Summer Reading Suggestions
Prepared by ICCSD Teacher-Librarians: Susie Corbin-Muir, Sue Richards, Elizabeth Schau, and Joel Shoemaker
Hot Days, Cool Reads
Other Summers…
Calonita, Jen. Sleepaway Girls. When the exceptionally people-pleasing Sam spends a summer as a counselor-in-training, she learns how to say no, to stand up for herself, and what it feels like to have a crush on a great guy.
Dessen, Sarah. Along for the Ride : a novel. Auden gets a chance to recapture the carefree teen life she missed while her parents were going through a divorce when she spends the summer with her dad and his new family in a charming beach town and meets fellow insomniac Eli, an intriguing loner fighting demons of his own.
Holmes, Elizabeth. Tracktown Summer. Jake, 12, is dumped by his divorced mom at shabby lakeside cabin where he'll spend the summer with his too-busy dad. What could be worse?
Lupica, Mike. The Batboy. Brian is baseball crazy. His summer gig as batboy for the Detroit Tigers seems perfect, but his former hero, Hank, who returns to the team after being caught using steroids, causes problems at the ballpark and at Brian’s home.
Paulsen, Gary. Notes from the Dog. When Johanna shows up at the beginning of summer to house-sit next door to Finn, he has no idea of the profound effect she will have on his life by the time summer vacation is over.
Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.
Whinnern, Reade Scott. Pricker Boy. “Year-rounders” Pete and Stucks have a group of “summer friends” at their lakeside homes with whom they’ve told increasingly scary stories around the campfire over the past several summers. Is Nana a witch? Will the Pricker Boy get them? Best read by flashlight in a tent!
Other Places…
Correa, Shan. Gaff. Hawaiian neighbors and best friends Paul and Angel love the beautiful roosters their respective parents raise for the illegal sport of cock fighting. But they don’t see everything eye-to-eye.
Fullerton, Alma. Libertad. Impoverished brothers, Libertad and Julio, journey north from Guatemala in search of their father following the accidental death of their mother.
Mordecai, Martin. Blue Mountain Trouble. From their seemingly secure farm high in the mountains of Jamaica, Twins Pollyread and Jackson unravel the mysterious connections between a local trouble-maker and their family.
Engle, Margarita. The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s struggle for freedom. Slavery was only an issue in the United States, right? Have you ever heard of the “Reconcentration camps” in Cuba?
Prepared by ICCSD Teacher-Librarians: Susie Corbin-Muir, Sue Richards, Elizabeth Schau, and Joel Shoemaker
Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver. Fourteen-year-old Sig is stranded at a remote cabin in the Arctic wilderness with his father, who died just hours earlier after falling through the ice, when a terrifying man arrives, claiming Sig's father owes him a share of stolen gold and that he will kill Sig if he does not get his money.
Sheth, Kashmira. Boys without Names. Eleven-year-old Gopal and his family leave their rural Indian village to live with his uncle in Mumbai, but when they arrive his father goes missing and Gopal ends up locked in a sweatshop from which there is no escape.
Volponi, Paul. Hurricane Song. Miles is a high school sophomore from Chicago who goes to live with his Dad, a jazz musician, in New Orleans. Then Hurricane Katrina hits. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!
Whelan, Gloria. The Disappeared. Argentinean teen Sylvia becomes the “bait” in a dangerous attempt to rescue her brother, Eduardo, who has been taken by the police.
Other People…
Berk, Josh. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin. When Will Halpin transfers from his all-deaf school into a mainstream Pennsylvania high school, he faces discrimination and bullying, but still manages to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a popular football player in his class.
Draper, Sharon M. Out of My Mind. Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.
Hughes, Mark Peter. Lemonade Mouth. Stella finds herself in detention with Olivia, Charlie and Naomi. But they also find their musical talents, becoming the hottest group in town. Rock on!
Hyde, Catherine Ryan. Diary of a Witness. Friends Ernie and Will are so different. Ernie is overweight, Will is skinny. But both are harassed and bullied at school. Will violence be their answer?
Medina, Tony. I and I: Bob Marley. This biography in verse and art describes the singer’s rise from poverty to international acclaim.
Sonnenblick, Jordan. After Ever After. Although Jeff and Tad, encouraged by a new friend, Lindsey, make a deal to help one another overcome aftereffects of their cancer treatments in preparation for eighth-grade graduation, Jeff still craves advice from his older brother Stephen, who is studying drums in Africa.
Stratton, Allan. Borderline. Despite the strained relationship between them, teenaged Sami Sabiri risks his life to uncover the truth when his father is implicated in a terrorist plot.
Sullivan, George. Knockout!: A photobiography of boxer Joe Lewis. Think it all started with Muhammad Ali? Think again. And look for the Iowa connection!
Warman, Jessica. Breathless. At boarding school, Katie tries to focus on swimming and becoming popular instead of the painful memories of her institutionalized schizophrenic older brother.
Other Games…
Cochrane, Mick. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies. Molly’s dad died, but not before teaching her the secrets of the knuckleball.
Ives, David. Voss : how I come to America and am hero, mostly. Slobovian immigrant teen Vospop Vsklzwczdztwczky writes letters home to his best friend after he, his father and Uncle Shpoont
Prepared by ICCSD Teacher-Librarians: Susie Corbin-Muir, Sue Richards, Elizabeth Schau, and Joel Shoemaker
smuggle themselves into America in a shipping container of black market imitation cheese puffs. Off-the-wall humor sure to offend almost everyone.
Wallace, Rick. Perpetual Check. Do you always understand and get along with your brother(s)? Older brother Zeke and younger brother Randy learn a lot about themselves as they face each other in the Regional Pennsylvania Chess Championships.
Zadoff, Allen. Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have. Fifteen-year-old Andrew Zansky, the second fattest student at his high school, joins the varsity football team to get the attention of a new girl on whom he has a crush.
Other Worlds…
Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. Katniss and Peeta find themselves competing again in a kind of “All Star” Hunger Games. But this time is the President also out to kill her?
Cottrell Boyce, Frank. Cosmic. Twelve-year-old Liam, who looks like he is thirty and is tired of being treated like he is older than he actually is, decides he is going to pose as the adult chaperone on the first spaceship to take civilians into space, but when he ends up in outer space with a group of kids and no adult supervision, he must think fast to make things right.
Del Alcantara, Pedro. Backtracked. Tommy is a slacker NYC teen who finds out just how much his world has changed when he’s transported into the city’s past.
Fisher, Catherine. Incarceron. To free herself from an upcoming arranged marriage, Claudia, the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, a futuristic prison with a mind of its own, decides to help a young prisoner escape.
Maas, Wendy. Eleven Birthdays. Leo and Amanda, born on the same day in the same hospital, have grown up celebrating their birthdays together every year. Are they cursed to keep doing this forever?
Marchetta, Melina. Finnikin of the Rock. Now on the cusp of manhood, Finnikin, who was a child when the royal family of Lumatere was brutally murdered and replaced by an imposter, reluctantly joins forces with an enigmatic young novice and fellow-exile, who claims that her dark dreams will lead them to a surviving royal child and a way to regain the throne of Lumatere.
Nelson, R.A. Days of Little Texas. Ronald Earl, aka Little Texas, is almost 16 years old when he starts to doubt his faith. This IS a problem, because he’s the star preacher of a touring tent show evangelist circuit.
Reeve, Philip. Fever Crumb. Foundling Fever Crumb has been raised as an engineer although females in the future London, England, are not believed capable of rational thought, but at age fourteen she leaves her sheltered world and begins to learn startling truths about her past while facing danger in the present.
Other Times
Brimner, Larry Dane. Birmingham Sunday. Provides an account of the racially-motivated bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963, which resulted in the deaths of four children, and discusses how the tragedy spurred the passage of the landmark 1964 civil rights legislation.
Brown, Linda Beatrice. Black Angels. A gritty depiction of the American Civil War seen through the eyes of Luke, an eleven-year-old runaway slave, 9-year-old Daylily, and Caswell, the seven-year-old son of a plantation owner, who has become lost in the woods.
Prepared by ICCSD Teacher-Librarians: Susie Corbin-Muir, Sue Richards, Elizabeth Schau, and Joel Shoemaker
Cushman, Karen. Alchemy and Meggy Swann. Meggy Swann, a girl who walks with the aid of two sticks, arrives in Elizabethan London, along with her goose Louise, to stay with her father who really does not want her, and while he pursues his dream of transforming base metal into gold, Meggy undergoes a transformation herself.
Frost, Helen. Crossing Stones. Elegantly crafted poetry tells the tale of four teens from neighboring farms who grow up together, then find their lives changed forever by WWI.
Mann, Charles C. Before Columbus: the Americas of 1491. Read history you might have missed in school: why did the Pilgrims “win”? Was the New World really new? And was the land “untouched”?
Partridge, Elizabeth. Marching for Freedom: Walk together children and don’t you grow weary. Learn about some of the teens who ignited, fought for change and sometimes died during the United States Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s.
Slayton, Fran Cannon. When the Whistle Blows. Why doesn’t Jimmy’s dad want him to follow in the family footsteps and work for the railroad? Six Halloweens figure prominently in this stunning fictional memoir of small-town life the 1940’s.
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.
2010-2011 Iowa Teen Award Nominees
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared.
Bingham, Kelly. Shark Girl.
Bodeen, S. A. The Compound.
Colfer, Eoin. Airman.
Connor, Leslie. Waiting for Normal.
Dowell, Frances O'Roark. Shooting the Moon.
Green, Tim. Football Genius.
Hiaasen, Carl. Scat!
Jaramillo, Ann. La Linea.
Lockhart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.
Prineas, Sarah. Magic Thief.
Scott, Michael. The Alchemyst: the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.
Smith, Roland. Elephant Run.
Sonnenblick, Jordan. Notes from the Midnight Driver.
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Runaway
For other great books, ask the young adult librarians at our local public libraries!
Week of May 24-28
Monday through Wednesday: We will watch Shakespeare in the Classroom, read Kids Discover Shakespeare, and perform a simplified version of Twelfth Night as we do our final unit this year, A Taste of Shakespeare. There will be a short quiz over the film. Just one more DOL quiz, and we will finish up our last two sentences by Day 180. You have done very well, and now you should have many of the skills you need to proofread your own writing. Turn in your Elements of Literature textbook on Wednesday; this is the one you took home last September. If it is in by Wednesday, you will receive ten points. Be sure to take your End of the Year Book home and have a parent or guardian sign it for ten points.
Thursday: Northwest Gives Back Day. Community service in the morning is followed by lunch and fun activities in the afternoon.
Friday: This is the last day to show me your parent signature for credit. Remember that a parent or guardian only needs to sign the book to indicate that it came home. They can take their time filling out the responses for you. We will continue with Shakespeare today.
May 17-21
Monday and Tuesday: These are your final two days in the computer lab to finish up the End of the Year books. Monday, type the last of six Volcano Writes. Some of you wrote about a special piñata party. Others wrote about a family get-together, another type of celebration, or special event. It will go right behind “No $ Fun” in the Volcano Write section of your book. Did you print your Publication Page? Did you print “My Life List” and your “Annotated Top Ten List” yet? You may use color for these pages. If not, do so now.
Wednesday: Turn in your End of the Year book today! A complete book turned in on time is worth one hundred points, and there are a few extra credit options available to you. See the yellow grade sheet for specifics. Once your book is bound later this week, you will take it home and have it signed by a parent or guardian for an additional ten points. In addition to turning in your book today, there will be a quiz over the second part of “Flowers for Algernon.” Vocabulary words to know are: misled, tangible, refute, invariably, regression, verified, obscure, deterioration, hypothesis, and introspective.
Thursday: Today is Novel Day, so please bring a book you are reading independently to class. If you need to check out a new book, bring one you want to exchange. If you come with no book, you will not get the five points. Read and log at least seventy-five pages every week. Many of you are reading much more than that, but everyone should try to read at least the minimum number of pages weekly. I am eager to begin The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. I just finished The Last Song. It was touching and bittersweet. Both have recently been filmed, but I usually enjoy the books better.
Friday: Hold on to the sentence run-ons and fragments packet. Keep it in your 3-ring LA binder under the Skills section. We will work more on that today and see how far we can get. Before you go on to high school, I want you to know a complete sentence and how to fix a run-on or a fragment. There will be a test over this to
pic soon, so pay close attention as we correct this in class.
May 10-14
Monday and Tuesday: We will continue with “Flowers for Algernon.” As soon as we finish the first part, there will be a short test. Tuesday, we will fit in a DOL Quiz over the material covered during weeks 29-32. If you are having trouble in any way with these quizzes, please come before school or after school one day so I can go over things one-on-one with you.
Wednesday: Turn in your Introduction and Dedication to your End of the Year Book today. There is no special length for the dedication, and that can b
e quite short, but the introduction to your book should answer all of the questions on the yellow sheet thoroughly, be double spaced in a 12 point font, and be at least a page in length.
Thursday: Today will be a Novel Day. Continue reading a minimum of 75 pages every week in your independent novel. Record what you read on the new teal-colored log. Gym Candy was the Iowa Teen Choice for NWJH. If you have not yet read this popular title, you might want to give it a try. The LMC has quite a few copies on hand. I like Runner by Karl Deuker, too,
Friday: Back to “Flowers for Algernon.” We will get as far as we can. Keep working
on typing up the Volcano Writes and Poems for the book you are making. If you want to include autograph pages, that is fine. Any extras should come after the Goals unit (Life Lists) and before the Parent Page. Be sure all staples are removed from your assignments, be sure all pages including the covers are facing upright and turned the way you want them bound, and don’t put any handwritten papers in your book. Everything should be typed. The final books ready to be bound are due on Wednesday, May 19. A complete book is worth 100 points. The Parent Page is signed AFTER you take your book home. Retun it to me signed for ten more points. Then, it is yours to keep.
May 3-7
Monday-Tuesday: type your final Book Review using the notes from your recent Book Report. If you wish, you may choose to review an entirely new book, in which case you will have no notes to use. This fifty point review is due Wednesday at the start of your class period. If you finish the review early, please complete as much as you can for your End of the Year Book. You will need the Introduction and Dedication, the Publication Page, the Volcano Writes, the Poems, and anything else you have not yet typed.
Wednesday: “Flowers for Algernon” continues. We are closing in on Part One. Once we finish, there is a short quiz with no vocabulary. Parts of this story remind me of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. You might want to give it a try if you are a very good reader. Another appropriate tie-in is the classic Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, based on a famous historical incident. There are many parallels between Crusoe and Charlie Gordon.
Thursday: Novel Day. Keep the new teal logs up to date with your independent reading. Try to read a minimum of 75 pages weekly. I am enjoying The Last Apprentice and The Last Song. As we approach the end of the school year, maybe “the last” is appropriate!
Friday: This is your last Volcano Write. Together, we will read a short Dave Barry column from the Miami Herald called “When Pinata Parties Go Wrong,” and they often do! It is humorous and uses a good deal of hyperbole. If you have ever been to a piñata party, you will have lots to talk about. If not, think of a party you have attended where things went either very well or just the opposite. What makes a successful party memorable? Why do we remember dramatic events like the destruction of a piñata? Why are piñatas made of weapons-grade materials, materials which are seemingly impossible to penetrate with simple sticks? Think about hyperbole as you compose your thoughts. This is a fun essay to read and to write. It will be included in your book, so do a careful job on it.
April 26-30
Monday and Tuesday: We will continue reading in “Flowers for Algernon,” Part One. In addition to reading and discussion, you will have the opportunity to see a few film clips from the Academy Award-winning mid-60s Charley and the more recent 2002 version. The performances are outstanding and will give you insight into the character’s development. As soon as we finish the first part of the story, you will have a test. The reading strategy is using context clues, something you have had a lot of practice doing in class. I don’t think this will give you trouble.
Wednesday though Friday: You were given an extension on getting those covers done. Turn them in by Thursday, April 29. They go to the laminator on Friday, April 30. Put some time, thought, and effort into them, please. We will be in Lab B typing things for the End of the Year Books. This week, get both of the life list assignments finished, printed in color, and be sure both are turned in to me by April 30. Put your name on both the “My Life List” and the “Annotated Top Ten List.” Each list is worth fifty points. Add a minimum of five pictures to each document to illustrate your choices. We are fortunate to be able to use the lab on Thursday. If you are caught up, you make read independently in the lab or check out a new book if you need one. Otherwise, keep working on the lists, your introduction and dedication to the book, the volcano writes, any poems you have not yet typed, or the “All About Me, A-Z” or a personalized Table of Contents. The last two would be for extra credit. You may also start your final book review. You already have your notes from the book report if you’d like to use them. As always, you may choose to review an entirely 
new book. Is your title page finished? I would urge you to make good use of the color printer while it is up and running. Lots to do!
April 19-23
Monday and Tuesday: “Flowers for Algernon” is a well-known science fiction story, one your parents probably read when they were your age. It is very difficult to read at the start, due to punctuation issues. We will be taking some of the Rorschach inkblot tests along with Charlie Gordon, and “running” some of the mazes along with Charlie and Algernon. They are tricky! I have a couple of film versions, so we will see just a few clips to give you an idea of how the characters are portrayed and how Charlie changes over time. You will love this fascinating story.
Wednesday: This Writers’ Workshop Day is intended to give you time to work on your Life List, your Annotated Top Ten List, and the Introduction and Dedication to your End of the Year Book. Make good use of your time! There aren’t very many days left in the Lab to get everything typed and assembled for book b
inding.
Thursday: Bring a book to class today for Novel Day for five points. Keep your Reading Log up to date. Read at least seventy-five pages in an independent novel every week. Any time you are ready, begin typing up your final Book Review. You already have the directions in your binder. Two books I have recently enjoyed are Richard Peck’s A Season of Gifts (I know it’s the wrong season for it, but it was wonderful!) and Never Cry Werewolf, a new one by Heather Davis. I like almost anything by Peck, but I found this one to be especially touching, not to mention hilarious.
Friday
: Covers are due for lamination. Turn in both front and back covers with your initials lightly written inside. Remember to leave at least a one-fourth inch margin all around the edges so the laminating film can stick. Otherwise, they will peel apart and you will be very disappointed. After turning in the covers, we will continue in the first part of “Flowers for Algernon.” There will be tests over this story, so read carefully and pay attention to new vocabulary.
Week of April 12-16
Monday through Wednesday: We will read an article about famous explorer John Goddard called “I Wanted to do it All.” When he was fifteen, he wrote down a Life List of everything he hoped to accomplish and set about checking items off his list. You will create a list, based on the model he created. You must include a minimum of fifty items listed under five different categories. I will give you a sample for ideas. After listing fifty items, you will choose your Top Ten List and annotate your favorite ten things with short paragraphs. There will be some time given during class to work on your list, but some of this assignment will probably need to be finished later at home. You may print your lists in color for your End of the Year Book. Be working on your covers for your book. Covers are due by Thursday, April 29, which is the last Thursday in April.
Thursday: No $ Fun, the long Volcano Write already written during class time, is due today. Be sure that it is typed, proofread, and at least one and one half to two pages in length, double spaced, in a 12 point font (Helvetica or Palatino).
Friday: DOL Quiz today over the previous four weeks of grammar sentences. Please come in for extra help if you need it before or after school. You will have time after the quiz to continue working on your Life List and your annotated Top Ten List. To each list, add at least five pictures or clip art. You may also start writing your Introduction and Dedication. I will have a yellow hand-out listing the order of items to be included in your End of the Year Book. Start checking the assignments off and putting them in order any time, including today. You will need to remove any staples before your book is bound.
Week of April 5-9
Monday: We will continue reading in the non-fiction article “Animal Rights, Animal Welfare.” As time permits, I will start Jumbo, the true story of one of the most famous elephants in the world.
Tuesday and Wednesday: You have two days in Lab B this week to finish editing The Barn short story assignment due Thursday and to type up “No $ Fun.” Look on the yellow handout for ideas. You may write a memoir about a variety of things you did as a child for fun or focus in depth of just one thing. Remember that the activity must cost little or no money. Any work you do not finish by Wednesday will need to be completed as homework. If you finish both of these assignments early, you can w
ork on the Publication Page for the End-of-the-Year Books. You have the pink handout as an example. Begin working on your covers any time you like, but they will be coming due in a few weeks. At the very least, decide on an idea/theme you want to use on the cover.
Thursday and Friday: The completed, proofread version of The Barn short story is due on Thursday for full points. The maximum score for the final story is fifty points. You took the Degrees of Reading Power test in the fall of your eighth grade year, and now you will take the same test again so that your teachers can check your progress in reading comprehension. There won’t be any specialized test preparation, since we did that before the first test. By now, this should be fairly routine. Do your best. There will be no Novel Day this week, but if you finish the test early you may read your independent novel afterwards. You will have all the time you nee
d to finish this test.
March 29-April 2
Monday and Tuesday: Today you will write a more complicated Volcano Write called “No $ Fun,” or “No Money Fun.” (Some people say it’s “No Money, No Fun,” but that isn’t it!) I will read Roxaboxen by Caroline Cooney, the true story of a group of children during the Depression who made a town of their own to play with using just wooden crates and rocks found in the Arizona desert. We will read “The Days of Cardboard Boxes” together. The short article tells of three children who use a refrigerator box as a time machine to go anywhere their imaginations can take them. Think back to summer days at home when you played Night Games or made a club house in the woods. Have you ever made blanket forts on rainy days or played in cardboard boxes with your friends? Did you make show angels or have snowball fights? Think back to a time when you didn’t need any money to have fun. Write about those childhood memories in a one to two page essay. You will type it next week for your book. I love reading these, so do a great job! I will tell you about when I used to sail over jumps riding my horse, which was actually a board with shoelaces for a bridle. My hat was a Tupperware bowl! Good times…
Wednesday: Depending on how far we get Tuesday, we will read the non-fiction article “Animal Rights, Animal Welfare” or take more time to finish up with “No $ Fun.” I want to start reading Jumbo soon, too. It is fascinating and true.
Thursday: Book Report due today for full credit. If everything is done correctly, it is worth thirty-five points. It should be a book where an animal plays a key role, a classic, or one of the multicultural titles we discussed on the book cart. Bring a book today to read independently for five points. Keep your reading log up to date.
Friday: “The B
arn” typed draft is due today for ten points. Be sure it meets the criteria listed on the green handout. Three people will read your draft and give you feedback in the form of a positive comment and a suggestion to improve your story. Only make corrections on DOL if you are very sure about it. These barn vignettes should be about two-three pages in a 12 point font, Helvetica or Palatino. Keep margins to no more than 1.25 inches, and 1 inch is best.
March 22-26
Monday-Tuesday: “The Barn” is our spring story. You will receive a green copy of instructions and ideas from m. Monday, I will read you All the Places to Love to give you ideas about what it would be like to have a barn as a major element in your own stories. I will also read an example written by a former student to give you some idea of what a successful story sounds like. It helps to imagine a spec
ific barn as you write your description. I have a poster of Iowa barns and some books with my photos of barns for you to use. Get as much written asyou can during class on Tuesday. You c
an set your story anywhere at any time. Keep the number of characters to a manageable number. Your story may be any genre you enjoy, but be sure to include a memory trigger. Your character enters the barn, something there triggers a memory, there is a flashback, and the character finally exits the barn. Two pages is a minimum requirement, but keep it under five pages, please. Type in 12 point font, either Helvetica or Palatino. Use 1” margins.
Wednesday and Friday: We will be in Lab B working on the draft copy of your barn story. Be sure to check your DOL!
Thursday: Novel Day. Your book report is due today for thirty-five points. The book you have chosen for your report should be one of the multicultural titles reviewed in class, a classic, and/or a book where an animal plays a major role in the story.
March 8-12
Speech and Debate season is just around the corner. Come this Friday after school to the first meeting. More information can be found on the NWJH website. You will meet some of your high school coaches and get an idea about the many categories and options available to you. It’s a lot of fun, and I hope to see many of you participating in this great opportunity! We are six-time state champs. Keep up the Viking winning tradition and learn a lot along the way! The state tournament is in Des Moines in May, and this year you have the chance to go to the Nationals in Iowa!
Be there or be square! B²
Monday through Wednesday: Today we begin our Talk to the Animals unit. For oral lit, I will be reading the true story of Jumbo. We will start with “And the Dogs Could Teach Me,” excerpted from a Gary Paulsen novel. Then, we’ll wrap up the week with a thought-provoking nonfiction article called “Animal Rights, Animal Welfare.” For this month’s book report due on March 26, Thursday, please chose either a multi-cultural book, a classic, or a book where an animal plays and important role. I’ll bring some good titles into the room, too. For excellent readers, I recommend Watership Down or The Call of the Wild. Good readers will enjoy Where the Red Fern Grows. Don’t forget to give some thought to trying the many excellent books we discussed during your presentations for Black History Month. I will show a short video showing you some options for your End of the Year Book Covers. You will have a bit of time to work on your design. We are doing this early enough that you can think about it over break.
Thursday: We will have our Volcano Write today in class, since I know that some people will be absent tomorrow. If you are absent, please be sure to get this done over break. Here is your prompt: “Describe your perfect Spring Break.” It’s okay to dream a little. Who would you take along? What kinds of things would you enjoy? Where would you go?
Friday: Today will be our Novel Day this week instead of the usual Thursday. Please remember to bring your book to class to read. Keep up in your new log! If you have time, plan to read over break. Check out something good from the LMC. If you need some help choosing a new title, let me know and I will go with you.
March 1-5
Monday-Wednesday: The African-American/Multicultural book cart assignment posted was moved from last week to this week. We did the oral sharing of one of the historical fiction diaries/journals the week of February 22-26. Monday, you will select a book from the cart or the LMC to share. Fill out the gold form (extras on the cart if needed) to use as notes for your presentation. Your review does not need to be a wholly positive one. If you do not feel a particular work has merit, say so, but keep in mind that there are many different styles of writing and not every one will appeal to you. Be sure you have your reading log up-to-date and list your end-of-tri total in the appropriate place for full credit. You should have read about 900-1,000 pages, but don’t worry about the number. Some books take longer to read than others. If you tackled Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper, those will be slower going than Dueker’s Gym Candy. The important thing is that you keep reading!
Thursday: Bring your completed log to class. Be ready to turn it in at the beginning of the period. It is worth 25 points. Bring a book to read for 5 points. Friday is the last day of the tri. If you have any extra credit work, be sure I get it by then.
Friday: If we haven’t yet finished the book talks, we will do that today. If we have finished, we will either start the non-fiction article “Animal Rights, Animal Welfare” or Gary Paulsen’s “And the Dogs Could Teach Me” to begin our next unit called Talk to the Animals.
February 22-26
Monday through Wednesday: You will be given an opportunity to explore some recent and not-as-recent publications of African American and multicultural literature available in our LMC. Follow the instructions below to prepare for your oral presentation. I hope to spend Monday and Tuesday getting ready and Wednesday presenting. We will still need to do oral presentations from your historical fiction journals. I hope I can get the last of them graded the weekend of February 20-21. Many of you wrote FAR more than the minimum requirements. It is taking me at least two hours per class to get through them! I will bring in flameless candles, close the curtains, and we will listen to the voice of your character share his or her story next week. Each of these oral presentations will be worth ten points.
Selections of African American and
Multicultural Literature
- First, choose a book from the LMC cart in our room.
- Pick something you think you can share effectively with the class.
- Spend the period reading selected passages, looking at the major sections, headings, and photos if any.
- Read the inside cover flaps for information on the plot if the book is fiction, the topic if it is non-fiction, and the author’s background.
- Take notes on this sheet to use during your 2-3 minute oral presentation.
Title: _____________________________________________________________
Author: ___________________________________________________________
Type of book (fiction or non-fiction): ___________________________________
Number of pages: _________________
Date of publication: _________________
Who do you think might enjoy a book like this one (boys, girls, anyone, people who like to learn about history, people who enjoy realistic fiction, etc.)?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Why should a reader pick up your book? Sell your selection to the class!
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is this book about?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name of reviewer: ________________________________________________________________________
Class Period _________
Thursday: Novel Day. If you want to check out one of the books you’ve heard about, there will be time to do so today. Keep your reading log up to date, as the trimester is soon coming to a close. Read a minimum of 75 pages every week outside of class and record the books you read in your log. Bring a book to class today for five points.
Friday: We have not done a Volcano Write in quite a while, so now is the time. Here is your prompt: Of all the things someone could sincerely say about you, which would make you feel the best about yourself and why? As usual, you may write about something else if you want, and you may also write about both the prompt and a topic of your own choice. Be sure you write for a minimum of 25-30 minutes, are honest in your response, check your own DOL, and circle your emotion word at the end of your writing. This is an “in class” assignment. Be very sure you turn it in before you leave class.
February 15-20
Monday: No classes for students.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: For African American History Month, we will be reading a few selections together from our textbook including “Harriet Tubman,” the lyrics to “Go Down, Moses,” the “Freedom Walk” diary entries, and a traditional tale called “The People Who Could Fly.” As we read these selections, we will be drawing connections between experiences shared by those Americans living in slavery and Jewish people suffering during the Holocaust. “The People Who Could Fly,” in particular, draws a very strong parallel. In our text, there is a religion/literature element we will consider. Mrs. Richards is pulling from our LMC collection of African American, Latino, and Native American literature so that you may chose something to read independently. This is not a requirement, but it is something you may wish to do. I am having copies made listing particularly good titles and author websites, which I received on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.
Thursday: Novel Day. Bring a book to class for five points. This weekend, I finished the third book in the excellent Bartemeus trilogy, Ptolemy’s Gate. It never disappointed, right up to the end—which I will NOT give away! I highly recommend it, even if you do not enjoy fantasy. I usually don’t, but I loved this series. I also am enjoying A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson. It is set in Austria just before WWII. With all we have been learning about that time period, it is fascinating. This author always does a nice job, but it is definitely intended more for girls. If you can’t find something you like, ask me and I will try to help you at the LMC. You might want to try something from the cart. Many good non-fiction and fiction books are available at Northwest for every taste.
Feb. 8-12
Monday and Tuesday: Some of you have already read The Wave by Todd Strasser, based on actual events that happened in California in the 1960s. Today, we will start a short dramatization on this topic published in Read magazine. On your own for homework this week, you are assigned to finish Act II of The Diary of Anne Frank in your textbook. Everyone should have a copy of this book checked out from the LMC. You should keep it at home to read. There will be a test over Act II on Friday, Feb. 12. The literary element is conflict. There are many examples of conflict among the characters. Think about the characters that do and do not experience conflict. Vocabulary words to know are: A. disgruntled, B. inarticulate, C. forlorn, D. animation, and E. remorse.
Wednesday: As you are aware, we have been saving all of your finished writing assignments in your own portfolio to publish in a book at the end of the year. Today, you will begin to plan a cover for your work. It will be laminated and spiral-bound. I will show you a short video of possible ideas for your cover, but please feel free to use your creativity and originality. You will also see a short clip from the Academy Award-winning film version of the Anne Frank story today. If we have not yet finished The Wave play, we will do that, too.
Thursday: This is a Novel Day. Bring an independent novel to class for five points. If you want to read from the textbook to study for tomorrow’s test over the second act of The Diary of Anne Frank, you may do that. Unless you bring a book to class, however, you will not receive the five points. You should be reading at least seventy-five pages every week in your independent book. I enjoyed The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart recently. We finally got the third in the Bartemaeus Trilogy recently rebound. I’ve been waiting since December! A hilarious parody or Twilight is coming soon to our LMC. Don’t miss the Harvard Lampoon’s Nightlight!
Friday: There is a test today over the last act of Anne Frank. Your Historical Fiction Diary is due today for fifty points. The cover sheet must be completed for an additional five points. You will share an oral entry with the class for ten points. This is a huge assignment, so please do everything possible to get it to me on time. There is a severe penalty for late work, as you know. Should you finish the test early, you may work on plans for your End of the Year Book cover. I will have paper available for this purpose.
Happy Valentine’s Day Monday—no classes for you!
February 1-5
Monday and Tuesday: We have only these two days in the computer lab to complete your Historical Fiction Diary. You need to finish typing all five entries for a minimum of two typed, double spaced pages. You need to create some kind of a cover for your diary. 
By the end of Tuesday, you should be completely done with the first two to three entries. If you lose the white instruction sheet, ask me for another one.
Wednesday: “Camp Harmony” and So Far from the Sea. We will finish up these two items started last Friday. Both deal with the subject of Japanese Internment Camps in the U.S. during WWII. There will be a test over “Camp Harmony” on Friday. Vocabulary words to know are these: a. palled b. tersely c. glutinous d. elongated e. laconically f. breach g. medley h. riveted i. harrowing j. vigil. The grammar link is avoiding double negatives. The literary element is autobiography.
Thursday: Novel Day. Read at least 75 pages in your independent reading book. I read Lost this weekend. It deals with the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist fire in NY in 1909. It’s a great example of historical fiction. I think you would like it and learn a lot about that time in history.
Friday: We will have the test over “Camp Harmony,” Scenes 4-5 in The Dairy of Anne 
Frank, and DOL through Day 100. Remember when Day 100 used to b
e fun? Me, too! Did you make Froot Loop necklaces? If you finish early, you may work on the Historical Fiction Diary project.
January 18-22
Monday: MLK, Jr. Day. No classes.
Tuesday and Wednesday: You will be given a new writing assignment today, “Create a Historical Fiction Diary.” All of the requirements are listed on the hand-out. You will need five entries 
representing five different periods in time for the character you create for yourself. Use as many accurate historical references as you can. You might want to refer to the time-line of events in our text. 
There will be a total of four days to type your diary in the lab, January 26-27, and February 1-2. The diary will be due on Friday, February 5. Fill out the second page and
Thursday: Novel Day. Bring a book to class. Last week, I enjoyed Shadowed Summer. If you are a fan of ghost stories, you’d like this one. It is not too long and had an unexpected twist. I also liked Peak a lot and learned quite a bit about mountain climbing from reading it. Now, I am reading Pete Hautman’s Invisible. It is good so far, and I think I can see where it is going with the plot.
Friday: Test over The Diary of Anne Frank, Act I, Scenes 1-3. The literary element is flashback. Vocabulary words are: unabashed, conspicuous, loathe, indignantly, and fortify. Once you complete the test, you may work on the next entry in your historical fiction diary. You know a lot about this topic. Use your knowledge and vocabulary to make your story come to life. Eventually, you will be sharing aloud your favorite entry with the class.
January 11-15
Monday and Tuesday: The Writing on the Wall starring Hal Linden will be shown today in class. This excellent, Emmy Award-winning film version of a modern event deals with prejudice and anti-Semitism. It lasts forty-five minutes, so part of it will be shown on Tuesday. There is a note sheet to fill out as you watch. If you are absent, please schedule a make-up. The Kristallnacht poem you wrote in class last Friday is due this Tuesday, January 12, for ten points. Type it if at all possible. It will leave you less to type at the end of the year for your book. Remember to write to poem from one of four points of view: victim, perpetrator, partisan, or bystander.
Wednesday: We will continue reading Act I in The Diary of Anne Frank. There will be three tests over the material. You are expected to make up the reading at home if you are absent.
Thursday: Turn in your book report over a Holocaust or World War II novel today for thirty-five possible points. Fill out the white sheet. If you need an extra, I have them. You will use these notes later to write your book review, so be sure to complete every part. I am reading Peak by Roland Smith. This is the author who wrote Jack’s Lie and Zach’s Run, all Iowa Teen Award nominees.
Friday: Turn in your notes from The Writing on the Wall today. This is the day of the spelling and vocabulary test over the Holocaust and WWII words. You have them marked in your Edict packet filed under the “Miscellaneous Things to Save” section of your three-ring language arts notebook. Study them all and know the four bonus questions for extra credit. Your grade will reflect the amount of time you spend.
January 4-8
Monday and Tuesday: Welcome back after break! I hope you had two good weeks of relaxation and are now ready to get back to business. Did you get some reading done? We start with The Diary of Anne Frank in class on Monday and part of Tuesday. Your Holocaust or WWII book report will be due a week from this Thursday on Thursday, January 14. Fill out all parts of the white book report note form. You will need this report to write your review later, so please don’t forget to do it for thirty-five possible points. At the end of the period on Tuesday, I will finish the story of Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti about a young German partisan who helps the children in a concentration camp. This story will tie in with an article we will read on Wednesday.
Wednesday: Hans and Sophie Scholl were brave young Germans, a brother and sister team of students, who resisted Hitler and urged others to do so. Hans founded the White Rose Society, and they both distributed leaflets to make their case. They were caught, tried, and executed, but their brave story lives on. There is a statue in Munich commemorating their struggle and sacrifice for a free Germany. There was a recent movie about this, too. We will read an article about them today. As you write your Kristallnacht poem later this week, remember the partisans who heroically risked all to help those victims who could not help themselves.
Thursday: Novel Day. Bring your book to class to read today. Keep up in your reading log. You are expected to read and log at least seventy-five pages in an independent novel every week. Do not neglect this important requirement. It will prepare you for success in high school and beyond.
Friday: We will spend part of the period today starting the Kristallnacht poems, which had to be postponed due to the two snow days lost in December. Think of the four points of view: partisan, perpetrator, victim, and bystander. You may want to include a refrain. For the rest of the period, we will continue reading in The Diary of Anne Frank. Pay attention to the vocabulary as that will appear on your first test.