2020 Science Summer Work

Summer Reading in Science – WTHS

Instructions: Please Read

  • Students entering Grades 9-11 shall select & Read ONE book FROM THE LIST BELOW. 
  • Students shall complete the scientific book report (format highlighted below) OR a Poster Board Report  OR a Google Slide presentation. (pick one format)
  • Report OR Poster OR Google Slides are due the first academic Friday of school and will be 10% of the student’s first quarter grade.
  • Late work will not be accepted & plagiarism will result in a zero and disciplinary action.
  • *Book selections are provided below (Be sure to pick the content area you will be in NEXT year)

Incoming 9th Graders: Select Biology Book

Soon to be 10th graders: Select Chemistry Book

Soon to be 11th graders: Select Physics Book

Students scheduled for AP CHEMISTRY CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS

Students scheduled for AP PHYSICS CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS

Resource links to access books:

Science Book Report Format

Minimum of 6-7 paragraphs, be sure to include your name, book and author.

  1. Introduction Paragraph
  2. Plot Summary Paragraph
  3. State the type of book (Science Fiction, Factual, educational, philosophical).
  4. What place or country was the book set in?
  5. What time period was the book set in or when was it written?
  6. Other notable features of the book.
  7. What is the outcome of the book?

3-4. Write 1-2 paragraphs describing THREE major events, major points of discussion or theories that were presented in the book. Be sure to describe these three topics in your own words.

  1. Scientific Relevance Paragraph:
  2. State the scientific basis of the book.
  3. What scientific ideas/theories does the book cover?
  4. How is the science of this book relevant in our community/society/world?
  5. About the Author: Write about the author and his/her contribution to the scientific world.
  6. Personal Impressions and Conclusion Paragraph: Simply talk about what you liked or did not like about the book. Use this paragraph as your conclusion. It should summarize your overall impressions of the book and bring the report to a close.

 

Science Book Report Poster Board or Google Slide Presentation

Get a poster board and construct a Book Report Poster. Your poster must include the following elements. You may design the elements however you would like. OR you can create a Google slide presentation with the following information:

  1. Title, Author, and Story Building card of your book
  2. Picture(s) and paragraphs describing 
    1. State the type of book (Science Fiction, Factual, educational, philosophical).
    2. What place or country was the book set in?
    3. What time period was the book set in or when was it written?
    4. Other notable features of the book.
    5. What is the outcome of the book?
  3. Picture(s) and paragraphs describing 
  1. THREE major events, 
  1.   THREE major points of discussion or theories that were presented in the book. 

              Be sure to describe these three topics in your own words (add index cards)

  1. Scientific Relevance Picture(s) and Paragraph:
    1. State the scientific basis of the book.
    2. What scientific ideas/theories does the book cover?
    3. How is the science of this book relevant in our community/society/world?
  2. About the Author Picture and paragraph
  1. Write about the author and his/her contribution to the scientific world. 
  1. Personal Impressions and Conclusion Paragraph
  1. Simply talk about what you liked or did not like about the book. Use this paragraph as your conclusion. It should summarize your overall impressions of the book and bring the report to a close.

Book report OR poster will be due to your science teacher during by the FIRST ACADEMIC FRIDAY of the school year. 

*Book selections are provided below

*Plagiarism will result in a zero and disciplinary action.

*Late work will not be accepted

Students MUST choose from this list of books. This is a general list and does not reflect the views or educational content of WTHS or WPS.

 

BIOLOGY (Entering 9th graders)
Title Author
The Lives of Cells, Notes of a Biology Watcher Lewis Thomas
The Blind Watchmaker Richard Dawkins
The Book of Beetles Patrice Bouchard
Hidden Figures Margot Lee Shetterly
Evolution: The Human Story DK Publishing
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot
The Greatest Show on Earth Richard Dawkins
The Human Age Diane Ackerman
Stiff Mary Roach
The Double Helix: A personal Account of the discovery of the Double Helix James Watson
The Origin of Species Charles Darwin
The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins
The Sixth Extinction: An unnatural History  Elizabeth Kolbert
Undeniable Bill Nye
Your Inner Fish Neil Shubin
The Doctor’s Plague Sherwin B. Nuland
Ishmael  Daniel Quinn
Silent Spring Rachel Carson
A Sand County Almanac Aldo Leopold

 

CHEMISTRY (entering 10th Graders)
Title Author
Bad Science Ben Goldacre
Cosmos Carl Sagan
Elements: A Visual Exploration Theodore Gray
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Young Readers Ed. Michael Pollan
Gödel, Escher, Bach Douglas R. Hofstadter
The Hubble Cosmos David H. Devorkin
Science Robert Dinwiddie
A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson
Stuff Matters Mark Miodownik
Universe Martin Rees
A Universe from Nothing Lawrence M. Krauss
Sugar changed the world Aronson
The Poisoner’s Handbook Deborah Blum
Napoleon’s Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History Penny LeCouteur
Calling All MindsL How to think & create like an inventor Temple Grandin

 

PHYSICS (Entering 11th Graders)
Title Author
The Accidental Universe Alan Lightman
The Elegant Universe Brian Greene
The Fabric of the Cosmos Brian Greene
Lunar Football League: The inside story Jason A. Holt
The Hidden Reality Brian Greene
Bomb: The race to build (and steal)  the world’s most dangerous weapon Steve Sheinkin
The Grand Design Stephen Hawking
Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words Randal Monroe
Human Universe Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen
The Right Stuff Tom Wolfe
Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher Richard P. Feynmen
The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day James Kakalios