ADVANCED ACADEMICS SUMMER READING PROGRAM GRADES 6th 9th Grade PROMOTING LITERACY, DEVELOPING FLUENCY, CREATING LIFE-LONG LEARNERS

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1 ADVANCED ACADEMICS SUMMER READING PROGRAM GRADES 6th 9th Grade PROMOTING LITERACY, DEVELOPING FLUENCY, CREATING LIFE-LONG LEARNERS There are many little ways to enlarge your child s world. Love of books is the best of all. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

2 McAllen Independent School District Advanced Academics Grades 6-9 Summer Reading Guidelines Overview McAllen Independent School District recognizes the importance of building literacy and increasing fluency in students to ensure the development of strong reading, writing and thinking skills. Research strongly supports the idea that students who remain engaged in reading throughout the summer demonstrate significant academic gains and therefore improved performance in the following school year. It is the goal of MISD to provide students with the opportunity to engage in more reading experiences that help build a passion for reading and learning and success in all future rigorous academic endeavors. This version of the Summer Reading Program for Advanced Academics Flyer contains the book titles and summer reading assignments for students who will be in grades 6-9 in MISD in Each campus has posted the relevant assignments on their individual websites and the entire document will be available on McAllen ISD s Advanced Academics page at ( Please note that in the future additional texts may be added as well as different assignments to best meet the needs of our students. While there is a selected book(s) for students at each particular grade level, we strongly encourage students to read other materials in addition to the assigned readings. Non-fiction, fiction, graphic novels, news articles, poetry are all great ways to keep reading pleasurable while still building those essential reading and writing skills that are essential for future academic successes.

3 6th GRADE ADVANCED ACADEMICS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT Wonder By RJ Palacio Available at Barnes and Noble, McAllen Public Library, Amazon.com, Kindle

4 Wonder Assignment #1 Students entering MYP Year 1 are expected to read Wonder by RJ Palacio before the beginning of the school year. The following assignments are due on the first Friday of the school year (the end of the first week of school). Supplies: Spiral or Composition Book Pen or Pencil Grade Weight: Assignments 1 & 2 will will both be taken as a major grade. Reflection Journal (as you read) Journal writing encourages students to explore their thoughts and ideas. It engages students in the process of brainstorming and organizing ideas. It teaches them to articulate themselves through writing, and it encourages them to share these ideas with teachers and other students. Students are expected to include the following in the reflection journal: Eight journal entries, one for each part of the book, written in response to the readings (Part One-August, Part Two-Via, Part Three-Summer, Part Four-Jack, Part Five-Justin, Part Six- August, Part Seven-Miranda, Part Eight-August). The entries should be written after the readings for each section have been completed, or as soon as possible after finishing each section. Requirements for Journal: Entries should be a minimum of 3-5 sentences in length. Entries should address questions, feelings, comments, concerns-anything that shows you have read the material and are thinking about what it means to you. Do not simply summarize the story; write about thoughts and feelings that may not be addressed in the study questions below. Assignment #2 Comprehension Questions As you read the novel, please stop after each bolded section and answer the questions. Your response should restate the question and should be answered in complete sentences. Use the same spiral/composition book as in assignment #1; just skip at least a page in between the two assignments.

5 Part One-August Pages 3 to Why do people look quickly away when they first see August? 2. In this section, August discusses the issue of him going to school. Why has he never gone to school? Do you think he should? Pages 24 to August goes on the tour of the school and meets three students. In your opinion, which one would turn out to be a bully? 4. How would you describe the other students reaction to August in homeroom? Pages 42 to What does September s precept, When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind, mean? 6. Why does August use a simile to compare himself and Summer to Beauty and the Beast? Pages 61 to Why is Halloween a positive thing for August? 8. What were Jack and Julian talking about? Part Two-Via Pages 81 to Do you think Via is jealous of all the attention August gets? 10. Did Via have a good first day of high school? (Pages 100 to 117) 11. Who is Miranda and why did she call? 12. August decided to change his costume. How do you think mom reacted to this? Part Three-Summer Pages 118 to Would you describe Summer as a good person? Why or why not? 14. Do you think Summer thinks Jack is a good friend? Part Four-Jack Pages 133 to Jack seems to struggle with how he feels about August. What are the positive and negative reasons he gives about being ex-friends with him? 16. Who says, Sometimes you don t have to mean to hurt someone to hurt them, and what does he or she mean by that?

6 Pages 151 to Who does something to the class picture and what character traits does it show about that person? 18. What is the war that is beginning? What role does Julian play in it? Part Five-Justin Pages 186 to While at dinner Justin has many tics. What are tics and why do they stop? 20. Justin and Olivia are in a play, but Olivia (Via) has not told her parents about it yet. Why do you think she has not told them? Part Six-August Pages 205 to August gets hearing aids in this section. How does he feel about them in the beginning and towards the end of pages in this section? 22. Daisy is August s dog, who has been sick for a while. Why hasn t August noticed this? Part Seven-Miranda Pages 235 to Miranda and Via used to be good friends. Why did their relationship change? What does Miranda miss about having Via as a friend? 24. Miranda pretends to be sick on opening night. In your opinion, why do you think she did that? Part Eight-August Pages 250 to How does August feel about going on the Fifth Grade Nature Retreat? 26. Jack and August find themselves in trouble. What is the trouble and who helps them? Pages 271 to August lies to the teachers about not being able to remember the seventh graders faces. Why do you think he did this? 28. What animal does August use to represent him? Do you think it is a good choice? 29. There is a ceremony at school. What happens at the ceremony that shows a change from the beginning to the end of the school year? 30. Mr. Tushman says, Always try to be a little kinder than necessary. What does that mean to you? In your opinion, what character demonstrates this best?

7 7 th Grade ADVANCED ACADEMICS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT Zen and the art of faking it by Jordan Sonnenblick Available at Barnes and Noble, McAllen Public Library, Amazon.com, Kindle

8 Zen and the art of faking it Independent Summer Reading Log Name: Date Due: Grade Weight: 1 test grade (2 nd day of 1 st week of school) Directions: As you read the novel, use 10 chapters to analyze with the following chart. For each of the 10 chapters, complete one choice from the chart. Fill in the information for The Basics and complete the Written Response using complete sentences. The chapters you choose for the 10 entries do not have to be in any particular order. NUMBER THE BASICS WRITTEN RESPONSE CHOICE 1 Chapter Title: If the author added another paragraph to the end of the section/chapter you just read, what would it say? Write it here. (Paragraphs need to be at least 5-7 sentences long!!): Page Number: CHOICE 2 CHOICE 3 Chapter Title: Page Number: Chapter Title: Page Number: Find a word you do not know from the section you just read. New vocabulary word: Sentence it s used in the book: What it means: Your own, original sentence using the word: Stop reading every five minutes in this chapter and fill in the statements. 1. I noticed 2. I wonder 3. This reminds me of because 4. I think will happen next.

9 CHOICE 4 Chapter Title: Page Number: Think about what this story says about people in general. In what ways does it remind you of people you have read about? In what ways does it remind you of people you know? Support your answer with evidence from the section of the story you just read. (Minimum of 5 complete sentences number your sentences.) CHOICE 5 Chapter Title: Page Number: What type of person is the main character of the story? How would you describe him/her in this section of the story using only one adjective? Use details from the chapter to support your answer. (Minimum of 5 complete sentences, number your sentences.) CHOICE 6 Chapter Title: Page Number: Imagery is the use of words that make the reader imagine what the characters see, hear, taste, touch, or smell. Choose two words or phrases from the chapter you just read that activate your senses with the detail/imagery they provide. Describe the imagery, the senses involved, and the way the imagery enriches the story. (Minimum of 5 complete sentences, number your sentences.) CHOICE 7 Chapter Title: Choose a significant setting from any chapter of this book. Describe the time and place and explain how it affects the plot. (Minimum of 5 complete sentences, number your sentences.) Page Number:

10 CHOICE 8 Chapter Title: Page Number: Identify a conflict in the chapter. What kind of conflict is it? (circle one) Man vs. Man Man vs. Self Man vs. Nature Man vs. Society Describe the conflict and explain how this is an example of that type of conflict. Support your answer with evidence from the text. (Minimum of 5 complete sentences, number your sentences.) CHOICE 9 Chapter Title: Pick an event from the chapter and write about a time in your life that was similar. Page Number: CHOICE 10 Chapter Title: Page Number: Find one of the following literary elements: simile, metaphor, alliteration, foreshadowing, and personification. Fill in the following information. Text (use quotation marks): This is an example of: (literary element) I know this because: This made me think about: This quotation means:

11 8 th GRADE ADVANCED ACADEMICS SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT A GOOD LONG WAY By Rene Saldana, Jr. Available at Barnes and Noble, McAllen Public Library, Amazon.com, Kindle

12 The Summer Reading Assignments for A Good Long Way are designed to promote the interaction between what a student is reading and what they are thinking. They capture the relationship a good reader has with the text. Use the template provided to complete the assignments as you read. Consult the example pages that follow the assignment template for guidance if you have never done a dialectical journal or character chart before. It is very important that you do not wait to do this until after you have read the book. When you stop and write down your thoughts and questions and insightfully analyze them, this process makes the reading much more meaningful. When you look back over what you wrote at the beginning and compare it to the end of the book, it allows you to see the process you experienced as the reader digesting the writer s words and ideas and making it all meaningful. How to complete the Dialectical Journal: Left side of the journal is text from the book that you are analyzing. This can include quotes, paraphrasing, and words. Right side of the journal is your analysis, thoughts, examples of author s style, and questions about the text on the left. Analysis means that your comments/responses should be insightful. There should be a minimum of entries on the dialectical journal. Find the example page included and review it for guidance. **Remember to complete the journal as you are reading and not after. Write legibly so that your thoughts are clearly understood and there is no trouble grading it. **Grade Weight- this assignment is for a test grade. **Due Date- due to the teacher on the first day of school. How to complete the Character Chart: Choose the main character and think of the main character s main personality trait. The main trait would be the characteristic that remains largely constant throughout the novel or that was always there but never completely realized until the end of the novel. Put the adjective that best describes that trait in the center circle. Find textual evidence that supports your choice and either paraphrase or directly quote it on the lines provided. Include the page number where you found the evidence.

13 Assignment #1 Character Trait Chart Character: Main Character Trait: Directions: Write the character s main personality trait or attribute in the center of the circle. Use a descriptive adjective. Find four pieces of evidence in the text that reveal the trait or attribute. Write the evidence on the lines provided. (Included the page number on which you found the evidence.)

14 Assignment #2 Dialectical Journal Name: Title of Text: Date: Author: Quotes, Paraphrases, Words Meaning, Personal Connections

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16 DIALECTICAL JOURNAL EXAMPLE Name: Date: Title of Text: Tangerine Author: Edward Bloor Quotes, Paraphrases, Words There were two small groups of guys karate-kicking at each other Menacing looking gangs As we headed west on Route 22, I began to feel a real sense of hope about Tangerine school. Middle School. Page Osprey (vocabulary) Paul s uniform Meaning, Personal Connections Paul seems afraid of what he has gotten into. This school is tough and Paul feels isolated. Paul is happy that his mom lost his IEP. Now he believes he has a chance to fit in at this This also shows he has struggled before. It must be some kind of bird because Paul says Maybe his IEP is feathering some Osprey nest. When he compares his torn up uniform to his friend s new uniform we realize this is a symbol for Paul s life and how tough he has had it.

17 Literary Terms for 8 th graders This is a list of literary terms that as eighth graders, you should be familiar with. Please read over the list and look up other definitions of the ones that you do not know. Find multiple examples of them so that you better understand how they are used. From this list, challenge yourself to use at least four different ones as entries in your dialectical journal. Literary Element allusion antagonist flashback foreshadowing inference mood symbol tone irony narrator Definition an explicit or implicit reference, in a work of literature, to a person, place, or event, or to another literary work or passage character or force in direct conflict with the protagonist a section of the story that interrupts the sequence of events to relate an event from an earlier time; used to give additional information to the reader to help him/her understand the story better the writer's hints and clues that suggests events that may still occur to "take out of" or to draw a conclusion based on that which is implied; a conclusion or opinion that draws on known facts, evidence, or intuition to fill in missing information the atmosphere or feel of the story, it may be serious, humorous, satiric; the overall feeling you get when reading a story a person, place, or object that has meaning in itself, but suggests other meanings as well; a concrete object used to represent an abstract idea/concept the author's attitude toward the subject, reader, or character; could be light-hearted, distant, humorous, creepy, mysterious when the outcome or action is unexpected or opposite of what you would expect person or character telling the story

18 English I (9th Grade) PRE-AP SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck ISBN: Available at Barnes and Noble, McAllen Public Library, Amazon.com, Kindle

19 Parent/Student Information about the Grade 9-12 Summer Reading Assignment Welcome! We are excited that you have chosen to be part of our Pre-AP (Advanced Placement) program. The McAllen School District encourages all students to read throughout the summer. Each grade level has a recommended book list with titles selected specifically for the students entering that grade. The district also has a required high school reading assignment for students entering grades 9 to 12. After completion of the assigned reading, each student will complete the included assignments to facilitate their understanding of the book. Of Mice and Men was chosen as the summer reading book because it exemplifies all necessary components in preparation for Advanced Placement classes. The literary merit of the novel has withstood the test of time and will be an extremely relevant teaching tool in the classroom. Expectations and Assessment Week One and Two: Discussion over novel Reading Guide Questions Thematic Chart Article of choice (that parallels a thematic idea) Objective Test Writing Assignments Due Dates and Grading: The Summer Reading Assignment will be due the second Monday of the new school year. District late work policy will be enforced! The entire packet will be worth a test grade. o Thematic Chart 50% o Reading Guide Questions 40% o Article 10% Your assignment must be typed in a 12 pt. font (no fancy fonts please) and arranged in order (chart, questions, article) with a cover page that includes: o Your Name, Class & Period, Teacher s Name and Date Cheating and Plagiarism: MISD will not tolerate academic cheating or plagiarism in any form. It will result in a score of a zero on the assignment and may result in disciplinary action. Learning to think and work independently is part of the educational process.

20 Of Mice and Men Study Guide Background Information: Author Biography John Steinbeck ( ) was born in Salinas, California. He came from a middle class family. His father was the county treasurer, and his mother was a former schoolteacher. She inspired and encouraged his love of books and reading. He attended Stanford University, but he did not graduate. In his twenties, he traveled to New York City with the dream of supporting himself as a freelance writer. When his efforts failed, he went home to California. He then began to work seriously on novels and short stories. When Steinbeck was a young adult, he spent his summer vacations working as a hired hand on local ranches. His interactions with the people he met during those summers greatly influenced the characters he created throughout his career. In an interview following the publication of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck revealed that all the characters in the novel are composites based on real people. Steinbeck said in his essay Advice for Beginning Writers (1963) that he still felt afraid every time he began writing a story, even though he had a long successful writing career behind him. He went on to say that a writer who does not experience this fear may not have an appropriate respect for the art of writing. Book Summary Of Mice and Men was published in The story epitomizes the themes and ideas that Steinbeck propounded throughout his novels: the plight of the laborers, the perils of isolation, and the hope for a better future. Set in California during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is an excellent vehicle to learn about the life and times of migrant works in the 1930s. With its beautiful descriptive passages, easily accessible dialogue, and fast-paced timeline, it is very easy to follow along. The memorable characters that, ironically, represent a segment of society that was largely ignored in its day draw in readers. Analyzing the balance of power, the importance of friendship, and the role of dreams in our lives allows readers to gain a deeper understanding of the text while applying valuable lessons to their own lives. Character List Lennie Small: a nondescript, hulking creature of a man whose childlike mentality continually gets him into scrapes with men who neither respect nor understand him. George Milton: a small, lean man, used to fighting for his place in the world. He oversees and protects Lennie. Slim: a tall skinner (a highly skilled mule-driver) that serves as a counselor to the ranch hands. Candy: The one-handed ranch worker who has lived past his prime. Curley s wife: a woman who is not respected by the men on the ranch. Crooks: the African-American stable buck is called Crooks because of a spinal injury inflicted by a kicking horse. Curley: the boss s son, he possesses a jealous, cruel streak.

21 Thematic Chart Complete the chart using your book. Responses must be typed and written in complete sentences. Thematic Idea Thematic Statement Quotation Commentary (What does Steinbeck say about the topic?) (Provide evidence from the novel that supports the statement.) (Why is this important in society today?) Family Loyalty Isolation Friendship The American Dream

22 Of Mice and Men Study Guide Questions Answer these questions as you read your book. Responses must be typed and written in complete sentences. Chapter 1 1. Identify and give a physical description of both Lennie and George using information from the text. George: Lennie: 2. What trouble did George and Lennie have in Weed? Explain the connection between Lennie's mouse and what happened in Weed? 3. What does the dead mouse in Lennie's pocket reveal about him? 4. Why are George and Lennie different from the other "guys like us that work on ranches?" 5. Before they go to sleep, George tells Lennie to hide in the bush near their campsite and wait for him to come if he gets into any trouble. This is an example of foreshadowing. What prediction can readers draw from George's instructions? 6. Why does Steinbeck describe Lennie in animalistic terms? What animals is Lennie compared to in this chapter? Explain why Steinbeck might have made that choice. Chapter 2 7. Describe Curley's personality. Why do you think he acts the way he does? 8. Why does Carlson suggest shooting Candy's dog? How does Candy respond? 9. How is Candy's connection to his dog similar to George's relationship with Lennie? 10. How do George and Lennie react to seeing Curley's wife for the first time? What is her name? Why do you think Steinbeck chose to name her this way?

23 Chapter Slim and George have a long conversation in which George tells Slim about the mean-spirited jokes he used to play on Lennie. What happened that made George want to change the way he treated Lennie? 12. What card game does George play? How might this be symbolic? 13. The discussion of Curley's wife leads Whit to invite George to come with the other men "to old Suzy's place." What is "old Suzy's place," and what purpose does it serve in the novel? Why doesn't George invite Lennie to come along? 14. In what way is Candy similar to his dog? How does this further explain his reluctance to do what Carlson suggests? 15. Why did Curley fight with Lennie? What happened? Chapter Curley's wife is lonely because she's the only woman on the ranch. Candy is lonely because of his age. Why is Crooks so lonely? 17. Why does Lennie wander into Crook's room? What is Crooks initial reaction to the intrusion? 18. What is Curley's wife's reaction to the dream of the farm with rabbits? 19.What does Curley's wife threaten to do to Crooks? Chapter Why did Curley's wife come to see Lennie? What does she end up telling him about herself? 21. What ends up happening to her in the barn? Is she personally responsible, in any way, for what happens to her in this chapter? Explain your answer. 22. What might happen to Lennie if Curley catches him? Do you think he deserves the punishment he might receive? Explain your response.

24 Chapter How is George and Lennie's conversation in the river valley similar to the one they had in chapter one? 24. Why does George struggle with the details of the farm when describing it to Lenny on the riverbank? 25. Does the ending of this novel show the strength of George's love for Lennie, or the weakness of his love for his friend? Explain your response. Article Assignment Find an article of at least 500 words that appeals to you and that parallels any of the thematic ideas presented on your Thematic Chart. You must provide a printed copy, and be prepared to discuss it in class. The article can be from the local, state, national or world newspaper/magazine. *** NO entertainment, gossip or advertisement kinds of articles. Read the article to understand what it's about and the connection to one or several of the novel's themes/big ideas.