New Leadership Charter School Summer Reading List: 2010 Incoming 7th Grade Students

This assignment is due on the first day of school. It will be the first graded assignment for your 7 th Grade English Language Arts class.

Reading Assignment

• Read two books from the reading list provided.

Writing Assignment

Write an essay about each book.

• Each essay must be at least five paragraphs long: neatly written or typed.
• Each paragraph should be at least five sentences long.
• Your writing must identify and discuss characters, theme, plot, conflict, and resolution of the novel.
• You must express one of the following: your personal opinion of the novel, connections you made to the novel or a lesson you learned.

Your work should:

1. Be neat/organized
2. Be original
3. Be accurately related to book events, characterization, theme etc.
4. Have an Introduction with a thesis statement, 3 body paragraphs with topic sentences and 2-3 supporting details each, and a conclusion.

*Are you interested in earning a little extra credit? Turn the page to see how you can earn 50 more points.

Extra Credit (50 pts)

There are two ways you may earn extra credit (to be applied to your ELA class):

1. Read more than one book from the summer reading list and complete parts 1 and 2 of the reading assignment.
2. Complete one of the projects listed below.

Choose from one of the projects below. Don't forget to have fun!

• Create a Book Jacket: Accurately recreate a book jacket but use your own original artwork and written ideas. Include a description, of the setting, name of the main character(s) and introduce the problem of the story (no ending, please!). On the "spine" put the book title and the author's name.

• Script It: Lights, camera, action! Write a movie script for a favorite scene in your book. At the top of the script you can assign real-life TV or movie stars to play each role. Double bonus (yes, that's 100 points): Video record your script. Create backdrops and costumes for a full effect.

• In the News! Create the front page of a newspaper that tells about events and characters in your book. Include weather reports, an editorial or editorial cartoon, ads, etc. which relate to the book. The title of the newspaper and headlines should be appropriately related to topics/themes from the book.

• Create a comic book! Turn a scene from your book into a comic book, complete with comic-style illustrations and dialogue bubbles.

• Characters Come to Life! Create life-size "portraits" of one of the characters from your book. The portrait should include a written piece that tells about the character including information about events, traits, or conflicts in the book that involve your character. Try adding and labeling objects from sections of the story.

• Picture Books: Create a picture book version of your book that would appeal to younger students.

• "Dear Diary" Create a diary or journal and write at least five entries that might have been written by a character in your book; The entries should share important details and events from the story.

• Jackdaw. A jackdaw is a crow-like bird known for picking up various brightly colored objects to add to its nest. Create a jackdaw by choosing important aspects of your novel and placing them in a container representative of your character and the times. Example: Based on the book Holes, you might choose a suitcase to hold your items. Include in your container such things as letters, maps, diary entries, drawings, newspaper articles, pictures and any other item significant to the main character. Attach a note to each item describing the significance of each item.

2010 Summer Reading List: Grade 7

 

The Afterlife by Gary Soto

The victim of a random stabbing at a teen disco, Chuy comes back as a ghost to view his family as they carry on without him -- and to experience both deep friendship and true love.

The Brave by Robert Lipsyte

Having left the Indian reservation for the streets of New York, 17-year-old boxer Sonny Bear tries to harness his inner rage by training with Alfred Brooks, who has left the sport to become a policeman.

Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez

At the age of fourteen, Francisco Jiménez, together with his older brother Roberto and his mother, are caught by la migra. Forced to leave their home, the entire family travels all night for twenty hours by bus, arriving at the U.S. and Mexican border in Nogales, Arizona. In the months and years that follow, Francisco, his mother and father, and his seven brothers and sister struggle to keep their family together.

Crash by Jerry Spinelli

Seventh grader John "Crash" Coogan has always been comfortable with his tough, aggressive behavior, until his relationship with an unusual Quaker boy and his grandfather's stroke make him consider the meaning of friendship and the importance of family.

Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa

Violet is preparing for her quinceanera somewhat reluctantly. Her Cuban-American family wants to go all out for her traditional 15th birthday celebration, but she sees herself as a modern American teen.

Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voight

Dicey Tillerman and her three younger siblings James, Maybeth, and Sammy are now living with their widowed grandmother Abigail Tillerman, or Gram as the children call her, on Gram's farm just outside of Crisfield, Maryland. In Crisfield, the children have the chance to start living a completely new life in their new family home, even though several of the major issues of Homecoming are not resolved.

Dunk by David Lubar

While hoping to work as the clown in an amusement park dunk tank on the New Jersey shore the summer before his junior year in high school, Chad faces his best friend's serious illness, hassles with police, and the girl that got away.

Eragon by Cristopher Paolini

This fantasy novel tells the story of a young farm boy named Eragon and his dragon , Saphira . After Saphira hatches for Eragon in the opening chapters, King Galbatorix sends his servants (including the Ra'zac , Urgals , and the shade Durza) after Eragon and Saphira, in an effort to capture or kill them.

Heat by Mike Lupica

Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo yearns to play in the Majors like his hero, El Grande, also a Cuban immigrant. Michael gets in big trouble when rumors fly that he is older than he claims.

I'd Tell You I Love You But I Would Have To Kill You by Ally Carter (CWMARS)

15 year old Cammie is the daughter of spies. Her father was killed on a mission, so it's just Cammie and her mom now. Plus 100 other girls who attend the super elite, super secret, spy training school her mother runs. Everyone who attends is a genius, they all speak 14 languages, and they take being a spy quite seriously.

Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein

School newspaper reporters Stevie and Susan have a chance to cover college basketball's thrilling playoffs in person. Stumbling on a scheme involving game-fixing and blackmail, they find themselves dealing in real journalism - and real danger.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Newberry Award winning author paints a vivid picture of the streets of the Nazi-occupied Warsaw during World War II, as seen through the eyes of a curious, kind, and naïve orphan.

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

It's a modern fairy tale with a bunch of clever twists. It's a comedy in several acts. Above all it's fun! It takes place in a long ago far away kind of magical land, but has a witty tone. Eighteen-year-old Christian, a hero, is a bright, independent boy. When he was only six-years-old he ran away from his parents and persuaded a troll to let him live with him in his forest cave.

Perfect by Natasha Friend

Isabelle lost her dad to a heart attack, and her mom is too depressed to talk with her daughter. Now Isabelle copes by binging and purging. She makes friends with popular Ashley in her eating-disorder support group, but is the friendship worth the price?

Secret of Me by Meg Kearney

Lizzie and two of her best friends are adopted. At home, Lizzie feels accepted and comfortable, but at school her adoption story is a secret. In a series of poems, Lizzie considers a future where she could share her secret and even look for her birthmother.

Spellbound by Janet McDonald

Raven and her best friend are teenage mothers headed nowhere -- until Raven enters a spelling bee that just might win her a place in an intensive college prep course.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

Have you ever imagined a place where anything is possible? Tangerine is just about that. Paul Fisher, a twelve-year-old kid, is really into soccer and is very good at it.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The City of Ember is the only light in the dark world. Beyond Ember, the darkness goes on forever in all directions. When the children of the city of Ember finish school, they begin work at 12 years of age.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars follows Holling Hoodhood through a school year. Everyone at Camillo Junior High is either Catholic or Jewish—except for Holling Hoodhood. The tension between Holling and his teachers, his classmates, and his family is strikingly real.

The Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake

A gripping story about 14-year-old Maleeka, a girl whose very dark skin causes her trouble at school until she becomes close to a teacher who has lived with a visible birthmark.

Thirteen by James Howe

An assortment of stories by current authors all dealing with the awkward, thrilling, and sometimes funny experience of being age thirteen.

6/10

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