Lakewood City Schools Middle School Reading Assignment - Summer 2008 Important Information from Next Year’s Middle School Language Arts Teachers Monday, June 2, 2008 Dear Parent or Guardian: All future sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students are required to read at least two books this summer. After reading each book, students will have a choice from two assignment options. Students should complete the two assignments (one for each book) before school starts in the fall. Students are required to bring their assignments with them to school and turn them in to their language arts teacher no later than Friday, September 5, 2008. Teachers will NOT accept late assignments after this date. Grading Procedures: Students need to read two books and complete two assignments. Any combination of the assignments listed below will be accepted. For example, a student could complete option A for one book and option B for the other book OR complete option B for two different books. Students will be graded on the assignments based upon following the instructions listed in this packet. This grade will count for up to ten percent of your student’s first marking period grade in language arts. Students should select books to read that they have not already read for previous assignments. Assignment Option A: • Read a book (or books) from the attached list, the Scholastic Reading Inventory Recommended Reading Report list, a book that falls within the student’s Lexile Level, or a combination of these three sources. • While reading, students will complete three journal responses for each book. These assignments can be hand-written or typed. Choose three of the journal response starters listed below for each book and respond to each journal response starter in a well-developed paragraph (5-10 sentences per paragraph). Students should respond in writing three times during the reading of each book and proofread their writing for content, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. • Journal Response Starters (choose three different starters for each book): I was surprised when…/angry about…/satisfied with…/moved by… I liked the way the author … I don’t understand why the author … If I were the author, I would have … I’d compare this author to … This book reminds me of … I’d say the theme of this book is … I wish that … I didn’t agree with … I understood … I didn’t understand … Why did …? - 1 - Lakewood City Schools Middle School Reading Assignment - Summer 2008 • Note: If students misplace their Scholastic Reading Inventory Recommended Reading Report lists over the summer, additional copies can be obtained in the main offices of either Garfield or Harding Middle Schools before June 19 or after August 12. Assignment Option B: • Read a book (or books) from the list below and participate in a book discussion (book discussions will be held at Lakewood Public Library – Main and/or Madison Branches). Books must be read before the program to participate. To register, please stop in the library or call 216-226-8275, Ext. 140. Students must register and participate in the book discussion to receive credit. Madison Library from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in the Children’s and Youth Services Dept. Tuesday, August 5 Sabriel by Garth Nix Tuesday, August 12 Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson Tuesday, August 19 Poison Ivy by Amy Goldman Koss Main Library from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in the Children’s and Youth Services Dept. Tuesday, August 5 The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney Thursday, August 7 Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan Tuesday, August 12 American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang Thursday, August 14 The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Tuesday, August 19 A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck Thursday, August 21 Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock Obtaining the Required Books: • The Lakewood Public Library and other local libraries should have copies of the required books on hand. • Three bookstores: Barnes & Noble (440-250-9233) in Crocker Park, Westlake; Borders (440-892- 7667) in the Promenade Shopping Center, Westlake; and Walden Books (440-734-8892) in Great Northern Mall have been notified of the required reading assignments and should have copies on hand. Everyone in our district believes that reading is an enjoyable and educational experience that can easily be treasured over the summer months. Adolescents deserve specific opportunities to schedule reading into their busy days. Parents, teachers, and librarians need to help teens find time to read in their busy lives. We encourage you to sit down over the summer and read books with your teen. We hope that you have a great summer and that your student enjoys his/her reading activities. Thank you for your help and cooperation! Sincerely, Middle School Language Arts Teachers - 2 - Lakewood City Schools Middle School Reading Assignment - Summer 2008 Assignment Option A Books: Note: This is a list of suggested books that are arranged alphabetically. Students and parents should choose the summer reading books together, keeping in mind the reading and maturity levels of the student – along with his/her interests. Going on a vacation? Take a book on tape/CD along with you. The symbol indicates that the title is available on CD or cassette at the Lakewood Public Library. Please select one or two book(s) from the following list to complete assignment option A. An Acquaintance With Darkness (Ann Rinaldi) - At the end of the Civil War, fourteen- year-old Emily Pigbush is orphaned and makes plans to live with her good friend, Annie Surrat, until Annie's mother is arrested for her suspected role in the assassination of President Lincoln. Emily must go to live with an uncle she suspects of being involved in stealing bodies for medical research. (ALA Best Book for Young Adults) American Born Chinese (Gene Luen Yang) - All Jin Wang wants is to fit in. When his family moves to a new neighborhood, he suddenly finds that he's the only Chinese- American student at his school. Jocks and bullies pick on him constantly, and he has hardly any friends. Then, to make matters worse, he falls in love with an all-American girl. (Graphic novel) Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer) - Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident (Eoin Colfer) - Book two in the series. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Eoin Colfer) - Book three in the series. Blackwater (Eve Bunting) - Summer stretches lazily before 13-year-old Brodie Lynch as he contemplates a canoe trip with his buddies and a possible date with Pauline. Then one early morning, during a swimming event in the Blackwater River, Brodie's life spirals out of control. Blind Faith (Ellen Wittlinger) - When Liz’s grandmother dies, her mother believes that the only way to fill the void is to start attending a spiritualist church that claims to speak to the dead. The Bomb (Theodore Taylor) - Shortly after the first atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, World War II came to an end, and the terrible reality of the atomic age began. A teenager must lead a desperate effort to save his island home. Born to Rock (Gordon Korman) - Leo Caraway is on the fast track to six figures: President of the Young Republicans, 4.0 GPA and an early acceptance to Harvard. Then he learns that his biological father is none other than Marion X. McMurphy, aka King Maggot, the lead singer of Purge, the most popular, destructive punk rock band ever. When an unfair cheating accusation gets his scholarship pulled, Leo ends up as a roadie for the band trying to get tuition money for Harvard. - 3 - Lakewood City Schools Middle School Reading Assignment - Summer 2008 The Canning Season (Polly Horvath) - One night out of the blue, Ratchet Clark’s ill-natured mother tells her that Ratchet will be leaving their Pensacola apartment momentarily to take the train up north. There she will spend the summer with her aged relatives Penpen and Tilly, inseparable twins who couldn’t look more different from each other. (National Book Award Winner) The Chosen (Chaim Potok) - In 1940s Brooklyn, New York, an accident throws Reuven Malther and Danny Saunders together. Despite their differences (Reuven is a Modern Orthodox Jew with an intellectual, Zionist father; Danny is the brilliant son and rightful heir to a Hasidic rebbe), the young men form a deep, if unlikely, friendship. Cirque du Freak (Darren Shan) - The story is the compelling saga of a young boy's journey into a dark world of vampires. Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and an unexpected ending, Cirque du Freak will chill, thrill and leave readers begging for more. (Series) Cool Stuff and How it Works (Chris Woodford) - Cool illustrations and explanations feature such things as iPods, digital cameras, MP3 players, neon lights, appliances, medicines, how fireworks explode, and much more. (Nonfiction) Criss Cross (Lynne Ray Perkins) - Debbie, who wishes that something would happen so she'll be a different person, and Hector, who feels he is unfinished, narrates most of the novel. Both are 14 years old. The descriptive, measured writing includes poems, prose, haiku, and question-and-answer formats. (Newbery Medal Book) Dairy Queen (Catherine Gilbert Murdock) - D.J. Schwenk is no ordinary milkmaid. Is the farm-girl turned football-player prepared for the reactions of others when she decides to try out the all-male high school football team? Day of Tears (Julius Lester) - Emma has taken care of the Butler children since Sarah and Frances's mother, Fanny, left.