Honors PSL Summer Reading Assignment
Class of 2025
To help create a library of works that address contemporary issues, and to begin critically examining relevant social concerns that we will explore during the first semester, each Honors PSL Seminar scholar should choose a text from the list below that addresses economic disparities and poverty in the United States.
We have ample copies of Carry On and The Other Wes Moore available to students who would like to pick up a copy prior to the end of the school year. Please email Mrs. Trentanelli ([email protected]) to make up pickup arrangements.
If you need help selecting a text, feel free to email Mr. Soeder or Mrs. Trentanelli throughout the summer. You should also consider visiting the Perry Public Library, or contacting other experts as you make your decision.
We have ample copies of Carry On and The Other Wes Moore available to students who would like to pick up a copy prior to the end of the school year. Please email Mrs. Trentanelli ([email protected]) to make up pickup arrangements.
If you need help selecting a text, feel free to email Mr. Soeder or Mrs. Trentanelli throughout the summer. You should also consider visiting the Perry Public Library, or contacting other experts as you make your decision.
Text Options
Carry On
Lisa Fenn's memoir Carry On is a poignant exploration of resilience and hope amid poverty, highlighting the profound impact of mentorship on two young wrestlers' lives. Through their struggles and triumphs, Fenn captures the strength that emerges from challenging circumstances.
Lisa Fenn's memoir Carry On is a poignant exploration of resilience and hope amid poverty, highlighting the profound impact of mentorship on two young wrestlers' lives. Through their struggles and triumphs, Fenn captures the strength that emerges from challenging circumstances.
Maid
Maid by Stephanie Land is a powerful memoir that illuminates the harsh realities of poverty in America. Through Land's personal experiences as a single mother working as a maid, the book offers a poignant and eye-opening perspective on the challenges faced by low-income families striving for stability and dignity.
Maid by Stephanie Land is a powerful memoir that illuminates the harsh realities of poverty in America. Through Land's personal experiences as a single mother working as a maid, the book offers a poignant and eye-opening perspective on the challenges faced by low-income families striving for stability and dignity.
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a timeless classic that vividly portrays the struggles of poverty and hunger during the Great Depression. Through the Joad family's journey from Oklahoma to California in search of a better life, Steinbeck paints a stark portrait of the hardships faced by migrant workers and the devastating impact of economic inequality on American society. This novel continues to resonate today, highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a timeless classic that vividly portrays the struggles of poverty and hunger during the Great Depression. Through the Joad family's journey from Oklahoma to California in search of a better life, Steinbeck paints a stark portrait of the hardships faced by migrant workers and the devastating impact of economic inequality on American society. This novel continues to resonate today, highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot delves into the remarkable story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were harvested without her consent and became crucial in scientific research. The book explores not only the scientific impact but also the broader ethical and social issues, including the disparities in healthcare and the exploitation of disadvantaged individuals like Henrietta, whose family lived in poverty while her cells were instrumental in medical advancements. Skloot's narrative sheds light on the intersections of race, poverty, and medical ethics, sparking important conversations about equity and justice in healthcare.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot delves into the remarkable story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were harvested without her consent and became crucial in scientific research. The book explores not only the scientific impact but also the broader ethical and social issues, including the disparities in healthcare and the exploitation of disadvantaged individuals like Henrietta, whose family lived in poverty while her cells were instrumental in medical advancements. Skloot's narrative sheds light on the intersections of race, poverty, and medical ethics, sparking important conversations about equity and justice in healthcare.
The Other Wes Moore
The Other Wes Moore is the story of two kids with the same name from the same community. One went on to find success. The other went to prison. This story illustrates the journey of two boys facing the pressures of poverty, violence, and hopelessness, and the people and communities that propel them in wildly different directions.
The Other Wes Moore is the story of two kids with the same name from the same community. One went on to find success. The other went to prison. This story illustrates the journey of two boys facing the pressures of poverty, violence, and hopelessness, and the people and communities that propel them in wildly different directions.
The Assignment: Constructing a Dialectical Journal
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A dialectical journal is intended to be a conversation between you and the text you have chosen, and will provide the foundation for our seminar conversations during the initial weeks of school. It is a venue for you to explore the passages and themes that resonate with you, and to provide you with the space to process the text critically and thoughtfully.
Your journal should be handwritten in a spiral-bound notebook or binder, and each entry should be a minimum of one page, though some passages/text might demand an extended reflection. When complete, your journal should have at least eight (8) thoughtful entries. In addition to this reading assignment, you will continue to use this notebook to for lecture notes, service reflections, and other course-related assignments throughout the 2024-2025 year.
Heading
Begin each dialectical journal entry at the top of a page. Create a heading with the date, title, and author , as well as chapter and/or page numbers.
Passage
Quote a compelling passage that resonates with you. Cite the page number MLA style in parentheses at the end of the passage. Especially long passages may be abbreviated appropriately with ellipses.
Response
Respond critically to your selected passage. You are welcome to consider the elements below as you construct your response, or you can take a different scholarly approach:
- Discuss what is interesting about the passage, examine the author’s representation of the events, or reflect on the character(s)’ thoughts/actions.
- Consider examining how the theme(s) within this passage might or might not help students develop democratic values by working for justice, becoming advocates, and affecting change.
- Reflect on any stylistic choices within the passage that are significant to the text.
- Review any challenging vocabulary words from the text, and define the word(s) as they are used in the context of the passage.
The Assessment: Evaluating your Dialectical Journal
A Dialectical Journal that is PROFICIENT will...
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The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his. The Other Wes Moore |