Summer Suggestions
There is no longer a formal summer reading assignment for any of our English classes, but independent reading at every level is always encouraged.
Here are some summer suggestions to help you maintain your skills over the summer and return to school raring to go.
The Benefits of Reading Independently
Reading encourages students to think critically, question the world, and be more culturally conscious. The research supports that independent reading has the most significant impact on student success. Finally, reading independently also improves reading comprehension, vocabulary and fluency
Read!
There is no “right number” of books to read over the summer, but we do strongly encourage you to read over summer break.
Pick books that are interesting to you. Pick books that seem like they are high-school (or college) level. Read books your friends read that your teachers didn’t get to. Listen to an audiobook. Discover a graphic novel. Take advantage of the public library and find titles that appeal to you and that are appropriate for high school students.
If you’re clueless at first, ask the librarians for help.
Brooklyn Public Library (For a limited time, teen applicants ages 13-21 can request a free BPL eCard by sending an email request to booksunbanned@bklynlibrary.org.)
We’ve also provided lists of some books to get you started:
English 1 & 1A
Write!
No, we're not asking you to write essays over summer vacation. But you do want to keep your writing muscles strong! Keep a diary, start a blog. Write about your day or your dreams.
Keep a reading journal: You may be asked to write about or discuss your summer reading upon your return to school in August. So, what did you read? What did you start but chose not finish (and why did it not hold your interest)? What did you enjoy about any particular book you read over the summer? Did you discover a new author? Did you discover a new genre? Do you have any recommendations for your friends, classmates, or teacher?
Observe!
Pay attention to the world. Watch the news and keep up with current events.