MIDDLE SCHOOL
SUMMER OF 2013: READING LIST AND REQUIREMENTS
Students, your brain is like
a muscle; if you do not use it, you will start to lose it. The summer reading will keep your brain in
shape. You will buy two books, at a discounted price, from the Frederick Douglass
Academy to read DURING THE SUMMER. Each
grade must read two books; while one literary work will be assigned, you will
have a choice between three to four options for the other literary work. You will
be tested on the books at the beginning of the upcoming school year. In addition, you are required to complete all
components of the assignment for your grade level.
ALL WORK IS DUE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2013. THESE
ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE COUNTED TOWARD YOUR FIRST MARKING PERIOD AVERAGE. FAILURE
TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENT WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF ZERO FOR THE PROJECT WHICH
IN TURN COULD RESULT IN A FAILING GRADE.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
The NYS Common Core curriculum emphasizes studying an
author’s craft. Thus, for the summer,
each grade will be reading two books by the same author, so they can begin to
analyze an author’s writing style.
Please see the attached document to help you decide which book you would
like to read. Then please return the
last document with cash or money order payable to Frederick Douglass
Academy. All money needs to handed in by
JUNE 7th in order to ensure that the books are in by the last day of
school.
What You Will Be Reading
Incoming 7th grader books by Sharon Draper
Required Text: We Beat The Street
Select one of the following:
- The Battle of Jericho
- Fire From the Rock
- Romiett and Julio
Incoming 8th grader books by Gary Soto
Required Text: Baseball in April
Select one of the following:
- Taking Sides
- Living Up the Street
- Buried Onions
- Accidental Love
What To Do After You Are Finished Reading
- PART ONE: Book
Project (see attached document for details)
For each book, you will
complete a book project that displays your understanding of the text. Students must select a different project for each book.
- PART TWO: Analyzing Author’s Craft
After
reading both books, please answer the following questions thoroughly. Write a paragraph for each question.
1) What did you notice about the author’s
writing style? (ex. Did they write descriptively? Poetically? With
suspense? Choppy and abrupt? How did the author decide to tell the story? From
what point of view or order? Etc.). Give an example from each
literary work to support your response. If you are struggling to analyze the writing then look at a specific paragraph or page in a text and
then answer the above questions.
2)
What connections
can be made between the two works?
More specifically, what themes (topics or lessons) do you see in both
works? What can you conclude about the author then?
3)
Which novel did
you prefer? Why? Give specific details from the texts to support your
claim/stance.
4)
What is the author’s point of view or purpose in
writing the texts?
(To persuade, Inform, Entertain) Give an example from each
literary work to support your response.
Please see the attached document to help you decide which book you would like to read. Then please return the last document with cash or money order payable to Frederick Douglass Academy. All money needs to handed in by JUNE 7th in order to ensure that the books are in by the last day of school.
