Welcome to the blog!

Hello, Maybeck students!

Welcome to our summer reading blog. You will see that we've started several discussions about different aspects of the novel. The ideas and questions we've presented are meant to get you thinking about these topics--don't feel that you have to address every question we've asked. This blog is a forum for your thoughts about the novel. Please write your posts as comments on the discussion pages listed above, and remember to read and respond to your fellow students' ideas.

Happy reading!
Nina

Summer Reading Assignment, Their Eyes Were Watching God: all levels

FOR COMPOSITION AND INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION STUDENTS:

Part 1: Annotations

Please refer to the website for guidelines and strategies on annotating your text. All students must do the annotations assignment.

Part 2:  Blog Posts

Throughout the process of reading, you should respond to the novel by posting comments on the English Department Blog (accessible through the Maybeck website and at http://hurstonzn.blogspot.com). Responses may vary in length, but the cumulative total should be between 1½ and 2 typed, double-spaced pages in 12-point Times New Roman font. Your posts may include analytical responses to particular passages as well as your general impressions, feelings, and questions about the novel. In addition, please feel free to respond to one another. This is a place for a dialogue about the novel so that summer reading is a communal experience. Also, you will need to spread out your posts to cover various points in the novel; you may not write one long entry. In order to receive credit, you must submit a total of 6 posts on the following schedule:

DUE DATE:            NUMBER OF POSTS:

July 15^th                                1 or 2

August 1^st                              1 or 2

August 15^th                           1 or 2

September 1^st                        1 or 2

If you are in 9^th Grade Composition, please contact Nina at ninal@maybeckhs.org with any questions.

If you are in Intermediate Composition, please contact Katie at katief@maybeckhs.org with any questions.

FOR LITERATURE AND ADVANCED ENGLISH STUDENTS

Part 1  Annotations

Please refer to the website for guidelines and strategies on annotating your text. All students must do the annotations assignment.

Part 2  Blog Posts: 4 substantive posts + 8 brief posts

Throughout the process of reading and annotating, you will engage in a dialogue about the novel with other members of the Maybeck community by posting comments on the English Department Blog.

Six substantive posts

As a way to synthesize your thoughts on the novel and to spark discussion, you are to post at least four (4) substantive blog entries in which you cite and discuss a specific passage from the novel.  Each of these posts should be about 150-200 words, according to the following due date schedule:

Blog Entry #                          Due Date      

Blog Entry #1                        July 15^th                                 

Blog Entry #2                        August 1^st                             

Blog Entry #3                        August 15^th                           

Blog Entry #4                        September 1^st                                   

Your posts may include analytical responses as well as general impressions, feelings, and questions about the novel. Be sure that each of your blog entries addresses quoted material from the text along with page numbers. Keep in mind that for these longer blog entries you will need to spread out your posts to cover various points in the novel; you may not write one long entry.

Eight brief posts

In addition, you are also to post a total of eight (8) brief blog entries that comment on issues raised in one another’s blog postings at any point throughout the summer. Remember that the blog is a place to dialogue about the novel so that summer reading is a communal experience. You may post more than eight brief entries if you wish.

If you are in Literature and have questions on any aspect of this assignment, feel free to e-mail rosemaryd@maybeckhs.org

If you are in Advanced English and have questions, please feel free to email Michael (michaeld@maybeckhs.org), Nina (ninal@maybeckhs.org), Katie (katief@maybeckhs.org), or Rosemary (rosemaryd@maybeckhs.org).