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San Jose Campus, Swisher Library: Upper School Summer Reading & AP AP Coursework 2023

The Bolles School San Jose Campus Swisher Library

Welcome

Bolles Summer Reading for English, Social Studies, 

World Languages & APAP!

Grades 9-12, 2023

Find your grade, subject, book selections and corresponding assignments below.  

 

For all English Courses: 

  • Students, please annotate the required summer reading book(s), answer the study guide questions, and/or complete the study guide charts.  The English teachers will not give an objective test on summer reading; however, students will be expected to bring their summer reading book(s) and answers/responses from the study guide on the first day of the class. 

For all Social Studies Courses:

  • Students grades 9-11, please read the required summer reading selections and review any corresponding study guides.  The Social Studies teachers will give an objective assessment over the summer reading within the first week of school.   There is no 12th grade summer reading requirement. 

For all World Languages: 

  • If you will be enrolled in a World Language course, choose the corresponding tab and language below.

For AP AP!: 

  • Some AP courses have additional summer coursework.   All students enrolled in these courses will be expected to have a solid knowledge of these required materials for the first day of classes.

 

►For Late Enrollment:

  • English: A student who enrolls between August 1 and August 15 will be responsible for reading ONE English summer reading selection, and must complete a second selection in each subject/honors within the first two weeks of school. If a student enrolls after August 15, he or she is responsible for ONE English summer selection within the first week of school and whether a second will be required is at the discretion of the classroom teachers.
  • Social Studies: Students who enroll between August 1 and August 15 will be responsible still for the summer reading.  If a student enrolls after August 15, they will be responsible for completing the summer reading within the first two weeks of school.  

 

Please contact the San Jose Campus Store to see if Summer Reading titles are available for purchase.

CampusStore@bolles.org

904-256-5175  

 

Rising 9th Graders

Click the tab to find your book selections, packets, and instructions.  

1) Because it may take up to three weeks for your book order to come in, and you need to have a hard copy of the book, you may EITHER

  1. Check directly with US Campus Store for their current inventory and availability 
  2. read and annotate the pdf while you wait for your ordered copy to arrive (transpose your markings to your hard copy)
  3. print the book from this pdf

2) MANDATORY: Click on the Word document below for The Night Parade Summer Reading Assignment.

REQUIRED READING 

The 2 books below are required for summer reading.

REQUIRED STUDENT ASSIGNMENT

1. Complete the attachments and then PRINT the assignments as they are due the first day your class meets. An electronic copy may be turned in to Schoology as well, so be sure to save them in a secure location.

2. Using the Tales from Ovid study guide below, complete the study questions for four (4) of the twelve assigned tales.  

3. Because it may take up to three weeks for The Night Parade order to come in, and you need to have a hard copy of the book, you may EITHER

a. Check directly with US Campus Store for their current inventory and availability. If not available use these links for purchase:  Links for Purchase, new or used:

Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Abebooks , alibris

b. read and annotate the pdf while you wait for your ordered copy to arrive (transpose your markings to your hard copy)

c. print the book from this pdf  The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

The following is not required to complete the summer reading coursework but is highly recommended to enhance your understanding of the content.  

You may also access an online version of the book here:  BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS 

For all 9th Grade Social Studies Courses:

              Students, please read the required summer reading book (Arabian Nights) and review the study guide. The Social Studies teachers will give an objective assessment over the summer reading within the first week of school.

Supplemental Materials:

The provided guide below is not required to complete the summer reading coursework but is highly recommended to enhance your understanding of the content.

 

Spanish V Honors & AP:  PDF Assignment & Study Guide:

 

AP Chinese:  PDF Reading and Assignment: 

French IV & IV Honors:  Le Petite Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and PDF Study Guide:

French V AP / Honors: L'Etranger by Albert Camus and PDF Study Guide:

Rising 10th Graders

Click the tab to find your book selections, packets, and instructions.  

Instructions for Sophomore Summer Reading: World Literature Anthology

Click on each link provided below for the seven shorts stories (each provided as a PDF.) After you read them, complete the "Guide to Understanding a Short Story" (link to PDF also provided below.)


You have seven (7) short stories for your summer reading:

"Guide to Understanding a Short Story" explained: Please use the short story guide provided for you to record your basic understanding of the story and practice your analytical skills.

  • The guide is divided into two sections. SECTION I covers author, title and conflict. SECTION II offers ten general questions that can be applied to any story.
  • For each story, you must complete SECTION I. This includes filling out a chart titled Somebody/Wanted/But/So and writing down information about the setting of the story. You can find a sample S/W/B/S chart on the next page.
  • For Section II, you must answer ONE of the ten questions for each story. You MUST answer a DIFFERENT question for each story.
  • You may keep the charts and questions in electronic form or print them out.
  • Please come to school prepared to discuss and write about these stories.
  • Below is a sample of the chart you must complete for EACH story.

SAMPLE SOMEBODY/WANTED/BUT/SO CHART:

Conflict is the engine that drives a story. One can understand conflict as the point where desire becomes thwarted and must find an outlet. Somebody wants something or someone but they cannot have their desire so... For example, let’s see how conflict works in this nursery rhyme:

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider, sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away.

In the nursery rhyme “Little Miss Muffet” the spider wants to sit with Miss Muffet while Miss Muffet prefers to eat her lunch in a spider-free environment. Let’s create a chart showing the conflicting goals of each character.

SOMEBODY (character)

WANTED (character’s motivation/goal)

BUT (conflict)

SO (consequence)

Miss Muffet

To eat curds and whey in peace

A spider shows up and Miss Muffet is afraid of spiders/does not want to share

Miss Muffet runs away, goes hungry, and develops arachnophobia.

The Spider

To sit with Miss Muffet and maybe share her lunch

Miss Muffet runs away from the spider

The spider is lonely but gets to eat the curds and whey Miss Muffet left behind.

Do this for EACH of your short stories. You may focus on the multiple conflicts of a single character or explore how different characters come into conflict with each other.

REQUIRED READING

Summer Reading Resources for English Honors II

 

Student Tasks:

  1. Acquire and read each book, one fiction, one non-fiction.
  2. Choose one chapter from each book to thoroughly annotate, bring those annotated chapters (and your books) to class on the first day of school.
  3. Read for insight, read for discovery, read for enjoyment.
  4. If confused, use the resources in the study guide to make yourself familiar with the authors, their historical context, personal lives, and challenges, plus the methods or philosophy by which each person approaches his craft.

 

 

TEXT RESOURCES:

NON-FICTION TEXT: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

https://www.amazon.com/Born-Crime-Stories-African-Childhood/dp/B01IW9TM5O/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4B3Y5RT7N82M&dchild=1&keywords=born+a+crime&qid=1587687472&sprefix=born+a+%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-1

 

Historical Context:

Apartheid (“apartness” in the language of Afrikaans) was a system of legislation that upheld segregationist policies against non-white citizens of South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, its all-white government immediately began enforcing existing policies of racial segregation. Under apartheid, nonwhite South Africans (a majority of the population) would be forced to live in separate areas from whites and use separate public facilities. Contact between the two groups would be limited. Despite strong and consistent opposition to apartheid within and outside of South Africa, its laws remained in effect for the better part of 50 years. In 1991, the government of President F.W. de Klerk began to repeal most of the legislation that provided the basis for apartheid. President de Klerk and activist Nelson Mandela would later win the Nobel Peace Prize for their work creating a new constitution for South Africa.

FICTION TEXT: Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-See-Here-Kevin-Wilson/dp/0062913492

 

 

 

Summer Reading Resources for Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Discussion Questions: YOU DO NOT have to answer these on paper before school starts. We will use them in class to discuss the novel.

Penguin/Random House Reading Group Guide for Born a Crime

 

 

FILM/VIDEO RESOURCES

The Daily Show: Trevor Noah Chats with His Grandmother

Documentary about Noah’s early comedy career (NOTE: Mature content)

District 9: Sci-fi dark comedy that works as a metaphor for Apartheid

 

 

ART RESOURCES

Collection of poster art categorizing the wide varieties of anti-apartheid protest

 

MUSIC RESOURCES

10 Films and Songs of the Anti-Apartheid Movement:

https://www.theroot.com/10-films-and-songs-of-the-anti-apartheid-movement-1790899253

 

 

Summer Reading Resources for Kevin Wilson’s Nothing to See Here:

Discussion Questions: YOU DO NOT have to answer these on paper before school starts. We will use them in class to discuss the novel.
1. The twins in Nothing to See Here spontaneously combust when they get agitated. The fire they generate can burn others, but leaves them unharmed. What might the nature of this condition represent? Did your perception of the condition change at all throughout the book? Did you become more used to it? Less?
2. This novel offers a unique perspective on the complexities of love and what it means to look beyond a person’s differences. What sort of preconceived notions does Lillian bring to this job? How do Bessie and Roland challenge those notions?
3. Lillian works hard to establish and maintain a bond with the twins. What is it about Lillian that makes her uniquely equipped for this job? Why is she able to connect with them while others have failed?
4. Throughout the book, many characters look for ways to control or cure the twins' condition. Think about the variety of methods put forward. What did you think of each method? What might the methods suggested reveal about each person who suggested them?
5. At the end of chapter three, Lillian expresses surprise that the children’s hair remains unsinged after they burst into flames:

I don’t know why, with these demon children bursting into flames right in front of me, their bad haircuts remaining intact was the magic that fully amazed me, but that’s how it works, I think. The big thing is so ridiculous that you absorb only the smaller miracles.

Do you relate to this sentiment? What other “smaller miracles” are present in the story?

6. The novel offers examples of how class dynamics can shape an individual's experience: Lillian and Madison’s differing experiences at their elite high school, for instance, or Lillian’s early days as an employee on the Roberts estate alongside Carl and Mary. How does wealth and privilege shape the story? Which characters most feel the impact of this?
7. How does Lillian’s dark sense of humor amplify the book’s themes of love, acceptance, and parenting? Did you enjoy the use of humor throughout the novel? What did it tell you about Lillian’s character?
8. Lillian makes a big life change at the end of the novel. What did you think about her journey from Madison’s high school roommate to eventual caretaker to her step-kids? What do you think she ultimately saw in Roland and Bessie that led her to make such a change?

9. Madison and Lillian have a complicated relationship that veers from deep affection to intense rivalry to bitter resentment to uneasy allies. Do you think they’re foils for one another or something else? How does their competitive edge play into their relationship? And do you think their relationship will live on after the events of the novel?
10. Nothing to See Here explores different representations of family structure and dynamic. How do the family units presented at the beginning of the book evolve and change? What does Lillian value in family? Which characters share those values, and which characters differ? 
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

 

Links to Explore:

Kevin Wilson’s website:

https://www.wilsonkevin.com/

Shirley Jackson short stories (Wilson’s favorite author):

https://www.bustle.com/articles/200133-10-shirley-jackson-short-stories-for-fans-of-the-queen-of-horror

Interview with Wilson about living with Tourette’s Syndrome:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/10/29/774349430/for-author-kevin-wilson-writing-offers-a-brief-reprieve-from-tourettes

Interview with Wilson about writing a best-selling novel in 10 days:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/books/review/dont-hate-kevin-wilson-but-he-wrote-his-best-seller-in-10-days.html

Britannica article about whether spontaneous combustion is real:

https://www.britannica.com/story/is-spontaneous-human-combustion-real

Symbolism of Fire in different cultures:

https://interestingliterature.com/2021/03/fire-symbolism-in-literature-religion-myth/

Review of Wilson’s novel:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/books/review/nothing-to-see-here-kevin-wilson.html

Because Wilson has his characters research famous Tennesseans, here’s a link to lesser known famous Floridians:

https://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/famous-floridians.html

THE NEXT SECTION WILL HELP YOU BECOME FAMILIAR WITH DISCUSSION MODES TO PRESENT YOUR ANALYSIS OF A FICTION OR NON-FICTION TEXT WHEN WE RETURN TO SCHOOL.

 

Examples of Book Podcasts (also podcasts to explore):

https://booksandboba.com/

Hosts Reera Yoo and Marvin Yueh record twice a month, once as a book group and the other to deliver book news and updates. Focusing on books written by authors of Asian and Pacific Islander descent they discuss a different book each month in a lively and thoughtful discussion. The other monthly podcast is full of current information that is extremely valuable to anyone wanting to stay on top of what is happening in the publishing world. 

https://bookriot.com/listen/shows/heyya/

One of Book Riot’s many great bookish podcasts, this focuses on all things young adult. Produced every other week, hosts Kelly Jensen and Eric Smith discuss what’s new, exciting, and interesting in the world of teen books.

https://onbeing.org/series/poetry-unbound/

Your new ritual: Immerse yourself in a single poem, guided by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Short and unhurried; contemplative and energizing. Anchor your week by listening to the everyday poetry of your life, with new episodes on Monday and Friday during the season.

(explanatory text about podcasts taken from NPR reviews or podcast home page)

I look forward to discussing these books with you!

-Ms. J

NO STUDY GUIDE

AP Spanish Literature PDF Assignment & Study Guide:

Spanish V Honors & AP:  PDF Assignment & Study Guide:


AP Chinese: PDF Reading and Assignment: 

French IV & IV Honors Le Petite Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and PDF Study Guide:

French V AP / Honors: L'Etranger by Albert Camus and PDF Study Guide

Rising 11th Graders

Click the tab to find your book selections, packets, and instructions.  

1.  2.    3.    4.   5.     6.   7. 

  1. Poster for Catcher in the Rye designed by M.S Corley

  2. 1953 mass market cover

  3. Cover of British edition

  4. Recent view of the front entrance to the American Museum of Natural History

  5. A horse from the famous Central Park carousel

  6. Ice skaters skate in the foreground of this 1936 photograph of Central Park in Manhattan. In "I'm Crazy," Holden Caulfield wonders if he'll see skaters on the duck lagoon when he gets back to New York.

  7. J. D. Salinger in October 1950. This photograph by Lotte Jacobi was chosen for the first edition dust jacket of The Catcher in the Rye. The Photograph appears here in its original state—neither reversed nor cropped.

 

1.  2.    3.    4.   5.     6.   7. 

  1. Poster for Catcher in the Rye designed by M.S Corley

  2. 1953 mass market cover

  3. Cover of British edition

  4. Recent view of the front entrance to the American Museum of Natural History

  5. A horse from the famous Central Park carousel

  6. Ice skaters skate in the foreground of this 1936 photograph of Central Park in Manhattan. In "I'm Crazy," Holden Caulfield wonders if he'll see skaters on the duck lagoon when he gets back to New York.

  7. J. D. Salinger in October 1950. This photograph by Lotte Jacobi was chosen for the first edition dust jacket of The Catcher in the Rye. The Photograph appears here in its original state—neither reversed nor cropped.

1.  2.   3.  4.   5.    6.    7.

  1. Poster for Catcher in the Rye designed by M.S Corley

  2. 1953 mass market cover

  3. Cover of British edition

  4. Recent view of the front entrance to the American Museum of Natural History

  5. A horse from the famous Central Park carousel

  6. Ice skaters skate in the foreground of this 1936 photograph of Central Park in Manhattan. In "I'm Crazy," Holden Caulfield wonders if he'll see skaters on the duck lagoon when he gets back to New York.

  7. J. D. Salinger in October 1950. This photograph by Lotte Jacobi was chosen for the first edition dust jacket of The Catcher in the Rye. The Photograph appears here in its original state—neither reversed nor cropped.

 

AP Spanish Literature PDF Assignment & Study Guide:


Spanish V Honors & AP:  PDF Assignment & Study Guide:


AP Chinese: PDF Reading and Assignment: 

French IV & IV Honors:  Le Petite Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and PDF Study Guide:

French V AP / Honors: L'Etranger by Albert Camus and PDF Study Guide:

Rising 12th Graders

Click the tab to find your book selections, packets, and instructions.  

AP Spanish Literature PDF Assignment & Study Guide:

 


Spanish V Honors & AP:  PDF Assignment & Study Guide:


JAPANESE IV: will read a minimum of five news stories during summer break from http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/  or   NEWS WEB EASY – NHK オンライン.  They are to choose one article to concentrate on and prepare a presentation about. The presentation will be done in the first weeks of the school year.

 

JAPANESE IV, IV  HONORS: will read a minimum of six news stories during summer break from http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/  or   NEWS WEB EASY – NHK オンライン.   They are to choose one article to concentrate on and prepare a presentation about. The presentation will be done in the first weeks of the school year.


AP Chinese: PDF Reading and Assignment: 

French IV & IV Honors:  Le Petite Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and PDF Study Guide:

French V AP / Honors: L'Etranger by Albert Camus and PDF Study Guide: