Summer Reading - Grade

Transcription

1 Summer Reading - Grade Dear Incoming Seventh Graders, Welcome to 7 th grade. I am looking forward to working with you next year. In 7 th grade, you will be exposed to a variety of literary genres including fantasy, dystopian, realistic, and epic as well as a variety of poetic forms such as Haiku and Sonnet. In order to prepare you for some of the upcoming discussions you will be having in 7 th grade, you are required to read the two books mentioned below. You will be expected to use the knowledge gained from these books during the school year, as they will be referenced often and used as examples of some of the social issues we discuss in class. Both works ask the reader to meditate on some of life s most pressing questions. As you read, consider what these novels have in common and most importantly, what you have in common with the characters the authors so vividly bring to life. Lois Lowry s Gossamer Littlest is a dream-giver in training. Each night she and her mentor flutter around and touch objects in a house while people sleep. From a picture Littlest feels the beach and sun and happiness. From a button on a sweater she senses laughter and ice cream. After she gathers these fragments she blows them into the ears of those who live in the house so that they can have happy dreams. Drawing on her rich imagination, two-time Newbery winner Lois Lowry confronts explores the conflicts between the gentle bits and pieces of the past that come to life in dream, and the darker horrors that find their form in nightmare. In a haunting story that tiptoes between reality and imagination, two people a lonely, sensitive woman and a damaged, angry boy face their own histories and discover what they can be to one another, renewed by the strength that comes from a tiny, caring creature they will never see. Margaret Peterson Haddix s Among the Hidden In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke, an illegal third child, has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm. Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend. Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows - - does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to? As you read these different works, please use the included Reading Response pages to write your responses and reflections. Remember, your response will be your teacher s first impression of you. Use your best spelling, vocabulary and grammar. Be sure to answer using complete sentences. Read the directions carefully. Happy Reading! Mr. Michael Chavez 7th Grade English Teacher

2 Summer Reading Grade 7 Reading Response: Among the Hidden Answer the following questions based on the novel. Be specific, citing examples to explain your response. 1. What part of Luke s struggle did you think was the most difficult? Be specific as you describe the problem the protagonist faced. 2. What did you most admire about the way the Luke handled the struggle? Be specific as you describe the way the protagonist tried to resolve the difficulty or solve the problem. 3. How did the main character change as a result of the struggle he or she faced?

3 4. The author doesn't specify the setting for Among the Hidden. Where do you think it takes place? When do you think it takes place? Why? Defend your answer. 5. Jen is a third child, but her stepfather is a member of the Population Police, the brutal organization devoted to discovering people like her and bringing them to a harsh justice. Discuss his character. Is he a hero, a villain, or both? What do you think and why? 6. Imagine that fifteen years have passed since Luke left home. Where is he now? What is he doing? Is it still illegal to be a third child? Compose a letter he writes home to his parents. Are they still on the farm? (This must be done on a separate sheet of paper. Be sure it is written in letter format)

4 Summer Reading Grade 7 Reading Response: Gossamer Answer the following questions based on the novel. Be specific, citing examples to explain your response. 1. What do you think the dream-givers look like? Describe your picture in detail. 2. Describe the relationships of the two main characters (Littlest and John) to the adults in their respective worlds. Are they positive or negative relationships? Why or why not? 3. How do you think John feels about himself and why?

5 4. In the beginning of the book, the Old Woman is talking to Toby, her dog, about John. How does she feel about him coming to live with her? Why do you think she decided to become a foster parent? 6. To help John and give him good dreams, Littlest breaks one of the Dream-givers rules by touching the dog. Do you think she did the right thing? Are there times when people break rules in order to do good things? Is that okay to do or not? Explain your answer. 7. Why do you think that John is so angry and aggressive during the day, but so vulnerable and frightened at night?

6 8. The author could have told this story without the dream-bringers, although it would have been a completely different kind of story. Why do you think she chose to create them to tell the story? Would you have liked the story better or not as much without the dream-bringers? Explain your answer. 9. All of the characters in Gossamer through a different change, which can often be very frightening. What is a change you have gone through? How did it make you feel? What did you do or what did others do for you to help you get through that time?