Stockbridge High School

Summer Preparation for Learning 2014

English I- 9th Grade

Welcome to English I. Every summer at Stockbridge High School, you will be given the opportunity to complete a summer reading assignment. It is optional for regular and MANDATORY for HONORS classes. This year, you will read THREEbooks and complete each of the following enumerated items below.

Required ReadingMythologyby Edith Hamilton

Read the following sections of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology and complete the activities for each section. These chapters will give you an introduction to the unit on Greek Mythology that we will begin within the first weeks of school. Some of the Essential Questions we will aim to address in August are:What do Greek Myths reveal about the values and customs of Ancient Grecians? How are female characters portrayed in Greek Mythology, and how does this compare to the modern woman? Keep these questions in mind as you read.

  1. Read chapter 1 entitled “The Gods” andidentify the twelve principal gods. Identify their Roman names, spouses, powers, symbols, weapons, etc., and recordthree character traits abouteachgod/goddess.
  1. Read chapter 3 entitled “How the World and Mankind Were Created”. Summarize each of the three views of creation with a concise but meaningful paragraph for each story.
  1. Read chapters 5, 6, and 8 (you do not have to read chapter 7). For each story of love and adventure, listthe key characters and five important events that occur within eachof the mythsfrom this section.
  1. List and define 25 new or challenging vocabulary terms within the book.

Choice Reading- Choose any TWO

Read any two of the following books. Write a one to two page book review describing the characters, plot and major themes of the works.

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

1984 by George Orwell

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (Parent permission required)

Your assignments are due on the first day of school.

Happy Reading!