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Summer Reading 2016
Composition and Literature
(Mrs. Lynn Cooper, Dr. Sally Plowden)
Welcome to ninth grade and Upper School!
The faculty members at Heathwood Hall are convinced of the power of reading.
We know regular reading is the best way to improve vocabulary and reading
comprehension. We also know the strong correlation between regular reading
and good writing. Recently, we have seen other exciting benefits of reading,
especially fiction. In “Your Brain on Fiction,” published in the New York Times
March 18, 2012, Annie Murphy Hall examines the interesting and unexpected
effects that reading has on our brains. Neuroscientists have found that
reading fiction “… stimulates the brain and even changes how we act in life.”
Research shows, “Individuals who frequently read fiction seem to be better able
to understand other people, empathize with them, and see the world from their
perspective.”
For all these reasons, we encourage you to read during the summer, and we hope
your reading will not end with these selections. Reading anything – classics,
young adult novels, non-fiction, magazines – is beneficial.
Assessment
We will spend the first few weeks of school reflecting and writing about the
themes and symbols within the following books. You should expect assessments
on these texts in the first week of school, and you should mark your books with
comments and reflections, making note of the authors’ word choices and
literary devices.
Use sticky notes, highlighters and personal symbols to annotate your books.
Messy books show active reading!
The use of SparkNotes or other reading substitutes is
strictly forbidden and will be treated as an honor
violation.
All students must read:
Lord of the Flies
By William Golding
What happens when a group of young boys is stranded on an island? can they
protect themselves? Is the creation of a civilized society possible during such a
chaotic time? Can they overcome the darkness in human nature and conquer the
beasts around them as well as the beast within?
AND
Fahrenheit 451
By Ray Bradbury
What would the world be like if books were outlawed? What would become of a
society that fails to read? Could individuals thrive, or would the culture seek
to destroy all creativity and privacy? Students should examine Bradbury’s
warnings and predictions in this cautionary novel.
HEATHWOOD HALL EPISCOPAL SCHOOL * 3000 SOUTH BELTLINE BOULEVARD * COLUMBIA, SC * 803.765.2309
WWW.HEATHWOOD.ORG
Grammar Guidelines
2016-2017
A Note to Parents
Rising freshmen who have memorized the items boldfaced in the Grammatical Catechism usually experience
successes in the first quarter.
Even after this admonition, some freshmen come to class oblivious to this assignment.
Please help them with this important responsibility.
!
1. What are the seven coordinate conjunctions? and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so (not so that). When a coordinate
conjunction joins independent clauses, a comma precedes it.
2. What are some subordinate conjunctions? although, when, since, until, because, (because of is a
preposition), as, if, as if, even though, so that (that may be understood), before, after. Subordinate conjunctions
begin ADVERB CLAUSES. A comma follows an adverb clause that begins a sentence or that begins a second
independent clause.
3. What are some transition expressions? however, therefore, moreover, consequently, subsequently, on the
other hand, as a result, in addition. Such words as unfortunately and as a matter of fact may be considered
transition expressions. Transition expressions are set off with commas.
4. What are the five relative pronouns? who, whose, whom, which, that. Relative pronouns begin an
ADJECTIVE CLAUSE and follow the antecedent noun that determines whether the relative pronoun is singular
or plural.
5. What are the linking verbs? is, am, are, was, were, been, being, become. Linking verbs “link” the subject to
the predicate nominative that renames the subject.
6. What is a phrase? A phrase is a group of related words. How are phrases identified? gerund phrase,
participial phrase, infinitive phrase, prepositional phrase, absolute phrase, appositive phrase. (Explanation to
distinguish different phrases will be included in the English Notebook.)
7. What is a clause? A clause is a group of related words with a subject and a verb. How are clauses identified?
Subordinate clauses include noun clause, adjective clause, adverb clause. An independent clause is like a
simple sentence, having a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
8. What are the nominative case pronouns? I, he, she, we, they, who
What are the objective case pronouns? me, him, her, us, them, whom
!
9. What are the ten rules of punctuation? (We will be using these rules. Reviewing them over the
summer is highly recommended.)
1. A comma precedes a coordinate conjunction joining two independent clauses.
2. A semicolon may join two independent clauses.
3. Transition expressions are set off with commas.
4. A comma follows an introductory adverb clause.
5. A comma follows an introductory participial phrase.
6. Commas set off non-essential participial phrases. (Rule 6 almost always follows the subject of
the verb.)
(continued on back)
7. A comma precedes a participial phrase coming at or near the end of the sentence and describing
the subject of the verb. A series of participial phrases coming later in the sentence after the subject
of the verb would be called Rule 7.
8. Commas set off the non-essential adjective clause.
9. Commas set off the appositive phrase. (Appositives of one name, one word, one title are
generally not set off.)
10. A comma sets off the absolute phrase.
Since all tests require the Rule number as well as the correct placement of the comma or semicolon, learning the
Rules in this order is imperative.
Examples:
Rule 1. Summer routines have fewer boundaries, but we should structure our time with care. (Independent
clauses are underlined.)
Rule 2. Summer routines have fewer boundaries; structuring our time is important. (Independent clauses are
underlined.)
Rule 3. Summer routines have fewer boundaries; structuring our time, therefore, is important. This sentence also
may be written: Summer routines have fewer boundaries; therefore, structuring time is important. (Independent
clauses are underlined.)
Rule 4. Because summer routines have fewer boundaries, we must structure our time with care. (Adverb clause
is underlined.)
Rule 5. Hoping all freshmen will complete the year with many successes, I ask my students to come prepared
when school begins. (Participial phrase is underlined. There may be a series of participial phrases preceding the
subject, and all of them will be considered Rule 5.)
Rule 6. Mrs. Cooper, hoping all freshmen will complete the year with many successes, asks students to come
prepared when school begins. (Participial phrase is underlined and follows the subject of the verb.)
Rule 7. Mrs. Cooper asks students to come prepared when school begins, hoping all freshmen will complete the
year with many successes. (Participial phrase describes the subject of the verb and comes at or near the end of the
sentence. There may be a series of participial phrases that come in this position, and all of them would be
considered Rule 7.)
Rule 8. Mrs. Cooper, who hopes all freshmen will complete the year with many successes, asks students to come
prepared when school begins. (Adjective clause is underlined.)
Rule 9. Mrs. Cooper, a member of the English faculty at Heathwood Hall, asks all students to come prepared
when school begins. (Appositive phrase is underlined.)
Rule 10. Her goals predicting successes, Mrs. Cooper asks all students to come prepared when school begins.
(Absolute phrase is underlined.)
Diction: Lie, lay, lain, lying = intransitive (a position of a body)
Lay, laid, laid, laying = transitive (means “to put”) (often misused) (must have a direct object)
HEATHWOOD HALL EPISCOPAL SCHOOL * 3000 SOUTH BELTLINE BOULEVARD * COLUMBIA, SC * 803.765.2309
WWW.HEATHWOOD.ORG