “soul of the world” and the “language of the world.”
4. Throughout the story, the idea that alchemists can turn lead into gold recurs. How does
the idea of turning lead into gold relate to achieving a personal legend?
5. Where does Santiago’s treasure lie? Why do you think his treasure is there?
Essay prompt (at least 250 words):
In an essay format take a side on the following statement: “the greatest lie ever written is
that fate controls people's lives” -Melchizedek. Use specific examples from the text to
support your response.
More simply put, please decide whether you believe that fate has already decided the path
of your life or if you believe that you control the path of your life and use plenty of
specific examples from the text to support your stance.
You will notice that any question that requires writing beyond a sentence is fairly
open ended and can be interpreted in a number of ways; this for me to get a better
understanding of you as a writer. For this reason, your writing pieces will be
assessed on its thoughtfulness, that it meets the length requirement and that it is
supported by evidence from the text. This is your chance to show me what you can
do. Impress me!