Required Summer Reading

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

The Sixth Grade Team at Grady Middle School is looking forward to working with you to develop your social and academic potential this coming 2014- 15 school year. As you are aware, reading skills often weakened during the long summer break because of non-use; therefore, Grady’s Language A teachers have created a summer reading assignment to keep your reading skills sharp and focused. Your assignment is to read Wonder by R. J. Palacio this summer and complete the attached activities. This will be due the first week of school.

The Publisher's Description
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

Required Reading – Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Language A Assignment Packet Includes the Following:

·  Overview of the Summer Reading assignment (this page).

·  Handout #1: Instructions for “The Post – Mortem of a Protagonist”.

·  Handout #2: Instructions for the Frayer Model and Academic Word List

·  Handout #3: Frayer Model Template

Assessment:

·  “The Post-Mortem of a Protagonist” will be evaluated on the basis of fulfillment of the requirements as well as for aesthetics – neatness, illustrations, color, etc.

·  The Frayer Models will be evaluated on the basis of completeness, accuracy and aesthetics.

The Post – Mortem of a Protagonist

Instructions

Using poster board or a large sheet of paper, draw the outline of a body. It may be as simple as a stick figure. Find quotations/passages from the novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio to illustrate at least six of the following “body parts” for a post-reading “autopsy” of a character of your choice. Place these strategically on the body outline. Write the chapter and page # in parentheses after each quotation or passage excerpt. Write the title and author of the novel as well as the name of the character on the top of your poster board or paper.

Body Parts

·  Head – intellectual side of the character – What are his dreams? Visions?

·  Eyes – Seeing through the character’s eyes – What memorable sights affect him? Why?

·  Ears – Hearing through the character’s ears – What does he notice and remember others saying to him? How is he affected?

·  Nose – smelling through the character’s nose – What smells affect him? How?

·  Mouth – the character’s communication –What philosophy does the character share/espouse? What arguments/debates? What song would symbolize the character’s philosophy of life? Why lyrics/images from the song would symbolize his or her philosophy?

·  Arms – working- What is the character’s relationship to work in general? To specific work?

·  Hands - the practical side of the character – What conflicts does he or she deal with? How?

·  Heart - the emotional side of the character –What does he or she love? Whom? How?

·  Torso – the instinctive side of the character – What doesn’t he or she like about himself or herself? What does he or she hide? What brings the character pain? What does he or she fear?

·  Legs – the playful side of the character – What does he or she do for fun? What are his or her avocations?

·  Feet – the character’s mobility – Where has he or she been (literally/figuratively) How has he or she been affected by travel or setting?

·  Wings – the character’s future – Where is he or she going?

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Academic Words to Know

As students progress through secondary education, academic vocabulary will be vital to their initial grasp of content and their ability to think critically. The following list of vocabulary words are used in all subject areas. Students must learn their definitions and know how to apply their meanings.

Instructions:

Select 15 of the academic vocabulary words. Use the attached modified Frayer model as a guide. Write one of the academic words in the center circle. Write the definition of the word on the top portion of the model. In the lower portion of the Frayer model, draw a picture or symbol which illustrates the word’s definition. You will have 15 separate Frayer models – one for each of the fifteen words - when you have completed the assignment.

Academic Vocabulary List:

Central Message – theme, “big idea”, or main idea of a selection

Claim – In an argument, a claim is the writer’s position on an issue or problem. Although an argument focuses on supporting one claim, a writer may make more than one claim in a text.

Compare – to examine two or more objects, ideas, people, etc. in order to note similarities and differences

Conclude – 1) to bring to an end; finish; terminate; 2) to determine by reasoning; deduce; infer; 3) to decide, determine, or resolve

Conclusion – A conclusion is a statement of belief based on evidence, experience, and reasoning. A valid conclusion is one that logically follows from the facts or statements upon which it is based.

Context Clues – When you encounter an unfamiliar word, you can often use context clues to understand it. Context clues are the words or phrases surrounding the word that provide hints about the word’s meaning.

Contrast – to compare in order to show unlikeness or differences; note the opposite natures, purposes, etc

Contribute – to play a significant part in bringing about an end or result

Convey – to communicate; to make known

Describe – to represent of give an account of in words

Description – a statement, picture in words, or account that provides details

Differ – to be unlike, dissimilar, or distinct in nature or qualities

Illustrate – to make clear or intelligible, as by examples

Include – taking in or comprising as part of a whole or group

Indicates – to be a sign of; evidence of; shows

Inference – An inference is a logical guess that is made based on facts and one’s own knowledge and experience.

Feeling – a particular sensation of this kind: a feeling of warmth; a feeling of pain

Mood – a prevailing emotional tone or general attitude; identifiable through the setting or word choice.

Narrator – a person who gives an account or tells the story of events, experiences, etc.

Organization/ Structure/ Text Structure – the act or process of planning and different parts of an event or activity; the relationship or organization of the component parts of literature; usually one of the following:

1. main idea and supporting details

2. chronological order

3. cause-and-effect organization

4. compare-and-contrast organization

5. problem-solution order

6. descriptive

7. sequential order

Paragraph – a division of written or printed matter that begins on a new, indented line, has one or more sentences and typically deals with one topic or quotes one speaker’s continuous words

Represents – to serve as a sign or symbol <the flag represents our country>

Reveal – to make known

Speaker – The speaker is the “voice” in a poem and/or speech

Stanza – an arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more in a poem (the paragraph of a poem)

Statement – 1. something that you say or write in a formal or official way, something that is stated 2. an opinion, attitude, etc., that you express through the things you do, the way you dress, etc.

Summarize – To summarize is to briefly retell the main ideas of a piece of writing in one’s own words (R114) (summary)

Support – Support is any information that helps to prove a claim. Support is proven through identifying text evidence (words, phrases, sentences, etc.) that give validity / truth to your claim.

Turning Point – climax; a point at which a decisive change takes place; critical point; crisis

Frayer Model

(Modified)

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