EIGHTH GRADE The Inquisitor s Tale by Adam Gidwitz The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Zookeeper s Wife by Diane Ackerman The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay Dear Martin by Nic Stone The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
Summer Reading Assignments Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus. These three years are punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. This novel is required reading and will be your first novel unit of the new school year. In addition, you must choose one of the following novels: through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. He never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, but then he meets an eccentric young neighbor who introduces him to a past where people didn t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world
Estrella is a Marrano: one of the Spanish Jews living double lives when those who refused conversion risked everything. Estrella's discovery that her family secretly practices the ancient way of wisdom known as kabbalah leads her to her true self and true love-but also to a devastating confrontation with unimaginable evil, unleashed by the betrayal of a friend. Assignments To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee You must read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Since, you are pre-reading for your first novel study of the school year, no additional summer work is required. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or Incantation by Alice Hoffman In addition to reading To Kill a Mockingbird you must select one of these novels to read. The summer activity assignments for each are below. Fahrenheit 451 (Complete one of the activities below. You will present your project the first day of school.) 1. Create imaginative Facebook profiles for two of the main characters, Montag, Mildred, Clarisse, or the Captain. List their education, marital status, favorite songs, quotes, television shows, books, movies, main interests, and causes. You may add any other posts you think are interesting. Then, create some imaginative responses from other characters in the novel. For example, how would Mildred respond to Montag s post that he likes Dover Beach and that s why he read it to her friends? If you include a quote(s) from the novel, be sure you write the entire quote and the page number. See samples and create fake walls for free at www.classtools.net/fb/home/page/. You will present and explain your project to the class. 2. Use Google Slides to create a music and visual presentation of the themes of the novel. Select at least two of the following three themes: The Search for Happiness, Alienation, Censorship and The Power of Books. Be sure your slides contain at least three quotes (including page numbers) that represent each theme. You will present and narrate your project. Incantation by Alice Hoffman (Complete one of the activities below. You will present your project the first day of school.) 1. Create imaginative Facebook profiles for two of the main characters, Estrella, Abra, Andres, or Catalina. List their education, marital status, favorite songs, quotes, television shows, books, movies, main interests, and causes. You may add any other
posts you think are interesting. Then, create at least three imaginative responses from other characters in the novel. For example, how would Abra respond to Estrella about her feelings for Andres? If you include a quote(s) from the novel, be sure you write the entire quote and the page number. See samples and create fake walls for free at www.classtools.net/fb/home/page/. You will present and explain your project to the class. 2. Use Google Slides to create a music and visual presentation of the themes of the novel. Select at least two of the following themes: Friendship, Hope, Religion, Intolerance, Jealousy, Betrayal, Family. Be sure your slides contain at least three quotes (including page numbers) that represent each theme. You will present and narrate your project.
Rubric Category No Almos t Yes! N/A Fakebook Page 1: Your page accurately reflects information about the character. Other character responses accurately reflect that character s point of view. Fakebook Page 2: Your page accurately reflects information about the character. Other character responses accurately reflect that character s point of view. Music and Video: Music reflects the mood and themes of the novel. Video depicts activities and feelings related to the themes in the novel. Themes: You thought carefully about the two themes you chose to represent. The quotes you chose clearly support the themes. Mechanics: You did your BEST writing on this project. It s clear that you proofread and edited your work. Your writing is in complete sentences, and has few spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Quotes are copied completely and page numbers are included with the quotes. Presentation: You spoke loudly, clearly, and confidently. Your presentation was interesting and shows pride in your work. You did not read to the audience. Audience: You listened attentively and respectfully during others presentations, and you provided meaningful, thoughtful, positive feedback. Total: /21 Comments: