Talk About It: Why should students read during Part of growing as a reader is learning the summer? Berkeley County School District how to think while you read. Ask each other questions before, during, and after University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Summer reading: faculty members Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen have completed a What was most important about Reading three-year study showing that students what we just read? lose up to three months of learning Rising English III Students every summer—skills they worked hard How did the characters change over to acquire during the school year. How- time? ever, the study showed a significantly What was your favorite part of that higher level of reading achievement in section? students who took part in summer reading at home. Did you read anything that might impact your life? How? Allington compares the slide in reading ability to an athlete's fitness. "Just like Does this text remind you of some- hockey players lose some of their skills thing you have read, seen, or heard if they stay off their skates and off the before? How? ice for three months, children who do not read in the summer lose two to three months of reading development," Get Caught Allington said. “It was books that taught me that the things that Reading: - from http://www.sciencedaily.com/ tormented me most were the very things that Set an example by reading in public. connected me with all the people who were alive, Let everyone see you reading a news- or who had ever been alive.” paper or browsing through a novel on - Author James Baldwin the beach or beside the pool. Liven up chore time or meal time by taking Read more about it: turns working while one person reads http://intl.kappanmagazine.org/ Theme: aloud a favorite book or an exciting content/85/1/68.short On Being American new novel. Have fun! http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/ article/bridging-summer-reading-gap Fiction Texts such as: Informational Texts such as: Our Town, Thornton Wilder (T) Witch Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials, Centennial, by James Michener (E) Mark Aronson *What Can’t Wait, Ashley Hope Perez (J) The Boys in the Boat, Daniel Brown (J) The Friendly Persuasion, Jessamyn West (T) A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain (T) Appalachian Trail, Bill Bryson (J) Gray Baby, Scott Loring Sanders (E) *A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Code Orange and Diamonds in the Shadow, Caroline Dave Eggers Cooney (E) The Glass Castle: A Memoir, Jeanette Walls (J) *Eli the Good, Silas House (J) The Hippest Trip in America: Soul Train and the Evolution The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd (J) of Style, Nelson George (E) The Themes Harris and Me, Gary Paulsen (E) A Level Playing Field: African American Athletes and the Many of the things students will read and write in Eng- *The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien Republic of Sports, Gerald L. Early lish III explore what it has meant and what it means A Long Way from Chicago or The Teacher’s Funeral , The Evolution of Useful Things, Henry Petroski now to be an American. Some of the books on these Richard Peck (J) lists are more challenging than others, but all explore *The Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden, John Steinbeck Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh (T, E) these themes through familiar settings, events (plot), (J) characters, and conflicts. *Having Our Say, The Delaney Sisters (E) *Looking for Alaska, John Green (E) The Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw (T) A Gathering of Old Men, Ernest J. Gaines Summer Reading Project Bomb: The Race to Build - and Steal - the World’s Most Consult with teachers and/or teacher librarians to Sycamore Row, John Grisham (J) Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin (J) choose one book from each list (fiction and *The Color Purple, Alice Walker (J) Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American informational) or other titles from each genre that fit Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit, Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who the theme. With parent approval of the choices, Daniel Quinn (E) students will read the two books over the summer. Made a Difference, Joanne Oppenheim *A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving (J) Teachers of HONORS English III classes will choose Unbroken (J) or Seabiscuit E), Lauren Hillenbrand A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry (J) one title from the brochure for required summer Killing Lincoln, and other titles, Bill O’Reilly (J) reading in addition to a second title (chosen by student O Pioneers, Willa Cather (T, E, J) or teacher) from the brochure or another source, for a The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne (T, E, J) The American Sniper, Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, Jim DeFelice (J) total of two selections for HONORS classes. The Jungle, Upton Sinclair (T, E)) Prospective AP Language and AP Literature students Soldier’s Heart, Gary Paulsen (E) Seal Team Six, Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen should contact that teacher for specific expectations. Templin (J) Andersonville, MacKinlay Kantor Each school will share rewards and expectations for T= Traditional favorites when school starts. *The Prince of Tides, Pat Conroy (and others by this *= Mature language or topics. author) (J) ( E ) = available on the district e-bookshelf These books and others like them are available not only in school In My Father’s House, Ann Rinaldi (and others by this ( J ) = available on the public library e-bookshelf libraries, but also in your public libraries and local book stores. author) via http://berkeleylibrarysc.org/ Have a great summer and enjoy the magic of books! .