Name: _____________________________
9th Grade Summer Reading Assignment 2015-2016
Assignment Background: Nonfiction texts allow students to experience the wonder of the world while developing complex critical
thinking skills. The objective of this assignment is for students to be able to analyze an influential figure in history or modern
culture. The students will also analyze the impact of their subject on humanity as a whole.
Student Task:
Choose and read a nonfictional account of an influential figure in history or modern culture. Your first unit in English 1 will be
dedicated to the nonfiction genre (autobiography, creative nonfiction, memoir, and biography) and will incorporate your Summer
Reading book. The book is required to be read by the first day of school, freshman year. You will also be required to complete
the “Nonfiction Reading Log” (at least 10 entries) and the “A Day in the Life Biography Survey” (formats for both are attached)
before school begins. The book’s subject is up to the student as long as it falls into the nonfiction genre (autobiography, creative
nonfiction, memoir, or biography). The recommendation is for the student to choose the book based on their own interests or
hobbies and choose an influential figure to their own lives. The following examples depict how these choices could be made:
Examples:
Interests/Hobbies:
Possible book choice:
Technology
Jobs-Walter Isaacson
Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire-Wallace/Erickson
Music
Cash- Johnny Cash
Chronicles, Vol. 1-Bob Dylan
Creative Nonfiction/Memoir
BossyPants- Tina Fey
Me Talk Pretty One Day-David Sedaris
The Glass Castle-Jeannette Walls
Politics
Living History- Hillary Rodam Clinton
Richard M. Nixon-Elizabeth Drew
Sports
Wooden: A Coach’s Life-Seth Davis
Friday Night Lights: a Town, a Team, and a Dream-H.G. Bissinger
Food/Culinary Arts
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in Culinary Underbelly-Anthony Bourdain
Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen-Julie Powell
*Also, attached is a list of recommended nonfiction for this assignment. Students are not limited to this list but can use it as a
reference to choose your book. The book chosen should be about someone who interests the student. Each student will be doing
an extended research project about this subject during their first unit of English 1.
Due: First day of 9th grade
“A Day in the Life”: Biography Survey
Directions: As you read your nonfiction book, you will gather information on many aspects of your subject’s life. Pretend you are interviewing your subject and use the
following questions to keep track of the information you gather while you are reading.
In the Beginning
1. What were your parents and grandparents full names, dates of birth, places of birth?
2. What were the occupations of your parents?
3. How many children were in your family? Where were you in the lineup?
4. Generally speaking, what was your childhood like?
5 . Are there any particularly happy, funny, sad or instructive lessons you learned while growing up?
In Your Neighborhood
1. What was it like where you grew up?
2. Describe your most important friendships
School Days:
1. Be sure to capture names and dates attended of grammar, high, colleges, trade or technical schools
2. What are your earliest school day memories?
3. Were you involved in sports, music, drama, or other extra-curricular activities?
Off to Work
1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
2. What was your first boss like? What did you learn from him or her?
3. Did you leave? Quit? Get promoted? Get fired?
Romance & Marriage
1.Who was your first love?
2.Who did you marry? Did you marry more than once?
3.How many children did you have
Triumph and Tragedy
1. What were the most joyous, fulfilling times of your life?
2. Any sad, tragic or difficult times you'd care to share such as losing a loved one, a job, or something you cared about?
3. What lifelong lessons did you learn from these tough times? Joyous times?
4. Were there any moments you recall as true breakthroughs in any area of your life?
5. If you could do one thing differently in your life, what would that be?
Words of Wisdom
1. What have you learned over your lifetime that you'd like to share with the younger generation?
2. People will sometimes repeat aphorisms such as "honesty is the best policy." If they do, be sure to ask how they learned that life lesson.
Legacy
1.What do you want future generations to remember you or thank you for?
Due: First day of 9th grade
Nonfiction Reading Log
Directions: You must have at least 10 entries before school starts. For each entry, use the nonfiction reading log format. Keep your logs
together in a lined notebook or binder with loose-leaf lined paper. You will use this log to help you with a research project that will be
introduced to you the first week of school. If you need help with getting started, there is a list of suggested subject starters included.
Book Title:
Date:
Author:
Page I started on:
Number of pages I read today
Page I finished on:
Number of minutes I read today:
Reading Log Entry (you should write at least a ½ page for every log)
Log Sentence Starters: Choose one of these sentences for your log.
 I felt confused when… and so I …
 I was distracted by… but then I …
 I started to think about…. And so I…
 The time went quickly because…
 A word/some words I did not know…
 I stopped because… What I did next was…
 I lost track of everything because…
 I figured out that…
 I first thought that… but then realized that…
 I finally understood…
 I remembered earlier in the book…