1) Rising 7th grade students have summer reading assignments which include reading an assigned book based on their gender and answering questions, choosing a group discussion book to read, and having the option to read a free choice book. 2) For the group discussion book, students are instructed to choose 3 interesting quotes from the book along with their reasons for choosing them to prepare for discussions in August. 3) Students also have the option to read any chapter book of their choice and answer 4 short questions about it to turn in for their assignment.

1. Summer Assignments
For Rising 7th Graders
Enter
Here

2. What do I
need to do
to be
ready for
school?
And don’t
forget to…

3. Girls read
The Green Glass Sea
by Ellen Klages
Boys read
The Wednesday Wars
by Gary Schmidt
All
students
answer
these
questions

4. Questions to Answer
Answer the following questions in one
paragraph each.
1. How does the main character grow up
by the end of the book and what
lesson(s) does he/she learn?
2. How does the main character’s
friendships impact her/him?
3. What was going on in America’s history
at the time the book is set and how does
that impact the main character?
Assigned
Books

5. Group Choice Books
How to
prepare for
discussion

6. How to Prepare for Discussions
• When you return to school in August, you will
discuss your group choice book with other
students and an adult who also read that book.
• To prepare for the discussion, choose 3 quotes
from the book that you found especially interesting
and worth discussing.
• Either mark the page with a sticky-note or write out
the quote and page number. Include the reason
you found it interesting.
How to find
good quotes
Group
Choice
Books

7. How to find good quotes
Quotes are not necessarily pieces of character
dialogue and should be one sentence to one
paragraph in length. You might choose one
for…
 great writing because of...
 really helps me to imagine the scene
 helps me to understand ____ about ____
(a particular character)
 makes me wonder about...
 helps me figure out the theme (message)
of the book
 Other?
WINTRY EXAMPLES TO BEAT THE HEAT from
Snow Flake Bentley
 “He watched snowflakes fall on his mittens, on
the dried grass of Vermont farm fields, on the
dark metal handle of the barn door.” (pp. 1 – 2;
great writing because of well-chosen details;
helps me imagine scene)
 “‘I can’t afford to miss a single snowstorm,’ he
told a friend. ‘I never know when I will find some
wonderful prize.’” (p.21; helps me understand
Bentley’s passion)
 “Neighbors laughed at the idea of photographing
snow.” p. 15; (makes me wonder how he ignored
neighbors; helps me figure out the theme of book
is about following one’s passion courageously to
achieve something worthwhile)
Martin, Jacqueline Briggs., and Mary
Azarian. Snowflake Bentley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1998. Print.
How to Prepare
for Discussions
Group
Choice
Books

8. Free Choice Book
Pick any
“chapter book”
you want to read.
Questions to
Answer

9. Questions to Answer
For the book of your choice, answer the
following four questions in one to three
complete sentences each.
1. What is the story of the book about?
2. How quickly or slowly did the story
move-- at the start, in the middle, at the
end?
3. How well and in what ways did you get
to know the characters?
4. What emotional reactions did it promote
in you-- humor, sadness, suspense,
etc.?
Free
Choice
Book

10. Hang out
Have fun!
Go outside
Enjoy friends

11. Map
Title
Page
Main
Menu
And Don’t
Forget to…
Free Choice
Book
Group
Choice
Books
Assigned
Book Questions to
Answer
Questions to
Answer
Website:
Green Glass
Sea
Website: The
Wednesday
Wars
Google Doc:
Group
Choice Info
E-mail to ask
which book
chosen
Website:
Destiny
Quest
Discussion
Prep
Map