ELA 1 Honors Summer Assignments for incoming 9th graders Teacher: Ms. Petitt (room 208) cpetitt@pylusd.org

Unit: “Dreams and Aspirations” ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

How can dreams and aspirations positively or negatively affect people’s lives and relationships?

What qualities make a dream worth pursuing?

How do people decide when a dream is unrealistic, out of reach, or even harmful?

In order to prepare for the fall semester and our first unit focused on the thematic topic of “Dreams and

Aspirations,” please read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, and complete the assignments

as outlined below. You are responsible for getting the book yourself, whether it is purchased, borrowed from

me, or checked out from a library. In honors, you are highly encouraged to purchase the book so that you can

make annotations (notes) in it, which then act as a valuable resource for projects, essays, and in-class

discussions. If you check-out the book from a library, you will have to renew the book several times, as you

will need it as a reference for the project, a resource for the in-class essay, as well as for group discussions.

Please note: If you borrow a book or check it out from a library, you must use post-it notes to complete the

reading + annotations assignment (no writing in a book that’s not yours!)

On the first day of school, your summer assignments are DUE. I will check your novel and have you share

your slides with me. Additionally, there will be an objective test on your reading within the first week of

school, followed by a project and eventual in-class essay in the weeks that follow. If you have questions on how

to complete the assignment, please see me before the end of this school year (I am available until June 16 at

noon). Please allow yourself plenty of time to complete the reading and assignments.

Assignment #1 – Reading + Annotations

While reading I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, make the following annotations in your text:

Circle and define, as close to the word as possible or in the margins, all vocabulary words listed on the

back. You will need to look up the definitions to the words.

Attached, you’ll find a list of unique diction, allusions, slang, and other terminology from the novel,

which is broken into seven parts. For each part, choose 5 terms. Highlight each one in the novel and

define it as close to the word as possible or in the margins. Use the meanings provided. Please be

thoughtful in your selection of terms. Choose terms that really seem to help explain the passage and

provide better insight into the story. (If you do this correctly, you’ll have highlighted and defined 35

terms).

As you read, when you come across passages/quotations that relate to and/or support any of the essential

questions at the top of the page, mark them in some way, either with highlights, brackets, sticky-tabs,

etc. Trust me, this will come in handy later!

Assignment #2 – Google slides…YOUR dreams & aspirations - You may design each slide however you’d

like, as long as each slide follows the following directions:

Slide one: Your name + a picture of you doing something you enjoy

Slide two: Brief explanation of either a challenge you’ve overcome or a success you’ve experienced +

corresponding picture of you

Slide three: Someone who has had a positive impact on your life and an explanation of how +

corresponding picture of that person or you with that person

Slide four: A piece of art (poem, book, art piece, song, movie, etc.) that you connect to. Briefly explain

the piece of art and how you connect to it + corresponding picture (doesn’t have to be a pic of you)

Slide five: A dream or aspiration – 5 years from now, 10 years from now, longer? You choose! +

corresponding picture (doesn’t have to be a pic of you)

*** All work is individual and not to be completed with a partner***