Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Summer Reading Sizzles!

We are pleased to present the 2011 Summer Reading Lists. Each student is required to select a book from the appropriate grade-level list below. If you are having trouble choosing a book, ask a parent, teacher, librarian or the English department chair for help. The Mepham High School Website has pamphlets on each list and the titles below are linked to Amazon.com with more information to help make your selection easier.

Incoming 9th Grade Summer Reading List (E1):
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Driver's Ed by Caroline B. Cooney
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

Incoming 10th Grade Summer Reading List (E2):
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

Incoming 10th Grade Honors Summer Reading List (E2H):
And Then There Were None* by Agatha Christie
Catcher in the Rye* by J.D. Salinger
*Only required for 10th Grade English Honors students at Mepham High School

Incoming 11th Grade Summer Reading List (E3):
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer

E3 AP English:
Freakonomics*by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
The Things They Carried* by Tim O'Brien
*Only required for E3 AP English students at Mepham High School

Incoming 12th Grade Summer Reading List (E4):
For One More Day by Mitch Albom
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

E4 AP English:
How to Read Literature Like a Professor* by Thomas C. Foster
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
*Only required for E4 AP English students at Mepham High School

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Testing Tips

Brought to you by Ms. Dennis, Ms. Gellar, Ms. Kyriacou, and Ms. Miller

While I was out, some of your favorite teachers put together a bulletin board in the library with wonderful testing tips. My favorite was "Eat Breakfast." Below are the rest:

1. Read all directions carefully
2. Have a positive attitude. It goes a long way toward success.
3. Be prepared - pens, pencils, calculator, etc.
4. Review your answers.
5. See your teacher for extra help.
6. Use all available time. If you finish early, review your work.
7. Cover answer choices with your hand as you read the question.
8. Find key words or phrases in the question that will help you find the correct answer.
9. Relax, breathe and stay focused.
10. EAT BREAKFAST!

image: Always With Honor

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Welcome Ms. Gellerman!

She may have helped you find a book, or lent you a calculator, or print a paper. Welcome Mrs. Gellerman, our new library clerk! She comes to us from Calhoun High School... but did you know that when she first came to this district 11 years ago, she worked right here at Mepham High School in the registrar's office? She is already a wonderful addition to our staff and we are thrilled to have her. If you haven't met her, please stop by and say hello. She's super nice, I promise.