2008Summer Reading

Rockville High School English Department

Summer Reading Program 2008

"The average American child spends 78 minutes a week reading, 102 minutes a week on homework and study, and 12 hours a week watching television. . . . If households simply reversed the status quo, reducing kids television watching to 78 minutes and boosting their reading to 12 hours a week, it would do more to improve academic achievement in America…

(Edward Humes …School of Dreams).

Many studies have shown that reading promotes students' mental growth, capacity to process information, and ability to understand themselves and the world around them. Good readers become good thinkers and good writers. Success in school and in the workplace depends heavily on the ability to read. In high school classes, students are required to read complex passages and decipher their meanings as part of instruction and assessments. The High School Assessments and countywide finals require students to understand complex questions and highlight the important information contained within a question. Students who take the SAT, Advanced Placement examinations, and International Baccalaureate examinations will encounter tests similarly designed to evaluate their critical reading ability, understanding of a variety of vocabulary, and writing skills. In the workplace, employees are expected to understand their tasks based on written information. Therefore, it is important to expect all students to read during the summer. Research strongly suggests that reading, like most skills, improves with practice. Summer reading serves as one measure for determining proficiency of the following MCPS indicator and objective:

Indicator Refine and extend comprehension skills through exposure to a variety of texts, including traditional print and electronic devices.

Objective: Read a minimum of 25 self-selected and/or assigned books or book equivalents representing various genres per year.

In order to prepare our students for these challenges both in high school and beyond, English Department members have selected titles to provide summer reading opportunities for each student. Students will be evaluated on their reading when they return in the fall with common assignments for each grade level.

The reading assignments may be printed out from this web site.

Limited copies of the titles listed are available for students to use during the summer. Books may be checked out of the English Department through Mr. Martin McCarrick, English Resource Teacher, Room 2044, or through the Media Center. The titles are also available at any Montgomery County Public Library, Borders, Barnes and Noble and @ http://www.amazon.com/ . Ms. Weiss, Media Specialist @ RHS, is happy to assist all students with the selection of other Fun Summer Reads.