Church Hill Middle School

2012 Summer Reading Program

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure island" - Walt Disney

Dear Parent/Guardian:

We look forward to having your child as a seventh grade student at Church Hill Middle School. It is our mission to enhance and develop skills necessary for lifelong success. In addition to setting high standards for our students, we have developed a Summer Reading Program. It is proven that a student’s reading level has a direct effect on his/her academic achievement. Therefore it is essential that we continue our commitment to reading throughout the summer break. The purpose of the Summer Reading Program is to encourage all CHMS students to enjoy reading and to view it as a means to gain valuable knowledge.

Over the summer, your student will need to read at least one of the following books and keep a reading journal. The details of the reading journal are on the back of this letter. He or she may read additional books and keep journals for extra credit. Journals will be due during the first week of school. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Rhonda.Richards@hck12.net , Ginger.Little@hck12.net, or Patricia.Endres@hck12.net

- Rising 7th Grade Reading List -

Within Reach, My Everest Story by Mark Pfetzer and Jack Galvin

Jacob I Have Loved by Katherine Paterson

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

 

 

Have a great summer!

Ms. Richards, Ms. Little, and Ms. Endres- 7^th grade Reading and Language Arts teachers

You must make at least five entries for the one book from the list that you choose.  Each entry should begin with the date, title of book, and pages read.  Then write at least one paragraph (6-8 sentences) about the book.  If you keep journals on additional books from the list, you

will be awarded extra credit for a maximum of two extra 100’s.  Your journals will be due during the first week of school. 

Here are some possible topics for your entries:

·         Why did you choose the book?  What do you like or dislike about it so far?

·         Which character is most like you?  Why?

·         Which character is least like you?  How?

·         Describe the setting (time and place) and the main characters of the book.

·         What is the theme or message of the story?  How did you know?  Do you agree with it?

·         Make predictions about what is going to happen in the book.  Explain why you think these things may happen.

·         What movie, book, television series, song, short story, or poem does this book remind you of?  Why?

·         If you could change something about this book, what would it be?  Why?

·         Would you like to read more books by this author?  Why or why not?

·         Describe the climax of this book.

·         Describe something that was easy for you to visualize (see in your mind).

·         What type of people would you recommend this book to?  Why? 

·         Do you think that this book should be on next year’s reading list?   Why or why not?

·         Are you confused about what happened (or didn’t happen) in the book?  Why or why not?  What events or characters do you not understand?  Is there anything that the author could have done to make what happened (or didn’t happen) more clear?

·         What questions would you like to ask the author of the book?  Are they questions that you may be able to answer by reading more about the author’s life and other books?

·         What are the problems the main character faces and how are they solved?

·         How realistic is the plot of your book? Explain.

·         How does the title relate to the story?  Choose another title, tell how it would relate to the book, and why you chose it.

Grading:

 Use the following questions to check over each entry.

·         Is my entry neat?

·         Did I write the date, title, and pages read for each entry?

·         Is it clear that I read and thought about the book?