Ms. Flath
9th Grade Summer Reading
2015/2016
9th Grade Summer Reading Assignment
Welcome to the 2015/2016 school year!
I know it seems a little strange to be welcoming you to the new school year when
you have barely finished the last school year – but there it is – you have a summer
reading assignment to do and I am the teacher to assign it. Did you know that the
people who study health, happiness, and longevity tell us that one of the keys to a
long and happy life is brain health? One of the keys to brain health is – you
guessed it – keeping the brain active and engaged and that means learning as a lifelong, day to day activity. So, the adults in your world have decided you need a
summer reading assignment – it is for your own good!
This summer reading assignment seeks to accomplish five things:
1) Introduce you to – or have you review a story by a fellow named Jules Verne. This
story will give us a common starting place for unit one of the 2015/2016 school year
2) Keep you practicing reading and thinking skills during the summer
3) Give you a chance to demonstrate how well you read and follow instructions
4) Give you a chance to demonstrate how much you have learned so far and how
creatively you can present that knowledge
5) Give you something to do on those long and boring summer days
See? It is a win-win situation.
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9th Grade Summer Reading
Ms. Flath
2015/2016
The 2015/2016 Summer Reading
Assignment
Please read:
Around the World in Eighty Days – by Jules Verne
This classical piece of literature can be found for free on line in at least two places:
Amazon Kindle
If you don’t have a Kindle – there is an app – ‘Kindle for PC’ – you can find it on the Amazon web site.
And
Project Gutenberg
Here is the url -
http://www.gutenberg.org/
It can also be found in book stores and probably even at Half Price Books – your
parents might have a copy of it in the home library. It is certainly available from
the public library. There is no ISBN number needed or any edition number. You
may read any edition of the story you choose. You might even choose to
supplement your reading with the movie or the Cliffs Notes.
Just don’t make the mistake of thinking the notes or the
movie take the place of actually reading the book
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Ms. Flath
9th Grade Summer Reading
2015/2016
The Task You Are to Accomplish
Task: Read Around the World in Eighty Days – by Jules Verne
Create a book cover (see the example – the numbers in the squares on the
example refer to the seven things your book cover includes)
The book cover includes:
1) A statement of something new or unexpected you found in the book
2) Five important characters from the book
3) Cover art can be original (drawn or an original digital creation) or copied
(don’t forget to give credit where credit is due)
4) The title of the book and the name of the author
5) A couple of paragraphs about the part of the book you liked the best – why
you liked it
6) A short statement about yourself
7) 30 words (10 from the beginning – 10 from the middle – 10 from the end)
that you learned or found interesting while reading the book.
Due the first day of class
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Book Cover Example
9th Grade Summer Reading
Ms. Flath
Something New I
Learned –
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I learned that there
were gods before
the Olympians. I
learned that Zeus’
father was named
Cronus and his
mother was called
Gaea.
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A symbol for the Book
Bonus –
Aries – also an
antagonist – in
league with Zeus –
but watch out for
Cronus!
Book 1 of the Percy Jackson series
By Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson –
protagonist
Annabeth –
companion
Grover –
protector
Poseidon –
Percy’s father
Zeus - Antagonist
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The Lightening Thief
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I also learned that
the Greek pantheon
is considered the
source of western
culture.
Five (5)
Important
Characters
2015/2016
The Best Part of this book is when
Percy battles Ares in the abandoned
water park in chapter 20. This is the
best part of the book because I like the
description of the ichor – the blood of
the gods – gushing from Ares’ foot
and washing away in the water. I also
like the description of the spider web
security system. Percy and
Annabeth’s escape was exciting
because it reminded me of a roller
coaster ride and I love roller coasters.
I would consider this the climax of the
story because this fight is the most
exciting part of the book. It is also a
major turning point because it is the
victory that lets the reader know that
Percy is going to win. Percy is the
protagonist and when he wins this
battle – he scores a decisive victory
over his antagonist Zeus.
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I am –
Ms. Flath and I am
your 9th grade
English teacher.
I have been a
teacher for over 20
years – most of that
time I have taught
9th grade English. I
have also taught
theater arts,
humanities,
economics, history,
debate, and
technical theater.
I graduated from
R.L. Turner High
School – earned a
BFA from Stephen
F. Austin University
and a MEd from
Western
Governor’s
University.
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9th Grade Summer Reading
Ms. Flath
2015/2016
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30 Words to Learn – 10 from the beginning – 10 from the
middle – and 10 from the end of the story.
Chapter 1
Titan = any of the sons of Uronus and Gaea, including Coeus,
Crius, Cronus, Hyperion, Iapetus, and Oceanus.
Tartarus = a sunless abyss, below Hades, in which Zeus
imprisoned the Titans.
Absorbed = to suck up or drink in (a liquid); soak up: A
sponge absorbs water.
or
to swallow up the identity or individuality of; incorporate:
The empire absorbed many small nations.
Vaporized = to cause to change into vapor.
Contaminated = to make impure or unsuitable by contact or
mixture with something unclean,
Chapter 2
Solstice = either of the two times a year when the sun is at its
greatest distance from the celestial equator
Chapter 3
Terminal = situated at or forming the end or extremity of
something
Sarcasm = harsh or bitter derision or irony
Routine = regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote
procedure
Vivid = presenting the appearance, freshness, spirit, etc., of
life
Chapter 10
Mortal = subject to death; having a transitory life
Drachma = the principal silver coin of ancient Greece
Hyperventilating = breathe abnormally fast and deep.
Melancholy = a gloomy state of mind
Oracle = a divine communication or revelation
Chapter 11
Nymph = one of a numerous class of lesser deities of
mythology, conceived of as beautiful maidens inhabiting the
sea, rivers, woods, trees, mountains, meadows, etc., and
frequently mentioned as attending a superior deity.
Emporium = a large retail store, especially one selling a great
variety of articles
Caravan = a group of travelers, as merchants or pilgrims,
journeying together for safety in passing through deserts,
hostile territory, etc.
Aroma = an odor arising from spices, plants, cooking, etc.,
especially an agreeable odor; fragrance.
Abruptly = sudden or unexpected
Chapter 20
Strategy = a plan, method
Disoriented = confused as to time or place; out of touch:
Bellowed = to utter in a loud deep voice
Furies = minor female divinities: the daughters of Gaea who
punished crimes at the instigation of the victims
Chapter 21
Delinquent = failing in or neglectful of a duty or obligation;
guilty of a misdeed or offense
Turbulence = the quality or state of being turbulent; violent
disorder or commotion.
Tattered = torn to tatters; ragged
Portico = a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns
or piers, usually attached to a building as a porch.
Precariously = uncertain; unstable; insecure
Chapter 22
Embroidered = to decorate with ornamental needlework.
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