Welcome to 8 th Grade! I really do like listening to stuff that s happened to other people. I guess that s why I like to read. S.E. Hinton Throughout your middle school experience, you have had the pleasure of being exposed to a variety of genres and topics that have hopefully inspired you to read more voraciously. In order to prepare yourself for 8 th grade English Language Arts, the following assignment has been designed to ready you for the challenges ahead. Directions: Select one book from the following list and complete the following assignments. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis 950 L It s 1936, in Flint, Michigan, and when 10-year-old Bud decides to hit the road to find his father, nothing can stop him. A Separate Peace by John Knowles 1110 L Set at a boys boarding school during the early years of World War II, this story shows the dark side of adolescence. Gene is a lonely, introverted intellectual. Phineas is a handsome, taunting, daredevil athlete. What happens between the two friends one summer, like the war itself, banishes the innocence of these boys and their world. The Trouble with Lemons by Daniel Hayes 830L Tyler McAllister has always felt like an outsider, but when he and his friend, Lymie, discover the dead body of the school janitor, he decides to put aside his fears of being different to investigate the death. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson High School Level (1300 and above) Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?
Matched by Allie Condie High School Level (1300 and above) Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate...until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, she is faced with an impossible choice: between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. Still Alice by Lisa Genova High School Level (1300 and above) Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life and her relationship with her family and the world forever. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger 1260L This book profiles the Permian Panthers, the most successful high school football team in Texas history, and chronicles their dramatic 1988 season and the bitter struggle between sports and education U Wringer by Jerry Spinelli 690L For as long as Palmer LaRue can remember, he has dreaded the day he will turn ten and must take his place beside the other ten-year-old boys in town and become a wringer, a tradition passed down from father to son. But Palmer doesn t want to be a wringer. Palmer can t stop himself from being a wringer just like he can t stop himself from growing one year older, just like he can t stand up to a whole town right? The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Susan Nanus 1000L For Milo, everything s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it s exciting beyond his wildest dreams....
DIRECTIONS: As you read your book this summer, you will complete the Graphic Organizers and record your thoughts on Post-Its. Upon your return to school, you will participate in a Socratic Seminar. For this assignment, you will use the book, your Post- Its, and your Graphic Organizers to have an informed, student-led discussion about your book. Note-taking and Post-It Notes are required, as this will greatly assist you in your ability to express your comprehension of the material in the Circle. Attached are the graphic organizers, as well as directions on how to format your Post-Its. GRADING: Your post-it notes and graphic organizers will be collected for a grade, and your performance in the Socratic Circle will be graded as well. There will be no time for you to work on the Graphic Organizers once you return to school; you must finish before school starts. BRING YOUR BOOK: You will need to bring your book with you for the first week of school. It will aide you in your Socratic Circle Discussion. You will receive more details on the Socratic Circle Discussion once you return to school in September. REVIEW: Here s a brief video on Indirect vs. Direct Characterization if you need a review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irw6yvohcqc We look forward to meeting you all in September! Sincerely, Your 8 th Grade Language Arts Teachers
Note-Taking Strategies Post-it notes (Please see the slides that appear after the graphic organizers for ideas on strategies to practice on your Post-Its!) Post-it notes should include: Quotes (properly cited) Author s last name and page number An explanation of the quote You should have 10-20 post-its depending on the length of your novel. (This is about 2-3 post-its per question on the graphic organizer). Annotating- (Optional- useful if you think you may forget what you read by September!) If you are using your own book, annotations can be written in the margins. Otherwise, they can be written on a blank sheet of paper, folded, and placed inside the book. Annotations should: Explain an important quote Define new words Summarize a specific part
Examples of Direct Characterization Summer Reading Graphic Organizer for Note-Taking About Characterization (Be sure to CITE your quotes!) Examples of Indirect Characterization TRAIT: Quote: TRAIT: Quote: Explanation: Explanation: TRAIT: Quote: TRAIT: Quote: Explanation: Explanation:
Summer Reading Graphic Organizer for Note-Taking about your book s PROTAGONIST (Be sure to CITE your quotes!) Question Quote from Text Explanation of Quote Who are the protagonists of your book? What are some character traits they possess? How does your protagonist interact with other characters in the book? How does your protagonist respond to major events and challenges? How does the main protagonist change and/or evolve in your book? Are these changes positive or negative? Why? How do the actions of the main protagonist develop the plot? How does the dialogue between the main protagonist and another character depict their personalities/ thoughts? How do the protagonist s actions impact the ending of your book?