Summer Assignments
Learning never stops. We believe it is important to keep reading, exploring, and investigating over the summer. The Bishop Dunne faculty have developed summer assignments designed to bridge the summer gap and keep skills sharp.
Middle School
English / Literature
During the summer, all students are expected to continue the habit of reading, both for enjoyment and as a supplement to their upcoming literary studies. With these goals in mind, teachers suggest the below texts as to enhance each student’s understanding of the curriculum as well as to provide a new or different reading experience.
All students must be prepared to discuss their chosen texts on the first day of school. Students will complete an in-class assignment on that day in which they will connect texts to their own lives. Please do not hesitate to contact your teacher over the summer should you have questions.
Parents: Please help your student choose his or her text. It is important that you approve both the author and the book. When you and your student have made an informed selection, please encourage the student to begin reading on a regular schedule.
Purchase your summer reading books through Amazon and help to donate back to Bishop Dunne. CLICK HERE to link your Amazon account to Amazon Smile and a portion of your purchases will be donated to the school by Amazon.
Please direct any questions to Mrs. Miranda Gilliam, English Department Chair at mgilliam@bdcs.org.
Select one of the following books.
6th Grade Reading/Writing
- Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett (Fiction)
- The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Stewart (Fiction)
- Ghost, by Jason Reynolds (Fiction)
- Schomburg: The Man who Built a Library, by Carole Boston Weatherford (Non Fiction / Biography)
7th Grade Literature
Select one of the following books. Students entering 7th grade should also annotate the text and bring it to class on the first day of school.
- The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
- Booked, by Kwame Alexander
- The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
- The Mysterious Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Author Conan Doyle
8th Grade Literature
Select one of the following books. Students entering 8th grade should also annotate the text and bring it to class on the first day of school.
- Maybe He Just Likes You, by Barbara Dee
- Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice, by Bryan Stevenson (Non Fiction)
- A Good Kind of Trouble, by Lisa Moore Ramee
Math
The primary goal of the math department summer assignment is to provide extra practice and help students to prepare for the upcoming school year. This year we will be using the Khan Academy “Get Ready” series which is a course designed to sharpen skills used in the upcoming school year. This is a mastery based course and we encourage you child to master as many skills as possible prior to the first day of class.
It is recommended that students practice about 20 minutes a day 5 times a week. Although a mastery goal is set to 90% it is not required that your student reach the full 90%. Regular practice and leveling up of skills is what teachers are looking for.
Once you join the class please allow 24 hours (Monday-Friday) for the course mastery content to populate for your account.
Select the Class Join link below for your Math class for the Fall of 2022
NEW FALCONS! If you are new to Bishop Dunne and Khan Academy, you will first need to create an account. Please click on the appropriate link below to set up your account. Students ages 12 and under will need to have a parent create the account for them. Students 13 and older can create their own account and link their parent. In creating your child’s account you do not need to pre-select a course. Please use the link provided above to join one of our Bishop Dunne Math courses.
Khan Academy Video Sign Up Instructions:
- Khan Academy - Parent Quick Tips: For Kids Ages 12 and Under
- Khan Academy – Parent Quick Tips: For Kids Ages 13+
If you have questions or need assistance in setting up your child's account, please contact Mrs. Christine Voigt cvoigt@bdcs.org. If you have math questions, contact Mr. Gary Pinkerton gpinkerton@bdcs.org.
World Language
Russian
Russian students in Level 2 - Advanced will complete Duolingo assignments as instructed in class. Contact Ms. Dovzhanska if you have any questions.
Spanish
Welcome to Spanish!
To be best prepared for the start of the school year you must complete the following summer assignments.
There are 2 parts to it:
a) Part 1: Garbanzo - (All students must complete)
b) Part 2: Binge a show or some movies in Spanish once a week! (Only HONORS classes complete this)
Assignment Information
PART 1 - All Levels
PART 1
Garbanzo
The purpose of this assignment is to help you review basic communication skills and contexts to accumulate and review vocabulary to prepare for your Spanish class. Students who have a strong vocabulary base are less likely to struggle with the class.
1) You will click the appropriate link and sign up for the class.
2) Once you are in the class, complete the activities under assignments.
3) If you have any questions over the course of the summer, please e-mail Ms. Voigt cvoigt@bdcs.org. We will respond within a week’s time. Have a wonderful summer!
PART 2 - Honors Only
Your Spanish grade focuses on five categories: listening, reading, writing, speaking, and culture. Therefore, it is important to practice these skills as often as you can this summer. We want to you have as much input as possible so, for this, we encourage you to listen to as much music as you can in Spanish and watch as much TV as you can in Spanish.
You can use the viewing log at the link below for you to log your shows and movies. It is recommended you watch things you have already seen so you can become familiar with the language without worrying about what is happening. A list of movies, TV shows, and documentaries have been provided in the form for ideas. Pick at least two of each category to watch and submit a form for each thing you watch. Each time you will visit the same form and mark what you saw.
High School
English
High School Summer Reading Guide
During the summer, all students are expected to continue the habit of reading, both for enjoyment and as a supplement to their upcoming literary studies. With these goals in mind, teachers choose texts to enhance each student’s understanding of the curriculum as well as to provide a new or different reading experience.
This year, incoming students will choose one text from the below list to read and annotate, using the below instructions as a guide. All students must have the annotated copy of their text as well as any notes with them on the first day of school. Students will discuss and write an essay over their selected novel the first weeks of school. Please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Miranda Gilliam (mgilliam@bdcs.org), English Department Chair, over the summer should you have questions.
Parents: Please help your student choose his or her text. It is important that you approve both the author and the book. Some of the authors below produce novels that include adult content, and it is important that you are aware of your student’s reading choice. When you and your student have made an informed selection, please encourage the student to begin reading on a regular schedule.
Purchase your summer reading books through Amazon and help to donate back to Bishop Dunne. CLICK HERE to link your Amazon account to Amazon Smile and a portion of your purchases will be donated to the school by Amazon.
English I
English I College Prep and Honors
Select one of the following books.
- Run, Book One, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell
- When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
- Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee
Some of these texts are graphic novels. CLICK HERE to view a Prezi with tips on how to annotate graphic novels.
English II
10th Grade College Prep
Select one of the following books.
- Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang
- Circe, by Madeline Miller
- The Palace of Illusions, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Some of these texts are graphic novels. CLICK HERE to view a Prezi with tips on how to annotate graphic novels.
10th Grade Honors
Select one of the following books.
- All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely (Fiction)
- Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman, by Jon Krakauer (Non Fiction / Adventure)
- American Street, by Ibi Zoboi
- American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang
Some of these texts are graphic novels. CLICK HERE to view a Prezi with tips on how to annotate graphic novels.
English III
11th Grade College Prep
Select one of the following books.
- The Boy in the Black Suit, by Jason Reynolds
- Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah
- Barking to the Choir, by Father Greg Boyle
AP Language and Composition
REQUIRED:
- A Doll's House, by Henrik Isben (Drama)
Select one of the following books in addition to A Doll's House.
- Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah
- Barking to the Choir, by Father Greg Boyle
English IV
12th Grade College Prep
Select one of the following books.
- Caging Skies, by Christine Leunens
- Shylock is My Name, by Howard Jacobson
- All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
- V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore (Graphic Novel / Fiction)
Some of these texts are graphic novels. CLICK HERE to view a Prezi with tips on how to annotate graphic novels.
AP Literature and Composition
REQUIRED:
- Everything that Rises Must Converge, by Flannery O'Connor
Select one of the following books.
- In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez
- Pachinko, by Jin Min Lee
- Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
- The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones
AP students will complete a sample timed writing essay in the first two weeks of school. This essay will be used as a diagnostic marker for growth over the course of the school year. As you read your chosen text, annotate specifically for stylistic elements such as setting, characterization, and narration.
Math
The primary goal of the math department summer assignment is to provide extra practice and help students to prepare for the upcoming school year. This year we will be using the Khan Academy “Get Ready” series which is a course designed to sharpen skills used in the upcoming school year. This is a mastery based course and we encourage you child to master as many skills as possible prior to the first day of class. In addition to the Get Ready content, your student will have the opportunity to link SAT practice based on their PSAT results from College Board. Click here for additional information.
It is recommended that students practice about 20 minutes a day 5 times a week. This could be practice assigned through mastery content as part of Get Ready or PSAT/SAT practice through Khan Academy. Although a mastery goal is set to 90% it is not required that your student reach the full 90%. Regular practice and leveling up of skills is what teachers are looking for.
Once you join the class please allow 24 hours (Monday-Friday) for the course mastery content to populate for your account.
Select the Class Join link below for your Math class for the Fall of 2022
NEW FALCONS! If you are new to Bishop Dunne and Khan Academy, you will first need to create an account. Please click on the appropriate link below to set up your account. Students 13 and older can create their own account and link their parent. In creating your child’s account you do not need to pre-select a course. Please use the link provided above to join one of our Bishop Dunne Math courses.
Khan Academy Video Sign Up Instructions:
If you have questions or need assistance in setting up your child's account, please contact Mrs. Christine Voigt cvoigt@bdcs.org. If you have math questions, contact Mr. Gary Pinkerton gpinkerton@bdcs.org.
World Language
Russian
Russian students in Level 2 - Advanced will complete Duolingo assignments as instructed in class. Contact Ms. Dovzhanska if you have any questions.
Spanish
Welcome to Spanish!
To be best prepared for the start of the school year you must complete the following summer assignments.
There are 2 parts to it:
a) Part 1: Garbanzo - (All students must complete)
b) Part 2: Binge a show or some movies in Spanish once a week! (Only HONORS classes complete this)
AP Spanish Literature students have a third assignment - see the appropriate tab below.
Assignment Information
PART 1 - All Levels
PART 1
Garbanzo
The purpose of this assignment is to help you review basic communication skills and contexts to accumulate and review vocabulary to prepare for your Spanish class. Students who have a strong vocabulary base are less likely to struggle with the class.
1) You will click the appropriate link and sign up for the class.
2) Once you are in the class, complete the activities under assignments.
3) If you have any questions over the course of the summer, please e-mail Ms. Voigt cvoigt@bdcs.org. We will respond within a week’s time. Have a wonderful summer!
PART 2 - Honors & AP Only
Your Spanish grade focuses on five categories: listening, reading, writing, speaking, and culture. Therefore, it is important to practice these skills as often as you can this summer. We want to you have as much input as possible so, for this, we encourage you to listen to as much music as you can in Spanish and watch as much TV as you can in Spanish.
You can use the viewing log at the link below for you to log your shows and movies. It is recommended you watch things you have already seen so you can become familiar with the language without worrying about what is happening. A list of movies, TV shows, and documentaries have been provided in the form for ideas. Pick at least two of each category to watch and submit a form for each thing you watch. Each time you will visit the same form and mark what you saw.