Honors World Literature and Composition



Honors World Literature and Composition Summer AssignmentWelcome to Honors World Literature and Composition! This course is intended to educate students on a more global society by exploring literature and events around the world and throughout time. In order for this to occur, students need to be open to finding similarities and celebrating differences between cultures. Throughout the year, students will learn about different religions, cultural practices, types of literature, and governments that have shaped the current global atmosphere. The summer assignment is meant to encourage students to begin thinking about other cultures and reading literature they might not otherwise explore. There are several components to this project that must be completed BEFORE classes commence in the fall. Students must select a country they wish to explore throughout the year and during this assignment. Choose a country that interests you and about which you would like to learn.Reading Requirement:-Students will create a Goodreads account (see attached sheet on how to create an account and what is necessary).-Students must “friend” me (I’m Ariel Uppstrom) so that I may view your updates.-Select a book written about your selected country. It can be a biography, a historical fiction, a fiction, or a non-fiction text. It would be best NOT to choose any of the following texts as they may be taught throughout the course: The Good Earth, All But My Life, The Kite Runner, The Power of One, Things Fall Apart, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Canterbury Tales, Memoirs of a Geisha, A Long Way Gone, When I Was Puerto Rican, In The Time of Butterflies, The Poisonwood Bible, and The Red Scarf Girl.-You will need to update your progress while reading the book at least 4 times. These updates should do the following:-Update your page number progress.-Include a comment regarding 1 culturally interesting point you’ve learned thus far in the book.-Include a comment on how the characters are facing conflicts and what you think about them.-Once you finish the book, you will need to review it by answering the following questions:-What is the summary of the text? Give an overview of events in the text.-What is different culturally from American culture?-What was the author’s purpose in writing this text? What evidence do you have to support this conclusion?-What is the theme of the text? What evidence do you have to support this conclusion?-Would you recommend this text? What makes you recommend or not recommend the text?-Be careful when selecting a country. Some countries do not have many publications and therefore you might be wise to choose a new country.News Article Requirement:-It is important that students are familiar with what is currently happening with their country. Therefore you will collect three news articles about your country throughout the summer. These articles must be from reputable sites (CNN, NY Times, Chicago Times, newspapers from the country). Not reputable sites would be FOXNEWS, Colbert Report, The Daily Show, or any pundit shows.-View links on my website to get assistance in finding appropriate news sources.-Print out a copy of the news articles and type a response to each one that includes the following information:-A summary of the events discussed in the article in your own words.-Make a connection to America, yourself, or how the events discussed could affect America.-What surprises you about the information in the article?Presentation Requirement:-You will conclude your exploration of your country with a presentation during the first few days of school. -Your overall goal is to answer the following question:-How has your country’s history impacted its current standing in the world and what does this mean for the citizens of that country?-You will need to include researched information about your country that answers all of the following:-When did the country gain independence? -From whom did they gain independence?-How did they gain independence?-What is their current government?-How progressive is their human rights? Do certain groups lack rights? Why? Are people currently fighting for their rights? Why?-What is their economy? Is it growing, struggling, or nonexistent? Do people struggle to meet their daily needs?-What interesting cultural practices exist?-What types of religions exist in the country? Is there religious persecution? Why? How?-What is their relationship with America? Good/Bad? Why?-From your news articles, what current issues are occurring?-You will be given a day or two to construct your presentation via PowerPoint before presenting to the class. You will also include a short review of the book you read about your country.Feel free to contact me throughout the summer with questions – uppstrar@-You can begin practicing with googledocs by accessing your assigned email and allowing me to view your documents and sending emails through this site.Recommended Materials for Next Year:-APA Citation Guide, 3 ring at least 1” binder, Notecards, Small post-its, and a Flash driveGoodreads GuideDo you hate filling out reading sheets? It’s the 21st Century! Shouldn’t we be more economic and more tech savvy? Instead of filling out sheets to document your progress while reading independent novels, I would like you to learn to use an internet source which will allow you to network, find good books, and talk with others about books. Therefore, each student will create a goodreads account online and friend everyone in the class (including me). You will update your status as you go through your novels and include reviews of each book you finish. Tips:-Check out what others are reading-Look through suggestions about what to read if you like one novel-Be creative, have fun with your profileHow To:-Go to -Click register at the top right corner of the page-Use information that you will REMEMBER!-Once you’ve logged in, up at the top right corner it will say your name. If you hover over that, it will drop a box that says “my profile” and “my account”.-“My account” allows you to fill in information about yourself. Fill that out and include a picture of yourself.-To add books you’re reading, go to the top menu and click find books-Type in book titles and you can select the book you’re reading-It allows you to show your progress, rate the book, and review at the end. -Mess around to get a feel for it. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download