Lake Havasu High School Summer Reading & Technology Requirements for Honors 3-4
Dear Parents/Guardians/Students,
Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 fosters an interest in the literacy of its students. In line with that philosophy, the Lake Havasu High School English Department is mandating a summer reading requirement for each of its Honors/ Dual Enrollment English classes for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.
Research states:

Being able to read complex text independently and proficiently is essential for high achievement in college and the workplace and important in numerous life tasks.

Current trends suggest that if students cannot read challenging texts with understanding—if they have not developed the skill, concentration, and stamina to read such texts—they will read less in general.

To grow, our students must read a lot, and more specifically, they must read a lot of “complex” texts—texts that offer them new language, new knowledge, and new modes of thought.
The English Department hopes to encourage students to become lifelong readers and hopes to encourage students to improve their critical thinking skills through reading, writing, and the application of technology resources. For these reasons, incoming Honors and Dual Enrollment students will be required to complete the summer project in order for teachers to assess students’ current skills and for teachers to develop strategies to advance them throughout the school year.
At the sophomore level, each student will be required to choose one of the two novels listed to read over summer break. Because sophomore year will be a year of transition and growth; students will be expected to develop time management skills and an admirable work ethic during the months of summer preceding the school year in order to ensure they are college and career ready.
Summer break can be a time for students to become enlightened by the issues that exist at a global level, and how authors draw on these issues to bridge the gap between Modern Western Society and the world.
Therefore, students are encouraged to approach the sophomore level summer assignment with an open mind in order to develop new perspectives on familiar topics such as racism, gender inequities, and political corruption. In addition to the reading component of this assignment, students will also be required to create a Prezi presentation of the topic determined by the student while he or she relates it to the novel selected.
Please enjoy a restful summer while preparing for a successful school year. I look forward to the insight developed and presented.
Happy reading,
Ms. Jacqueline Jensen 

Lake Havasu High School Summer Reading & Technology Requirements for Honors 3-4
Please use the information below to determine the book most suited to your interest. Visit the two sites listed to gather more information on the books to make the most informed decision.
1.
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness a.
Main Character: Todd Hewitt (male) b.
Lexile Level: 860 c.
Recommended Ages: 14-17 years old d.
Pages: 496 e.
Genre: Dystopian
2.
Summary per www.barnesandnoble.com
:
“Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the
Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.”
1.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen a.
Main Character: Elizabeth Bennet b.
Lexile Level: 1190 c.
Recommended Ages: 14 years and up d.
Pages: 432 e.
Genre: Fiction
2.
Summary per www.amazon.com
:
“
One of the most universally loved and admired English novels, Pride and Prejudice, was penned as a popular entertainment. But the consummate artistry of Jane Austen (1775–1817) transformed this effervescent tale of rural romance into a witty, shrewdly observed satire of
English country life that is now regarded as one of the principal treasures of English language.
In a remote Hertfordshire village, far off the good coach roads of George III's England, a country squire of no great means must marry off his five vivacious daughters. At the heart of this allconsuming enterprise are his headstrong second daughter Elizabeth Bennet and her aristocratic suitor Fitzwilliam Darcy — two lovers whose pride must be humbled and prejudices dissolved before the novel can come to its splendid conclusion.
*Disclaimer to Parents/Guardians/Students:
The books suggested are intended to present realistic, global issues in a literary light. The Knife of Never
Letting Go , for instance, depicts a corrupt, dystopian society where violence ensues as per the rule of the
New World society. The book is reminiscent of novels such as The Hunger Games and Divergent where the main characters are placed in a less than ideal predicament and must rely on the inherent human qualities such as courage and ingenuity to overcome society’s constraints.

Lake Havasu High School Summer Reading & Technology Requirements for Honors 3-4
Summer Assignments Components and Expectations:
1.
The Reading Component- Students will be expected to read one of the two books described above. While reading, students should pay attention to the overall themes presented which include, but are not limited to racism, gender inequities, political corruption, and social hierarchies. Each book will express themes in a different fashion; students should focus on the obstacles characters face internally and externally and choose a topic to discuss based on the student’s own interest and concerns. Students who read the same novel will most certainly obtain different themes they wish to elaborate on. Reading should not be saved until the last minute.
This reading component requires a thorough analysis of the novel’s themes and lack of preparation or insight will be evident with the presentation requirement of component two.
2.
The Prezi Presentation Component- Students will be required to demonstrate their analysis of the novel selected in a Prezi Presentation which will bring to fruition the theme selected and the student’s analysis of its effect both in literature and in the physical world. Students should follow the steps below to prepare for a detailed presentation: a.
Read the novel and determine an environmental, political, or social theme presented. b.
Narrow the focus. Answer the question: If I selected the theme: racism is detrimental, what is the lesson my reader will learn based on the events and characters presented in my novel? (i.e. Succumbing to racism will lead a person to misunderstand the social and cultural differences of humanity; one must instead learn to discern racial barriers.) c.
Create a Prezi Presentation using www.prezi.com
in which students utilize multiple mediums including, images, news reports, current events, music, etc. to present the relevance of the novel’s theme in world cultures and societies. d.
Create, edit, and revise a Prezi Presentation by creating a free account . Share final Prezi
Presentation with me via email at the last stage of composition (there will be a tool to use in order to share via email: jjensen@havasu.k12.az.us
) e.
Prepare presentation. Students will be required to create a three to five minute presentation which will be presented the first week of school. Students will be required to create a verbal presentation detailing their analysis after reading their selected novel.
All students must present .
Students should fill the three to five minute presentation by following the criteria below: i.
Introduce novel, author, and theme ii.
Explain why the theme was chosen by the student iii.
Explain how the theme is presented. This portion will present the student’s literary analysis ( point to evidence from the novel ) iv.
Explain the overall lesson the reader can apply to his or her own life based on the analysis provided. v.
* Note cards will be allowed and expected for this portion. The presentation should be well rehearsed and well organized.
3.
Timeline: Students should choose one of the novels wisely at the beginning of summer. Students will be expected to have their own copy of the novel for the first week of school. a.
Begin reading by the beginning of June.

Lake Havasu High School Summer Reading & Technology Requirements for Honors 3-4 b.
Choose theme after the first few chapters (*a theme cannot be one word) i.
i.e. Love = Love is blind.
ii.
Say, “The theme, love is blind, is revealed when the character says/ does
.” iii.
Say, “The theme, love is blind, teaches the reader to still allow for independence in a relationship so a person does not act blindly and a person can avoid unwanted consequences.” c.
Finish the book by the end of June.
d.
Get acclimated with Prezi at the beginning of July.
e.
Create presentation by mid-July. Check that it works the way you intend.
f.
Prepare and practice presentation in front of audience by the end of July. g.
The presentation will be due on the first day of school, August 10, 2015 . Share link with
Ms. Jensen via email as directed above. h.
Presentations will begin the first week of school, Wednesday August 12, 2015, and will be selected at random.
i.
The rubric attached will be used to grade students. This will be the first grade in the
grade book and will be worth 8% of the students’ overall grade.
Score
5
4
3
2
1
0
Part 1: Prezi
Analysis of theme is the main focus.
Graphics and content are appropriate to novel and theme, content enhances presentation. No typos. Creative and engaging analysis.
Analysis of theme is the main focus.
Graphics and content are mostly appropriate
to novel and theme, content enhances presentation. 1-2 typos. Creative analysis.
Theme is evident. Graphics and content are somewhat appropriate to theme and novel, content is repetitive or distracting. 3-4 typos.
Analysis is not supported.
Analysis not clear or is underdeveloped .
Graphics and content are not related to theme and do not enhance video. More than
4 typos . Not in final copy format.
Analysis is not obvious or presented well.
Information and graphics do not apply to theme. Relies on plot summary . Rushed or not edited.
Student is not prepared on the first day of school, August 10, 2015.
Score
5
4
3
2
1
0
Part 2: Presentation
Presents information with ease and knows all of material well.
Makes eye-contact with whole audience.
Articulates well; speaks clearly and fluently.
Projects voice.
Presents information with ease
and knows most of material well.
Makes eye-contact with most of audience.
Articulates well; speaks clearly and fluently.
Projects voice.
Knows the main points of material, but relies on note cards . Makes eye-contact with only a few of audience. Takes too many or long pauses; using
“um” and “uh.” Medium projection of volume in voice.
Relies on note cards . Makes eye-contact with only one or no audience member(s). Takes too many long pauses; using “um” and “uh.” Cannot hear voice— no projection.
Presentation does fill the three-five minutes length requirement. Presentation is rushed and lack of practice is evident.
Unfamiliar with theme and novel.
Student is prepared with presentation, but no
Prezi and shows no analysis of novel.