The Covenant School
2014 Summer Reading Program
THE COVENANT SCHOOL
The purpose of the Summer Reading Program at The Covenant School is threefold. First, we want to promote the habit of independent reading by having
students read both books we have chosen for their literary and historical merit
and books students have chosen for their own enjoyment. Second, we want to do
this within the framework of the total curriculum, relating summer reading to the
program of instruction during the school year. Finally, we want to encourage
critical thinking by requiring students to respond in writing to what they read.
SUMMER READING GUIDE
2014
Table of Contents
General Instructions ................................................................ 2
7th grade instructions ............................................................... 3
8th grade instructions ............................................................... 4
9th grade instructions ............................................................... 5
(Western Civilization I directions begin on p. 6)
10th grade instructions ............................................................. 8
(Western Civilization II and AP European History directions also begin on p. 8)
11th grade instructions ........................................................... 10
(US History directions begin on p. 10, AP US History p. 12)
12th grade instructions ........................................................... 14
(US Government directions begin on p. 15, AP Comparative Government p. 16)
Recommended Reading Lists .............................................. 18
(Grades 7 & 8 begin on p. 18, Grades 9 & 10 on p. 21, Grades 11 & 12 on p. 23)
A note on integrity: The Covenant School expects, as a matter of honor,
* that all written work is the student’s own,
* and that the student reads in their entirety the books selected.
Plot summaries and study aids such as Spark Notes and Cliff’s Notes (print or
electronic) are NOT to be used. In addition, if a student works with a parent or
tutor in any way (reading, comprehension, written work), the student must
bring a note from the parent or tutor on the first day of school detailing the
nature of the assistance given.
Structure:
Common book(s): All students are required to read the common books for the
courses they are taking. The common books can be purchased at the school
store.* During the first week of English class, there will be an objective
assessment on the common book or the assigned pages of the common book.
After further study of the book, there will be a second assessment of a more
interpretive nature.
Additional reading: The number of pages varies per grade level. Students are
encouraged to pick books from the recommended reading list.
Reading log: Students must complete the reading log and turn it in on the first
day of school. Credit will be given for completed logs.
Written assignment: Each student will complete a written assignment.
On the first day of school, students should be prepared to:
1. Turn in a completed and pledged reading log.
2. Turn in a written assignment (typed, with your name on it).
3. Take an objective test on the common book.
*If you do not purchase books from the school store, please do purchase books
with the same ISBN numbers as those listed in this guide. It is difficult for
students to use books when the pagination is different from the teacher’s text.
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Requirements for students entering grade 7
The summer reading assignments in 7th and 8th grades should be a reflection of
the student’s own thoughts. Therefore, we are asking that students answer the
questions on their own without any outside assistance. In order for the student to
achieve greater independence, it is essential that parents, tutors, siblings, friends,
and others refrain from actively assisting with the assignment.
We hope that these guidelines will be helpful as students undertake the summer
reading project. We appreciate your support.
Common book for English 7:
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (ISBN 0-14-038572-X)– Please read the entire book
over the summer. Then thoroughly answer the questions about the first six
chapters of the reading assignment. Bring your answers to class on the first day.
Chapters 7, 8, 9
1. What food in Chapter 7 do the boys love for breakfast? Page 105
2. Where is the setting of the book? Page 106
3. What is the real truth about Sandy?
4. Who is Marcia’s boyfriend?
5. Tell in detail about Bob’s parents and his discipline from his parents.
Chapters 10, 11, 12
1. What mention of gold is made on page 152?
2. What or who was the only thing that Dally loved?
3. Give a summary of the conversation on page 165 between Randy and
Pony.
4. Page 154, do you think that Dally meant to be killed, or was he really try
to protect himself by raising the gun?
5. How does the book end? Are you pleased? Why or why not?
Requirements for students entering grade 8
Additional reading: At least 300 pages consisting of books read in their entirety.
You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading List. Be sure to
fill in all information on the Summer Reading Log.
Common book for English 8:
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (ISBN 978-0141321103)
Assignment for The Outsiders:
Chapters 1, 2, and 3
1. What horrible incident has happened to Johnny that has turned him into
a cowering and nervous young man? Describe.
2. So far in this book, is there more hatred person against person, or person
against society? Is there any person against oneself? Explain your
answer.
3. What is the significance of the blue mustang? Is it a symbol? Please
explain.
4. What role does Pony play in Johnny’s life?
Chapters 4, 5, and 6
1. Please tell what Bob called Pony on page 55, and why?
2. What is madras?
3. Who said, “They put you in an electric chair for killing people,” and why
was it said? Page 57
4. To where did the boys escape? Name the place and mountain. Why did
they go here?
5. What was the book that Johnny loved for Pony to read aloud? Page 79
What comments were made about the book?
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Writing assignment: For each of the following seven sets of chapters in The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, write one short journal entry in first-person as if you
were Tom. Include your (Tom's) thoughts and feelings about the events in the
book. For example, in Chapter 2, when Tom whitewashes the fence, write about
his thought process as he figured out how to get his friends to do the job for him.
Chapters 1-5
Chapters 6-10
Chapters 11-15
Chapters 16-20
Chapters 21-25
Chapters 26-30
Chapters 31-33
Write these journal entries in a journal that you have designated especially for
English class. As you write your entries, include in your notebook drawings,
pictures, and magazine clippings that you feel represent Tom's character and the
novel's themes. Get creative and start making your English notebook colorful!
Please feel free to email Mrs. Fitz or Ms. Rodriguez with any questions.
Mrs. Fitzgerald – mfitzgerald@covenantschool.org
Ms. Rodriguez – srodriguez@covenantschool.org
Additional reading: at least 300 pages consisting of books read in their entirety.
You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading List
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Requirements for students entering grade 9
to reveal his true beliefs, values, and motivations. Address each of the prompts
fully after reading the stated chapters. Each entry should be typed and doublespaced.
English 9
Peace like a River by Leif Enger (ISBN 978-0-8021-3925-2)
1.
Peace like a River is an engaging coming-of-age story that challenges our
conceptions of good and evil, justice and mercy, faith and doubt. Come on the
first day of school having completed the writing assignments below.
2.
3.
Write 3 diary entries from different characters’ perspectives. For each entry, take
on the given character using a first person point-of-view while attempting to
reveal his/her true beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and motivations. Address each of
the prompts fully after reading the stated page numbers. Each entry should be
typed and double-spaced.
1.
2.
3.
After reading to page 69—Reflect on the recent events of the story from
Davy’s perspective. Why did you (Davy) do what you did? How are you
different from your dad, brother, and sister? (250-350 words)
After reading to page 179—Reflect on the events of the story from
Swede’s perspective. What is your (Swede’s) faith like? What do you
(Swede) believe about good, evil, miracles, etc.? (250-350 words)
After finishing the novel—Reflect on the events of the story from
Reuben’s perspective. How has your faith been changed through all that
you (Reuben) have witnessed? (250-350 words)
Additional reading: at least 300 pages consisting of books of your choice read in
their entirety. You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading
List. You may not count history reading toward the total. Fill in all information
on the Summer Reading Log.
After reading Ch. 20—Reflect on what you (Pi) believe about God and
the role that faith has in your life. (250-350 words)
After reading Ch. 57—How do you (Pi) really feel about Richard Parker?
(250-350 words)
After finishing the novel—There are two stories of survival you (Pi) tell
in this novel. The longer story involves animals; the other, which is
forced out of you by the Japanese investigators in Ch. 99, involves
people. What are the important differences between these two stories?
Which story do you (Pi) prefer? Why? (250-350 words)
Additional reading: at least 300 pages consisting of books of your choice read in
their entirety. You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading
List. You may not count history reading toward the total. Fill in all information
on the Summer Reading Log.
Western Civilization I
Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization by Paul Kriwaczek
(ISBN : 1250054168)
Selections: Read chapters 3, 4, and 5 in their entirety. Total pages: 67
There are two aspects of the summer assignment for Western Civilization 1.
1. As you read, keep a log of words you encounter in the reading with which you
are unfamiliar and their definitions. It can be hand-written and does not have to
be typed. This will help you with comprehension—if you don’t understand the
words in a passage, coming to understand the meaning of the passage is that
much more difficult. This log will be due on the first day of class and is worth a
20 point homework grade.
Honors English 9
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (ISBN 0-15-602732-1)
Be sure to read the Author’s Note before you begin chapter one as it will be
crucial to your understanding of the whole story. The novel may seem slow at
first but stick with it; your perseverance will certainly pay off as you begin to see
how each part builds on the one beforehand. The novel will eventually reveal an
incredible story of adventure and survival. Come on the first day of school
having completed the writing assignments below.
Write 3 diary entries from the perspective of the main character Pi. For each
entry, take on Pi’s character using a first person point-of-view while attempting
2. As you read carefully, please select 6 of the following 7 questions to answer
in complete sentences. This should be typed (double-spaced). Some questions
will perhaps only need one or two complete sentences, while others may need
three or four complete sentences. In addition to the 6 questions of your choosing,
please also be sure that you answer #8—it is not optional. You will need a
paragraph of 7 or 8 sentences to answer #8. This assignment will be due on the
first day of class as well, and is worth a 25 point quiz grade.
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Choose 6 of the following 7 questions:
1. How would you describe the relationship of what the author calls ‘play’
to scientific and technological advancement?
2. What does the author mean when he uses the term ‘Homo Ludens’?
Why does he use this term, and why does he feel it is significant?
3. Describe in your own words—don’t quote—the two theories offered on
the origins of Sumerian writing.
4. Do you think that Mesopotamian civilizations other than the ancient
Hebrews having a Great Flood narrative makes the Biblical account of
Noah more or less reliable? Why?
5. What type of dividing line does the author think the Great Flood
represented to the peoples of Mesopotamia?
6. What factors does the author mention that contributed to the need for
the rise of kingship?
7. What elements of the rule of Urukagina of Lagash seem to be unique to
his reign up to that point in Mesopotamian history? What makes him
different, and why?
Everyone should answer the following as well:
8. In a paragraph of 7 or 8 sentences, please explain what you thought was
the most interesting or compelling aspect of the summer reading. This
can be something odd or surprising, or perhaps what you felt was the
most meaningful. There are a wide variety of ways to respond to this
question. What is important is that you develop your ideas and use
specifics from the text to support your response.
Requirements for students entering grade 10
Common book for English 10 and Honors English 10:
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (ISBN 978-0-7432-6217-0)
Read chapters 1-10 of Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. As you read, note
not only the plot of the story, but the author’s creative descriptions that
contribute to the mood of the story. Imagine that you are a recent acquaintance of
Stephen Kumalo’s having been introduced to him while you were visiting
friends in Johannesburg. When you meet him, Kumalo is preoccupied with the
search for his son. Nevertheless, you develop an affinity for his character and
sympathy for his cause. Write a letter to your parents explaining Kumalo’s
situation. Begin your letter by explaining some of the history of the region to give
them background to Kumalo’s story. Then, tell them what you have learned
about his values, his conflicts, and his fears. Discuss each one in a separate
paragraph. On the first day of school, please bring a typed five-paragraph letter
(approximately 300-600 words) explaining Kumalo’s situation. Your final
paragraph should include your thoughts about Kumalo’s future given his
circumstances.
I recommend that you spend some time reviewing the following website so that
you can understand more about the historical background of the racial tensions
around which the book revolves. Here’s a link to South Africa’s own website:
http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~cale/cs201apartheid.hist.html
Additional reading: at least 500 pages consisting of books of your choice read in
their entirety. You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading
List. You may not count history reading toward the total. Fill in all information
on the Summer Reading Log.
Advanced Placement European History and Western Civilization II:
The Lost Battles: Leonardo, Michelangelo, and the Artistic Duel that Defined the
Renaissance, by Jonathan Jones (ISBN 978-0-307-74178-3)
Selections: Read the Introduction and chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12.
Total pages: 172
Assignment: Answer each of the following questions with a full paragraph
response. These questions require you to think critically and synthesize
information. Responses should be typed and are due on the first day of school.
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Requirements for students entering grade 11
We will finish the book during the first week of the school year. If you have
questions, Ms. Speth can be reached by email at aspeth@covenantschool.org.
Common Books for English 11 and Honors English 11:
Introduction & Chapter 1 (pp 3-30)
1. Describe what makes both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
Buonarroti unique as artists. Why do they exemplify the Renaissance
era? What do you think is the source of their rivalry?
Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller (ISBN 978-0140481341)
A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry (ISBN 978-0679755333)
Chapters 2 & 3 (pp 31-65)
2. Describe the political structure of Italy during this time period and the
problems it faced. How did art and architecture reflect patriotism? How
and why did politicians use art to send political messages?
Chapter 5 (pp 84-105) [Skip chapter 4]
3. Several factors contribute to the fact that Italy emerged as the artistic
center of the Renaissance. In what ways did culture, history, and
technology contribute to the arts in Italy? In what ways did they
influence da Vinci and Michelangelo?
Chapters 6 & 7 (pp 109-140)
4. The battles da Vinci and Michelangelo painted were from rival cities in
Italian history. What political purpose did their artworks serve? How did
their choice (or assignment) of topics contribute to their rivalry as artists?
Chapter 9 (pp 159-174) [Skip chapter 8]
5. In what ways did da Vinci and other Renaissance artists contribute to or
draw inspiration from war tactics and technologies?
Chapter 10 (pp 175-192)
6. Why is the Renaissance the first time in history that individual talent is
recognized? How is this new individualism evident in the works of da
Vinci and Michelangelo and in their competition?
Chapter 12 (pp 208-228) [Skip chapter 11]
7. Explain da Vinci’s opinion about art as a reflection of history and truth.
Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you think today’s art reflects
historical or emotional truth the way it did during the Renaissance?
Explain.
Pretend that you are a talk show host and that you are interviewing Walter
Younger, Mama Younger, Willy Loman, and Biff Loman. You ask each of them
the same question: What constitutes the good life? What does each one answer?
Write a paragraph for each character's answer. Then write a paragraph in which
you explain which character you agree with the most, and which character you
agree with the least. Explain your reasoning.
If you would prefer to write this as more of a free-flowing conversation or
transcript of a talk show, in which all the characters interact not only with each
other but also with you, the host, feel free to structure it this way. Just make sure
to fully articulate each character's view and your own view, even if you break
them up into multiple comments from each character and yourself.
Your paper should be typed and double-spaced and 500 - 750 words in length.
You will have a test on the books during the first week of school, and we will also
be using them throughout the year, so it’s important that you read them
completely and carefully.
Additional reading: at least 300 pages consisting of books of your choice read in
their entirety. You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading
List. You may not count history reading toward the total. Fill in all information
on the Summer Reading Log.
Summer Assignment for U.S. History (HOUSE)
Love & Hate in Jamestown by David Price (ISBN 978-1400031726)
Chapter One: “Prologue.”
1. Contrast the attitudes of the English and the Spanish toward the Indians.
2. How did the failure of the Roanoke colony and the presence of the
Spanish influence the settlement of Virginia?
Chapter Two: “The Crossing.”
3. Describe two motives that influenced the English settlers.
4. Why did John Smith have so much difficulty working with other English
leaders?
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Chapter Three: “Have Great Care Not to Offend.”
5. What do you consider to be the most surprising instruction that the
Virginia Company wrote for its settlers?
Chapter Four: “Wingfield”
6. What do you consider to be the most important wrong expectation that
the English settlers had of Virginia? Explain how this wrong expectation
influenced the colony.
7. Choose one of the leaders of the Jamestown colony and contrast his
approach to managing the Indians with the approach of John Smith.
Chapter Five: “The Rescue”
8. What factor do you think was most important in preventing the English
settlers from providing for themselves? Explain why you think this was
most important.
9. How is the narrative of Pocahontas’ rescue of John Smith in this book
different from what is usually portrayed in popular culture (such as
Disney’s Pocahontas)?
Chapter Six: “Gilded Dirt.”
10. How successful were Captain Newport’s efforts to find gold for the
Virginia Company?
Skip Chapters Seven and Eight
Chapter Nine: “The Starving Time”
11. What do you think was Smith’s most important contribution to the
Jamestown colony?
12. Identify three causes of the “Starving Time.” Explain how the Starving
Time affected the future of Jamestown.
Chapter Ten: “Restoration”
13. Explain the role of the Sea Venture in rescuing the Jamestown colony.
Chapter Eleven: “The Marriage”
14. Identify two reasons why Pocahontas may have decided to marry an
Englishman.
15. What reasons did John Rolfe give for wanting to marry Pocahontas?
Skip Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen: “The First African Americans”
16. Besides marrying Pocahontas, what was Rolfe’s other contribution to the
survival of Jamestown?
17. Explain how the introduction of private property and representative
government impacted the future of Jamestown and America.
18. Contrast the English attitudes towards Africans with their attitudes
toward Indians.
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Chapter Fourteen: “Skyfall”
19. Identify three factors that led to the sudden conflict with the Powhatan
in 1622.
20. What do you think was the most important consequence of the
Powhatan War of 1622?
Summer Assignment for AP U.S. History:
A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz
Prologue: “The Lost Century.”
1. Horwitz discovered a “chasm” of knowledge about the 1500s in North
America. Do you have a similar chasm of this time period? Why do you
think the accounts of European settlements in this time frame are largely
ignored by Americans?
Chapter One: Vinland. Read pp. 11-37 and 44-46
2. What trends between contact with the Natives and Europeans were first
established in Norse-Native relations?
Chapter Two: 1492.
3. Horwitz lists how Columbus’s discovery was interpreted on the
centennials of his discovery of America. What do those interpretations
reveal about the United States in 1792, 1892, and 1992?
4. Contrast Columbus’ 1492 expedition with his 1493 voyage.
Skip Chapters Three and Four.
Chapter Five: The Gulf Coast.
5. How did Cabeza de Vaca’s travel change him and his perceptions both
of the Indians and of his fellow Europeans?
6. Compare/Contrast Estevanico with other conquistadors.
Chapter Six: The Southwest.
7. What was the Requerimento and its role in the Spanish conquest of the
Southwest?
8. Explain the “Black Legend.” How does it influence perceptions of the
Spanish conquest?
Chapter Seven: The Great Plains.
9. Assess the environmental impact of the European conquest of North
America. Include in your answer a discussion of disease, animals, and
climate.
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Chapter Eight: The South.
10. People living in the Southwest seemed to Horwitz more interested in the
conquistadors than Southeasterners. Do you agree with this assessment?
Why or why not?
11. Give two examples of comparisons Horwitz makes between the
Conquest of the Southeast and the Civil War.
Chapter Nine: The Mississippi.
12. Describe what you consider to be the most important advantage and
disadvantage conquistadors like De Soto had in their confrontations with
the Indians?
13. What factors caused the balance of power between the Spanish and the
Indians to shift during De Soto’s expedition? How did this affect his
tactics?
Requirements for students entering grade 12
Common Book for English 12 (see below for Honors and AP)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (ISBN 978-0141439471)
1.
What causes Victor to take on the task of creating a living being? How do
his character, personality, experiences, and history contribute to the
decisions he makes about his life’s work? Write a brief character analysis
of Victor, with particular attention to what fuels his scientific endeavors.
Be sure to cite specific passages (in-text citations, MLA style) to support
the claims you make about Victor’s character. (300 – 500 words)
2.
After you have finished the novel, think of someone who should read
this book (could be someone you know, a famous person, a made-up
person). Write a letter to this person explaining why he or she should
read Frankenstein. Try to be persuasive and appeal to that person’s
interests, needs, or situation. Make sure to reference specific parts of the
novel. (300 – 500 words)
Chapter Ten: Florida.
14. Contrast the Spanish and French settlements in Florida. In your answer,
address religion, Indian relations, and effectiveness.
Chapter Eleven: Roanoke
15. Explain two factors that inhibited England’s efforts to begin colonization
of the New World and explain how they delayed or slowed colonization
efforts.
16. Describe two events or trends that prevented England from resupplying
the Roanoke colony. Speculate about two events or trends that may have
prompted the settlers themselves to abandon the colony.
Chapter Twelve: Jamestown.
17. What were some of the changes that took place in England between the
Roanoke and Jamestown settlements?
18. Identify two challenges facing the Jamestown settlers. What do you think
was the more important of these challenges? Why?
Additional reading: at least 400 pages consisting of books of your choice read in
their entirety. You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading
List. You may not count history reading toward the total. Fill in all information
on the Summer Reading Log.
Common Books for AP Literature and Honors English 12 :
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (ISBN 978-0141439471)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (ISBN 978-0060850524)
1.
Consider the ways that Mary Shelley builds sympathy for both Victor
and his creation. By the time you reach the end of the story, for which of
these characters do you have the most sympathy? Explain how Shelley
helped build your sympathy for that character over the other character.
Or, explain why her efforts to create sympathy failed, if you find yourself
unable to sympathize with either main character. Be sure to cite specific
passages (in-text citations, MLA style) to support the claims you make.
(300 – 500 words)
2.
Imagine that John the Savage from Brave New World were alive today.
What do you think he would say about 21st-century American society?
Write a letter from the Savage’s point of view to Americans in 2014, to be
published in a major newspaper. Make sure your letter contains the
Chapter Thirteen: Plymouth.
19. Why does the myth of Plymouth as the founding of America persist in
light of the previous settlements?
20. Contrast the Plymouth colony’s Indian relations with those of
Jamestown. Identify two other differences between Jamestown and
Plymouth.
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values he displays in the novel, and try to draw connections between the
world of that novel and our world. (300 – 500 words)
* A note on Brave New World: You may find it to be a strange, even off-putting
book. It is imperative that you understand what Aldous Huxley was up to when
he wrote it: he intended the book as a satire wherein he portrayed a seemingly
perfect society through which he could criticize ideas that were prevalent in
England in the 1930s. In other words, he was warning against the manufacturing
of human beings, not promoting it. Likewise, he was warning against the societal
attitudes that lead to sexual promiscuity, rampant drug use, and addictive
pursuit of ease and entertainment, not supporting them. The scary thing is how
prevalent these ideas and pursuits have become in our time. As you read, try to
make connections between the strange world of the novel and our world. And if
you find the first three chapters disorienting, that’s ok—you’re supposed to. But
read them carefully, as they form the background to the plot, which begins in
chapter 4.
Additional reading: at least 400 pages consisting of books read in their entirety.
You are encouraged to choose from the Recommended Reading List. You may
not count history reading toward the total. Fill in all information on the Summer
Reading Log.
US Government & Politics
A More Perfect Constitution: 23 Proposals to Revitalize Our Constitution and Make
America a Fairer Country © 2007 by Professor Larry J. Sabato
DIRECTIONS: Read the designated chapters of A More Perfect Constitution
(paperback version is 346 pages ‘cover-to-cover’, but this assignment is only 120
pages + 24 pages in Appendix). Email me ( pcampbell@covenantschool.org ) or
turn in the assignment no later than Thursday August 21st (Orientation day).
Submissions received by Thursday August 14th will receive 4 bonus pts (max
score is 100). Be prepared to discuss your responses throughout the year.
 You may not work with others on this assignment.
 Late submissions lose 10%/school day (maximum of 50% off).
 This assignment should be completed simply based on your own reading
of the book. However, if you choose to consult outside sources, be sure to
correctly cite any works you use (or you will be plagiarizing). No outside
research is necessary or desired, except for part 5 below.
 The chapters not assigned (4-7), might be assigned later in the school year.
 Read/refer to the Constitution (Appendix) frequently.
 Type or very neatly write your answers. Times New Roman, 12 point font.
 List your word counts at end of each section. Be concise. Points may be
deducted for exceeding the word count limits.
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GRADE: This written assignment will be roughly equivalent to 1 test grade in
the first semester. Questions based on this book will also appear on evaluations
throughout the year.
1) Preamble pp. 1-18: Dr. Sabato makes the argument we need to “revitalize” the
Constitution. Explain your opinion of how well he makes this argument. Word
limit: 60-120. (10 pts)
2) Ch. 1: Creating a Capitol Congress pp. 19-75: Of the 5 sections in Ch. 1,
explain your opinion on the validity of 2 of the 5 proposals. Word limit: 50-100
words for each of the 2. (20 pts)
3) Ch. 2: Perfecting the Presidency pp. 76-107: Of the 7 sections in Ch. 2, explain
your opinion on the validity of 3 of the 7 proposals. Word limit: 50-100 words for
each of the 3. (30 pts)
4) Ch. 3: The New Courts: Supreme but not Eternal pp. 108-120: Explain your
opinion on the validity of 2 of the 5 proposals. Word limit: 50-100 words for each
of the 2. (20 pts)
5) Terms: Find 18 terms/words used in the book that are unfamiliar to you, such
as “coattails” (you can use that one if you wish). Succinctly provide the definition
of the term, list the page # in the book where the term appears, and cite your
source. (20 pts)
AP Comparative Government & Politics
A More Perfect Constitution: 23 Proposals to Revitalize Our Constitution and Make
America a Fairer Country © 2007 by Professor Larry J. Sabato
BACKGROUND: While our course will spend a unit on each of 6 other countries (the
United Kingdom, China, Nigeria, Russia, Mexico, & Iran), the first country’s politics we
will study is the United States. Therefore, you need to have a strong background in the
government and politics of the U.S.
DIRECTIONS: Read the designated chapters of A More Perfect Constitution
(paperback version is 346 pages ‘cover-to-cover’, but this assignment is only 178
pages + 24 pages in Appendix). Email me ( pcampbell@covenantschool.org ) or
turn in the assignment no later than Thursday August 21st (Orientation day).
Submissions received by Thursday August 14th will receive 4 bonus pts (max
score is 100). Be prepared to discuss your responses throughout the year.
 You may not work with others on this assignment.
 Late submissions lose 10%/school day (maximum of 50% off).
 This assignment should be completed simply based on your own reading
of the book. However, if you choose to consult outside sources, be sure to
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correctly cite any works you use (or you will be plagiarizing). No outside
research is necessary or desired, except for part 7 below.
 Read/refer to the Constitution (Appendix) frequently.
 Type or very neatly write your answers; Times New Roman, 12 point font.
 List your word counts at end of each section. Be concise. Points may be
deducted for exceeding the word count limits.
GRADE: This written assignment will be roughly equivalent to 1 test grade in
the first semester.
1) Preamble pp. 1-18: Dr. Sabato makes the argument we need to “revitalize” the
Constitution. Explain your opinion of how well he makes this argument. Word
limit: 70-130. (8 pts)
2) Ch. 1: Creating a Capitol Congress pp. 19-75: Of the 5 sections in Ch. 1,
explain your opinion on the validity of 4 of the 5 proposals. Word limit: 50-100
words for each of the 4. (20 pts)
RECOMMENDED READING LISTS
Recommended Reading for students entering Grades 7 & 8
Alcott, Louisa May
Little Women
The four March girls keep themselves busy while their father is away fighting in
the Civil War. Their plays, games, chores, and friendship with the boy next door
keep their spirits up despite poverty and the uncertainty of the times.
Austen, Jane
Emma
Emma, a self-assured young lady in Regency England, is determined to arrange
her life and the lives of those around her into a pattern dictated by her romantic
fancy.
Austen, Jane
Pride and Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy dance around their dislike for each other in this
well-to-do 18th century British society. A book full of humor and romance.
3) Ch. 2: Perfecting the Presidency pp. 76-107: Of the 7 sections in Ch. 2, explain
your opinion on the validity of 5 of the 7 proposals. Word limit: 50-100 words for
each of the 5. (25 pts)
4) Ch. 3: The New Courts: Supreme but not Eternal pp. 108-120: Explain your
opinion on the validity of 4 of the 5 proposals. Word limit: 50-100 words for each
of the 4. (20 pts)
5) Chapter 4: Politics: America’s Missing Constitutional Link pp. 121-153:
Explain your opinion on whether the Electoral College should be kept as is,
amended, or eliminated. Word limit: 75-150. (10 pts)
Bradbury, Ray
Fahrenheit 451
After learning that books are a vital part of a culture he never knew, a bookburning official in a future fascist state secretly begins reading until he is
betrayed.
Burnett, Frances
The Little Princess
Sara Crewe, a pupil at Miss Minchin's London School, is left in poverty when her
father dies but is later rescued by a mysterious benefactor.
6) Ch. 7 only pp. 198-211; and Conclusion (pp. 221-232) and Article V (pp.243-4).
Explain your opinion on whether or not a Constitutional Convention will take
place by 2025. Word limit: 70-130. (8 pts)
Carter, Forrest
The Education of Little Tree
Forrest Carter's controversial work is about an orphaned boy in 1930s
Appalachian Tennessee who learns about his cultural heritage when he is
adopted by his Native American grandparents and discovers prejudice when he
is sent to a boarding school run by whites.
7) Terms: Find 9 terms/words used in the book that are unfamiliar to you, such
as “coattails” (you can use that one if you wish). Succinctly provide the definition
of the term, list the page # in the book where the term appears, and cite your
source (might all be 1 dictionary source). (9 pts)
Cooper, James Fenimore
The Last of the Mohicans
Hawkeye, a young frontier scout, and Uncas, a Mohican Indian, form an unlikely
friendship as they battle against the Iroquois Indians and try to preserve the
unspoiled wilderness.
Dickens, Charles
Oliver Twist
In nineteenth-century England, a young orphan runs away from a workhouse, is
captured by a gang of thieves, and finally escapes.
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Doyle, Arthur Conan
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Any of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
Frank, Anne
The Diary of a Young Girl
A 13-year-old Dutch-Jewish girl records her impressions of the two years she and
seven others spent hiding from the Nazis before they were discovered and taken
to concentration camps.
Gibson, William
Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker is a play about blind, deaf, and mute Helen Keller and her
teacher, Annie Sullivan.
Staples, Suzanne Fisher
Shabanu
Thirteen-year-old Shabanu is a Pakistani tomboy who loves to accompany her
father when he takes the camels to the bazaar for sale. But she is of age to marry,
and her life changes dramatically when her parents select a husband for her.
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Treasure Island
Young Jim Hawkins finds a map that leads to Treasure Island, but this fateful
discovery leads to his involvement with a band of pirates led by Long John
Silver.
Taylor, Mildred
Let the Circle Be Unbroken
TJ Avery is accused of murder and must stand trial before an all-white Southern
jury in this sequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Hesse, Karen
Out of the Dust
Billie Jo records in dramatic narrative verse the trials and triumphs of
Depression-Era Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl years.
Kidd, Sue Monk
The Secret Life of Bees
Fourteen-year-old Lily lives with the story that she accidentally killed her
mother. When she runs away to escape an unsettled home, she searches for the
truth and the meaning of “mother.”
Lewis, C. S.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Read any of these books in this series about four English schoolchildren and their
adventures in the world of Narnia.
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa, In My Own Words
Collection of quotations, stories, and prayers by Mother Teresa on the poor, the
dying, the suffering, and the doubting.
Ten Boom, Corrie
The Hiding Place
Corrie ten Boom’s autobiography tells the story of the Nazi occupation of
Holland and her family’s determination to live as Christians helping those
oppressed by the SS, even at great risk to themselves.
London, Jack
Call of the Wild
The story of Buck, a dog that is forcibly taken to the Klondike goldfields, where
he eventually becomes the leader of a wolf pack.
Tolkien, J.R.R
The Hobbit
Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit who only wanted to be left alone, is drawn by a wizard
and a band of homeless dwarves into a quest where he confronts evil orcs,
savage wolves, and the great dragon, Smaug the Magnificent.
Lois Lowry
The Giver
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a Utopian community with no color and no
emotion. He is chosen to receive the memories of the community, and in doing so
faces the dilemma of what to do with them.
Tolkien, J.R.R
Lord of the Rings
The trilogy that tells of the great quest undertaken by the hobbit Frodo and the
Fellowship of the Ring to journey across Middle-earth and cast the One Ring into
Mount Doom.
Peck, Robert N.
A Day No Pigs Would Die
To a 13-year-old Vermont farm boy whose father slaughters pigs for a living,
maturity comes early as he learns “doing what's got to be done,” especially
regarding his pet pig who cannot produce a litter.
Wilkerson, David
The Cross and the Switchblade
A minister who left his small church in Pennsylvania to go to New York City
relates his experiences working with street gang members.
Poe, Edgar Allan
A collection of short stories
Smith, Betty
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Young Francie Nolan experiences the problems of growing up in a Brooklyn
slum.
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Recommended Reading for students entering Grades 9&10
Achebe, Chinua
Things Fall Apart
In pre-colonial Nigeria, Okonkwo is a warrior and an important man in his clan,
but when English missionaries enter the land, bringing with them the jurisdiction
of the British Empire, how will Okonkwo and his people respond?
Austen, Jane
Pride and Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy dance around their dislike for each other in this
well-to-do 18th century British society. A book full of humor and romance.
Austen, Jane
Sense and Sensibility
Two sisters of opposing temperaments share the pangs of tragic love. Their
mutual suffering brings a closer understanding between the two sisters.
Heyerdahl, Thor
Kon-Tiki
The true story of a Norwegian explorer’s journey across the Pacific in a small
craft to try to prove that the Pacific Islands were settled by South Americans.
Homer
The Iliad
Homer's account of the Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans
including Achilles' quarrel with Agamemnon and his revenge on Hector.
Kingsolver, Barbara
The Bean Trees
Taylor, a poor Kentuckian, makes her way west with an abandoned baby girl and
stops in Tucson. There she finds friends and discovers resources in apparently
empty places.
Defoe, Daniel
Robinson Crusoe
An Englishman who is the sole survivor of a seventeenth century shipwreck lives
for almost thirty years on a deserted island before being rescued.
Kingston, Maxine Hong
The Woman Warrior
Subtitled “Memoirs of a Girlhood among Ghosts,” this somewhat fictionalized
autobiography describes the author’s struggles as a Chinese-American growing
up in San Francisco.
Dickens, Charles
Great Expectations
The story of Pip, an orphan in Victorian England who is informed one day that
he has “great expectations” and is to be reared as a gentleman.
Knowles, John
A Separate Peace
Gene Forrester looks back 15 years to a World War II year in which he and his
best friend were roommates in a New Hampshire boarding school.
Du Maurier, Daphne
Rebecca
This classic tale of history and romance is set in early 20th century English. A
young wife of a widower discovers a dark secret about her husband’s dead wife.
Markandya, Kamala
Nectar in a Sieve
The story of a peasant woman in India contending with a difficult life, farming
with her husband, suffering with poverty and disaster, and raising children.
Dumas, Alexander
The Count of Monte Cristo
Nineteen-year-old French sailor Edmond Dantes is unjustly imprisoned on his
wedding day, but, after fourteen years of solitary confinement, he escapes, taking
on a new identity to become the hero of the greatest revenge story ever written.
Markham, Beryl
West with the Night
The memoir of an Englishwoman who grew up in Kenya during the early 1900s
and later became a bush pilot there. Hemingway called it a “wonderful book,”
and National Geographic ranked it as one of the best adventure books ever written.
Dumas, Alexander
Three Musketeers
A young nobleman, d'Artagnan, heads to Paris in hopes of joining the
Musketeers. He proves himself fighting with them and earns a place in their
ranks. Together they preserve the king’s honor and thwart the schemes of
Cardinal Richelieu.
Potok, Chaim
The Chosen
The story of Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders--one an orthodox Jew, the other
the son of a Hasidic rabbi--and their friendship as they grow up in Brooklyn.
Remarque, Erich Maria
All Quiet on the Western Front
Written by a German veteran of World War I and later banned by the Nazis, this
novel chronicles both the horrors of war and the alienation of soldiers afterward.
Hamilton, Edith
Mythology
A classic collection of Greek mythology. Very thorough.
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Recounts the experiences of Shukhov, a prisoner at a Soviet work camp in
Siberia, as he struggles for survival.
Hemingway, Ernest
The Old Man and the Sea
An old Cuban fisherman hooks a gigantic fish, leading to a three-day ordeal at
sea.
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Tolstoy, Leo
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
The story of a successful judge who suddenly finds out that he is terminally ill,
bringing him the opportunity to see what is really in his heart.
White, T. H.
The Once and Future King
The story of King Arthur, from his birth until the end of his reign, based largely
on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D’Arthur. Knights, magic, adventure, romance.
Zusak, Markus
The Book Thief
Narrated by Death himself, this story concerns Liesel, a girl living in Nazi
Germany who steals books against the backdrop of the Holocaust.
Cervantes, Miguel
Don Quixote *
The epic tale of an eccentric country gentleman and his companion who set out
as a knight and squire of old to right wrongs and punish evil in 16th-century
Spain.
Dante
The Divine Comedy *
An epic poem in which the poet describes his spiritual journey through Hell,
Purgatory and Paradise – guided first by the poet Virgil and then by his beloved
Beatrice – which results in a purification of his religious faith. Each of its three
books counts toward your book total: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
Dickens, Charles
David Copperfield
A young boy in 19th-century London runs away from an unhappy home, finds
employment in a wine factory, and becomes acquainted with a wide variety of
characters in the city streets.
Recommended Reading for students entering grades 11&12
An asterisk * indicates recommended works for Honors and AP students
Brontë, Emily
Wuthering Heights
Forced by a storm to spend the night at the home of Heathcliff, Mr. Lockwood
uncovers a tale of terror, hatred, and love on the Yorkshire moors.
Douglass, Frederick
Narrative of Frederick Douglass
An autobiographical account by the runaway slave Frederick Douglass that
chronicles his experiences with his owners and overseers.
Bronte, Charlotte
Jane Eyre
A orphaned young woman accepts employment as a governess and soon finds
herself in love with her employer who has a terrible secret.
Dostoevsky, Fyodor
Crime and Punishment *
Describes the resultant physical and mental depletion after a student in St.
Petersburg murders an old woman, a money lender, and her sister.
Brown, Dee
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
An account of the systematic plunder of the American Indians.
Dostoevsky, Fyodor
The Brothers Karamazov *
The four sons of Fyodor Karamazov must contend with a criminal investigation
and with their own inner questions about justice and the existence of God after
the brothers become involved in the murder of their father.
Bunyan, John
Pilgrim's Progress
A religious allegory which follows the trials and tribulations of Christian as he
journeys to the Celestial City, and looks at the fate of his wife, Christiana, and
their children – left behind when he began his quest.
Dumas, Alexander
The Count of Monte Cristo
Nineteen-year-old French sailor Edmond Dantes is unjustly imprisoned on his
wedding day, but, after fourteen years of solitary confinement, he escapes, taking
on a new identity to become the hero of the greatest revenge story ever written.
Camus, Albert
The Stranger
Caught in the grip of forces he does not understand, a quiet, ordinary clerk in
Algiers commits a murder.
Capote, Truman
In Cold Blood
Recreates the slaying of the Clutter family of Kansas, and the capture, trial, and
execution of their murderers.
Cather, Willa
My Ántonia
Set on the Nebraska prairie in the 1880s, this is the story of the difficult life of
Ántonia, a young immigrant, as told by her American friend, Jim Burden.
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Eco, Umberto
The Name of the Rose *
Brother William turns detective in medieval Italy when seven bizarre deaths take
place in seven days and nights.
Ellison, Ralph
Invisible Man *
The story of a young black male who travels from his home in the South north to
Harlem, where he experiences exploitation and alienation.
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Faulkner, William
Absalom, Absalom *
A Harvard freshman pieces together the strange story of a Southern tragedy
involving an ambitious planter who settled in Mississippi in 1833.
Homer
The Iliad *
Homer's account of the Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans
including Achilles' quarrel with Agamemnon and his revenge on Hector.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
This Side of Paradise
This story of a privileged but aimless young man traces his formative years in the
Midwest and at Princeton and then follows him as he is dumped
unceremoniously into WWI and an everyday world at complete odds with his
lofty aspirations.
Johnson, James Weldon
The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
An autobiographical novel about a young biracial man in post-Reconstruction
America who must decide whether to embrace a black identity or “pass” for
white.
Garcia Marquez, Gabriel
One Hundred Years of Solitude *
“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was
to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.” So
begins the epic multigenerational story of a family in Colombia.
Gardiner, John
Grendel
Grendel, the monster, tells his side of the Beowulf story and compares his values
with the chief values of human beings.
Gaines, Ernest
A Lesson Before Dying
Tells the story of a young African-American man sentenced to death for a
murder he did not commit and a teacher who tries to impart to him his learning
and pride before the execution.
Griffin, John Howard
Black Like Me
The author, a white man, recounts his experiences when he darkened his skin
and traveled through the South as an African-American man.
Kerouac, Jack
On the Road
Chronicles the way of life of the Beat generation as Dean Moriarty speeds across
America.
Kingsolver, Barbara
The Poisonwood Bible
Nathan Price and his family move to the Belgian Congo in 1959, and the
experiences they have while living in Africa affect each member of the family in a
different way.
Koestler, Arthur
Darkness at Noon
In Stalinist Russia, an aging revolutionary is imprisoned and tortured, forced to
admit to crimes he never committed against the state he helped establish.
Krakauer, Jon
Into the Wild
The story of Chris McCandless, a 24-year-old who walked into the Alaskan
wilderness on an idealistic journey and was found dead months later.
Marlowe, Christopher
Dr. Faustus *
A sixteenth-century drama about a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in
exchange for knowledge and power.
Hardy, Thomas
Tess of the D’Urbervilles *
A study of grace vs. law, this is the story of Tess, seduced and discarded by a
wealthy man. Will she find grace at the hands of a moralistic society?
Heller, Joseph
Catch-22 *
A bombardier, based in Italy during World War II, repeatedly tries to avoid
flying bombing missions while his colonel tries to get him killed by demanding
that he fly more and more missions.
Hemingway, Ernest
The Sun Also Rises *
Focuses on a “lost generation” of Americans who fought in France during World
War I and who expatriated themselves from America after the war.
Hillenbrand, Laura
Unbroken
The biography of Louie Zamperini, a World War II bombardier who survived a
plane crash, weeks adrift on a raft, and torture in a Japanese prison camp.
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McCullers, Carson
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
A deaf mute who has lost his only friend to a hospital for the insane becomes the
recipient of the confidences of several other town residents.
Melville, Herman
Moby-Dick *
Captain Ahab's determination to find and kill the great white whale becomes an
obsession driving him to disaster.
Milton, John
Paradise Lost *
John Milton's epic poem, which deals with the original sin of Adam and Eve and
their temptation by the devil.
O’Brien, Tim
The Things They Carried
A collection of related semi-autobiographical stories set during the Vietnam War.
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Orwell, George
1984
Winston Smith, a worker at the Ministry of Truth in the future political entity of
Oceania, puts his life on the line when he joins a covert brotherhood in rebelling
against the Party that controls all human thought and action.
Thoreau, Henry David
Walden
Nineteenth-century American writer and social activist Henry David Thoreau's
reflections upon living alone among nature for two years on Massachusetts'
Walden Pond.
Salinger, J. D.
Catcher in the Rye
An adolescent boy, knowing he is about to be dropped by his school, spends
three days and nights in New York City.
Tolstoy, Leo
Anna Karenina *
In nineteenth-century Russia, the wife of an important government official loses
her family and social status when she chooses the love of Count Vronsky over a
passionless marriage.
Shakespeare, William
As You Like It
Shakespeare’s memorable heroine Rosalind finds love in the forest of Arden, but
the problem is, she’s in hiding from her treacherous uncle and disguised as a boy.
Shakespeare, William
King Lear *
The tragedy of an old king who divides his kingdom among his daughters only
to have them turn violently against him. Shakespeare’s darkest and perhaps
greatest.
Shakespeare, William
Macbeth
One of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays, full of murder and witchcraft and centered
on a man who kills his king in order to become king: a warning to the ambitious.
Shaw, George Bernard
Saint Joan
Presents the script of the 1924 drama which chronicles the trial, burning at the
stake, and canonization of the fifteenth-century warrior and martyr, Joan of Arc.
Silko, Leslie Marmon
Ceremony
Follows Tayo, a young Native American, after his release from a veteran's
hospital following World War II as he searches for meaning and sanity in his life.
Wilde, Oscar
The Picture of Dorian Gray
A remarkably handsome youth, Dorian Gray, meets Lord Henry Wotton and is
corrupted into a life of terrible evil.
Wolff, Tobias
Old School
Determined to fit in at his New England prep school, the narrator has learned to
mimic the bearing and manners of his adoptive tribe while concealing as much as
possible about himself. His final year, however, unravels everything he's
achieved, and steers his destiny in directions no one could have predicted.
Woolf, Virginia
Mrs. Dalloway *
Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway, occupied with the last-minute details of party
preparation, finds her thoughts on a very different route through the past.
Wright, Richard
Black Boy
The autobiography of an African-American writer, recounting his early years and
the harrowing experiences he encountered drifting from Natchez to Chicago to
Brooklyn.
Steinbeck, John
East of Eden *
The saga of three generations of the Trask and Hamilton families in the early
1900s in Northern California. A modern retelling of the Cain and Abel story.
Steinbeck, John
The Grapes of Wrath
The saga of a family in 1939 that struggles through the Great Depression by
laboring as Dust Bowl migrants.
Swift, Jonathan
Gulliver’s Travels
The voyages of an Englishman carry him to a land of people six inches high, a
land of giants, an island of sorcerers, and a land where horses are masters of
human-like creatures.
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