Summer Reading Project Guidelines Grades 6-8 At YES Prep Southeast, we believe that reading over the summer is very important for keeping your brain active! Your reading brain is a muscle that needs daily workouts to stay sharp. Essay-on-a-Poster Directions: 1) Choose a novel off your grade-level list. (The novel lists are the last few pages of this document.) 2) Buy the novel at a local bookstore or off amazon.com. 3) Read the novel, annotating as you go. (Annotating means you underline important quotes, circle unfamiliar words, and write notes about what s happening in the margins of your book). 4) Complete the graphic organizers attached the MAP, vocabulary search, plot lines, character sketches, and theme and author s purpose questions. You can either... a. Print the attached graphic organizers and fill them in. OR b. Copy the graphic organizers onto separate sheets of paper 5) Paste the graphic organizers onto a posterboard. On the poster, please include a. the title of the novel b. the author s name c. your name d. drawings/ decorations that relate to the book 6) Present your project to the class on the first day of school. This presentation will be the first impression you make on your ELA teacher. It s your chance to prove what you re capable of! If you are a NEW 6 th grader, you must do ONE poster project. If you are a RISING 7 th or 8 th grader, you must complete TWO poster projects on TWO novels (you may double-side one poster).
Rubric: How You ll Be Graded! Category No Almost Yes! 1. Map Map is very detailed! Every location is labeled on the map, or there is a key for labeling locations. You clearly did a careful job drawing this. The map is colored, on white paper, not in pen or pencil on lined paper. Excellent work! 2. Vocabulary You choose interesting words from your novel! You copied the sentences from the book exactly and you include the page number for those quotes. The definitions you found are all correct. Your work is neat, complete, and accurate. 3. Character You clearly have a deep understanding of these characters. Your work is very detailed. You write in complete sentences. Your quotes reveal something important about the characters. Your quotes are copied exactly, and include page numbers. 4. Plot Lines from reading your plot lines, I get a good idea of the plot of the book. I can clearly tell what the conflict of the story is. I also understand the MOST important events from the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Your work is in complete sentences and is accurate. 5. Theme and Author s Purpose You thought carefully about your answers! You wrote multiple sentences about your ideas. Your thinking on this book is accurate. It s clear you understand the author s reasons for writing this book. 6. Poster Your poster includes the title of book, author s name, and your name. Your poster is neat and attractive. You decorated the poster with objects, drawings, or quotes that relate to the novel. Beautiful! 7. Mechanics You did your BEST writing on this project. It s clear you edited your work, and did multiple drafts of your writing. Your writing is in complete sentences, and has few spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. 8. Annotations Your book has clearly been annotated carefully. Every page is underlined or contains notes about the major points of the novel. 9. Presentation During your presentation to the class, you speak loudly and clearly. You introduce yourself and you present the main characters and main plot points of the novel. Your presentation is interesting to listen to and makes me want to read the book. 10. Audience You listen attentively and respectfully during others presentations. You ask thoughtful questions at the end of their presentations which are related to what they ve said, not random questions. Total: /30
Setting Map Below, draw a map of all the important locations in your book. Be sure to label the locations, either by writing on the map, or creating a key and symbols. Include as many details as you can!
Vocabulary Search What are some interesting words you have found in your reading? Write down 10 words from any part of your novel. Then look up the words in a dictionary and write the definition in your own words. If you have access to a computer, use dictionary.com! Be sure to copy the sentence using the word exactly, and write down the page number! Word Sentence from the Book Definition 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Which word on this list is your favorite word? Write the word and then draw a picture to represent that word.
Character Heads Choose three important characters from your story. Fill out the character maps below with the information indicated below. Be sure to write in complete sentences! Forehead: what is this character s Ideology (what does he/she believe in)? Eyes: What does this character hope to see? Mouth: What is one important quote this character says or is said about this character? What does the quote tell you? Copy the quote exactly and include the page number!
Plot Lines Today you will create three timelines for your book. Divide the novel into three sections, beginning, middle, and end. Then choose the four (4) most important events from each section and write them in the boxes for that particular section. Remember, choose the events that really stood out as the most important! Beginning of the novel: 4 Middle Part: 4 End of the Novel 4
Theme and Author s Purpose Answer the questions below in complete sentences. Do your best writing. How did the main character change from the beginning to the end of the novel? What did the main character learn about LIFE or PEOPLE? (Theme) What did YOU (the reader) learn about LIFE or PEOPLE from reading this novel? Why did the author write this book? What did she want to teach you? (Author's Purpose)
Summer Reading Novel List Grade 6 It s important to read a novel that is at your level and that interests you. If you can, go to a bookstore, and read the first few pages of these novels. Make sure that the topic interests you and that the book is easy to understand before you buy. If you re ordering online, Amazon.com will give plot summaries, and sometimes you can read the first-few pages by clicking on Look Inside. Easy Reads Big Nate and Friends by Lincoln Peirce (Lexile ) Superfudge by Judy Blume (Lexile ) Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life (Dear Dork Diaries #1) by Rachel Renee Russell (Lexile ) Intermediate Reads A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements(Lexile ) Frindle by Andrew Clements (Lexile ) Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick (Lexile ) Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson (Lexile ) Ungifted by Gordan Korman (Lexile ) Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (Lexile ) Challenge Reads Savvy by Ingrid Law (Lexile ) Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Lexile ) The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Lexile )
Summer Reading Novel List Grades 7/8 (Tier 1) Choose TWO novels to read over the summer. You MAY choose to read both sequels from one novel. Do NOT skip a sequel (eg. Do not read book 3 in a series before book 2) You must complete a poster for EACH novel (you can also double-side one poster to do so) Suggestions Sequels to Matched Crossed by Allie Condie (Lexile 630) Reached by Allie Condie (Lexile 670) If you liked Matched, you will love Divergent by Veronica Roth (Lexile 700) Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Lexile 710) Sequels to The Giver A Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry (Lexile 680) The Messenger by Lois Lowry (Lexile 720) Son by Lois Lowry (Lexile 720) If you loved Phantom Tollbooth, try A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L Engle (Lexile 740) Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Lexile 930) If you liked Monster, try Hoops by Walter Dean Myers (Lexile 740) Slam by Walter Dean Myers (Lexile 750) Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers (Lexile 610) Kick by Walter Dean Myers (Lexile 610)
Summer Reading Novel List Grade 7-8 (Tier 2) Choose TWO novels to read over the summer. IF you read one of these novels in class, you MAY read the sequel. However, re-reading the novel you read with your class does not count. Do NOT read a sequel if you have not read the first book! (It won t make sense!) You must complete a poster for EACH novel (you can also double-side one poster to do so) Sequels to Life as we Knew It This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Lexile 670) The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Lexile 680) Sequel to Trino s Choice Trino s Time by Diane Gonzalez Bertrand (Lexile 710) If you liked Trino s Choice Canyons by Gary Paulsen (Lexile 930) Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer (Lexile 850) Bang! by Sharon Flake (Lexile 590) If you liked Number the Stars Lisa s War by Carol Matas (Lexile 600) Ashes by Katheryn Lasky (Lexile 770) The Upstairs Room by Joan Reiss (Lexile 380) Any books in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series (Lexile 720) Any books in the Twilight series (Lexile 720) Any books in the Artemis Fowl series (Lexile 930) Any books in the Alex Rider series (Lexile 740)
Summer Reading Novel List Grade 7-8 (Tier 2.5/3) It s important to read a novel that is at your level and that interests you. If you can, go to a bookstore, and read the first few pages of these novels. Make sure that the topic interests you and that the book is easy to understand before you buy. If you re ordering online, Amazon.com will give plot summaries, and sometimes you can read the first-few pages by clicking on Look Inside. Make sure you pick a NEW novel. You can t pick a book you read last summer. Easy Reads Big Nate and Friends by Lincoln Peirce (Lexile 300) Superfudge by Judy Blume (Lexile 560) Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life (Dear Dork Diaries #1) by Rachel Renee Russell (Lexile 560) Intermediate Reads A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements(Lexile820 ) Frindle by Andrew Clements (Lexile 830) Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick (Lexile 1000) Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson (Lexile 700) Ungifted by Gordan Korman (Lexile 730) Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (Lexile 690) Challenge Reads Savvy by Ingrid Law (Lexile 1070) Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Lexile 930) The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Lexile 770)