All In The Campaign for Blair Academy 2018-2025
Summer 2020 Reading Assignments
Blair Academy

Reading is an essential component of a Blair education, and faculty members encourage reading throughout the year. The summer is no exception, which is why all Blair students are expected to read a minimum of five fiction or nonfiction books over the summer, and they are urged to read even more.

The five books students read  may include titles of their choosing in addition to those required by their teachers. Depending upon their courses, they may also have associated assignments and/or assessments to complete.

Titles for 2020 summer reading assignments are listed below. New and returning students enrolled in certain language courses for the 2020-2021 academic year must also complete summer work. Details about the summer work for language courses is linked in the list below.

All School Read for 2020-2021: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Requirements for Selected Courses (listed by department) for 2020-2021

 

English

English 1: The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)

English 2: Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury)

English 3: Into the Wild (Krakauer)

English 3 AP or 4 AP Literature: Let the Great World Spin (McCann)

English 4 AP Language: Between the World and Me (Coates)

 

History

Global Issues; Modern European; US History: In lieu of summer reading, these courses are allowed to assign a book over either the winter or spring break.

AP European History: Darkness at Noon (Koestler); please review instructions here for this reading.

 

Science

Chemistry Honors: Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials that Shape our Man-made World (Miodownik). Dr. Sayers and Dr. Markolovic ask that you review this document as part of the assignment. 

AP Chemistry: Summer reading is Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon, Back Bay Books, 2011. Dr. Sayers asks that you complete this assignment here.

AP BiologyRiddled With Life (Zuk) complete RWL Supplemental Questions

 

Language

Summer work in language courses differs by grade level and language studied. Please review the below requirements closely and click on the appropriate link.

 Spanish 2/2H: Click here for the assignment from Mrs. Castillo, Mr. Merino and Mrs. Lang.

Spanish 3/3H: Click here for the assignment from Mr. Mundo and Mr. Merino.

Spanish 4/4H:  Click here for the assignment from Mr. Devaney.

AP Spanish Language:  Click here for the assignment from Mr. Devaney.

Honors Spanish Literature & Conversation: Click here for the assignment from Mrs. Lang.

All classics students: Click here for the assignments from Mr. Towne.

French 2: Click here for the assignment from Mme. Lavalle.

French 3/3H: Click here for the assignment from Mme. Merrifield.

French 4/4H:  Click here for the assignment from Mme. Lavalle. Here are more fun ways to stay connected to French.

AP French Language: Click here for the assignment from Mme Lavalle. Here are more fun ways to stay connected to French.          

All Chinese students: Click here for the assignment from Mr. Facciani and Mrs. Wang.

 

Music & Performing Arts

 AP Music Theory: The Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences…  (Palmer, Manus, Lethco)

 

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