Liberty High School
Honors English 9
Summer Reading Assignments 2014
Introduction
First, I would like to welcome you to Liberty High School! Secondly, I
would like to welcome you to Honors English 9!
In high school, we are going to push you a little harder than they did in
middle school. In Honors English 9, I am going to push you to read and think
more deeply and more critically than you ever have before! I am going to push
you to write more maturely and more creatively! Of course, we are going to
cover the basics, but we are going to go beyond the ordinary to explore
concepts and ideas that will make you more prepared for high school, college,
and the real world!
Speaking of the real world, the 4-5 books that we will be reading in this
class have a common theme that we will be exploring thoroughly: Society!
Finding a “place,” law and order, getting along with others, social class: all of
these are part of the study of society. Understanding society and how it works is
crucial to becoming a key member of it!
Summer Reading
This summer, you will need to read these two books:
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
There will be a quiz on both stories during the first week of class.
Summer Assignments
Your summer assignments will be due during the first week of school. Yes, it
is your summer, but these assignments can be fun and their completion will
allow us to share our personal visions of the stories. I will complete the
assignments as well and share with you! Failure to complete these assignments
may result in removal from the class. Take my advice. DO NOT
PROCRASTINATE!
1) Reader’s Response Journal - You will need to keep a Reader’s Response
Journal. This is not simply a chapter-by-chapter summary. A good
Reader’s Response Journal is a series of dated entries keeping track of
the chapters/pages you read in a day or sitting. Here you will keep track of
important literary elements, such as characters, plot, themes, and
symbolism, as well as your own responses and thoughts about the
reading. This will help you refer back during class discussion. I will let you
use the journal on your quizzes. A Reader’s Response Journal for both
books will be worth 100 points.
2) Visual – For only one of the two books, create a detailed visual of the
book’s main setting. This can be a colorful poster board, a diorama, or
anything else you can create. Impress me! Include specific sites and
details mentioned in the book. This will be worth 100 points.
3) Creative definition of “Society” – Anyone can look up the word’s definition.
I want you to create something that defines society. You can use words,
pictures, symbols, etc. It can be on paper or canvas or a 3D model. This
will be worth 50 points.
Happy Reading!
I will be looking forward to seeing your creations this fall! If you have any
questions, feel free to email me at s.m.moore@access.k12.wv.us.