Peachtree Academy
SUMMER READING 2013
For Rising KINDERGARTEN Students
Summer provides many opportunities for parents and young children to enjoy unforgettable books together. We would like for all of our families to provide reading opportunities for their children during the summer. Here is
a list of books to help you get started. Choose a few to share with your child. Enjoy!
Read Alouds
Aylesworth: Naughty Little Monkeys c2003 alphabet
Twenty-six monkeys get into mischief when their parents go out for the evening in this rhyming alphabet book.
Ehlert: Pie in the Sky c2004 family fiction
As a father and his child view the cherry tree in their back yard, they refer to it as a pie tree. Includes a recipe.
Kimmel: The Gingerbread Man c1993 fairy tale
This familiar fairy tale features a gingerbread man who runs away from the woman who bakes him and meets other animals along the way, including a clever fox.
Pfister: Rainbow Fish animal stories
The most beautiful fish in the ocean with the shimmering silver scales discovers the beauty of sharing.
Rosen: We're Going on a Bear Hunt c2003 animals, fiction
Brave bear hunters go through grass, a river, mud and other obstacles before the inevitable encounter with the bear forces a headlong retreat.
Rosenthal: Duck! Rabbit! c2009 animals
Sierra: Counting Crocodiles c1997 counting, rhyming
A monkey outsmarts ten crocodiles that stand between her and a banana tree by using her ability to count.
Sierra: Wild About Books c2004 animals, humor
A librarian accidentally drives her bookmobile to the zoo and subsequently reads a Dr. Seuss book to the animals.
Taback: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat c1999 diversity
Joseph starts out with an overcoat and ends with a button.
Thompson: Little Quack c2003 animals
Mama Duck encourages her four ducklings to leave the nest. The youngest and smallest, Little Quack, proves to be the most reluctant.
Wood: Alphabet Adventure c2001 alphabet
The letters of the alphabet join the search to help "i" find her dot in order to continue their journey in this colorful alphabet book.
Wood:The Napping House c1984 sleep, fiction
For Rising FIRST GRADE Students
Book Report #1 - Sandwich Book Report
Each upcoming first grader is to pick one book from the following list and complete the assigned sandwich book report. 100 Days of School Caps for Sale Cat in the Hat Corduroy
Curious George Fancy Nancy Flat Stanley The Gingerbread Man Green Eggs and Ham Henry and Mudge Kissing Hand Morris Goes to School Owl Moon Rainbow Fish Snowy Day The Hungry Caterpillar If You Give a Cat a Cupcake If You Give a Pig a Pancake Library Mouse
Duck for President
You are to create a sandwich with the following items. Be creative! You can create a mobile, use foam, poster board, etc…
1. Top slice of bread, - write the title and the author’s name. 2. Onion – Setting – describe when and where the story takes place. 3. Lettuce – Main Characters – tell who the story is about.
4. Tomato – Plot – describe the main events and actions in the story. 5. Cheese – Conclusion – tell about the ending.
6. Meat – Favorite Part – describe your favorite part of the book.
7. Bottom slice of bread – write your name and date. Draw a picture of your favorite part.
Book Report #2 – The Giving Tree
Each upcoming first grader is to read The Giving Tree. There will be activities and assignments designed around this book during the first week of school.
For Rising SECOND GRADE Students
All 2nd grade students are required to read Sarah, Plain and Tall. We will discuss and complete activities with this book the first week of school.
All upcoming 2nd graders need to choose one book from the list below to read and complete a project on it. Please choose one of the following projects to do for the book your child
chooses. This project needs to be brought to class the first day of school. Choice 1: Cereal Box
See attached instructions. Choice 2: Book Cover
The student will create a book cover about his/her favorite part of the book. The cover needs to have the book title and author on it. It must have a picture and it must be colored. The picture must be original and not copied from the any current cover. The student will then write a brief description on the back about what happened and why it is his/her favorite part of the book.
Book List
A to Z Mysteries Series (Roy) Chalk Box Kid (Bulla)
Magic Tree House Series (Osborne) Frog and Toad Series (Lobel)
The Boxcar Children Series (Warner) The Courage of Sarah Noble (Dalgliesh) Cam Jansen Series (Adler)
Judy Moody and Stink Series (McDonald) Nate the Great Series (Sharmat)
Amber Brown Series (Danzinger)
For Rising Third Grade Students
All 3rd grade students are required to read The Mouse and the Motorcycle. We will discuss and do some activities with this book the first week of school.
All upcoming 3rd graders need to choose one book from the list below to read and complete a project on it. Please choose one of the following projects to do for the book your child
chooses. This project needs to be brought to class the first day of school. Diorama
Choose a scene from the book and create a 3-D representation of that scene. Make it creative and colorful. Set the diorama up in a shoe box type box. You may cut out pictures from a magazine, draw your own, use real objects, etc. The sky is the limit, but be creative and use color. Also, I am looking for neatness. Be sure to include your name, the title of your book, and the author.
Baseball card
Choose one of the main characters and make a baseball card. On one side, draw a picture of the character. On the back side, include information you learned about your character. You can include age, hair color, likes, dislikes, interests, etc. Again, be colorful, creative, and neat. Make it on regular size paper. Be sure to include your name, book title, and author.
Choose 1 of your choice
“Jake Drake” series (Clements) “Clementine” series (Pennypacker)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge, or any other Judy Blume book Any Beverly Cleary book
“Magic Treehouse” series (Osbourne) Nonfiction ”Magic Treehouse” companions The Chocolate Touch (Patrick Skene Catling) The Great Gilly Hopkins (Katherine Paterson) The Hundred Dresses (Eleanor Estes)
Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl) “I Survived” series (Lauren Tarhis)
For Rising FOURTH GRADE Students
Fourth grade summer reading entails two reading tasks. The first task is to select ONE book from the in-class project list and note the elements listed; the other task is to select ONE book from the “Book in a Bag” list and follow the attached instructions in creating a “Book in a Bag.”
In-Class Reading Project: Please select one book from the below list and note the elements of character, plot (sequence of events), setting, and theme (moral or lesson learned) as you read. A project will be assigned the first day of school that will reflect the book you read; this project will be given a due date when the 2012-2013 school year begins.
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, Jeanne Birdsall, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.7
Holes, Lois Sachar, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.6 The BFG, Roald Dahl, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.8
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary, Candace Fleming Accelerated Reader Book Level 3.9
The Trumpet of the Swan, E. B. White Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.9 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Carl Bowen, Accelerated Reader Book Level 3.0
“Book in a Bag” Summer Book Project: Please select one book from the below list and complete the “Book
in a Bag” project using the guidelines attached. Please be prepared to present your “Book in a Bag” on the first
day of school.
Beezus and Ramona, Beverly Cleary, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.8
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume, Accelerated Reader Book Level 3.3 When Zachary Beaver Came To Town, Kimberly Willis Holt, Accelerated Reader
Book Level 4.5
The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.7 4th Grade Rats, Jerry Spinelli, Accelerated Reader Book Level 2.6
Fourth and Fifth Grade
“Book in a Bag” Project
1. On one side of a paper bag, draw a colorful scene from the book. Also include:
a. The title of the book
b. The author
c. Your name
2. On the back of the bag, please write:
a. Main Characters- Include all of the main characters
b. Supporting Characters- Include any other characters that may have been in the story but were not main characters.
c. Setting- Include the places and the time periods your story took place. d. Conflicts- Include the main problem within the story (4-5 sentences). e. Resolutions- How does the story end (4-5 sentences)?
3. Inside the bag, place at least six objects that represent significant events that happened in the book. You could also place objects that show aspects of the
main characters’ personalities.
4. You will be asked to present your “Book in a Bag” project on the first day of school. You will also be required to tell the class about each item in your bag and why you chose this item. Happy reading!
For Rising FIFTH GRADE Students
Fifth grade summer reading entails two reading tasks. The first task is to select ONE book from the in-class project list and note the elements listed; the other task is to select ONE book from the “Book in a Bag” list and follow the attached instructions in creating a “Book in a Bag.”
In-Class Reading Project: Please select one book from the below list and note the elements of character, plot
(sequence of events), setting, and theme (moral or lesson learned) as you read. A project will be assigned the first day of school that will reflect the book you read; this project will be given a due date when the 2012-2013 school year begins.
The Homework Machine, Dan Gutman, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.8
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, Jeanne Birdsall, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.6 Midnight Magic, Avi, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.7
Old Yeller, Fred Gipson, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.0
The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster, Accelerated Reader Book Level 6.7
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, Robert C. O'Brien, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.1
“Book in a Bag” Summer Book Project: Please select one book from the below list and complete the “Book
in a Bag” project using the guidelines attached. Please be prepared to present your “Book in a Bag” on the first
day of school.
Elephant Run, Roland Smith, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.0 Hatchet, Gary Paulsen, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.7
Island of the Blue Dolphin, Scott O’Dell, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.4
Fifth Grade: Here Comes Trouble, Colleen O’Shaughnessy McKenna, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.4 Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.9
Report to the Principal’s Office, Jerry Spinelli, Accelerated Reader Book Level 4.5 Wind in the Willows (abridged) , Kenneth Graham, Accelerated Reader Book Level 5.9
For Rising SIXTH GRADE Students
Sixth Grade Book List and Instructions
** Required Novel: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne**
Each incoming 6
thgrader is responsible for reading one book of the choice from the
list below and writing on book review. Specific guidelines for the book review can
be found at the end of the grade level book lists. All incoming 6
thgrade students are
also responsible for reading the required novel for their grade. This novel will be
discussed at length and in detail during the first month of school.
Book Title
Author Name
The Swiss Family Robinson
Johann Wyss
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeline L’Engle
Hatchet
Gary Paulsen
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Scott O’Dell
Stargirl
Jerry Spinelli
A Year Down Yonder
Richard Peck
Rules
Cynthia Lord
White Fang
Jack London
The Giver
Lois Lowry
Tuck Everlasting
Natalie Babbitt
The Black Stallion
Walter Farley
For Rising SEVENTH GRADE Students
Seventh Grade Book List and Instructions
** Required Novel: A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck **
Each incoming 7
thgrader is responsible for reading one book of the choice from the
list below and writing on book review. Specific guidelines for the book review can
be found at the end of the grade level book lists. All incoming 6
thgrade students are
also responsible for reading the required novel for their grade. This novel will be
discussed at length and in detail during the first month of school.
Book Title
Author Name
Kidnapped
Robert Louis Stevenson
Call of the Wild
Jack London
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Jules Verne
Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Patterson
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank
Pictures of Hollis Woods
Patricia Giff
Hoot
Carl Hiaasen
Catherine, Called Birdy
Karen Cushman
Anne of Green Gables
L.M. Montgomery
Out of the Dust
Karen Hesse
Summer Reading Book Review Instructions
6
thand 7
thGrade
Students in 6th and 7th grade will read one book of their choice from the grade level list and write a book review according to the guidelines as follows:
• All book reviews must be typed: prepared in 12 point font either Times New Roman or Calibri, with double line spacing, 1inch margins, and printed in black type on white paper.
• Please adhere to grammar and spelling rules.
The book review will be a minimum of three paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a strong topic sentence, five to seven supporting sentences and a concluding/transitional sentence.
• Paragraph 1: Introduce the book. Give title, author, genre, and a brief summary of the novel.
• Paragraph 2: Discuss the book’s theme (remember that the main idea is what the book about; theme pertains to larger meanings and life lessons)
• Paragraph 3: Discuss something that really stood out about this book and why. Did you connect with a character or relate to a similar situation? Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? Remember that you are acting as a literary critic, so be specific.
Students should be prepared to turn in their book reviews to their English teacher during the first week of school.
For Rising EIGHTH GRADE Students
Eighth Grade Book List and Instructions
** Required Novel: Having Our Say, The Delaney Sisters **
Each incoming 8th grader is responsible for reading one book of the choice from
the list below, and writing one five paragraph essay. Specific guidelines for the
essay can be found at the end of the grade level book lists. All incoming 8
thgrade
students are also responsible for reading the required novel for their grade. This
novel will be discussed at length and in detail during the first month of school.
Book Title
Author Name
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
Cold Sassy Tree
Olive Ann Burns
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
The Hiding Place
Corrie Ten Boom
My Antonia
Willa Cather
The Old Man and the Sea
Ernest Hemingway
Christy
Catherine Marshall
Flowers for Algernon
Daniel Keyes
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Mark Twain
Crash
Jerry Spinelli
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Jules Verne
For Rising NINTH GRADE Students
Ninth Grade Book List and Instructions
** Required Novel: Night by Elie Weisel **
Each incoming 9
thGrader is responsible for reading one book of the choice from the
list below and writing one five paragraph essay. Specific guidelines for the essay
can be found at the end of the grade level book lists. All incoming 9
thgrade students
are also responsible for reading the required novel for their grade. This novel will
be discussed at length and in detail during the first month of school.
Book Title Author Name
Oliver Twist Charles Dickens Dust Tracks on the Road Zora Neale Hurston
The Pilgrims Progress John Bunyan The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd
Ben Hur Lew Wallace
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith Lord of the Flies William Golding Mississippi Trial, 1955 Chris Crowe
The Pearl John Steinbeck
The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan
The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Kesey
For Rising TENTH GRADE Students
Tenth Grade Book List and Instructions
** Required Novel: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald **
Each incoming 10
thGrader is responsible for reading one book of the choice from
the list below and writing one five paragraph essay. Specific guidelines for the
essay can be found at the end of the grade level book lists. All incoming 10
thgrade
students are also responsible for reading the required novel for their grade. This
novel will be discussed at length and in detail during the first month of school.
Book Title Author Name
Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe Shindler’s List Thomas Keneally
In His Steps Charles Sheldon For Whom the Bell Tolls Ernest Hemmingway
Member of the Wedding Carson McCullers Speak Lori Halse Anderson A Time to Kill John Grisham
The Awakening Kate Chopin
Dr. Zhivago Boris Pasternak
Animal Farm George Orwell
In the Time of Butterflies Julia Alvarez
Ivanhoe Sir Walter Scott
Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes Pygmalion George Bernard Shaw Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck The Sound and the Fury William Faulkner
For Rising ELEVENTH GRADE Students
Summer Reading Instructions
Required Novel:
The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde
Each incoming 11th Grader is responsible for reading the required novel, The Importance of
Being Earnest, and writing one five paragraph essay. Assignments will be graded as part of the
first quarter English requirements. Specific guidelines for the essay can be found at the end of the grade level book lists.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
Assignment: Students should choose one of the breakthroughs HeLa cells have helped to discover/achieve and prepare a five minute video presentation to inform the rest of the class (they can use their devices to record themselves if they'd like). All videos should be shared with the class on Google Drive before the first day of school.
The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane
Assignment: Students should develop a Flow Map (Timeline) of events in the story. From the timeline, choose two (2) events to describe in detail including the following:
• Character description of each important individual involved in each event
• A detailed explanation of each event
• Explanation of the impact of each event on the characters involved, subsequent events and the story itself
For Rising TWELFTH GRADE Students
Summer Reading Instructions
Required Novels:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kessy
Each incoming 12th Grader is responsible for reading the required novel for their grade and writing one five paragraph essay. Assignments will be graded as part of the first quarter English requirements. Specific guidelines for the essay can be found at the end of the grade level book lists.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebeccah Skloot
Assignment: Students should choose one of the breakthroughs HeLa cells have helped to discover/achieve and prepare a five minute video presentation to inform the rest of the class (they can use their devices to record themselves if they'd like).
The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane
Assignment: Students should develop a Flow Map (Timeline) of events in the story. From the timeline, choose two (2) events to describe in detail including the following:
• Character description of each important individual involved in each event
• A detailed explanation of each event
• Explanation of the impact of each event on the characters involved, subsequent events and the story itself
Book Essay Instructions 8th – 12th Grade
Instructions:
Students in 8th -12th grades will read one book of their choice from the grade list and will write an essay according to the guidelines as follows:
Minimum Requirements: The essay will be a minimum of 4 paragraphs. Each paragraph is required to have a strong topic or thesis sentence, 5-7 supporting sentences, and a conclusion or transition sentence.
• Paragraph 1 should follow the guidelines above and contain a summary of the entire novel.
• Paragraph 2 should follow the guidelines above and describe one character from the novel in detail. The details should include a physical description, conflicts encountered in the book, and growth or change in the character through the book.
• Paragraph 3 should follow the guidelines above and will concentrate on outlining, describing, and discussing one theme presented in the book. Discuss how the theme is developed and the author’s message regarding this theme.
• Paragraph 4 should follow the guidelines above and should be a personal reflection by the student about the book. What did you like or dislike about the book? How did the book affect you as a reader? Etc.