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Summer Assignments
EPHS students take Honors, Advanced, AP, or other college-level courses for more intellectually challenging content and atmosphere. The rigor of these high school courses is a major consideration by colleges in their admissions decisions. It demonstrates an ability and willingness to work hard and pursue academic excellence. All Honors, Advanced, and AP teachers expect you to learn at a faster pace than a Regular class. These courses cover similar content as Regular courses in a subject, adding more breadth and depth to the material.
Several EPHS Honors and AP courses require summer assignments (see the assignment links listed by department). The summer assignments engage students to promote critical thinking, expand background knowledge, and explore what it means to be human. To reach these goals, summer assignments will provide a wide range of learning experiences, encourage rigorous discourse and analysis, and help students develop their identities as independent thinkers.
English Summer Assignments
The Eden Prairie High School English Department believes in the power of reading and its ability to engage readers, promote critical thinking, and improve writing. It is in this spirit that we ask you to spend a part of your summer engaging in reading and writing activities that we believe will help develop your identity as a reader and prepare you for the year ahead.
- English Department Summer Reading Philosophy
- Honors English 9
- Honors English 10
- Honors English 11
- AP English 11
- Honors English 12 Humanities
- Honors English 12 Psych of Lit
- AP English 12
English Department Summer Reading Philosophy
The Eden Prairie High School English Department believes in the power of reading. We will engage our students as readers in order to promote critical thinking, expand background knowledge, and explore what it means to be human. To reach these goals, we will provide a wide range of reading experiences, encourage rigorous literary discourse and analysis, and help students develop their identities as independent readers. We will offer choice and access to a variety of genres, perspectives, and cultures to create a community of learners.
To this end, our summer reading requirements will provide students with opportunities to…
- Develop critical reading and vocabulary skills that increase overall academic achievement and prepare them for future endeavors
- Improve reading comprehension and fluency
- Read multiple perspectives to deepen insights into both new and familiar cultures
- Develop a lifelong appreciation and enjoyment of reading
- Create a community of readers through purposeful, skillful selection of texts by students and teachers
- Improve student writing abilities through exposure to and study of quality texts
- Challenge themselves with appropriately rigorous texts
Honors English 9
Assignments:
Choose one fiction book and one non-fiction book and complete the assignments described below. Recommended book lists also are provided below.
Due Dates:
Please complete your reading and related assignments over the summer. Work is due the first day of your English class unless otherwise noted. (If you have English second semester, your work is not due until January, but remember that the school year is often busier than summer -- don’t wait until the last minute.)
- Honors 9 Summer Reading Assignment: Fiction
- Honors 9 Summer Reading Assignment: Non-Fiction
- Honors 9 Fiction Book List
- Honors 9 Non-Fiction Book List
Honors 9 Summer Reading Assignment: Fiction
For your fiction book, use the signposts described below to process your thinking of the novel. You should complete two sets of signpost entries, one for the first half of the novel and another for the second half of the novel.
- Use a Google Doc or Word Doc.
- Ensure you’ve included the title and author of your book somewhere in your document.
- Create an entry for each signpost. This will be a short paragraph per entry, for a total 12 entries. *Memory moments may be a bit tricky depending upon your novel. Do your best.
- Use quotes and page numbers where appropriate, such as examples of tough questions, words of the wiser, etc.
The 6 Signposts for Close Reading
- Contrasts and Contradictions: When the character does something different than what you might expect, ask yourself why the character is acting this way.
- Aha Moment: When the character suddenly figures something out or understands something, how might this realization (for the character or reader) change things?
- Tough Questions: When the character asks themselves or poses a tough question, what does this tough question make me wonder?
- Words of the Wiser: What is the life lesson and how could it affect the character? This is often found in the advice that an older or wiser character give to the main character.
- Again and Again: Why does this keep happening (or is a concept repeated) again and again? Why did the author think it was important to repeat it?
- Memory Moment: When the action is interrupted to reference a memory, why might the memory be important?
Example of a signpost entry
Again and again in chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the boys state: "The head is for the beast. It's a gift" (137). At this point, the author has referenced the beast several times throughout the novel. This recurring symbolism points to the idea of the loss of civilization and innocence. The boys have come to worship something that doesn’t actually exist. By continually using the symbol and imagery of the beast, Golding is directing the reader to moments in which an evolution has occurred with the boys. This evolution is leading to the demise of their innocence, as well the concept of civilization. I think...
Honors 9 Summer Reading Assignment: Non-Fiction
For your non-fiction book, you will be asked to write three different types of questions. Your goal is to develop well-thought out, critical questions about the text.
- Use a Google Doc or Word Doc.
- Ensure you’ve included the title and author of your book somewhere in the document.
- Break your book up into thirds.
- Write 3 FIG questions for each third of your book. (one fact, one interpretive, and one global).
- Write a justification for each question. Explain why it is a critical question to be asked.
- You will have a total of 9 questions and justifications at the end of your book.
- It is not necessary for you to answer the questions.
FIG Questions
Fact (Level 1)
These questions can be answered definitely with facts found in the text or by information readily available in outside sources. These questions tend to have correct answers, and while they require someone to have read the work, they require little thought or understanding.
- Example: Name the feuding families in Romeo and Juliet.
- Justification: This is a critical question because without it, one could not understand the context of the play as setup by the prologue. It is essential to know which character is a Montague and a Capulet in relation to the ongoing feud.
Interpretive (Level 2)
The answers to these questions may be implied rather than stated directly in the reading. This requires students to make inferences based on information they can cite to back up their conclusions. It requires students to do the reading and consider what they’ve read.
- Example: What is Romeo’s concept of love at the start of the play?
- Justification: This is a critical question as love is a central theme in the play. It helps to define Romeo as a character, as well as impact the course of events in the play.
Global (Level 3)
These questions are more abstract; they go outside the text and present issues for discussion. Notice that while these questions will probably promote the most discussion, they may not necessarily require that students have carefully read the text. Global questions should not be framed as questions which have Yes/No answers.
- Example: Under what conditions would arranged marriages be beneficial to society?
- Justification: The concept of marriage is critical to the time period and actions of the characters in Romeo and Juliet.
Honors 9 Fiction Book List
Many of these titles are available at the EPHS Media Center and Hennepin County Library.
Titles from this list include authors and topics from varying perspectives. You are free to choose from books that are not on this list. However, please refrain from reading: To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, Maus, Of Mice and Men, and Romeo and Juliet. Those readings are currently a part of the Honors 9 curriculum.
Please choose one fiction book that offers you a perspective other than your own. Consider the author, subject matter, time period, etc. when choosing your book.
Here are some questions to consider when choosing books from varying perspectives:
- Do the author and illustrator present authentic perspectives?
- Is the culture portrayed multidimensionally?
- Are cultural details naturally integrated?
- Are details accurate and is the interpretation current?
- Is language used authentically?
Book titles are linked to www.goodreads.com, outside the EPHS website. We are not responsible for this content.
ADICHI, CHIMAMANDA NGOZI Americanah
ALEXIE, SHERMAN Flight
ALVAREZ, JULIA How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents
BALDWIN, JAMES Go Tell it on the Mountain
BOYLE, T.C. The Tortilla Curtain
BRONTE, EMILY Wuthering Heights
CATHER, WILLA My Antonia
CERVANTES, MIGUEL Don Quixote
CISNEROS, SANDRA The House on Mango Street
ERDRICH, LOUISE The Round House
HASHIMI, NADIA When the Moon is Low
HURSTON, ZORA NEALE Their Eyes Were Watching God
HUTCHINSON, SHAUN DAVID The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
JACKSON, MITCHELL S. The Residue Years
JONES, EDWARD P. The Known World
KINGSOLVER, BARBARA The Bean Trees
LAHIRI, JHUMPA The Namesake
MARTEL, YANN Life of Pi
MCKINNEY, CHRIS The Tattoo
MORRISON, TONI Bluest Eye (The)
OTSUKA, JULIE When the Emperor was Divine
PICOULT, JODI Small Great Things
RUSSO, MEREDITH If I was your Girl
STOWE, HARRIET Uncle Tom’s Cabin
UCHIDA, YOSHIKO Picture Bride
WALKER, ALICE The Color Purple
WOUK, HERMAN The Caine Mutiny
ZUSAK, MARKUS The Book Thief
Honors 9 Non-Fiction Book List
Please choose one nonfiction book that offers you a perspective other than your own. You are free to choose from books that are not on this list. Consider the author, subject matter, time period, etc. when choosing your book.
Here are some questions to consider when choosing books from varying perspectives:
- Do the author and illustrator present authentic perspectives?
- Is the culture portrayed multidimensionally?
- Are cultural details naturally integrated?
- Are details accurate and is the interpretation current?
- Is language used authentically?
Many of these titles are available at the EPHS Media Center and Hennepin County Library.
Book titles are linked to www.goodreads.com, outside the EPHS website. We are not responsible for this content.
BROWN, DEE Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
CHANG, JUNG Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
COATES, TA-NEHISI Between the World and Me
CONNOLLY, DANIEL The Book of Isaias: A Child of Hispanic Immigrants Seeks His Own America
HALEY, ALEX ed. Autobiography of Malcolm X
HART, KITTY Return of Auschwitz
HERSEY, JOHN Hiroshima
IGGIAGRUK HENSLEY, WILLIAM L. Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People
KIKUCHI, CHARLES The Kikuchi Diary: Chronicle from an American Concentration Camp
MOORE, WES The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
NAZARIO, SONIA Enrique’s Journey
TIRADO, LINDA Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America
WOODWARD, BOB and CARL BERNSTEIN All the President’s Men
WRIGHT, RICHARD Black Boy
Honors English 10
Read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and a book of your choice (important: see information below about choosing a book).
Assignment: Prepare to Compare
In the first few days of Honors English 10, you will write a short comparison essay about your choice novel and The Alchemist, noting similarities and/or differences. Prepare notes that will help you compare these texts. You will be given one class period to write two paragraphs comparing the two novels.
The purpose of reading the novels over the summer is to prepare you to make connections to literature we will read and discuss throughout the course. In addition, you will be asked to write a compare/contrast essay the first week of the course to give your teacher a better idea of your current writing skills.
In your notes, you must:
- Identify at least two clear similarities and/or differences between the texts.
- Include at least TWO examples (paraphrase, direct quote, or summary) from each text to support each similarity/difference, for a total of 8 direct quotes. Record page numbers for your examples; you will need to cite them in your essay.
- Produce an MLA 8 Works Cited entry for each book.
- See the EPHS Works Cited Quick Guide for instructions
Book of your choice!
Choose a novel that you have not previously read. The book must be about a quest or journey, either physical or metaphorical, undertaken by a character in the book. Your book must be 150 pages or more and be of a Lexile level of 800 or greater -- a quick Google/Amazon search of the title will tell you your book’s Lexile level. If you have trouble finding your book’s Lexile level, email your teacher for help. Books that have been made into movies WILL NOT be accepted. Both fiction and nonfiction works are acceptable.
Many choices are available at the EPHS Media Center and Hennepin County Library.
Due Dates:
Please complete your reading and related assignments over the summer. Work is due the first day of your English class unless otherwise noted. (If you have English second semester, your work is not due until January, but remember that the school year is often busier than summer -- don’t wait until the last minute.)
Contacts:
Honors English 11
Assignment:
Our Honors English 11 course focuses on a survey of American literature. All Honors 11 students must read two of the titles on the list (see below), and complete a reading log for each book over the summer. This is a requirement for the class. When choosing titles, be mindful of the fact that you will be asked to compare and contrast the books you chose. Make choices confident that you can discuss several similarities AND differences.
1. Keep a reading log for each book. The reading log consists of notes with an entry every 30-40 pages. Each entry should include the following:
- number of pages covered
- 2-3 sentences of plot summary
- 5-6 sentences of insights and personal observations/connections
2. During the first week of class there will be class discussion of books and a comparison/contrast written assessment. Your reading log entries will help you to prepare for the exam and class discussion of the summer reading books.
During the first week of class, students should be prepared to submit their typed reading logs to turnitin.com and to discuss the books they chose.
Due Dates:
Please complete your reading and related assignments over the summer. Work is due the first day of your English class unless otherwise noted. (If you have English second semester, your work is not due until January, but remember that the school year is often busier than summer -- don’t wait until the last minute.)
Honors English 11 Book List
A limited number of all books on the list are available for summer check-out before the last day of school from the ERC. They can also be found through the EPHS Media Center, Hennepin County Library system, and at area bookstores.
Book titles are linked to www.goodreads.com, outside the EPHS website. We are not responsible for this content.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Fences by August Wilson
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Between the World and Me by Ta–Nehisi Coates
AP English 11
Assignments: "Thank You For Arguing" & " Neither Wolf Nor Dog"
ADDING THESE BOOKS TO YOUR FUN SUMMER PLANS IS WORTHWHILE BECAUSE . . .
Please get some sunscreen and some camping dirt on your books—that will mean that you opened them during the summer. The reading will open some mental doors for your own exploration of persuasive communication, and you will have a better experience in the class if you learn about verbal jujitsu from Heinrichs now. When we start class, you will already be observing the world through a rhetorical lens, and we’ll all be able to jump in with some common vocabulary. Neither Wolf Nor Dog will take you on an eye-opening road trip, so feel free to take it on a road trip, if that’s part of your summer plan.
Read Thank you for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs (Some copies are available in the ERC.)
TASK #1 Read and summarize the book
- For each of the four main categories—Offense, Defense, Advanced Offense, and Advanced Agreement—write a ½ page summary. You will write four summaries. Do not summarize each chapter; instead, write an overview capturing the main ideas of the entire category.
TASK #2 Choose one chapter from each category and write a ½ page reflection (four total)
- Use any combination of the following to reflect on applications for Heinrich’s ideas about persuasion: your strengths and weaknesses, your personal experience, how you could apply the information to your writing, what makes sense, what is still confusing, and what you want to explore further.
Read Neither Wolf Nor Dog by Kent Nerburn (Some copies are available in the ERC and the EPHS Media Center.)
Depth of thought, organization of ideas, and sophistication of writing will impact your score.
ALERT—Don’t write that someone “talked about” something. Dan shared, complained, explained, articulated, negated, supported, presented. Strive for variety in word choice.
TASK #1 Read the book
- To start the term, we will have a Socratic seminar to discuss the issues the book raises about Native Americans in contemporary American society. The written work you’re doing for this book should prepare you to make meaningful contributions to the discussion.
TASK #2 Write summaries of five topics or issues that you find compelling
- Identify five significant issues for Native Americans discussed in Neither Wolf nor Dog.
- For each issue, write a summary of at least a half page (full page maximum). Describe how the topic is developed in the book, and use at least one significant quotation from the text. Use correct ( ) references for all quotes and paraphrases.
- Include your opinion/reaction to the topic. Support your opinion by referencing your related background knowledge and personal experiences.
Due Dates:
Both assignments should be typed using MLA format (see EPHS English Dept. website) and will be due the second day of class. If you have class 2nd semester, your work will be due on the second day of 2nd semester.
Contact: Laurel Nebeker.
Honors English 12 Humanities
Assignment & Guidelines:
The intent of the summer reading requirement is to expose students to literature for enjoyment and for knowledge and application in the class. For the Honors English 12: Humanities course, the student will read one book over the summer of his/her choice that is at a college reading level T.
The book should not have previously been covered in a different EPS course or have been read by the student prior to this summer.
-
Choose a book that interests you (see the list below, should be a higher reading level- no YA novels or previously studied books).
-
While the focus of this course is World Literature, this is not necessarily a required emphasis for summer reading, although it is highly recommended.
-
Recommendations and resources that align with the course curriculum are provided on the choice book link.
-
Check out what is available in the EPHS Media Center as well as the Hennepin County Libraries.
-
- Read the book – keep notes as you see fit (you will be expected to remember your book, so you may want to write some things down).
- Send an email to your teacher (tim_welshons@edenpr.k12.mn.us) introducing yourself and the book you are reading for this assignment.
- Bring a copy of your summer reading book to the first day of class—be prepared to discuss your summer reading book. This book will become the subject of your first essay and other assignments in this class.
Please email your teacher should you have any questions or concerns!
Honors English 12 Summer Reading Recommendations
The following are summer reading recommendations based on genre, focus, and culture from National Endowment for the Humanities “Recommended Reading List for College-Bound Students” and the 100 Most Often Recommended Works:
NON-FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS / WORLD LIT. EMPHASIS:
Afghanistan, Middle East
- Zoya’s Story, Zoya
- The Bookseller of Kabul, Seierstad
- Sharon and My Mother-in-Law, Amiry
Africa
- Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Fuller
- Aman, Barnes
India, Pakistan
- Touching My Father’s Soul, Norgay
China, Japan, North and South Korea, Cambodia
- Life and Death in Shanghai, Cheng
- Wild Swans, Chang
- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Fadiman
- Bound Feet and Western Dress, Chang
- Crossing Three Wildernesses, U Sam Oeur
- Factory Girls, Leslie T. Chang
- Falling Leaves, Yen Mah
- Still Life With Rice, Lee
- Nothing to Envy, Demnick
Central/South America
- The Heart that Bleeds, Guillermoprieto
Global Viewpoints
- The Post American World, Zakaria
- The World is Flat, Friedman
- The World is Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Friedman
- With Speed and Violence, Pearce
FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS / WORLD LIT. EMPHASIS
Afghanistan, Middle East
- A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini
- Forgotten Fire, Bagdasarian
- Gardens of Water, Drew
Africa
- July’s People, Gordimer
- Zenzele, Maraire
- Nervous Conditions, Dangarembga
- I Do Not Come to You by Chance, Nwaubani
- Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
India, Pakistan
- The God of Small Things, Roy
- White Tiger, Adiga
- The Guide, Narayan
- The Namesake, Lahiri
- Midnight’s Children, Rushdie
- City of Joy, Lapierre
China, Japan, North and South Korea, Cambodia
- The Samurai’s Garden, Tsukiyama
- A Corpse in The Koryo, James Church
- Hidden Moon, James Church
- Bamboo and Blood, James Church
Central/South America
- The House of Spirits, Allende
- Eva Luna, Allende
- The Weight of All Things, Benitez
- Bless Me Ultima, Anaya
- Chronicle of Death Foretold, Garcia-Marquez
- One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia-Marquez
- Love in the Time of Cholera, Garcia-Marquez
FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS/HUMANITIES EMPHASIS
- Inferno, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Dan Brown
- Sophie’s World, Jostein Gaarder
- The Art of War, Sun Tzu
- Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
- The Lady and the Unicorn, Tracy Chevalier
- The Birth of Venus, Sarah Dunant
- The Agony and the Ecstasy, Irving Stone
- The Swan Thieves, Elizabeth Kostova
- The Vanishing Velazquez, Laura Cumming
Contact: Tim Welshons
Honors English 12 Psych of Lit
Assignment and Guidelines:
- Choose a book that interests you (see the list below, should be a higher reading level- no YA novels or previously studied books).
- While the focus of this course is World Literature, this is not necessarily a required emphasis for summer reading, although it is highly recommended.
- Recommendations and resources that align with the course curriculum are provided on the choice book list (below).
- Check out what is available in the EPHS Media Center as well as the Hennepin County Libraries. Read the book – keep notes as you see fit (you will be expected to remember your book, so you may want to write some things down)
- Once you receive your class schedule/teacher assignment, send an email to your teacher introducing yourself and the book you are reading for this assignment.
Teacher emails (make sure you send your introduction and book title to the correct teacher):
4. Bring a copy of your summer reading book to the first day of class—be prepared to discuss your summer reading book. This book will become the subject of your first essay and other assignments in this class.
Please email your teacher should you have any questions or concerns!
Psychology of Literature Summer Reading Recommendations
The following are summer reading recommendations based on genre, focus, and culture from National Endowment for the Humanities “Recommended Reading List for College-Bound Students” and the 100 Most Often Recommended Works:
NON-FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS / WORLD LIT. EMPHASIS:
Afghanistan, Middle East
- Zoya’s Story, Zoya
- The Bookseller of Kabul, Seierstad
- Sharon and My Mother-in-Law, Amiry
Africa
- Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Fuller
- Aman, Barnes
India, Pakistan
- Touching My Father’s Soul, Norgay
China, Japan, North and South Korea, Cambodia
- Life and Death in Shanghai, Cheng
- Wild Swans, Chang
- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Fadiman
- Bound Feet and Western Dress, Chang
- Crossing Three Wildernesses, U Sam Oeur
- Factory Girls, Leslie T. Chang
- Falling Leaves, Yen Mah
- Still Life With Rice, Lee
- Nothing to Envy, Demnick
Central/South America
- The Heart that Bleeds, Guillermoprieto
Global Viewpoints
- The Post American World, Zakaria
- The World is Flat, Friedman
- The World is Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Friedman
- With Speed and Violence, Pearce
FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS / WORLD LIT. EMPHASIS
Afghanistan, Middle East
- A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini
- Forgotten Fire, Bagdasarian
- Gardens of Water, Drew
Africa
- July’s People, Gordimer
- Zenzele, Maraire
- Nervous Conditions, Dangarembga
- I Do Not Come to You by Chance, Nwaubani
- Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
India, Pakistan
- The God of Small Things, Roy
- White Tiger, Adiga
- The Guide, Narayan
- The Namesake, Lahiri
- Midnight’s Children, Rushdie
- City of Joy, Lapierre
China, Japan, North and South Korea, Cambodia
- The Samurai’s Garden, Tsukiyama
- A Corpse in The Koryo, James Church
- Hidden Moon, James Church
- Bamboo and Blood, James Church
Central/South America
- The House of Spirits, Allende
- Eva Luna, Allende
- The Weight of All Things, Benitez
- Bless Me Ultima, Anaya
- Chronicle of Death Foretold, Garcia-Marquez
- One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia-Marquez
- Love in the Time of Cholera, Garcia-Marquez
FICTION RECOMMENDATIONS/HUMANITIES EMPHASIS
- Inferno, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Dan Brown
- Sophie’s World, Jostein Gaarder
- The Art of War, Sun Tzu
- Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
- The Lady and the Unicorn, Tracy Chevalier
- The Birth of Venus, Sarah Dunant
- The Agony and the Ecstasy, Irving Stone
- The Swan Thieves, Elizabeth Kostova
- The Vanishing Velazquez, Laura Cumming
Contacts:
AP English 12
AP Literature 2019-2020 Letter of Introduction to the Course and the Summer Assignment
2019-2020 AP English 12 Summer Reading Assignment and Journal WA 1
The following are the three required novels for AP English 12:
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
2020 AP Summer Reading Rubrics
2020 Dobie's Reading & Writing article
All summer work -- the annotated novels, the WA 1 Quote Pondering, and the AP lit Info Packet and Essay are due September 6, 2019 at 3 p.m. regardless if your AP Lit course runs first or second semester.
Link to the AP Home Page 1st Semester
Link to the AP Home Page 2nd Semester
Contact: Linda Wallenberg.
Math Summer Assignments
- Honors Algebra 2 Self-Guided Learning Module (for Students Who Took CMS Regular Algebra 8)
- Honors Geometry
Honors Algebra 2 Self-Guided Learning Module (for Students Who Took CMS Regular Algebra 8)
Spring 2019
Dear Honors Algebra 2 Student for the 2019-20 School Year:
You have registered for Honors Algebra 2 at Eden Prairie High School for the 2019-2020 school year. Students generally consider Honors Algebra 2 for more intellectually challenging content and atmosphere. All Honors teachers expect you to learn at a faster pace than a regular class. The rigor of high school coursework is a major consideration by colleges in their admissions decisions. It demonstrates an ability and willingness to work hard and pursue academic excellence. Honors courses cover similar content as regular courses in a subject, adding more breadth and depth to the material. All Honors teachers grade students based on higher expectations, and students may be performing well in an Honors course but not earn an A. Honors courses provide a strong foundation for continuing on to Advanced, AP, and other college-level courses.
The extra breadth and depth to the material applies to the Enriched/Honors curriculum in Mathematics. By design, students who took Enriched Algebra 8 at Central Middle School were introduced to quadratics, while those who took Regular Algebra 8 were not exposed to this additional topic. The EPHS Honors Algebra 2 curriculum will assume that you know this extra material.
If you took CMS Regular Algebra 8, then you need to learn this extra material in order to succeed in EPHS Honors Algebra 2. The EPHS Mathematics department has prepared a self-guided algebra pre-requisite skills module for you. The module is attached, and there are links to online tutorials to assist you. You are expected to complete this module by the time you enter the course. Should you have any questions, contact your Guidance Counselor for scheduling issues, the EPHS Honors Algebra 2 teachers for Mathematics issues, or me for general issues.
Sincerely,
Steven Rollin , EPHS Gifted and Talented Coordinator
952-975-8049 srollin@edenpr.org
https://edenpr.schoology.com/course/1535767545/materials
Dear Honors Algebra 2 Student,
Welcome to Honors Algebra 2! In order to have time to enrich the Algebra 2 curriculum, we spend very little time reviewing Algebra 1 topics. You have learned a lot of concepts in Algebra 1, and we have found that students need to be proficient in Algebra 1 in order to be successful in Honors Algebra 2. If you took regular Algebra I there will be quadratic concepts that you did not learn and will need to self study this material in order to be on track for Honors Algebra II.
On Schoology, find the “Bridge to Honors Algebra II” Class (Enrollment Key is RQHTN-H36M3). From here you will have options of looking over example problems or watching instructional videos – or both! There are plentiful practice problems if you want to practice the concepts. Do as much as you feel you need to do in order to be proficient. You are expected to complete the “Algebra I Review Worksheet” as this contains one or more practice problem(s) for each concept you should be proficient with.
Have fun reviewing your Algebra I skills!
Eden Prairie High School Honors Algebra 2 Mathematics Teachers