kelleytjansson

I’m always curious about what high school kids are asked to read in their English classes these days.  I’ve had a few conversations with friends about we read back in the 1980s.  Call me a packrat, but I found my own reading lists from my 9th and 10th grades.  I only have the outside reading lists for 9th grade, although am sure that there was one for 10th grade as well.  Bring back memories for anyone?

*** SUMMER READING LIST FOR STUDENTS ENTERING NINTH GRADE ACCELERATED ENGLISH (1981) ***

“At least five of the following literary works must be read prior to the opening of school in September.  Students are reminded that this is a required reading program and tests will be administered in class during the first week of the semester.  Tests will be graded on a pass or fail basis. Students who receive marks on the five works will have three (3) points added to their grades for the marking period.  Students who fail will lose three (3) points from the grade for the marking period.”

1.  I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS – Maya Angelou

2.  FANTASTIC VOYAGE – Isaac Asimov

3.  FAHRENHEIT 451 – Ray Bradbury

4.  GREAT EXPECTATIONS – Charles Dickens

5.  REBECCA – Daphne Dumaurier

6.  ROOTS – Alex Haley

7.  ICE STATION ZEBRA – Alister MacLean

8.  GONE WITH THE WIND – Margaret Mitchell

9.  ANIMAL FARM – George Orwell

10.  THE PROMISE – Chaim Potok

11.  THE YEARLING – Marjorie Rawlings

12.  WEST SIDE STORY – Irving Shulman

13.  THE HOBBIT – J.R.R. Tolkien

14.  PARDON ME, YOU’RE STEPPING ON MY EYE BALL – Paul Zindel

*** OUTSIDE READING LISTS: ACCELERATED ENGLISH I ***

“Students will be tested on 0, 1, or 2 books per month the tests coming in the middle of October, November, December, and January…the tests will be in the form of essay questions.”

1.  SIDDARTHA – Hesse

2. FRANNY & ZOOEY – Salinger

3.  IN COLD BLOOD – Capote

4.  TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME JULIE MOON – Kellog

5.  THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING – White

6.  I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN – Greene

7.  DR. ZHIVAGO – Pasternak

8. ON THE BEACH – Chute

9.  CHILDHOOD’S END – Clarke

10.  MARTIAN CHRONICLES – Bradbury

11.  FOUNDATIONS – Asimov

12. THE AUCTIONEER – Samson

13. BLACK LIKE ME – Griffin

14.  THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOM X

15.  THE LEARNING TREE – Parks

16.  A CHOICE OF WEAPONS – Parks

17.  THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER – Styron

18.  THE OTHER AMERICA – Harrington

19.  THE PEARL – Steinbeck

20.  SOUNDER – Armstrong

21.  ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL – Herriott

22.  ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL – Herriott

23.  ALL THINGS GREAT AND SMALL – Herriott

24.  GO ASK ALICE

25.  FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC – Andrews

26.  I AM THIRD – Sayers

27.  BRIAN’S SONG – Blinn

28.  ORDINARY PEOPLE – Guest

*** OUTSIDE READING LISTS: ACCELERATED ENGLISH 2 ***

Similar rules for spring semester of my 9th grade…

1.  NATIVE SON – Wright

2. THE SILMARRILION – Tolkien

3. THE EAGLE HAS LANDED – Higgins

4.  THE FOUNTAINHEAD – Rand

5.  WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN? – Clark

6.  BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS – Vonnegut

7.  NORTHWEST PASSAGE – Roberts

8.  THE LITTLE PRINCE – de Saint Exupery

9.  PETALS IN THE WIND – Andrews

10.  THE HOLOCAUST – Gilbert

11.  KIDNAPPED – Stevenson

12.  THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL – Herriott

13.  THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE – Follett

14.  THE ILLUSTRATED MAN – Bradbury

15.  PROFILES OF COURAGE – Kennedy

16.  VERY FAR AWAY FROM ANYWHERE – Le Guin

17.  CHRISTY – Marshall

18.  DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA – Cervantes

19.  BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI – Boulle

20.  BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE – Brown

21.  DANDELION WINE – Bradbury

22.  THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE – Stevenson

23.  DRACULA – Stoker

24.  THE GOOD EARTH – Buck

25.  IVANHOE – Scott

26.  JANE EYRE – Bronte

27. THE MOONSTONE – Collins

28.  MY ANTONIA – Cather

29.  TESS OF THE D’UBERVILLES – Hardy

30.  WHEN THE LEGENDS DIE – Borland

31.  WUTHERING HEIGHTS – Bronte

32.  DEATH ON THE NILE – Christe

*** SUMMER READING LIST FOR STUDENTS ENTERING TENTH GRADE ACCELERATED ENGLISH (1982) ***

One of these two required:

1.  THE ILLIAD – Homer

2.  THE ODYSSEY – Homer

Any three of the following selections are required:

1.  GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN – Baldwin

2.  JANE EYRE – Bronte

3.  MANCHILD IN THE PROMISED LAND – Brown

4.  THE GOOD EARTH – Buck

5.  THE UGLY AMERICAN – Burdick

6.  A TALE OF TWO CITIES – Dickins

7.  RAGTIME – Doctorow

8.  TESS OF THE D’URBERVILLES – Hardy

9.  A FAREWELL TO ARMS – Hemmingway

10.  STEPPENWOLF – Hesse

11.  GREEN MANSIONS – Hudson

12.  MAIN STREET – Lewis

13.  THE NATURAL – Malamud

14.  THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER – McCullers

15.  MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY – Nordhoff, Hall

16.  THREE – O’Connor

17.  FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT (KING JAMES VERSION)

18.  CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY – Paton

19.  THE CHOSEN – Potok

20.  TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY – Steinbeck

21.  LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI – Twain

22. CAT’S CRADLE – Vonnegut

23.  BLACK BOY – Wright