Reading Projects

Reading Projects are weighted at 10% of a student's grade for each quarter.

Reading Projects align to Minnesota Language Arts Reading Standard 11.4.10.10:

By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature and other texts including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the
grades 11CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
a. Self-select texts for personal enjoyment, interest, and academic tasks.
b. Read widely to understand multiple perspectives and pluralistic viewpoints.

Semester 1
English 11 and 12 will have independent reading projects Quarter 1 and Quarter 2.
Quarter 1 Reading Projects DUE October 12
Quarter 2 Reading Projects DUE December 14

Semester 2
English 11 and 12 will have small group reading projects Quarter 3 and Quarter 4; students may still
complete additional projects for extra credit.
Extra Credit Quarter 3 Reading Projects DUE March 1
Extra Credit Quarter 4 Reading Projects DUE May 10

During this school year you will be expected to read at least four books outside of class; one for
each quarter. The books need to be of your own choosing and at the proper reading level (i.e. a
tenth grader should not include The Little Engine That Could on his or her list). Any book
assigned by any teacher is ineligible for quarter reading projects.

Follow the format of the example below to record the books youve read. The total points
possible for this assignment is 25 pts in the Reading Projects category. One additional extra
credit project may be handed in each quarter for up to 5 extra credit points.

Line 1: Authors last name, first name. Title of book. Place of publication: Name of publisher, year published. (MLA
Format)
Line 2: 50-100 word synopsis of the story which does not tell the ending, but does show an understanding of how the
story finishes.
Line 3: Page count (a book over 400 pages will count as 1.5 books). This only includes pages of the story, not an
additional appendices or notes.
Line 4: Rate the story from one to four. Four is the highest and best rating while one is the lowest, but not necessarily the
worst. You may use tenths afterward if you like.
Line 5: Is there any questionable material in the book someone wishing to read it may want to know about first? I.e.
drugs, violence, gangs, abuse, etc
Line 6: (optional) Add any notes of interest that made the book a good read or a bad read for you.

Example
Nguyen, Kien. The Unwanted: A Memoir of Childhood. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2001.
Synopsis: Kien Nguyen recounts his life beginning at age eight with the Communist take over of Vietnam through the
time he leaves as a young man. The tale is hard at times, and includes both humorous moments and vulgar acts which
disgrace humanity. A touching story that pierces the heart and forces the reader to question himself.
343 pages
Rating: 3
Questionable material: Throughout the book Kien speaks of the abuse he and those around him experienced both
physically, and emotionally. Rape, beatings, and graphic descriptions of tortures occur throughout the book.