Honors Page: Reading Lists, Essay Prompts

Second Tri Honors Reading List

Honors Reading List for Third Trimester

Reading Assignment

Honors History

Morris—2013-2014

Second Trimester

Select one of the following books from the list below and read it before the end of May.  You must then do one of the following about the book:

1.        Present a Powerpoint telling the basic plot, theme, and premise of the book, as well as a brief biography of the author, and tell how the book affected the development of Western Civilization.  If the book is a biography, tell how the individual affected the history of Western Civilization from both the author’s point of view and your own.

2.       Create a tri-fold display about the book, showing illustrations and listing the main points and ideas of the book, as well as why the book was/is important to Western Civilization.

3.       Make a movie about the book, in which you pretend to be the author and you explain the book to the class, telling why you wrote it, and why you feel it is still important.  Include at least one scene from the book, either illustrated with images or acted out.

4.       Select your own method of presenting, and get it approved by Mr. Morris

Books to Choose From:

Nonfiction

·         Dante, The Divine Comedy.  Allegorical trip through hell, purgatory and heaven.  First great book in the Italian vernacular.  (175)  (To read only The Inferno =100 points)

·         Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales.  Stories of everyday people on a pilgrimage to Canterbury.  The first great work in the English vernacular.  (150 points)

·         Voltaire, Candide.  Great Renaissance work by the brilliant French satirist.  (100 points)

·         Cervantes, Don Quixote.  First great novel written in the Spanish vernacular.  (200 points)

·         Unknown Saxon author, Beowulf (translation by Chickering, Liuzza, or Heaney)  An epic saga that forms some of the origins of Tolkien’s work. (100 points)

·         Unknown German Author, Nibelungenlied. An epic poem from Germany. (100 points)

·         Unknown Author, Song of Roland.  Oldest surviving French work.  Knights and warfare. (75 points)

·         St. Augustine, Confessions.  The most famous Catholic apologist of the early church tells of his path to spirituality.  (100 points)

·         Leonardo da Vinci, Complete Notebooks.  The ideal Renaissance Man reflects on all things. (150 points)

·         Unknown Author, Dukus Horant, the first extended work in Yiddish. 14th century. (100 points)

·         William Langland, Piers Plowman, very early tale about life in the Feudal Middle Ages.  (100 points)

Fiction

·         White, T.H.   The Once and Future King.  King Arthur Legend.  (100 points)

·         Louis L’Amour.  The Walking Drum.  Crusades.  (100 points)

·         Any teacher-approved book about the Middle Ages or the Renaissance.

Honesty and Ethics

Reading a synopsis or watching a movie of the book is a form of academic dishonesty.  As Honors students, you are expected to conduct yourself with honor and integrity.  You are expected to read the book chosen in its entirety, beginning to end.  Any plagiarism or shortcutting will result in a zero.

Strategy

Because many of the books are long, you need to start right away. 

Grading

·         Students must turn in a detailed reading log AND present to the class to receive full credit.

·         Books are weighted by difficulty.

·         Detach and return the bottom portion to Mr. Morris.

I understand there is a reading project in Mr. Morris’s Honors World History class and that it is due by the end of Second Trimester.

________________________________          ____________________________________

Student                                                                         Parent/Guardian

Greece Test

Honors Western Civilization                                                                                                      Name

Greece Test,  110 Points

Directions:  There are seven essays below.  Pick ONE from Group A, do the one in Group B and also any of ONE in Group C.   Answer the questions completely as directed, using complete sentences.  Spelling does NOT count in Group A, but does count in Groups B and C. 

Group A:  Done in Class: Pick ONE

1.        Write a paragraph telling about the early history of Greece.   Tell the story correctly using these words in your paragraph:  Peloponnesus, Mediterranean,, Climate, Myth, Bard, Epic, Mountains, Resources, City-state, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Troy, Trade, Dorians, Dark Ages,  Homer.

2.       Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta, addressing all of the following:  children, education of boys and girls, government types, reason why Athens became an open trade city while Sparta became a closed military city.  Also, why is it that so many schools use a Spartan as a mascot rather than an Athenian?  What does that say about us?  What do we value more, athletic ability or academic ability?  Why?

3.       Tell about each of the four main battles of the Persian Wars, in order.  Discuss the military strategies of Persia and Greece.  Tell what caused the Persian Wars.  Rank the four major battles in order of importance and defend your answer.

GROUP B & C:  Take Home.  Due Monday, November 6 at beginning of class.

 Group B Must do:  Edith Hamilton’s ‘The Greek Way’

Question:  “What made the Greeks so Great?”

Procedure:

1.        Read the passage, and as you do, consider what Xenophon thought it was the made the Greeks great.

2.       Take notes.  Jot down examples, ideas and quotes that you can use to answer the question.

3.       Make sure you include in your answer the qualities/adjectives of the Greeks that you and/or Xenophon feel makes them great.

4.       Make sure you include in your answer references and examples from the article.

5.       Make sure you title your essay.

6.       Make sure your essay has an introduction with a thesis statement, a body, and a conclusion.

Group C:  Pick One of the Following

4.       Tell two important facts about each of the three philosophers we studied—Plato, Aristotle and Socrates.  Then, select either Socrates or Plato.  For Socrates, explain how modern American schools could use his Socratic Method to increase learning.  For Plato, either agree or disagree with his belief that democracy is not an effective way to govern and that only those who are educated and/or informed should vote or hold power. 

5.       What events led to the Golden Age of Athens?  What were some of the achievements during the Golden Age?  Make sure to discuss art, architecture, government, drama, sports and philosophy.  How have these accomplishments affected the way we live in the United States today?  How could the U.S. attain a similar Golden Age today?

6.       Using Ancient Greece as a model, what important lessons could the United States learn about democracy, education, war, moral values, and popular culture?  Make sure to tie your answer in with each of the above themes.

   Alexander the Great/Hellenism Test  November 8  (Prompt due Monday November 11)

,Five paragraph essay.

What made Alexander the Great so ‘great’?  What are some of the ways.  Pick four qualities that he had that you could use to help yourself be a success in life and tell how you would use each to your advantage.