6th Grade Summer Reading
Contact: Cristal Watkins, [email protected]
Dear Rising Sixth Graders,
I am looking forward what God has planned for us in the upcoming school year. Over the summer in
preparation for the sixth grade school year, you will be required to read two books. For the first book,
you will be able to choose any age and content appropriate book. Below you will find the project for
your book selections. The second book will be Wonder. All assignments will be due on Thursday, August
11, which is the first full day of school. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email
me at [email protected].
Cristal Watkins
Book 1: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Due: August 11th
Summary: I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from
going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more
than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s
extraordinary face. Wonder, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include
his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a
portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
Part 1:
Before you read Wonder, answer each of the following questions on a piece of notebook paper. Your
answers need to be in complete sentences with appropriate punctuation.
1. What do you think of the line, “Don’t judge a boy by his face”?
2. Does this statement make you want to read this novel? Why or why not?
Part 2:
After you have finished reading Wonder, answer each of the following questions in three to four
complete sentences. Be prepared to discuss the questions/answers in class on August 11th.
1. Throughout Wonder, Auggie describes the way that many people react to seeing his face for
the first time. Have you ever been in a situation where you have responded like this to seeing
someone different? Having read Wonder, how do you feel about his now?
2. Auggie’s face is not fully described until later on in the story, in Via’s chapter ‘August:
Through the Peephole’. How close was this description to your own mental picture of
Auggie? Did you have a picture of his face in your mind while reading the book? Did this
description alter that picture? Using I Samuel 16:7, how does God see his creation?
Part 3:
Think about a message that you would choose to act on as your own personal precept. You must create
your own personal precept, borrow a quotation, song lyric, poem verse, etc. from someone else as long
as you give the author credit for their work (Although you may borrow an idea or quotation from
another source, you may not use one of the precepts included in the novel.) Once you have created
your own precept, design a postcard using the blank side of a 4x6 card that incorporates:
1. An illustration (hand-drawn, collaged, computer-generated etc.)
2. Your personal precept
3. Your name on the bottom right hand corner of the post card.
Students will use the project above for an in-depth study during the first few weeks of school.
Book 2: Your choice (required in addition to Wonder)
This is your chance to choose what you would like to read, so please pick something that you find
interesting. You can choose any genre, but please keep in mind that it should be age and content
appropriate. This must be a book that you have not previously started or finished reading. Upon
completing the book, you will create a matchbook summary. You will need one file folder (regular or
legal size). Then, you will need “matchbook papers” which are about 3.5 by 6 inches of copy paper or
white card stock. The size of the project will vary depending on your novel and the number of chapters
in it. After completing each chapter, create a matchbook by folding the bottom “tab” up about ½ inch
(which is where you will write the chapter number). The top side then gets folded down until it lines up
with the crease from the tab. On the outside of each matchbook, students will draw and color their
favorite scene from that chapter. On the inside of each matchbook, students will write a 5-7 sentence
summary of that chapter. This should focus on the most important events of that chapter. After all of
the matchbooks have been completed, arrange and fit them into the file folder appropriately. The front
of the closed file folder should contain the title of the book, a large picture that represents a main
theme from the book. See the example provided below.