We are excited that you are going to be in one of our Lubbock High English II International Scholars classes next year. During your sophomore year, we will be reading literature from a variety of genres, time periods, and cultures. The texts that you will read this summer will give you great insight into the different types of reading that you will do next year. We expect that both texts you choose to read will generate rich discussion when we return to school in August.

The steps you should follow to complete your summer assignment follow.

• Join the Google Classroom for English II International Scholars Summer 2021 immediately. The Google Classroom has digital copies of the texts, extra copies of this letter, and examples of the assignments that you can view. Joining the Google Classroom will also allow you to get updates and ask questions in order to get direct feedback from one of us. To join, go to http://classroom.google.com. Log in with your lubbockisd.net email address and click the “+” to join the class. The code to join is mp2r4pw.

• Read the selections from the first text: How to Read Literature like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster.  This book will help you recognize intricacies within literature and help you with your analysis of the works we will read this year. Do not wait until the last few weeks of the summer to read this book.  It is a dense text that is full of information that you will need to know and refer to over the course of the school year.  Spreading your reading out over the summer will help you to retain the information and ensure that you actually complete the reading assignment. You need to read the chapters with the following titles. 
  

• Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion

• It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow

• …More Than It’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence

• Is That a Symbol?

• Yes, She’s a Christ Figure, Too

• If She Comes Up, It’s Baptism

• He’s Blind for a Reason, You Know

• Is He Serious? And Other Ironies

• Choose and read ONE of the other texts that are listed below. These texts explore a protagonist’s coming of age within various cultures and time periods. The novel that you choose will help you make connections to the broader identity unit with which we begin the year.
  

• Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

• The Chosen by Chaim Potok

• The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

• Complete and submit the assignment posted on Google Classroom by the date of your exam (Monday, August 23rd). If you submit your assignment before the first day of school (August 18th), you will receive 10 points of extra credit on the project itself, which can help you start the year well.  All work must be completed individually, and cheating will result in a zero with no opportunity to redo the assignment.

You will take a test over both books on Monday, August, 23th. The test will be based on the literal and analytical content of each text, including application of the Foster text to the novel you choose. You will NOT be allowed to use your books on the test.  You will also use these texts to write an essay at the start of the year, so it is essential that you actually read these texts; summaries from the internet or otherwise with not suffice. Your reading of the summer material is crucial to your success in the first six weeks of your sophomore year in English II.

If you need a copy of any of these books, you can find digital copies on Google Classroom and linked above.  You can also buy them if you prefer; the edition doesn’t matter. We are looking forward to seeing you in August and feel confident that you will have a wonderful sophomore year at Lubbock High School. If you have any questions the fastest way to get a response is to comment on Google Classroom. Alternatively, you can email Mr. Harris or Mr. VânDôn at one of the email addresses below. 

Have a great summer!

James Harris Ron VânDôn

james.harris@lubbockisd.org ron.vandon@lubbockisd.org