Dear Incoming 8th Grade English Students,
I hope you enjoy your summer break! I am very eager to begin working with you in
August. You will learn many important concepts and skills that will not only prepare you for
8th grade, but also make you a better reader, writer, and learner.
In order to help you maintain the skills you have worked so hard to acquire in 7th
grade, I have created a summer review packet. This packet is designed to help
you keep your skills fresh, and it will prevent your brain from feeling out of shape when
school resumes in August. Although summer is also meant to be restful and relaxing, it
wasn’t always that way.
Consider this: your school calendar is based on a time long ago when America was a
nation of farmers who needed their children at home plowing the land during planting and
harvest seasons. So instead of swimming in lakes and going to summer camp, most students
were working long hours in the fields of their family farm during months they were not in
school. Some schools even held sessions in the summer and winter so children could be free
to help with spring planting and fall harvest seasons. Basically, the “break” may have been a
break from school work, but it was certainly not a break from farm work. Knowing this,
perhaps we can all appreciate the fact that today’s students and teachers actually have a
far more relaxing break than the teachers and students of our nation’s history.
Many other countries have updated their academic calendars, and while students
still have breaks throughout the year, including some time during the summer, they don’t
go as long without any learning and practicing of their skills. Unfortunately, we have not
updated our calendar, so we have fallen behind as a nation, making it tougher each year for
our students to compete with others around the world to be successful in the 21st century.
Does this mean we should end summer breaks? Of course not! It just means we want to
find a balance between resting our minds and practicing our skills. This is why we have a
summer skills packet – to get the best of both the old and new world and to prepare you
for success in the ever-changing, fast-moving, future world. Even I won’t be sitting around
doing nothing all summer. Some of my favorite hobbies include traveling, reading
novels, practicing yoga, and writing. During the school year, I get so busy with preparing and
teaching lessons that it can be difficult to practice these other skills as often as I would
like. Therefore, in between my days of rest and relaxation, I’ll be working on becoming a
better reader and writer just like you. Hopefully, I’ll compose a poem or two as well!
8 GRADE ENGLISH** th
Dear Incoming 8th Grade English Students (and Parents),
Welcome! My name is Shannon Da Moude, and I will be your new 8 th grade English teacher
beginning this fall. I want to share with you my enthusiasm and excitement about next year. Your
English curriculum will stand on four pillars to make you a better writer, reader, and speaker. Those
pillars are literature skills, writing proficiency, vocabulary study, and grammar and language
mechanics.
In order to help you succeed in 8th grade, it is important that your skills in English don’t get
rusty during the summer. This summer packet will help you review what you’ve learned in English,
since you will be assessed the first week of school in order discover your Language Arts skills. It
will also reveal which areas we need to focus on and improve. Please use the CHECKLIST below to
keep track of your progress.
MANDATORY SUMMER ENGLISH SKILLS REVIEW
You are responsible for the following work, all due on the first day of school:
1) _____READ The Giver by Lois Lowry
2) _____ TYPE your answers to all of the Discussion Questions for The Giver
in complete sentences and add a heading to your paper (name, date, class,
assignment).
3) _____Make FLASHCARDS and memorize the Literary Elements checklist (included). You
will hand in your flashcards and be assessed the first week of school.
4) _____Complete the grammar worksheets on subjects, run-on sentences, fragments, nouns,
verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. You will have a grammar assessment the first week of
school.
5) _____Memorize the Spelling List and Commonly Confused Words List (included). These are
words you should already know before entering 8th grade. You will have a test on these
words during the first week of school.
6) READ as many books as you can to build your fluency and comprehension.
I promise that I will spend my summer thinking of creative ways to make
class fun and enjoyable, yet at the same time productive and educational.
For now, have a wonderful summer vacation! I look forward meeting each and every one of you in
August!
Blessings,
Mrs. Da Moude
Middle School Summer Reading Packet
Grade 8
Throughout your summer vacation, you will need to read the following book and complete the
attached assignments. This summer work will be due in your Language Arts class on the first day of class.
Please read the following for your summer reading assignment:
The Giver
By Lois Lowry
Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war
or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role
in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to
receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the
memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for
Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
Summary from www.goodread.com
Summary of Reading Assignments:
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Activity 1: The Concept of Heroism Defining Heroism
Activity 2: Challenges and Character Traits Maintaining a Dialectical Journal
Activity 3: Is the Protagonist a Hero? Paragraph Reflecting on the Definition of a Hero
Activity 4: Personal Narrative Reflect on a Personal Challenge in a Narrative Response
Grade 8 Summer Assignment
Activity 1 The Concept of Heroism
Defining Heroism
Student Target: To reflect on statements about heroes and create a definition of heroism
Instructions: At the beginning of the school year, you will explore the concept of heroism. Read the following
statements. Mark down whether you agree or not with the statement. Go with your first thought.
Agree/Disagree
1.
All heroes are brave.
2.
Heroes are created by the events around them.
3.
You cannot fail and still be considered a hero.
4.
You must decide to be a hero.
5.
If you perform a heroic deed, then you are a hero.
6.
A hero overcomes physical challenges.
7.
To be a true hero, a person would have to risk his or her life.
8.
Heroes deserve fame and fortune.
1.How do you define a hero? When you hear the word “heroes,” what images and thoughts come to your mind?
2.Name at least three of your heroes. They can be fictional or nonfictional. They can be someone from real life such as a
well-known historical figure, or a character from a book, movie or TV show. Write down at least three reasons why you
consider these people heroes.
Hero #1 -
Hero #2 –
Hero #3 -
Grade 8 – Summer Assignment Activity 1
Grade 8 Summer Assignment
Activity 2 Challenges and Character Traits
Maintaining a Dialectical Journal
Student Target: To critically read a text for the specific purpose and to respond to a specific passage with comments, questions, or
insights to foster active involvement with a text.
Instructions: Review the following working definitions of challenges and character traits. Maintain a Dialectical Journal
while you read your selected novel. Have a minimum of twenty journal entries.
Sample Character Traits:
courageous
able active
cowardly
adventurous
cross
affectionate
cruel
afraid
curious
alert
dangerous
ambitious
daring
angry
dark decisive
annoyed
demanding
anxious
dependable
apologetic
depressed
arrogant
determined
attentive
discouraged
average
dishonest
bad
disrespectful
blue
doubtful
bold
dull
bored
dutiful
bossy
eager
brainy
easygoing
brave
efficient
bright
embarrassed
brilliant
encouraging
busy
energetic
calm
evil
careful
excited
careless
expert
cautious
fair
charming
faithful
cheerful
fearless
childish
fierce
clever
foolish
clumsy
fortunate
coarse
foul
concerned
fresh
confident
friendly
confused
frustrated
considerate
funny
cooperative
gentle
giving
glamorous
gloomy
good
graceful
grateful
greedy
grouchy
grumpy
guilty
happy
harsh
hateful
healthy
helpful
honest
hopeful
hopeless
humorous
ignorant
imaginative
impatient
impolite
inconsiderate
independent
industrious
innocent
intelligent
jealous
kindly
lazy
leader
lively
lonely
loving
loyal
lucky
mature
mean
messy
miserable
mysterious
naughty
nervous
nice
noisy
obedient
obnoxious
old
peaceful
picky
pleasant
polite
poor
popular
positive
precise
proper
proud
quick
quiet
rational
reliable
religious
responsible
restless
rich
rough
rowdy
rude
sad
safe
satisfied
scared
secretive
selfish
serious
sharp
short
shy
silly
skillful
sly
smart
sneaky
sorry
spoiled
stingy
strange
strict
stubborn
sweet
talented
tall
thankful
thoughtful
thoughtless
tired
tolerant
touchy
trusting
trustworthy
unfriendly
unhappy
upset
useful
warm
weak
wicked
wise
worried
wrong
List from NCTE.org
Grade 8 – Summer Assignment Activity 2
Dialectical Journal
Book Title:
Character:
Text (page #).
Character Trait
Cite specific examples of challenges faced
by a variety of characters. Include page
numbers.
Percy is clearly being tempted by the possibly
once in a lifetime chance to see Poseidon’s
darkness. I wanted to see the court of
darkening on the surface. My friends
were waiting. We had so little time…I kicked
upward toward the shore.” (273).
Insight/Reaction/Question/Interpretation
Explain how the quote demonstrates the
character traits. What does it establish
about the character?
“I wanted to follow her down into the
Poseidon. But I looked up at the sunset
Student Sample
Dependable
kingdom. Most kids would go a take a quick
peek. Unlike most kids, Percy’s friend can
count on him to remember that they had things
to do and they needed him to return.
Grade 8 – Summer Assignment Activity 2
Grade 8 Summer Assignment
Activity 3 Is the Protagonist a Hero?
Reflecting on the definition of a hero
Student Target: In a paragraph reflect on your definition of a hero and decide if the protagonist of your
book is a hero.
Instructions: Review your Dialectical Journal and character traits activity. Based on your work and the
reading, do you think that your protagonist is a hero? Did he/she exhibit the qualities of a hero? What
challenge(s) defined his/her character? Begin your response with a strong topic sentence that states
your answer to the prompt. Then, support your topic sentence with evidence from the text and
thoughtful commentary.
Grade 8 Honors – Summer Assignment Activity 3
Grade 8 Summer Assignment
Activity 4 A Personal Challenge
Reflecting on a Personal Challenge in a Narrative Response
Student Target: To reflect on a personal challenge in a narrative response.
Instructions: In a multi-paragraph essay, describe a time in your life when you faced a significant
challenge and include some reflection about which trait(s) within yourself made it possible for you to
overcome your challenge.
Brainstorm challenges:
Identify personal traits:
Explain how you overcame the challenge(s):
Grade 8 Honors – Summer Assignment Activity 4
LITERARY TERMS AND DEVICES Checklist
Make flashcards for each and memorize:
Metaphor
A comparison between two seemingly unlike things that does not use the
words “like” or “as.” Examples: Students are sailors on a journey. OR His
stomach tightened into a series of rolling knots.
Simile
A comparison between two seemingly unlike things that does use the words
“like” or “as.” Example: The moon hung like a light bulb in the sky.
Personification
Giving inanimate (not alive) things human characteristics or qualities.
Example: Your homework will rise up and bite you if you put it off.
Alliteration
The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words in a phrase
or sentence. Example: Mike's mean mother meant well. The consonant
sound made by the letter “m” is repeated.
Imagery
A device that involves using at least one or more of your five senses
(hearing, taste, touch, smell, sight) to make a clear picture of something for
the reader. Example: The bruise on her arm was purple at top, blue at
center, and the size of a dime.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech in which the writer uses exaggeration for emphasis.
Example: I've told you a billion times to clean this room!
Foreshadowing
When a writer gives details that hint at what is to come later in the story.
Flashback
A device that allows the writer to present events that happened before the
time of the current story. Various methods can be used, including
memories, dream sequences, stories told by characters
Onomatopoeia
The imitation of natural sounds in word form. Examples: buzz, roar, woof,
bang, pop, hiss, and sizzle
Setting
The time and place in which a story takes place. Example; In the book
Fever, the story takes place in Pennsylvania in 1793.
Climax
The highest point of tension in a story; usually this occurs when the
protagonist and antagonist have a final showdown.
Protagonist
The main character, usually the “good guy” in a story.
Antagonist
The person or thing that opposes the main character, usually the “bad guy.”
Resolution
This is the ending of the story, when the conflict has been resolved and the
main character has either succeeded or failed in achieving his or her goal.
Conflict
The problem within the story that causes the protagonist & antagonist to
oppose each other. Every conflict is either internal (when a character has a
conflict with himself, like “insecurity”) or external (when a character has a
conflict with someone or something outside of himself). There are 3 major
types of external conflict: character vs. character, character vs. society, and
character vs. nature.
Plot
The sequence of events in a story.
Characterization Characteristics or attributes that define characters and make them seem
real and relatable.
Point of View
The perspective from which a story is told. There are three points of view:
first person (in which I or we serves as the narrator), second person (in
which you serves as the narrator; rarely used) and third person (in which
he, she, they, or it serves as the narrator).
Theme
The story’s main message; what the author is trying to say or imply. For
example: In Sees Behind Trees the author implies that overcoming
challenges is a necessary part of finding your identity. Thus, “Overcoming
challenges is necessary to find your identity” is a theme in the novel.
Theme is stated as a sentence, and it is a universal idea, meaning that it is
not specific to just one story. Instead, a theme can apply to many stories,
poems, films, or songs.
Practice typing the following Spelling Words and study the Commonly Confused Words List.
You will be tested on both the first week of school:
COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS Checklist
Memorize:
Accept, except
1. Sarah will accept the offer.
2. Samuel liked the house except the basement
Affect, effect
1. The storm will affect the school field trip.
2. The effects will probably disappoint students.
Borrow, lend
1. My friend asked if he could borrow my new book.
2. I will lend it to him this week.
Capital, capitol
1. Sacramento is the capital of California.
2. The reports gathered in front of the capitol building.
Desert, dessert
1. The desert does not receive much rain.
2. Last night we had ice cream for dessert.
It’s, its
1. It’s time to take the dog to the vet.
2. Its shots are due.
Lay, lie
1. Lay the book on the shelf.
2. If you lie down to read, you might fall asleep.
Loose, lose, loss
1. The lion got loose.
2. The zoo cannot lose the lion.
3. It would be a terrible loss.
Passed, past
1. I passed my English test.
2. I spent the past two weeks studying for it.
Peace, piece
1. There was a peace march at the corner.
2. I wrote a story on a piece of paper.
Principal, principle
1. Our school principal is a leader.
2. He thought the most important principle was honesty.
Their, there, they’re
1. Where should the students study for their test?
2. Over there is a good place to study.
3. They’re going to be studying every afternoon.
To, two, too
1. I am going to the store.
2. I would like two cookies.
3. I am going to the movies too.
Weather, whether
1. The weather outside is stormy.
2. I don’t know whether run or walk around the park.
Where, were
1. Where are you going on vacation?
2. They were doing their homework after school.
Whose, who’s
1. Do you know whose phone this is?
2. Who’s calling?
Your, you’re
1. Is your house on the corner?
2. So you’re not going to be home
Right, write
1. This is not the right dress.
2. I love to write book reports.
COMMONLY MISSPELLED WORDS Checklist
Memorize:
1. argument – Let’s not have an argument over these words.
2. believe – I don’t believe that is the correct answer.
3. business – He is going to open his own business.
4. calendar – They bought a new calendar in January.
5. definitely – I definitely want to read that book.
6. different – The girls had on different skirts.
7. embarrass – She doesn’t want to embarrass herself in front of the class.
8. experience – They finished the science experiment.
9. foreign – Their entire family had been to a foreign country.
10. government – Their government had an election.
11. judgment – I will use good judgment and stay out of trouble.
12. learned – I have learned so much this year!
13. license – They had to get a license for their new dog.
14. neighbor – Their neighbor has three apple trees in their yard.
15. privilege – It is a privilege to attend Yavneh.
16. probably – We will probably have a test on these words.
17. receive – I did not receive the message.
18. recommend – I recommend reading that book this summer.
19. restaurant – They went to a restaurant every Sunday for lunch.
20. rhyme – The words cat and dog do not rhyme.
21. schedule – That assignment was not on the schedule.
22. separate – Separate the little rocks from the big rocks.
23. through – I went through my backpack and found my homework.
24. twelve – There are twelve apples on the tree.