FRESHMAN ENGLISH 212
Name:
ASSIGNMENT: Every weekend throughout the year—except during designated Homework-Free weekends
and vacations—students will be expected to
(a) read at least twenty-five minutes in an independent reading book and
(b) also provide page details of their reading.
Three things to do after reading:
(1) choose and discuss a quotation from the reading section that relates to personal or other significance;
(2) write a sentence related to a recent grammar lesson and to your reading (if possible); and
(3) write one or two sentences that use recently-studied vocabulary words and are related (creatively
perhaps) to your reading.
A full-credit homework grade is given if the assignment shows full effort—that is, all components, regardless of
their correctness, are earnestly completed.
Feel free to read your 25 minutes during the school week also. Feel free to read for more than 25 minutes,
too; I hope you will.
a. Read 25 minutes (at least) of weekend independent reading
b. Heading that gives details of your reading.
o Your Name
o Date entry is turned in
o Book title
o Page numbers read since the last entry (during the week or weekend), with total number of pages in parentheses
1. Quotation Sandwich—Discussion. Write two or three sentences in which you integrate a meaningful quotation—
or a small section from the quotation, or just a phrase—from your reading with a comment about either its
significance to your reading or your personal response to it.
2. Grammar/Style Practice. Write one sentence that uses an example of any of the grammar emphasized during
recent study period.
3. Vocabulary Application. Write two sentences with two vocabulary words that are related to your reading. Any
loose connection is fine; the goal is make meaningful use of the recently-learned vocabulary words. (You can
connect your sentences to recently-studied history content, if helpful.)
WEEKEND INDEPENDENT READING SCHEDULE
Term 1
1. T 9/8—nothing due
2.
T 9/15 (Rosh Hashanah—M 9/14)—have an independent reading book chosen by the end of the week
3.
Due M 9/21 (W 9/23—Yom Kippur)
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence (or more than one) correctly using THERE, THEY’RE, and THEIR.
[Challenge: Include IT’S and ITS in the sentence also.]
 Vocab: MOTTLED, IMPERIOUS
4.
Due M 9/28
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence (or more than one) that correctly uses THEN and THAN and correctly spells
and uses RECEIVE. [Challenge: Include THEN and THAN in the sentence also.]

 Vocab: MOROSE, PUGNACIOUS
5.
Due M 10/5—Short Stories
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that correctly capitalizes someone’s name, the school they go to, the town
they live in, and the name of their favorite TV show. [Challenge: Refer to English as a subject or language
and correctly capitalize it in the sentence.]
 Vocab: DEROGATORY, MOROSE
6.
T 10/13 (Mon—Columbus Day)—The Odyssey—NOTHING DUE—HW-Free Weekend
7.
Due M 10/19—Short Stories
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that correctly uses the possessive form (example: the student’s pen is on
the desk) and a contraction (example the student’s studying now). [Challenge: Include the title of a song or
poem that requires quotation marks.]
 Vocab: COMPLACENT, HOOSEGOW
8.
Due M 10/26—Short Stories
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that uses commas in a series of three or more items. [Challenge: Include
at least one example of a correctly-used apostrophe.]
 Vocab: ALOOF, SULLEN
9.
Due M 11/2—Of Mice and Men
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that correctly uses IT’S and ITS. [Challenge: Make sure that the sentence
has at least two correctly-used commas.]
 Vocab: BELLIGERENT, IMPERIOUS
10. Due M 11/9 (Veterans Day—Th 11/11)—Optional Special Weekend Reading—“The Things They Carried”
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that needs a comma after an introductory phrase or clause. [Challenge:
Use THEN and THAN and WHETHER in the same sentence.]
 Vocab: ABUNDANT, MALICIOUS
Term 2
11. Due M 11/16—Of Mice and Men
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that correctly capitalizes the title of your independent reading book and
properly uses italics (or underlining). [Challenge: Include a series of at least three items, which will require at
least two commas.]
 Vocab: INSOLENT, BOISTEROUS
12. Due M 11/23 (Thanksgiving)—Of Mice and Men
 Grammar/Style: Write a run-on/comma splice sentence—and then write the same sentence again correctly
punctuated. [Challenge: Include in your sentence THROUGH and THREW and WHICH and WITCH.]
 Vocab: GLOAT, DEROGATORY
13. M 11/30—Of Mice and Men—NOTHING DUE—HW-Free Weekend
14. Due M 12/7—Of Mice and Men
 Grammar/Style: Write a compound sentence with correct punctuation (of course). [Challenge: Use three or
more independent clauses and be sure to punctuate properly.]
 Vocab: COMPLACENT, SULLEN
15. Due M 12/14—Of Mice and Men
 Grammar/Style: Use affect and effect and number of in the same sentence (on any topic). [Challenge:
Include bad and badly in the same sentence—and write about your independent reading book, if you can.]
 Vocab: INSOLENT, MALICIOUS
16. M 12/21—W 12/23—Of Mice and Men
 Grammar/Style: Usage/Confusing Word Pairs— Use eager and anxious and further in the same sentence (on
any topic). [Challenge: Keep the topic on your independent reading book and include the book’s title,
correctly underlined and capitalized.]
 Vocab: KINSMAN, TRUDGE
[12/24-31—DECEMBER RECESS]
17. M 1/4—Poetry—NOTHING DUE
18. Due M 1/11—Poetry
 Grammar/Style: Usage/Confusing Word Pairs— Use fewer and less and as though in the same sentence (on
any topic). [Challenge: Include good and well in the sentence also.]
 Vocab: DOTE, DEXTERITY
19. Due T 1/19 (MLK Day)—Special Weekend Reading—MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
 Grammar/Style: Usage/Confusing Word Pairs—Use real and really and than in the same sentence (on any
topic). [Challenge: Write two versions: (1) an incorrect run-on sentence and (2) a corrected version.]
 Vocab: LAMENT, WOO, JOCUND
Term 3
20. Due M 1/25—Poetry
 Grammar/Style: Usage/Confusing Word Pairs—Use good and well correctly in one sentence. [Challenge: Use
among correctly in the sentence, too.]
 Vocab: CIRCUMVENT, MISER
21. Due M 2/1—The Odyssey
 Grammar/Style: Usage/Confusing Word Pairs—Use bad and badly correctly in one sentence. [Challenge:
Include it’s and its in a sentence that also has a series.]
 Vocab: NEOPHYTE, GLOAT
22. Due M 2/8—The Odyssey
 Grammar/Style: Personal Pronouns—subject and object pronouns—Use we and us in a compound sentence.
[Challenge: Also include they and them in the same sentence.]
 Vocab: BOISTEROUS, ALOOF
[2/15-19—WINTER VACATION (HW-Free)]
23. M 2/22—The Odyssey —NOTHING DUE—HW-Free Vacation
24. Due M 2/29—The Odyssey
 Grammar/Style: Indefinite Pronouns—Use everyone and somebody correctly in a complex sentence.
[Challenge: Use each correctly in the same sentence.]
 Vocab: MISANTHROPE, DECISIVE
25. Due M 3/7—The Odyssey
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that correctly uses ACCEPT and EXCEPT together in a compound sentence.
[Challenge: Write an incorrect run-on version of the same sentence.]
 Vocab: COMPORTMENT, CIRCUMVENT
26. Due M 3/14—The Odyssey
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence that includes your independent book title, the author’s name, and the main
character’s name. [Challenge: Use then and than correctly in the same sentence.]
 Vocab: MISER, GLOAT
27. Due M 3/21 (MCAS ELA testing; Good Friday) —The Odyssey
 Grammar/Style: Write a simple sentence with two apostrophes—one that uses a possessive apostrophe (the
doctor’s stethoscope) and a contraction (the doctor’s using a stethoscope). [Challenge: Make it a complex
sentence.]
 Vocab: HYPERBOLE, PANOPLY
28. Due M 3/28—Romeo and Juliet
 Grammar/Style: Write a simple sentence a series of three or more items. [Challenge: Make it a compoundcomplex sentence.]
 Vocab: IMPENDING, DOTE
29. Due M 4/4—Romeo and Juliet
 Grammar/Style: Properly punctuate a compound sentence. [Challenge: Include affect and effect in the same
sentence.]
 Vocab: JOCUND, LAMENT
Term 4
30. Due M 4/11—Romeo and Juliet
 Grammar/Style: Write two sentences—(1) a run-on comma splice and (2) its correct version—about your
independent reading book. [Challenge: Include your book’s title in the sentence and the author’s name.]
 Vocab: BENEVOLENT, MONOTONOUS
[4/18-22—SPRING VACATION]
31. M 4/25—Romeo and Juliet—NOTHING DUE
32. Due M 5/2 (AP testing—no bells)—Romeo and Juliet
 Grammar/Style: Write a complex sentence that also has a series that needs proper punctuation. [Challenge:
Include their, there, they’re all together in the sentence.]
 Vocab: VIVACIOUS, TRUDGE
33. Due M 5/9 (AP testing—no bells)—Romeo and Juliet
 Grammar/Style: Write a complex sentence about Romeo and Juliet. [Challenge: Make the sentence also with
a series.]
 Vocab: RECONCILE, CORPULENT
34. Due M 5/16—Romeo and Juliet—creative performances preparation
 Grammar/Style: Write a compound sentence correctly using farther and further and eager. [Challenge: Write
about your freshman year, looking back at a highlight or two.]
 Vocab: PROVOCATIVE, PANOPLY
35. Due M 5/23—Romeo and Juliet—creative performances preparation [HW-Free Weekend]
 Grammar/Style: Write a sentence with her, we, and they. [Challenge: Include us and them also.]
 Vocab: DECREPIT, MALICIOUS, VALIANT
36. Due T 5/31 (Memorial Day)—odds and ends wrap-up—NOTHING DUE
 Friday, 6/3—Eat-a-Book Feast
37. M 6/6—Final week of regular classes for underclassmen—NOTHING DUE
38. M 6/13— Review Week for underclassmen; Finals—NOTHING DUE
39. M 6/20—Finals for underclassmen
40. M 6/27—Snow-Days extension week
WEEKLY INDEPENDENT READING WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE)
Name: Alan Reinstein
Due Date: 9/10/12
Book Title: The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore
Pages Read: 85-107 (22 pages)
1. Quotation Sandwich. (CONTEXT—BACKGROUND INFO) The day after Wes returns to the military
school after trying to run away, he notices the nineteen-year-old Cadet Captain Ty Hill and appreciates
the respect that his men give to him. (QUOTATION) He writes, “I had never seen a man, a peer,
demand that much respect from his people” (96). (ANALYSIS / SIGNIFICANCE—WHY IT’S
IMPORTANT) This is when Wes seems to decide that this is the kind of person he wants to be and is
important in that it shows the importance of a person having a role model in one’s life.
2. Grammar/Style: (WRITE THE ASSIGNMENT) Write a sentence (or more than one) correctly using
THERE, THEY’RE, and THEIR.
SENTENCE(S): There were George’s parents, looking proudly at their brand new car. “They’re very
fond of their new Ferrari,” George thought.
3. Vocabulary: MOTTLED, IMPERIOUS
a. I imagine Wes in his military uniform, with the mottled grey, green, and brown colors to make it
camouflaged.
b. Wes’s captain imperiously yelled at him for staying in bed while the other students were awake
and ready to begin the day.
WEEKLY INDEPENDENT READING WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE)
Alan Reinstein
9/10/12
The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore
Pages Read—85-107 (22 pages)
1. Quotation Sandwich. The day after Wes returns to the military school after trying to run away, he
notices the nineteen-year-old Cadet Captain Ty Hill and appreciates the respect that his men give to him.
He writes, “I had never seen a man, a peer, demand that much respect from his people” (96). This is
when Wes seems to decide that this is the kind of person he wants to be and is important in that it shows
the importance of a person having a role model in one’s life.
2. Grammar/Style: Write a sentence (or more than one) correctly using THERE, THEY’RE, and THEIR.
There were George’s parents, looking proudly at their brand new car. “They’re very fond of their new
Ferari,” George thought.
3. Vocabulary: MOTTLED, IMPERIOUS.
a. Wes’s family was poor and had an old car that was painted a mottled-looking green and brown.
b. Wes’s captain imperiously yelled at him for staying in bed while the other students were awake
and ready to begin the day.