Hello Middle Upper Classmen!

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Hello Middle Upper Classmen! First, before you delve into the assignments below, let me make this announcement: Please know that I am available to answer any questions you may have related to your summer project. My goal is to have you perform successfully. As a part of the 8th grade team, I want to let you know that we believe mediocrity and average can’t fit in the same room with quality. It is literally impossible! That being said, please take your time with the assignments and reach out to me if you need clarity or assistance. Questions lead to quality; misconceptions lead to mistakes. Excellence is attainable and effort takes you there! Therefore, no question is too small and any question is welcome!

Here is your Summer Reading Project.

What? Our Summer READING Project carries the theme of the Holocaust. Why? During the 2014-2015 school year, we will read more about the Holocaust as it is in one of our reading units.

Please choose 1 of the books from the 2 following options.

Book Movie The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The Boy in the Striped Fiction Pajamas Author: John Boyne Directed by Mark Herman

Anne Frank Anne Frank Non-fiction Author: Anne Frank Directed by Jon Jones

As you read the novels, annotate!

1 What is annotating? Annotate means to add notes or comments to a text, book, drawing, movie, etc. It’s what you say when you see a commercial and you ask, “Can that really happen? Wouldn’t he actually fall down?” It’s what you say when you see a movie and someone performs an illogical action and you whisper to your friend, “Why did he do that? Doesn’t he know that the burglar is on the other side?” It’s the same with a book; you talk to the book as if you are talking to your friend, but instead of talking, you write.

Below is an example of annotating in the margins of the book:

Low level thinker: “That was dumb.” This is low level annotation because it does not promote inquiry and does not involve any one else in the conversation. The conversation is closed because you made a statement, not asked a question.

High level thinker: “I wonder why he did that. What was he thinking?” This is high level annotation because it does promote inquiry; it allows others to become involved in the conversation and allows the reader to infer about many possibilities. It is a question, not a statement.

Low level thinker: “That was cool!!!!!!!!!!” Why is this low level annotation? ______

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High level thinker: “She just sat there in the smoke. I wonder what she was thinking about. Why didn’t she move?

Why is this high level annotation? ______

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Whether you choose Anne Frank or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, annotate! Have fun learning new words as you read. Don’t let your brain stay average. In fact, make notes in the margins for the meanings of new words. Also, capture interesting moments, or events that remind you of something from your life. Make connections ~ (text to self, text to world, text to text). After reading Anne Frank and watching the movie, answer these Anne Frank study guide questions. You get to type your answers. NO HANDWRITTEN RESPONSES! I am requiring your study guide answers to be typed to prevent me from struggling to read anyone’s hand

2 written responses. Also, in college, all papers are typed unless they are written in class and submitted the same day. As you type out your responses, please be sure to number each response. Answer each question with a complete sentence. Your high level study guide questions are below.

1. Film: Consider Otto Frank’s statement to the fellow residents of the annex: “We’re lucky. We’re really very lucky.” Why does he say this and what impact does it have on the residents of the annex?

2. Book and Film: Upon their very first few days in hiding in the secret annex, Mummy is preparing dinner and actually burns the meal. How does this happen? Why was she in the same room while the meal burned, but she did nothing to prevent it?

3. Book and Film: Why do the residents of the annex celebrate holidays and birthdays while they are in hiding? How do these events contribute to a sense of “normality” in an abnormal environment and why is that important?

4. Book: Because they have been in hiding for so long, the residents of the secret annex want simple things, nothing too fancy. What are the wishes of each of the residents of the secret annex?

5. Book and Film: Consider the decision to invite Mr. Dussel to share the annex with the Franks and Van Daans. What risks does this decision pose for those in hiding as well as to their helpers?

6. Text to World: What examples of courage, compassion, and sacrifice do you see in the film? Do the people who perform these acts think of themselves as heroic? Specifically consider Miep Gies and the other people who helped the eight residents of the secret annex. What did they risk by helping the annex residents and how did they feel about it?

7. Text to Self: Describe a situation in which you or someone you know or have read about took a courageous stand. What happened? Who benefited?

After reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and watching the movie, answer these study guide questions. You get to type your answers. NO HANDWRITTEN RESPONSES! I am requiring

3 your study guide answers to be typed to prevent me from struggling to read anyone’s hand written responses. Also, in college, all papers are typed unless they are written in class and submitted the same day. As you type out your responses, please be sure to number each response. Answer each question with a complete sentence. Your high level study guide questions are below.

Chapters 1-5

1. Book and Film: What did Bruno hope to see outside his bedroom window?

2. Book: Why do you think Bruno always tried to be honest with himself?

3. Text to World/Self: Why is it important to not pass judgments based on appearances?

Chapters 6-10

4. Book and Film: What happened to Bruno on the tire swing? Who rescues him?

5. Book and Film: Before he became the family’s waiter, what did Pavel do for a living?

Chapters 16-20 6. Book: What did Bruno expect to find behind the fence? What did Bruno discover instead?

7. Why does the author state at the end of the story “Of course all of this happened a long time ago and nothing like that could ever happen again. Not in this day and age”?

When do I turn in my summer project? Your Summer Reading Project is due the 1st Friday upon your return to Uplift Hampton. It needs to be stapled to be the back of this handout. This will show me that you can keep this document for the entire summer even though I already know you can. It will also allow you to participate in a reward party!

4 What if I don’t have it ready the 1st Friday upon return? You will!

Is there anything else required of me during the summer? Yes, I’m glad you asked.

Vocabulary: 8th Grade Vocabulary List for Bi-weekly vocabulary spelling tests and definitions file:///C:/Users/anscott/Documents/Summer%202014/MS%20Vocabulary%20List.html

All scholars should have mastered the spelling and vocabulary for 8th Grade Quarter 1 words. Please have each definition typed and be prepared for a biweekly spelling and vocab test.

In the midst of preparing you for college life (with all of the summer assignments), have fun. I am going to and I think you should too!

1. Swim! 2. Eat lots of barbeque! 3. Go to Six Flags! 4. Go to Hawaii, but don’t tell me because I’ll be jealous and may not like you (just kidding) 5. Sleep in, stay in your pjs, and play videogames (unless you are grounded from videogames). 6. Tweet, flip, post, follow, blog, upload, and befriend! 7. Learn how to cook one or another dish and if it’s good, bring it to class one day. 8. And last, but definitely not least, laugh a lot because laughter is known to be a medicine. If you can’t find anything to laugh about, look at number 4.

Enjoy Your Summer!

Anita Scott [email protected] 8th Grade ELAR Teacher Uplift-Hampton Preparatory 972-971-4677