Ninth Grade Summer Reading Assignments

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Summer reading expectations at NMH are divided into two categories: an English department assignment and a selection for a book discussion group held at the beginning of the academic year.

The book required for English class and the subsequent writing assignments are designed to introduce students to and help them prepare for the academic challenges they will face in each course. These readings are an integral part of the NMH classroom experience and it is important that students read with intention, take meaningful notes, complete the writing assignment, and think about the important characteristics of the work before they arrive at school. The required reading assignment for English class, and subsequent writing assignments are listed below.

Heidi Durrow, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

Write one page in response to one of the following topics:

• In many books, things are often left unsaid. Write a letter from one character to another in which the writer reveals or confesses something that in the book is left unsaid.
• Choose a scene you consider to be a turning point in the novel and write about the elements of the scene that you consider significant.

Read the following two poems. Both are available online or in local libraries or bookstores.

Robert Frost, Birches
Elizabeth Bishop, The Fish

For each poem, choose a line or an image you consider to be significant and write one paragraph discussing its significance.

Students are expected to email their written responses to summer_reading_notes@nmhschool.org prior to the first day of classes.  Please bring The Girl Who Fell From the Sky to the first English class meeting. If you have questions regarding this reading, call Meg Donnelly at 413-498-2001.

The second reading assignment is for a school-wide book discussion initiative. The goal of each book group is to have people with a common interest to discuss a book at length. It is important for students to read with close attention to detail, but there is no writing assigned. Students will be evaluated based on thoughtful participation in the discussion.
The members of the Class of 2017 will all read the same book. Students must be prepared to discuss this book during the first week of school.

Lorene Cary, Black Ice