English 8 Summer Assignment

Sacajawea Middle School

Welcome to Sacajawea English!

YOU have finished your first year at one of the greatest middle schools ever. In these 2 short years at Sac you will become a better thinker, reader and writer. We believe that building a solid foundation for the fall begins in the summer.

Students who read over the summer not only increase reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, but they tend to have better grades in the coming school year. Grab some good books, find a cozy spot in the shade, and give yourself a jumpstart on success.

Have fun!

The following are requirements for 8th grade English.

  1. READ three books of your choice.
  2. COMPLETE the Daily Reading Log for each book.
  3. WRITE a short narrative for one book.
  4. CREATE a Book Review Banner for your favorite book.

* You may choose ANY three books you’d like to read. The following books are available for checkout through the Sacajawea Bookroom…but remember, you can pick any book that is at your reading level.

Freak the MightyPhilbrick, Rodman AR Level 5.5

At the beginning of eighth grade, learning disabled Max and his new friend Freak, whose birth defect has affected his body but not his brilliant mind, find that they they combine forces they make a powerful team.

Hattie Big SkyLarson, KirbyAR Level 4.4

After inheriting her uncle’s homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself and encounters some unexpected problems related to the war being fought in Europe.

HolesSachar, LouisAR Level 4.6

As further evidence of his family’s bad fortune, which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert.

HootHiaasen, CarlAR Level 5.2

Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy’s attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.

Hope Was HereBauer, JoanAR Level 5.1

When sixteen-year-old Hope and the aunt who has raised her move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin to work as waitress and cook in the Welcome Stairways diner, they become involved in the political campaign to oust the town’s corrupt mayor.

Julie of the WolvesCraighead George, JeanAR Level 5.8

Common sense and courage enable a young Eskimo girl to survive when she becomes lost in the Arctic wile. **Please note, the plot contains graphic violence.**

No More Dead DogsKorman, GordonAR Level 4.5

Eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace is sentenced to detention attending rehearsals of the school play. He becomes wrapped up in the production and begins to suggest changes that improve not only the play but his life as well.

Out of the DustHesse, KarenAR Level 5.3

In a series of poems, fourteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family’s wheat farm.

Walk Two MoonsCreech, SharonAR Level 4.9

After her mother leaves home suddenly, Thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother’s route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend, Phoebe, whose mother also left.

Planning Your Time

Good time management and the ability to plan your time is an essential skill to have that will serve you well into adulthood. Students who excel do this on a daily basis and achieve their goals! You CAN NOT leave this assignment till the last minute – there is too much to do. Below is a recommended time line for completing the work. ** You can choose to do more or less during the week and you can choose to do the assignments as you see fit. YOU must complete the requirement – how you do it is up to you. This is a recommended time line ONLY.

June
15 / Last Day of School!!!
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19 / Start reading your 1st book. Count out the number of chapters and map out your plan below. Complete the daily reading log.
20 / Read Chapters 2 and 3 - …. Complete your reading log.
21 / Read Chapters ……
22
23
24
25
26
27 / Try to finish reading your first book by today.
28 / Start writing the Narrative Writing Assignment.
29 / Continue writing the Narrative
30 / Continue writing….make sure when you are finished to type it - if you can’t type it your final copy should be double space, written in ink using your best handwriting. ALSO remember to read it aloud to a family member. PROOF READ and make corrections!!!
July
1
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3 / Start your next book ….Count the number of chapter and plan it out below….. Remember to fill out the Daily Reading Log each day you read!!! Plan on finishing the book in about 2 weeks.
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24 / Start your 3rd book – Count the number of chapters and plan it out below…. Remember to fill out the Daily reading log, and allow time to complete the Banner Assignment. Plan on finishing the book in about 2 weeks.
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August
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7 / Banner Assignment this week?
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10 / Double check that you have completed all requirements. Enjoy the rest of the summer. We can’t wait to see you !!!
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31 / First Day of School.
Daily Reading Log
Book:______Author:______
Name:______Month______
Date / 1 sentence summary of what you read / Time Spent Reading

Narrative Writing Assignment

Compose Narrative Text in the Context of Your Book

Please type this assignment using Ariel 12 pt. font, double spaced. SAVE this document as we will be using it in September.

Write a narrative that places you in the setting of your book. Write your own original account as if you were there. What is happening around you? What choices would you make if you were in the same situation?

Be sure to:

  1. Create a specific, believable setting through the use of sensory details
  2. Provide a clear beginning, middle, and end
  3. Proofread your text to make sure it is ready for publication

Please make sure to follow the WRITING PROCESS:

 PRE‐WRITING –Brainstorm and plan out some of your story before you start writing your first draft.

 DRAFTING – Take some time to write a first draft to get your story on paper.

 REVISING – Read what you have written and make sure that your story makes sense and make changes to improve your story.

 EDITING – Re‐read your story and check for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

 PUBLISHING – Write a final draft to turn into your teacher on the first day of class.

RUBRIC

Scoring Criteria / Exemplary / Proficient / Emerging
Development of Ideas / The narrative
•creates a detailed, vivid
setting through the
effective use of sensory
details
•presents well‐paced action
and an intriguing story line
to heighten reader interest / The narrative
•creates a specific, believable
setting through the use of
sensory details
•includes well‐paced action
and an engaging story line to
sustain reader interest / The narrative
•presents a vague or
unbelievable setting with
limited use of sensory details
•contains little or no action
and a story line that is
incomplete or confusing to the reader
Organizational Structure / The narrative
•leads with an appealing
opening that entices
the reader
•effectively sequences events
to steadily build toward a
suspenseful climax
•provides an insightful ending
that contains a clear and
reasonable resolution. / The narrative
•presents an opening that
grabs reader’s attention
•includes a sequence of events
that steadily build toward a
climax
•provides an ending that
contains a clear
resolution. / The narrative
•contains an underdeveloped
opening that does not
interest the reader
•presents disconnected
events or an incomplete
or unfocused climax
•contains an underdeveloped
ending with little or no
resolution.

Banner

Create 1 book review banner on book you read this summer that is your favorite. Show your creativity!!! Please include the following components:

  1. Book Title
  2. Author
  3. Summary - use part of our SAC reading strategy…..

SUMMARIZE

S Shorter than the text….shoot for 20 words.

U Use your own words

M Main ideas only – Who, What When, Where, Why, How

  1. Favorite scene and why.
  2. Connections to:

World

Self

Text

  1. Character Analysis

Character

Character traits

Important actions in the story

  1. Your rating of the book out of 4 stars
  2. Would you recommend this book?

2017/18 SAC / 1