Honors English II
Summer Reading Portfolio
You will create a portfolio for Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. Your portfolio will include each of the
assignments below and is due the first week of the course. Late projects will be penalized unless you provide evidence
from the guidance office that you registered for this course less than 2 weeks in advance of the start date.
Your portfolio will include six sections:
1. Knowledge:
a. Create a PLOT DIAGRAM for your book. Identify all the key parts (exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, resolution). Have at least 10 items of rising action, and 2 items of falling action.
b. Authors do not choose a title randomly—usually there is some significance to it. Identify and describe
2.
the meaning of your book’s title in 50 - 100 words.
Comprehension:
a. Explain the MAIN CONFLICT in the book. Give examples of how this conflict shows up in the story and
how it is resolved. Approx. 300 words. (TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED)
3. Application:
a. Do something creative to show your understanding of your book. You could make a movie poster, do a
music video, write an alternate ending, do a “graphic novel” depiction of a scene, create a soundtrack
for your character with explanation of why each song is appropriate to the text, write original poems or
songs for your character, etc. The creative project needs to show off your skills and display a depth of
understanding about the book/character/theme, etc.
4. Analysis:
a.
Write an analysis of a main character. Describe him/her and his/her transformation. Then, explain
WHY they transformed over the course of the book. 300-500 words. (TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED)
5. Synthesis:
a.
Make up a TOTAL of TEN QUESTIONS for your novel—five multiple-choice, and five open-ended
questions for your book. Create an answer key on a separate piece of paper, including answers for the
open-ended questions in the proper format. (TYPED)
6. Evaluation:
a. Copy 10 of your favorite phrases/sentences/quotes from the book and explain the significance of each
quote in 300-400 words total. (TYPED)
Expectations:
a. The written parts of your project must be typed, double-spaced in a standard 12-point font (Times New
Roman, Ariel, Calibri, Lucida, Segoe UI, etc.)
b. Your portfolio must have a creative / decorative cover sheet.
c. Your portfolio must be bound in some way.
d. You may use 8.5” x 11” paper (white paper only for any typed assignments, but you may use colored
paper for any other sections – such as the plot diagram) AND / OR 9” x 12” construction paper
e. The typed portions of your portfolio must be grammatically correct.