10th Grade

Honors Literature and Composition II, Honors World History, & AP/DC World History

Please note that ALL work is DUE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Anchor Text:

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

by Ishmael Beah

Directions:

Read the anchor text, A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah. Make a copy of the notes organizer to capture important information from this text. Use a new note organizer for each text read.
Then, choose at least 3 text options from the provided list of "Supplemental Texts" to read in order to enrich your experience with this novel. Vary your selections by choosing one from each category/genre: Informational Texts, Poetry, Podcasts, and Videos. All supplemental texts should not be from the same category/genre.
You must construct a synthesis argumentative essay, not a summarized narrative. Formulate a clear thesis statement. You will synthesize 3 sources, one source MUST be the anchor test, A Long Way Gone, and the other 2 should be the supplemental texts that you read and took notes on. Your essay must be 2-4 pages in length and follow MLA format. A work cited page and in-text citations are required. Use THIS RUBRIC to help you write your essay.
The reading, notes, and essay must be completed and ready to share and submit on the first day of school. All work is DUE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Writing Prompt

Beah once commented, "I think that every human being should be aware of the possibility of change. . . . Everyone can make a difference. You don't have to be rich or famous to do so. If one person can change the way they interact with other people, no matter who they are or where they are from, that makes a big difference. It seems to me, one of the main problems of our last century was the inability of individuals to get along with each other."

In this essay construct an argument about how the actions of one person can make a difference in the lives of individuals, communities, nations, and/or the world.

Supplemental Texts

Informational Texts:

10th Grade Focus: "A child of Slavery Who Taught a Generation"
10th Grade Focus: "When Good Comes From Bad"
10th Grade Focus: "The Sierra Leone Civil War"

Literary Texts:

10th Grade Focus: "Crowd"
10th Grade Focus: "The Faith Cure Man"
10th Grade Focus: "David & Goliath"

Poetry:

10th Grade Focus: “Still I Rise”
10th Grade Focus: “If We Must Die”
10th Grade Focus: “Rosa Parks”

Podcasts:

If you choose a podcast, select only one of the following to read (listen to) and analyze. Use the notes organizer to capture your ideas and understandings.

The Re-Readables; “A Long Way Gone”Listen to The Re-Readables; “A Long Way Gone” on Spotify. We are here talking about Ishmael Beah’s book, “A Long Way Gone.” We discuss and evaluate the book, then make segments that retain to the book that we think fit best. Our first segment we talk about his Scariest Moments (Top 3), How He Finds Hope In Dark Times, Most re-readable Moment, Best Quote and the Saddest Moments (Top 3) to end the podcast. I hope you all enjoy!

Muhammad Ali: A Case Study in Purpose-Driven Decision MakingHow the sports legend and civil rights icon made decisions throughout his career to leave a lasting impact on the world.

Music /Videos/Spoken Word

If you choose a music /video/spoken word, select one of the following texts to read (listen to) and analyze. Use the notes organizer to capture your ideas and understandings.

The leaders who ruined Africa, and the generation who can fix itBefore he hit eighteen, Fred Swaniker had lived in Ghana, Gambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. What he learned from a childhood across Africa was that while good leaders can't make much of a difference in societies with strong institutions, in countries with weak structures, leaders could make or break a country. In a passionate talk the entrepreneur and TED Fellow looks at different generations of African leaders and imagines how to develop the leadership of the future.

8 secrets of successWhy do people succeed? Is it because they're smart? Or are they just lucky? Neither. Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success.

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