Madison Public Schools – Summer Assignment 2015
English 9 Replacement
Mrs. Cox
Assignment rationale/Objective
The objective of this assignment is to encourage you to read over the summer and to practice
close reading and analysis while doing so.
Required materials:
The Afterlife by Gary Soto – if you have difficulty purchasing or borrowing a copy of this
novel, please contact Mr. Mark DeBiasse at debiassem@madisonpublicschools.org.
Overview Instructions:
 Read The Afterlife by Gary Soto.
 Complete the Graphic Novel Organizer (attached) to prepare you for a narrative writing
assignment during the first few weeks of school.
Estimated time for completion:
The novel is approximately 160 pages. Breaking up the reading over a few weeks is
suggested. The assignment should take no longer than 10 hours to complete. Mrs. Cox
suggests that you complete the reading and organizer in mid- to late-August to improve recall
in September.
Number of points:
Graphic organizer: 15 points
Percentage of 1st marking period grade:
You will have an assessment on the novel and a narrative writing task that requires familiarity
with the novel. These grades will constitute approximately 10-15% of your 1st marking period
grade.
To request help over the summer, email:
Mark DeBiasse, Humanities Department Supervisor – debiassem@madisonpublicschools.org
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Name _______________________
Grade 9 - Summer Reading Novel Organizer
Please complete this organizer as part of your summer reading assignment. Bring your complete
organizer and notes to class on Thursday, September 3rd, to be checked, reviewed, and used to
complete our first assignments of the year.
Title:
Author:
Major Plot Events
List the significant events of the novel in the space below. Your list should include at least 1015 moments. The best way to complete these notes is to jot down important events as you’re
reading on a separate sheet of paper.
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Major Characters/ Characterization
The term, characterization, refers to how important characters are developed in a story.
Physical refers to what the character looks like.
Example: “George was tall and stocky with dirty-blond, greasy hair and gray-green eyes
that twinkled when he laughed.”
Indirect characterization refers to what we observe and conclude (infer) as readers
Example: If an adult character walks by a child and pushes him down, we would infer
that this adult character is mean or cruel.
Direct characterization refers to the specific comments the narrator makes about a character.
Example: The following text appears: “Joe had been cruel and mean since he was a
child. He treated neighbors and family like dirt.”
Who are the important characters in this novel? How are they characterized? (Physically,
Directly/Indirectly)
Characterization
Important Characters
Physical
Indirect
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Direct
Setting
Setting is the time and place where the action of a novel occurs. Very often, this information
will be important to the meaning of the work. Where does your novel take place? What
settings seem significant, or important?
Where:
When:
Significant settings:
Narrator
The narrator is the voice telling the story. It can be 1st person (I, me, we) or 3rd person (they,
them, he/she).
An Omniscient narrator knows everything about every character (knows what each thinks or
feels), whereas a Limited narrator has limited information about the characters and what they
think or feel.
What kind of narrator tells the story in the novel you’re reading? What is his/her point of
view?
Type of narrator:
Point of View:
Mood
Mood is the intended feeling the reader gets as he/she reads the text. Is the story suspenseful?
Sad? Exciting?
What is the mood you feel as you read this novel, and what events/images in the story cause
that feeling? Where are there significant shifts in mood?
Mood:
Events/images causing that feeling:
Shifts in mood:
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Conflicts
Conflicts can be Internal (inside a character, usually involving a decision) or External (with
another character, nature, a supernatural force, etc.)
What are the important conflicts in your work? Where do they take place, and how are
they resolved?
Important Conflicts
Where do they take place?
How resolved?
Themes
Themes are the larger ideas the author wishes us to consider as we read his/her novel.
What are the larger ideas the author is asking you to consider through the events and
characters in your novel?
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