Summer Reading Requirements for Rising Seventh Graders

The seventh grade English and Language Arts teachers want to further our students’ already voracious appetite for reading by having them explore the newest contemporary writers available as well as allowing them to continue reading from the well-established literary canon. Please read the instructions below, and follow them to be successful on your first book project in seventh grade. This book project will be included in your first quarter grade.

Summer Reading Assignment: 1. Select and read one book from the 2015-16 South Carolina Junior or Young Adult Book Award Nominee list (NOT Picture or Children’s list). Both lists can be accessed by going to http://www.scasl.net/book-awards and clicking on the link 2015-16 Book Award Nominees PDF. **Note for Parents and Students: School of the Arts recognizes that all readers need a variety of books from which to choose. Some books may contain mature subject matter. We encourage parents to have conversations with their child about book choices. 2. Create an 8 ½” by 11” alternative book cover which includes:

 Creative and attractive alternative book cover for your selected book

 Do not download pictures of the novel or use clip art

 A short, noteworthy quote, no longer than 1 to 2 sentences

 Title and author

On the reverse of your book cover, please have the following components:

 MLA formatted heading

 Your rating of this novel on a scale of 1 to 5 with a short explanation of your rationale

 Place book cover inside a protective sleeve

3. Answer the questions that follow (on page 2/reverse side) and place it in your protective sleeve along with your alternative book cover. Students, who clearly answer all components of the task, respond with relevant evidence (textual support), engaging vocabulary, meaningful explanations, and correct grammar will earn full credit for each question.

4. Bring your project with you to class on the first day of school. You will present your cover to the class during the first week. To present, you will need your poster and the novel you chose. You must also be able to tell the class the setting, main characters, genre, and the significance of the title.

The purpose of summer reading is to continue to lose yourself in great books and to develop of life-long love of reading. To continue Charleston County’s initiative of reading at least 25 books during the course of the school year, and in preparation of what will be expected of you this next year, we would like you to log your reading over the summer months (see Reading Record) and bring this log to turn in on the first day of school. The expectation is that you should read approximately five books over the summer months in order to stay on track towards this goal. Extra credit will be awarded for those students who read and log above and beyond the expectation. Happy Summer Reading!

~Seventh Grade ELA teachers

Name: ______Book Title: ______Author: ______

Describe who the main character is. How, if at all, can you Find an example of textual support from the book that supports relate to this character? the description on the left. (***Cite page number). Explain when and where the book takes place. In other Find an example of textual support from the book that supports words, describe the setting or time period of the text. How the description on the left. (***Cite page number). does the setting impact the text?

What is the story’s central problem or conflict? In what Find an example of textual support from the book that supports ways have you had to deal with issues similar to these? the description on the left. (***Cite page number).

What do you think is the text’s central theme or idea? Find an example of textual support from the book that supports Defend your response. the description on the left. (***Cite page number).

Rubric for Summer Reading Project: 1. Book chosen from 2015-16 South Carolina Junior or Young Adult Book Award Nominee list -- NOT from Children’s or Picture Book lists (5 points)

a. Yes _____ or No _____

2. Alternative Book Cover: (35 points)

Front Side-- a. Creative ____

b. Attractive/Neat ______

c. Original (not clip art or downloaded book cover) _____

d. Short Quote (1-2 sentences on cover) _____

e. Title and author ______

Back Side--

f. MLA formatted heading ______

g. Rating and Rationale _____

3. Questions on book: (25 points)

a. Answered all components of the task _____

b. Responded with textual support _____

c. Used engaging vocabulary ______

d. Gave meaningful explanations ______

e. Used proper conventions _____

4. Presentation of Summer Reading Book: (30 points)

a. Described to the class the setting _____

b. Main character(s) _____

c. Genre _____

d. Significance of the title _____

e. maintains good eye contact with the audience ____

f. uses a clear, audible voice _____

5. On Time – First Day of School (5 points) Yes ______or No ______

Summer Reading Log: Keep track of all your summer reading using this reading log.

Title Author # of pgs Date Finished Lexile Rating Started (lexile. (1-5 stars) com) South Carolina Book Award Nominees 2015-16 SC Social Studies Academic Standards alignment provided by James Bryan — Lexiles provided by James Bryan Books aligned to standards based on content not reading levels. A indicates good social studies content, whether aligned to a specific academic indicator or not.

 Better Off Friends - Elizabeth Eulberg590L  Boy on the Wooden Box: How the Impossible Became Possible…on Schindler's List - Leon Leyson1000L{5-4.7, 7-4.6, USHC-7.4, MWH-7.1}  Counting by 7's- Holly Goldberg Sloan770L  Eruption! Volcanos and the Science of Saving Lives - Elizabeth Rusch1000L  Falcon in the Glass - Susan Fletcher660L{6-6.1}  Far Far Away - Thom McNeal790L  Gated -Amy Christina ParkerHL750L  5th Wave - Rick Yancey HL690L  Great Trouble -Deborah Hopkinson660L{7-3.4,  The Beginning of Everything - Robyn MWH-5.1} Schneider930L  The Haunting of Gabriel Ashe -Dan Poblocki740L  Book of Broken Hearts - Sarah OcklerHL750L  Jungle of Bones - Ben Mikaelsen770L  Boy Nobody -Allen Zadoff  Lawless - Jeffery Salane850L   The President Has Been Shot - James L. The Caged Graves - Dianne Salerni Swanson1080L{MWH-7.5}  Find Me - Romily Bernard  Prisoner B-3087 - Alan Gratz760L{5-4.7, 7-4.6,  The Impossible Knife of Memory - Laurie Halse USHC-7.4, MWH-7.1} AndersonHL750L  QB1 - Mike Lupica  In the Shadow of Blackbirds - Cat  SYLO - D. J. MacHaleHL680L WintersHL800L  Tesla's Attic - Neil Shusterman870L  Invisibility - Andrea Cremer  Under the Egg - Laura Marx Fitzgerald790L  Kindness for Weakness -Shawn GoodmanHL800L  Winner's Curse - Marie Rutkoski680L  Life After Theft -Aprilynne PikeHL650L  Zebra Forest - Adina Gewirtz750L   Zombie Baseball Beatdown - Paolo Bacigalupi650L Living with Jackie Chan -Jo Knowles530L  Noggin -John Corey WhaleyHL760L  Palace of Spies -Sarah Zettel860L  Revenge of a Not-So-Pretty Girl -Carolyn BlytheHL800L  Spirit and Dust -Rosemary Clement- MooreHL770L  Steelheart -Brandon Sanderson HL680L  Tyrant's Daughter- J.C. CarlesonHL720L  This is What Happy Looks Like- Jennifer E.  When You Were Here - Daisy Whitney Smith1010L