Springton Lake Middle School 1900 N. Providence Road Media, Pennsylvania Telephone

Transcription

1 Springton Lake Middle School 1900 N. Providence Road Media, Pennsylvania Telephone James M. Wigo, Sr. Superintendent of Schools Robert Salladino, Jr., Ed.D., Principal Michelle C. Britton, M.Ed. Assistant Principal Devin M. Layton, Ed.D. Assistant Principal Spring 2018 Dear SLMS Students and Parents: As the end of the school year draws closer, we hope you re making plans to enjoy your summer. Our SLMS Summer Reading List has been designed to help students do all of this, as well as increase the amount of reading they do in their free time and provide a number of common texts for students and teachers to refer to as mentor texts throughout next year. Springton Lake s reading list is not optional: it is required. Activities and lessons will reference these books, their characters and themes, throughout the school year. The eighth grade teachers are excited to offer Code Talker, by Joseph Bruchac, as our 8 th grade allclass read. This book is a required read for all entering eighth grade students. This book introduces students to historical fiction through the eyes of unsung heroes during World War II. In addition, all students are required to read a second book of an appropriate reading level. This book can be a book of the student s choosing. The SLMS library website provides a comprehensive list of appropriate titles for students. ELA students are also expected to read a third book, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, a novel that centers on the life of Liesel Meminger, a ten to fourteen-year-old in Germany during World War II. Liesel's experiences are narrated by Death, who describes both the beauty and destruction of life in this era. Local bookstores will stock copies of each title, and the Middletown and Media-Upper Providence Libraries will make additional copies of the books available for your use. Families can find an additional suggested list of titles by genre on the SLMS Library webpage. These are being provided to offer a variety of titles that may be of interest to students who are looking for additional ideas for other good reads. Should parents prefer that their child not read a particular title for his/her grade level, parents may opt to have their child read from the additional titles shared on the website. Parents will need to contact their child s eighth grade teacher in September, should they choose this option. At the back of this packet, you will find a summer reading contract. We ask that both students and parents read the contract, sign it, and return it to your seventh grade language arts teachers by Friday, June 1 st. REMEMBER: Read, sign, and return your summer reading contract by Friday, June 1, Read Code Talker and complete a Reader s Notebook. Read a second, self-selected and grade-level appropriate title, and complete a Literary Text Analysis for that title. ELA students read an additional book and complete a Literary Text Analysis as well. Enjoy your summer, relax, and READ! Sincerely, SLMS Language Arts Department

2 Grade 8 Summer Reading List 2018 Springton Lake Middle School Directions: Every 8 th grader will read the required text, as well as a second, grade-appropriate, selfselected title. ELA students must also read a third book, listed below. While reading each book, use your note-taking strategies to Stop & Jot. For Code Talkers, you must keep a reading journal. Track your notes in a notebook divided into three sections, one for each writing prompt (see attached). You be required to write about these topics when you arrive in 8 th grade. For all other books, you should complete a Literary Text Analysis Form (see attached). If your parent/guardian also reads a book, record their reactions on the parent interview form. An optional list is also provided with many suggestions for exciting summer reading in a variety of genres. Students entering Enhanced Language Arts are strongly encouraged to select a work from one of the authors on the list following the required titles. All Incoming Eighth Graders MUST Read the Following Title: Bruchac, Joseph. Code Talkers. New York: Penguin, Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years. But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo. All Incoming ELA 8th Graders Must ALSO Read the Following Title: Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, After her brother's death, Liesel arrives in a distraught state at the home of her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. During her time there, she is exposed to the horror of the Nazi regime and struggles to find a way to the innocence of her childhood in the midst of her destructive surroundings. As the political situation in Germany deteriorates, her foster parents hide a Jewish man, named Max, putting the family in danger. Hans, who has developed a close relationship with Liesel, teaches her to read in secret. Recognizing the power of writing and sharing the written word, Liesel begins to not only steal books the Nazi party is looking to destroy, but also write her own stories and share the power of language with Max.

3 Suggested Authors for Self-Selected Summer Reading: Students seeking a more challenging reading may select a title from one of these authors. While these authors works are considered classics in English and American literature, care should be used when selecting titles from this list, as some of the works are intended for an older audience. The student will need to fill out a Literary Text Analysis worksheet for this title as well. Jack London John Steinbeck Mark Twain Zane Grey Maya Angelou Ernest Hemingway Amy Tan Richard Wright Barbara Kingsolver Robert Heinlein Isaac Asimov Ray Bradbury Edgar Rice Burroughs Joseph Conrad Charles Dickens Juan Ramon Jimenez H.G. Wells Agatha Christie Robert Louis Stevenson

4 Code Talkers Writing Prompts Directions: While reading Code Talkers, track information related to each of the writing prompts below in your notebook. Be prepared to answer all three questions. Divide your notebook into three sections, one for each question. Be sure to use the note-taking strategy you learned last year of stopping and jotting as you read. Specifically, gather textual evidence to support your answer to each question. You will be able to use these notes to answer these questions on a writing assessment when you return to school in September. 1. Ned survives both the hardship of boarding school and the trauma of war. How is Ned able to get through these difficulties? Which of his personal qualities do you think help him most during these hard times? 2. In Code Talkers, the character Ned Begay is telling his grandchildren the story of his time spent as a Marine in WWII. How do you think Ned s grandchildren would feel about their grandfather after hearing about his experiences? What do you think is the most important lesson that Ned s grandchildren might learn from his story? 3. Ned carries a pouch of corn pollen with him. What does this pouch mean to Ned, and how does he use it? Why is it important?

5 Summer Reading Contract Grade 8 I have read the summer reading letter and understand that I am expected to: Read the required titles. Complete a Reader s Notebook for the required text. Read a second, grade-level-appropriate self-selected title. Complete a Literary Text Analysis for the second title. ELA students should read an additional required text and complete a Literary Text Analysis. (Student Signature) (Student Name Printed) I have read the summer reading letter and understand that my child is responsible for completing the following for the Summer Reading Program at Springton Lake Middle School: Read the required titles. Complete a Reader s Notebook for the required text. Read a second, grade-level-appropriate self-selected title. Complete a Literary Text Analysis for the second title. ELA students should read an additional required text and complete a Literary Text Analysis. (Parent Signature) (Parent Name Printed) Please return this summer reading contract to your Language Arts Teacher by Friday, June 1, 2018

6 Literary Text Analysis For Title of Book: Name Author: # of pages: Point of View Story is told from 1 st, 2 nd, or 3 rd. Protagonist: Antagonist: How does the setting impact the story: Author s Purpose: Let s think about what the author intended when writing this novel. The categories below will assist you with this task. CONFLICT: Name the type and describe in no more than 5 sentences the major conflict that the protagonist faces. How does the antagonist complicate the conflict with the protagonist? CHARACTER GROWTH: What changes in character did the protagonist go through? Antagonist? Explain what they were like at the beginning of the novel and how they changed by the end. Give specific text evidence from the story to support how the characters grew from the beginning to the end of the book. THEME: Identify the theme of the story. (What was the message or lesson the author wanted to convey?) How does the author show the development of the theme? Give text evidence from the beginning, middle and end. Theme: Beginning: Middle: End:

7 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Give an example of figurative language used in the novel (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia). You could also give an example of imagery. Detail how the use of figurative language or imagery enhances the reader s understanding of the novel. My Reaction: How was the author able to connect to me as a reader? The categories below will assist you with this task. Personal Connection: The connection I made with this novel is: text to self, world, text, or media. Give specific details on your connection in about 5 sentences. RATING: Rate this book on a scale of 1 to 10. What qualities of a good book does this novel demonstrate or not demonstrate? Why did you give this rating? Who would enjoy this book?

8 Literary Text Analysis For Title of Book: Name Author: # of pages: Point of View Story is told from 1 st, 2 nd, or 3 rd. Protagonist: Antagonist: How does the setting impact the story: Author s Purpose: Let s think about what the author intended when writing this novel. The categories below will assist you with this task. CONFLICT: Name the type and describe in no more than 5 sentences the major conflict that the protagonist faces. How does the antagonist complicate the conflict with the protagonist? CHARACTER GROWTH: What changes in character did the protagonist go through? Antagonist? Explain what they were like at the beginning of the novel and how they changed by the end. Give specific text evidence from the story to support how the characters grew from the beginning to the end of the book. THEME: Identify the theme of the story. (What was the message or lesson the author wanted to convey?) How does the author show the development of the theme? Give text evidence from the beginning, middle and end. Theme: Beginning: Middle: End:

9 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Give an example of figurative language used in the novel (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia). You could also give an example of imagery. Detail how the use of figurative language or imagery enhances the reader s understanding of the novel. My Reaction: How was the author able to connect to me as a reader? The categories below will assist you with this task. Personal Connection: The connection I made with this novel is: text to self, world, text, or media. Give specific details on your connection in about 5 sentences. RATING: Rate this book on a scale of 1 to 10. What qualities of a good book does this novel demonstrate or not demonstrate? Why did you give this rating? Who would enjoy this book?