Middle School Summer Reading Packet: GRADE 7

Sacred Heart School Summer Reading Program

Entering Grade 7

Count Down By: Ben Mikaelsen

Your Name ______

Bellevue Public Schools with adaptations by Sacred Heart School

1 Middle School Summer Reading Packet: GRADE 7

Throughout summer vacation, you will need to read your required novel and complete this assignment, which is intended to guide your reading and focus your thoughts. This assignment will be due in your Language Arts class on the first day of school.

By carefully completing this assignment over the summer, you will be prepared to discuss the story in the fall and to write an in-class essay.

In order to successfully complete this assignment, you must first understand conflict. Most good stories involve conflict, which is defined as “a struggle between opposing characters or forces.” There are two types of conflict:

. External = a character’s struggle against another character, nature, or society (laws/rules/customs/traditions/expectations).

. Internal = a character’s struggle within herself/himself against opposing desires, emotions, or responsibilities. There are at least two sides to internal conflict.

2 A. Internal conflicts: Identify three major internal conflicts that Elliot and Vincent experience throughout the story. Make sure you choose a conflict from the beginning, a conflict from the middle, and a conflict from the end of the story.

Elliot 1. ______vs. Side 1 of an internal conflict from the beginning of novel.

______Side 2 of the same conflict.

2. ______vs. Side 1 of an internal conflict from the middle of the novel.

3. ______vs. Side 1 of an internal conflict from the end of the novel.

From the three internal conflicts identified above, choose the most important or serious internal conflict that Elliot faces. Circle the number of the conflict above. Write a 5 sentence paragraph using a 1:2 ratio (TS, CD, CM, CM, CS) to explain why this is the most important conflict Elliot faces.

______

3 Vincent

1. ______vs. Side 1 of an internal conflict from the beginning of novel.

2. ______vs. Side 1 of an internal conflict from the middle of the novel.

3. ______vs. Side 1 of an internal conflict from the end of the novel.

From the three internal conflicts identified above, choose the most important or serious internal conflict that Vincent faces. Circle the number of the conflict above. Write a 5 sentence paragraph using a 1:2 ratio (TS, CD, CM, CM, CS) to explain why this is the most important conflict Vincent faces. ______

4 B. Concrete Detail and Commentary: Next, select two short pieces of text (concrete detail) from the novel that represent both sides of Elliot and Vincent’s most important internal conflict that you circled. Be sure to include each side of the conflict.

Commentary: Explain why each concrete detail is important to the story.

Elliot’s Internal Conflict Concrete Details (CD) for Side 1 CD 1.

Commentary (explanation of importance)

Concrete Details (CD) for Side 2 CD 1.

5 Vincent’s Internal Conflict Concrete Details (CD) for Side 1 CD 1.

Concrete Details (CD) for Side 2 CD 1.

6 C. Vocabulary Development Directions: Look up each word on the page listed. Copy the sentence from the book and then look up the word in the dictionary and write the definition that matches how the word was used in the context of the book.

Word/page found Sentence from book Definition Engang p. 7 (African word use context clues)

Droned p. 36

Infirmary p. 76

Gait p. 91

Simulation p. 141

Endeavour p. 148

Momentum p. 151

Unfurling p. 199

Billowed p. 238

7 D. Theme: Theme is the author’s comment/message. It is what the author is telling the readers about life. Circle at least three subjects below that represent the deeper meaning of the novel to you.

Countdown is a novel about (theme subject word).

Adaptability Games/contests/sports Persistence/perseverance Adventure Gratitude Poverty Ambition Greed Prejudice Chance/fate/luck Growing up Pride Childhood Guilt Privacy Children Hate Race relations Compassion Heart vs. reason Reality Confidence Heaven/paradise/utopia/ Religion Consideration Home Resistance/rebellion Courage Hope Respect Courage/cowardice Identity Responsibility Cruelty/violence Illusion/innocence Revenge/retribution Curiosity Independence Ritual/ceremony Custom/tradition Initiation Scapegoat/victim Death Friendship Initiative Search for identity Defeat/failure Instinct Self-actualization Despair/discontent/disillusionment Integrity Self-discipline Diligence Journey (psychological Self-improvement Dreams/fantasies or literal) Service Duty Justice Social Status Education/school Law/justice Success Endurance Loneliness/aloneness Supernatural Equality Love Teamwork Escape Loyalty Time/eternity Exile Materialism Tricks Faith/loss of faith Maturity/maturation Truth Family/parenthood/commitment Memory/past Unhappiness Fear Music/dance Violence Free will/will power Nature War Freedom Patience Wealth Friendship Patriotism Peace

Directions: Use the theme chart on the following page to provide concrete detail from the text to support each theme subject circled.

8 E. Theme Chart: Theme Subject Author’s comment/message (CM) Concrete Detail(s) Page (one word) What is the author trying to tell us about Text from the novel to support Numbers the theme subject? (complete sentence) author’s message. 1. 1.