The first unit in 10th grade Literature and Composition is Cultural Conversations. From Student Text—“The twenty-first-century classroom and workplace are settings in which people from different cultures mix and work together. Unit 1 guides students’ explorations of culture and its components—nationality, family, religion, ethnicity, gender, race, and subgroups—examining how these components shape their perceptions of themselves and the world around them. As students seek to understand their own culture and the cultures of others, they are able to evaluate different perspectives and adjust their own thinking when given new or contradictory information from others. Students will also explore the concept of cultural identity and diverse cultural perspectives by examining a variety of texts that range from personal reflections to short stories and art.
By studying a wide range of texts representing a variety of cultural perspectives, students make connections to their own lives to better understand the interrelationships among multiple cultures.” Springboard, Grade 10 Take some time this summer to read a book that has something to do with culture or identity and address one of the unit’s focus questions.
Book Requirements:
Suggestions are located on the back of this sheet, however, if you should choose your own text, please follow the guidelines below:
 Must be a book that has to do with culture or identity
 Must be at least 100 pages
 May NOT be any book you read in Ninth Grade
 No picture books, magazines, pamphlets, or graphic novels
Assignment:
Choose ONE of the focus questions below and answer it in a multi-paragraph essay. Start with a claim in your introduction, and be sure to refer to the author and title of the book. Body paragraphs will provide a thorough explanation, including three or more quotations to support your argument. Cite the quotations and any paraphrases.
Focus questions (choose ONE):
1. To what extent does culture shape your main character’s identity?
OR
2. To what extent does cultural background shape your main character’s place in his or her society?
**The multi-paragraph essay is due at the beginning of class on the first day of school.
EXPLORE new books at books.google.com/?hl=en
Below are some titles to consider:
I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda
I am Malala 
All American Boys
Long Way Down
Tyler Johnson Was Here
The Hate List
The Hate U Give
We Are Okay
The Poet X 
Children of Blood and Bone
Shadowshaper
Crazy Rich Asians
One of Us is Lying
​Impostors

Weekly Agenda

• Monday: The Great Windmill Debate/Animal Farm Chapter 6
• Tuesday:   Animal Farm Chapter 7/ Create a Propaganda Poster Campaign for Napoleon
• Wednesday:  Animal Farm Chapter 8/ Historical Visual Timeline
• Thursday:  Animal Farm Chapter 9/ Dystopian Novel Book Chat
  
• Friday:  Animal Farm Chapter 10/ OPTIC analysis 

This week we will begin reading our class novel, Animal Farm.  This is a fairy tale that critiques the results of the Russian Revolution.  We will be conducting studies of the rhetoric and characterization in the text.  You will have mini-projects daily to help increase your understanding of the text.  In addition, you should be reading your dystopian novel for homework between 15-20 minutes nightly. Please make sure that you are checking Synergy regularly concerning your grade.  You can still attend Afterschool Tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 -5:00pm.  In addition, on WEDnesday the English Department will host DEADLY EVER AFTER - a murder mystery event at 6:00 pm in the upstairs Betty Gray.  Join us and discover which one of your book story characters is involved in murder.