Rising 8th Grade Reading & Math Assignments
Summer 2016
Reading
Over the summer, you will read the following book to help you prepare for the upcoming year and to improve your independent
reading skills.
Required Reading:
•
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
o ISBN-10: 0064471084
o ISBN-13: 978-0064471084
Math
This summer, TWCA Middle School will be using the on-line program IXL Math to better prepare students to succeed in their
mathematics course this coming fall. IXL's skills are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Please read the
following overview of their approach from their website:
“IXL approaches each math topic in every way possible…Our multi-dimensional approach to learning keeps students excited about
math and, more importantly, ensures that students retain all of the skills they master throughout the year. On IXL, students get a
special kind of motivation from knowing that math is useful. Our program is infused at every level with real-world math problems that
make your students' minds come alive. IXL's math problems make students think, make them see how math really does fit into the
every day. From bargain-shopping to navigation, from telling time to making predictions, your students will love getting to apply their
math skills to real-life scenarios.”
Summer Math Requirements:
1.) Parents, first please purchase a monthly IXL account for your student: (https://www.ixl.com/membership)
2.) Students should spend at least 10 hours over the summer working on the topics chosen by the teacher whose math course
they will be enrolled in this coming fall (list of topics are listed on the next page)
3.) Print off and turn in a report that documents at least ten hours spent on assigned tasks. (This will be turned in the first day of
school for a grade.)
Remember to cancel your IXL membership once school resumes (unless your student enjoyed it enough to keep it).
5800 Academy Way, The Woodlands, TX 77384 • 936-273-2555 • www.twca.net
Eighth Grade Summer Reading Assignment
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
Synopsis:
Narnia…where dwarfs are loyal and tough and strong,-or are they?...where you must say good-bye…and where the
adventure begins again. The Unicorn says that humans are brought to Narnia when Narnia is stirred and upset. And
Narnia is in trouble now: A false Aslan roams the land. Narnia’s only hope is that Eustace and Jill, old friends to
Narnia, will be able to find the true Aslan and restore peace to the land. Their task is a difficult one because, as the
Centaur says, “The stars never lie, but Men and Beasts do.” Who is the real Aslan and who is the imposter? Will we
be forced to bid farewell to Narnia forever? Note: Because The Last Battle is the seventh book in The Chronicles of
Narnia series, it is strongly suggested that you read (or familiarize yourself) with the first six books before reading
The Last Battle. It is not strictly necessary, however, it will make many things clearer and will heighten your
enjoyment of this novel.
Directions: Please answer each question in complete sentences. Provide a MLA parenthetical citation when quoting
text. Example: (Lewis 34). The assignment must be typed in MLA format. Be prepared to turn in your assignment on
Friday, August 18, 2017.
Setting: Describe Narnia and its inhabitants.
Text: Copy your favorite passage or quote from the novel (include a MLA parenthetical citation). Explain the
significance of the quote or passage.
Vocabulary: Choose five unfamiliar words from the novel. Write the word, part of speech, definition in context, and
the sentence from the novel where the word appears include a MLA parenthetical citation).
Characters: Choose the protagonist from the novel. Write the character’s name, an original sentence describing the
character, and a quote from the character (include a MLA parenthetical citation).
Choose a minor character from the novel. Write the character’s name, an original sentence describing the character
and a quote from the character (include a MLA parenthetical citation).
Theme: What do you believe is a possible theme of the novel? (*Remember theme cannot be a single word)
Short Answer Response: Answer the following question in three-five complete sentences.
•
The Last Battle is considered to be an allegory (a rhetoricalstrategyofextendingametaphorthroughan
entirenarrativesothatobjects,persons,andactionsinthetextareequatedwithmeaningsthatlie
outsidethetext).Explain a hidden meaning you found in the novel.
5800 Academy Way, The Woodlands, TX 77384 • 936-273-2555 • www.twca.net
8th Grade Summer Math Assignment
Pre-Algebra: (Students entering Pre-Algebra will be working on skills from the “Seventh-Grade Skills” section of ixlmath.com…do
NOT perseverate on the label of this section…it is review and preparation for the coming year)
*Number Theory: A.1-A.10
*Integers: B.1-B.6
*Operations with Integers: C.1-C.9
*Percents: L.1-L.10
*Operations with Decimals: E.1-E.11
*Fractions and Mixed Numbers: F.1-F.9
*Operations with Fractions: G.1-G.18
*Rational Numbers: H.1-H.9
*One-Variable Equations: T.1-T.8
*One-Variable Inequalities: U.1-U.7
*Problem Solving and Estimation: N.1-N.6
*Continue Reviewing with topics of your choice if you have not yet gotten to the ten-hour mark
Algebra 1: (Students entering Algebra will be working on skills from the “Eighth Grade Skills” section of ixlmath.com)
*One Variable Equations: U.1-U.12
*Ratios and Proportions: H.1-H.11
*Monomials and Polynomials: Z.1-Z.13
*Coordinate Plane: P.1-P.4
**Exponents and Roots: F.1-F.21
*Operations with Rational Numbers: E.1-E.9
*Linear Equations W.1-W.9
*Functions: X.1-X.19
*Operations with Integers: C.1-C.8
*Rational Numbers: D.1-D.8
*Problem Solving: M.1-M.4
*Continue Reviewing with topics of your choice if you have not yet gotten to the ten-hour mark
Geometry: (Students entering Geometry will be working on skills from the “Algebra 1 Skills” section of ixlmath.com)
*Relations and Functions: Q.1-Q.14
*Quadratic Equations: B.1-B.11
*Linear Functions: S.1-S.21
*Linear Inequalities: T.1-T.6
*Systems of Linear Equations: U.1-U.15
*Solve Equations: J.3-J.9
*Single Variable Inequalities: K.1-K.15
*Problem Solving: O.1-O.5
*Continue Reviewing with topics of your choice if you have not yet gotten to the ten-hour mark
5800 Academy Way, The Woodlands, TX 77384 • 936-273-2555 • www.twca.net