Mr. Falkowitz
sfalkowitz@bvmschooldarby.com
Summer Reading 2022 – 8th Grade (June 16, 2022)
During the summer, students are expected to complete two Summer Reading assignments. Both Summer Reading assignments will be due in September 2022. Students will be required to read one nonfiction and one fiction book. The nonfiction book discusses the American Civil War. In social studies class, we will begin discussing the Civil War in September; therefore, this book will help prepare students. The fiction book will help reinforce reading comprehension skills along with analyzing the elements of fiction. The books were selected from a list created by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Nonfiction Book:
- The Boys’ War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War by Jim Murphy
Assignment: Create a Google Doc or a Google Slide Show that answers these questions fully and completely (Avoid one-word answers). (50 points)
- What do you already know about the American Civil War?
- Select five teenage soldiers discussed in this book and then provide a brief summary about them. Who are they? Whose side did they fight on? What did they do during the war? What battles did they fight in? What happened to them during the war? FYI: Thomas Galway, Elisha Stockwell, Jr., John Delhaney, and Charles Nott are some of the soldiers that get mentioned the most. Include page numbers. Look in the index for names too.
- After reading this book, what facts and information did you learn about the American Civil War? Provide 3-5 examples.
- What pictures did you find interesting? Why? Include a page number.
- Using this book, what were the causes and effects of the American Civil War?
- Do you feel that this book is complete? If not, what do you think the author (Jim Murphy) should have included?
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Fiction Novels (Pick one):
- A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord
- A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen
- As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds
- The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
- The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Assignment: Create a Google Slide Show that answers these questions fully and completely (Avoid one-word answers and paragraph answers). (50 points)
Slide Show Breakdown:
Slide 1: Title slide (book title, author, your name, picture of the book’s cover)
Slide 2: Main characters (3-5 examples); describe who they are
Slide 3: Fictional Elements (setting, conflict, allusions, foreshadow, figurative language)
Slide 4: Summary of the book (briefly summarize this book)
Slide 5: Quotes (3-5 examples of important sentences; include a page number)
Slide 6: Connections and Review (Could you connect/relate to this book in your life? Should others read this book?
Summer Reading 2022 – 7th Grade (June 16, 2022)
During the summer, students are expected to complete two Summer Reading assignments. Both Summer Reading assignments will be due in September 2022. Students will be required to read one nonfiction and one fiction book. The nonfiction book will help students learn about real people, places, and events in addition to analyzing various nonfiction elements, such as a table of contents, an index, and graphic aids (pictures, maps, timelines). The fiction book will help students with reading comprehension skills, along with analyzing various elements of fiction. The books were selected from a list created by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Fiction Novels (Pick one):
- Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita William-Garcia (Coretta Scott King Award book)
- Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (Poetry)
- Louisiana‘s Way Home by Kate Dicamillo
- Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (Newbery Award book)
- The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
Assignment: Create a Google Slide Show that answers these questions fully and completely (Avoid one-word answers and paragraph answers). (50 points)
Slide Show Breakdown:
Slide 1: Title slide (book title, author, your name, picture of the book’s cover)
Slide 2: Main characters (3-5 examples); describe who they are
Slide 3: Fictional Elements (3-5 examples); describe the setting, conflict, figurative language
Slide 4: Summary of the book (briefly summarize this book)
Slide 5: Quotes (3-5 examples of important sentences and explain their importance; include a page number)
Slide 6: Connections and Review (Could you connect/relate to this book in your life? Should others read this book?
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Nonfiction Novels (Pick one):
- Chasing Space Young Readers’ Edition by Leland Melvin
- Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
- Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard
- The Red Bandanna by Tom Rinaldi
- Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin
Assignment: Create a Google Slide Show that answers these questions fully and completely (Avoid one-word answers and paragraph answers). (50 points)
Slide 1: Title slide (book title, author, your name, picture of the book’s cover)
Slide 2: Main characters (3-5 examples); describe who they are
Slide 3: Nonfiction Elements (3-5 examples); Which elements of nonfiction do you see? How are these elements helpful? Examples may include a table of contents, index, glossary, headers, bolded words, and pictures/visual aids. What was the author’s purpose (to persuade, to inform, to entertain)?
Slide 4: Summary and Facts (briefly summarize this book. What facts did you learn?)
Slide 5: Quotes (3-5 examples of important sentences and explain their importance; include a page number)
Slide 6: Connections and Review (What did you know about the subject matter before you read the book? Could you connect/relate to this book in your life? Should others read this book?