Summer Reading Assignment, May 2018

Assignment: Choose ONE of the novels below.

Please pay attention to your grade level. If you would like to read a different book, please acquire verification from your teacher before beginning.

After reading your chosen novel, choose ONE of the assignments below.

New GT ELAH 7th graders:

Delirium – Lauren OliverThe Selection – Keira Cass

Matched – Ally CondieAtlantia- Ally Condie

Gone – Michael GrantWither- Lauren DeStefano

Compound – S.A. BodeenLegend -- Marie Lu

The Darkest Minds -- Alexandra BrackenUnwind- Neal Shusterman

Cinder – Marissa MeyerThe Testing -- Joelle Charbonneau

The Uglies – Scott WesterfieldOliver Twist – Charles Dickens

These Broken Stars – Amie Kaufman Megan Spooner

New GT ELAH 8th graders:

Monster – Walter Dean MyersAn Abundance of Katherines – John Green

Speak – Laurie Halse AndersonThe Graveyard Book – Neil Gaimen

Twisted – Laurie Halse Anderson Eleanor and Park – Rainbow Rowell

We Were Liars – E. LockheartParrot in the Oven -- Victor Martinez

The Outsiders – S.E. HintonInsignia -- Kincaid

Saint Anything -- Sarah DessenAnnexed -- Sharon Dogar

Some Boys – BlountFeed -- M.T. Anderson

A Northern Light -- Donnelly The Shadow Behind the Stars -- Rebecca Hahn

Mythology – Edith HamiltonDavid Almond – A Song for Ella Grey

Grave Mercy-- Robin LaFevers Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin AlireSáenz

Summative Assessment Options

Directions: Choose ONE assignment to complete for your Summer Reading Summative Assessment.

You may choose the format for your interaction with your summer reading including either paper or electronic representation such as Glogster, Prezi, video, blog, live binder.

Choice 1: Journaling to Understand

Choose one of the following journal approaches, and create 10 entries:

A. Create a journal written by the protagonist’s best friend or worst enemy (an imaginary one, if the book doesn’t supply one), commenting on the major decisions that character makes in the book and what they think their biggest challenges or fears are.

OR

B. Create a journal kept by the author of the book while he or she was writing the story.

Choice 2: Box of Letters

Create an artistically interesting box to symbolize your novel. Inside the box, include at least 10 letters from the main character to other characters. The letters should outline his or her thoughts, feelings, conflicts, advice, or questions about the plot of the novel. One letter should be from the author to the reader, providing insight into the social and historical context in which he or she wrote the book. The letters should be intriguing and cover the entire range, from beginning to end, of the novel. The letters should give the person who reads them deep insight into the major characters in the novel as well as the novel itself.

Choice 3: Create an Image

A. Create a map of all the major locations in the story, including floor plans of any building or house where much of the action takes place. OR

B. Create an alternate story map using SCAMPER.

S—Substitute—What could I use instead?

C—Combine—How can I combine parts or ideas?

A—Adapt—What else is like this? Could we change or imitate something else?

M—Modify—Could we change a current idea, practice, or product slightly and be successful?

P—Put—How can I use this in a new way?

E—Eliminate—Are all parts necessary?

R—Rearrange or Reverse—Could I use a different sequence? Could I interchange parts? Could I do the opposite

Choice 4: Dialectical Journal

As you read your chosen novel, complete a dialectical journal with at least 15 entries, analyzing the protagonist (the main character) of the book. Your entries should not focus on just one section of the book. If your novel has 15 chapters, one entry per chapter would be good.

The journal can be typed or handwritten.

Grades will be based on providing:

  1. the information requested
  2. following directions
  3. thoughtful commentary/analysis provided in complete sentences.

Character Analysis

  • Identify evidence about the character (words, actions, reactions). In the left column, quote from the text and include the page number.
  • In the right column, based on the evidence, make an inference about the character, and write commentary that explains how and/or why the evidence leads to or supports the inference.

Your dialectical journal should be set up in two columns, labeled as follows:

Protagonist/Name of Book: ______

Evidence / Inference – Commentary

Example: Protagonist/Name of Book: Andrew Wiggin/Ender

Evidence / Inference – Commentary
Ender’s Game, Chapter 1
“Ender, however, was trying to figure out a way to forestall vengeance. To keep them from taking him in a pack tomorrow. I have to win this now, and for all time, or I’ll fight it every day and it will get worse and worse” (5). / Ender’s thinking process as he approaches this fight he didn’t choose shows a six-year-old who has learned either from experience or observation that bullies never stop unless you stop them. His decision is coldly calculating to protect himself. He seems to not trust that anyone else will be there to protect him. He has learned a harsh lesson of survival—he can’t be timid now because he will pay later.