5 May 2015
Dear Ninth Grade Honors Student:
Welcome to the 2015-2016 Honors English program at La Quinta High School. In
English 1 Honors, students will join together to form a community of learners dedicated
to supporting one another in all academic endeavors. Class will include standards-based
instruction, writing and grammar, stimulating conversations regarding literature, and
creative outlets to express yourself. We are looking forward to an exciting year of
challenging learning activities.
To help build the reading and reflective stamina needed for this course, students will read
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck as a summer reading assignment. The book is available
at the La Quinta High School bookstore for check out between Tuesday May 26, 2015
through Friday June 5, 2015 from 8:00A.M. to 3:00 P.M. (the bookstore will be closed
during the middle of the day for lunch (12pm-1pm).
All students must bring their 8th grade school ID with them to check out the book. Please
bring this book with you on the first day of school. In English 1 Honors, students will be
learning how to annotate text (highlight and write side margin questions and comments).
If you would like to highlight or write in your book, you can purchase a copy of the The
Good Earth. Attached is the assignment that will be due on the first day of school in
September. Additional follow up activities will be completed during the month of
September.
Hopefully, the summer reading experience will help prepare you for the challenges you
will experience in the upcoming school year, and we look forward to working with you
when school begins in September. If you have any questions about the assignment or the
program, please feel free to email one of us at ggeil@ggusd.us or rha@ggusd.us.
Sincerely,
Greg Geil
English 1 Honors Teacher
Robert Ha
English 1 Honors Teacher
2015 Honors Reading Assignment
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Please fill out the attached worksheet to the best of your ability. Answers should be
handwritten in black or blue ink only. Illegible assignments will not be graded.
Plagiarism (copying anyone else’s work) in any part of the assignment will result in a
zero for the entire assignment. Do not work with anyone else on this assignment. We
want to see what you can do on your own. No papers will be accepted late. Remember,
honors students should not rely on the use of study aids such as Spark Notes or Cliff
Notes and are expected to think in terms of quality rather than quantity. Write down the
page numbers of the book where you find your information.
Major Works Study Form
Title:____________________________________ Author:___________________________________
Biographical Information (Use the author information provided in the book’s introduction):
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Plot Summary (Identify and label four major plot occurrences in the novel (exposition, rising action,
climax, and falling action):
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Setting (describe each setting and its importance):
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Symbols (Pick three symbols and describe how they contribute to the characterization, conflict, or
thematic concerns):
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Themes (identify a major theme in the novel and provide evidence):
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________