American United High School 9th Grade Honors English Summer Reading
2016
Welcome to Honors 9th Grade English! We are very excited about your transition to 9th grade and to help
you prepare we’ve put together several summer activities for you to complete. In 9th grade English we are
not only concerned with what is said but also how the author says it. By annotating your thinking as you
read, you will be better prepared for the assignments that assess your reading, writing, and analysis skills.
The summer reading assignment is due September 7, 2016.
Required Summer 2016 Reading Assignment: Books can be purchased as an E-book or
paperback.
www.ebooks.com/
https://www.epubbooks.com/buy-epub-books
Part 1: Read and annotate the nonfiction book “The Greatest Generation” by Tom Brokaw
and answer the discussion questions listed below; complete three tic-tac-toe
activities (in a row)
Part 2: Read and annotate one fiction book from the list provided; complete the written
assignment for the text you selected.
Part 3: Read and annotate one nonfiction book from the list provided; complete the written
assignment for the text you selected.
Part 4: Journal twice a week answering the questions listed below.
AUS strongly believes that reading and writing is an important part of academic success, and personal choice
plays an important part in developing as a reader. Take advantage of the opportunity to select two books of
fiction that are interesting and engaging to you. During the summer we expect you to read two hours per week.
PART 1 Reading Assignment
In 9th Grade English, students are required to:
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explain the controlling idea and specific purpose of an expository text.
draw conclusions about organizational patterns.
analyze the relevance, quality, and credibility of evidence given to support or oppose an argument
for a specific audience.
evaluate changes in formality and tone within the same medium for specific audiences and purposes.
The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw
Evaluation of this required nonfiction reading will include an assessment and a timed writing the first
week of school. This will be followed by other assignments and class discussions. You will need to have
access to your book during the first few weeks of class. We strongly recommend that you annotate your
book in order to prepare for the timed writing and class discussions.
Discussion Questions
As you read, you will want to answer following discussion questions and type using size 12 Times New
Roman font
 How does the author organize the book?
 What kind of support does the author include?
 How does the author keep the audience’s attention?
 Do you notice any figurative language?
 Do you notice any shifts in tone?
Tic-Tac-Toe Activities
In 9th Grade English, students are also required to:
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analyze how authors develop complex yet believable characters through a range of literary devices.
analyze the way narrator’s point of view shapes the text.
analyze flashbacks, foreshadowing, and plot structures.
Summer Reading Tic-Tac-Toe: Choose any three activities for completion that would form a tic-tac- toe (three
in a row) based on the novel, The Greatest Generation. These assignments will be due by September 7, 2016.
Non-fiction Reading Response Choice Board
Tic- Tac- Toe
Interesting Facts
Write down the most interesting
thing you have learned. Write
down why it stood out. Be sure to
specifically reference the text.
What I learned
Write down two new pieces of
information that you learned.
Write down why these were
important pieces of information.
Opinion
Write an opinion about the text.
Did you like it, why or why not?
Are there any moral issues
present in the text, how do you
feel about these issues?
Main Idea
What is the main idea of the
text? Write a 1-2 sentence
summary in your own words.
Vocabulary
Find 5 words that are either
new to you or are important to
the main idea of the text.
Define and draw a quick picture
for each word.
Details
Find 3 details that support the
main idea of the tr. List the
details, referencing the text,
and then give evidence as to why
these are important.
Questions
Write two questions that you have
after reading the text.
These questions can be clarifying
questions or I wonder questions.
Visual Images
Choose a diagram, map, chart,
graph, or image from the text
that is important and explain its
significance to the text. Or,
draw a quick picture about the
text and example its significance
to the text.
Summary
Summarize the text. In your
planning, consider answering the
following questions about the
text: Who, What, Where, When,
Why, What?
American United High School 9th Grade Honors English Summer
Reading
2016
How to Effectively Annotate a Text
Annotations are not a new strategy, but few, if any, of incoming 9th grade students have ever been taught how to
annotate. To be effective, students need concrete strategies to ensure that annotations do not add exponentially
to their work load. Providing students with tips for how to highlight and annotate can make a big difference in
the success of this practice.
Highlighting Tips:
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Important passages-Blue
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Key research, statistics & facts-Green
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Unfamiliar vocabulary-Yellow
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Themes & main ideas-Pink
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Quotable lines-Orange
# = info, statistic or research
Annotation Shorthand:
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? = question or unsure of meaning
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* = important
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[ ] = quotable
= new vocabulary
Post it Notes in the Margin:
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Write definitions
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Capture emotional reactions
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Translate ideas into your own words
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Summarize
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Make connections…other books, classes, life
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Comment on ideas
experiences
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Predict what will happen
Digital Annotations
As more teachers begin to supplement and replace traditional texts with digital texts, it is important that
students learn how to organize, process and share online resources as well.
Diigo is a fabulous tool for highlighting, annotating, bookmarking and sharing digital texts.
PART 2: Select one book from the list below.
Reading and annotating one fiction text is required. Please choose from the following
list:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The Things They Carried by Tim Obrien
1000 Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater
New Boy by Julian Houston
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Evaluation of your fiction reading will include several assignments due the first week of school. You will
need to have access to your book in class. We strongly recommend that you annotate your books in order
to participate in the classroom discussions. As you read, please answer and type the following:
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Contrasts & Contradictions
When a character does something that contrasts with what you’d expect or contradicts
his earlier acts or statements, STOP and ask, “Why is the character doing that?”
Aha Moment
When a character realizes, understands, or finally figures out something, STOP and ask
yourself, “How might this change things?”
Tough Questions
When a character asks herself a very difficult question, STOP and ask yourself, “What
does this question make me wonder about?”
Words of the Wiser
When a character (probably older and wiser) takes the main character aside and
offers serious advice, STOP and ask, “What’s the life lesson and how might it affect
the character?”
Again & Again
When you notice a word, phrase, or situation mentioned over and over, STOP and
ask yourself, “Why does this keep happening again and again?”
Memory Moment
When the author interrupts the action to tell you about a memory, STOP and ask
yourself, “Why might this memory be important?”
Written responses must be typed using size 12 Times New Roman font.
PART 2 Written Assignment
In your fiction selections, find a significant example of each signpost: Contrast & Contradiction, Aha
Moment, Tough Question, Words of the Wiser, Again & Again, Memory Moment. There may be many
examples of these, but select significant ones in the second half of your book. Do not use quotes from the
first 50 pages of the novel. Your six responses must be typed and include what you noticed, a quote
with a page number, and why it is significant in the text. Notice the explanation of why it is significant is
about 50 words. We will not deduct points for formatting errors, but try to follow the sample below.
Signpost
Contrast & Contradiction
Quote with Page Number
Why is the quote significant?
“It was strange for Liesel to see without
the bathrobe” (Zusak 523)
Mrs. Hermann has never come to Liesel’s
house before, but she brings her a note and
asks her not to punish herself. She is taking
a step out of her comfort zine because she
doesn’t want Liesel to make the same
mistake she has made—blaming herself for
something beyond her control.
Aha Moment
“Leisel’s response was rhetorical not
figurative” (Zusak 768).
Mr. Hermann never stopped to reflect
Liesel’s question. This is significant
because it would have changed the
dynamics of the entire conversation.
Hence, Mr. Hermann wouldn’t have
reacted in a negative manner to Liesel.
Tough Question
Words of the Wiser
Again & Again
Memory Moment
Part 3: Select a book from the list below.
Reading and annotating one nonfiction text is required. Please choose from the
following list:
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My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafza
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Part 3: Written Assignment
Evaluation of your nonfiction reading will include several assignments due the first week of school. You
will need to have access to your book in class. We strongly recommend that you annotate your books in
order to participate in the classroom discussions. As you read, please answer and type the following:
Contrasts and Contradictions
When you’re reading and the author shows you a difference between what you know and what is happening in
the text, or a difference in the text, you should stop and ask yourself:
What is the difference and why does it matter?
Word Gaps
When you’re reading and you notice the author uses a word or phrase you don’t know, you should stop and
ask yourself:
Do I know this word from someplace else?
Does this seem like technical talk for experts about this topic? Can I find clues in the sentence to help
me understand the word?
Numbers and Stats
When you’re reading and you notice specific numbers, number words, or amounts, you should stop and ask
yourself:
Why did the author use those numbers or amounts?
Quoted Words
When you’re reading and you notice the author quoted a Voice of Authority, a Personal Perspective, or cited
Other’s Words, you should stop and ask yourself:
Why did the author say it like that?
Extreme/Absolute Language
When you’re reading and you notice the author uses language that leaves no doubt, exaggerates, or pushes
the limit, you should stop and ask yourself:
Why did the author quote or cite this person?
In your fiction selections, find a significant example of each signpost: Contrast & Contradiction, Word Gaps,
Numbers & Stats, Quoted Words, and Extreme/absolute language. There may be many examples of these,
but select significant ones in the second half of your book. Do not use quotes from the first 50 pages of the
novel. Your 5 responses must be typed and include what you noticed, a quote with a page number, and
why it is significant in the text. Notice the explanation of why it is significant is about 50 words. We will not
deduct points for formatting errors, but try to follow the sample below.
Signpost
Quote with Page Number
Why is the quote significant?
Contrast & Contradiction
Word Gaps
Numbers & Stats
Quoted Words
Extreme/Absolute Language
Part 3: Journaling Assignment
Summer Journaling Questions
During your summer vacation, spend a minimum of 10 minutes twice a week responding in writing to the
following journal questions. Please select 7 of the writing prompts to complete. The questions and answers must
be typed in Times New Roman using a 12 point font. Each journal response must have a minimum of 50 words.
These prompts and answers are due the first week of school.
1. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
2. If you could write a letter to your 20 year old self, what would you say?
3. What achievements are you most proud of? What achievements will you be proud of in 5 years?
4. What do you want to be remembered for?
5. Think about the last time you felt totally on top of the world. Where were you? Who were you with? What
were you doing? What parts of that experience can you recreate today and every day to boost your
happiness?
6. Who is one of your mentors? What do you admire about them? What makes them unique and what have
you learned from them?
7. If you had just one day left to live, how would you spend it? What would you tell your loved ones?
8. What is the one single most difficult lesson you’ve ever had to learn?
9. What is one of your biggest dreams? What’s getting in the way?
10. What are the most important aspects in your life right now and how much time do you spend on each? Is
the time you spend proportionate to the importance of each aspect?
11. If you could choose one word to represent yourself now, what would that be? Too hard? Pick 3 words.
12. If you could choose one word to represent your ideal version of yourself, or the person you strive to
become, what would that be?
13. Throughout the course of this year, what things can you add, what changes can you make, and what
destructive or unfulfilling behaviors can you crowd out in order to bring you closer to that one word you
want to embody?