8th Grade Summer Reading
2016-2017 School Year
1. Mandatory
a. Read “Eats, Shoots and Leaves” by Lynne Truss
2. Choose any three (3) books to read over the summer
Your task is as follows:
For each book (including “Eats, Shoots and Leaves”) you are to complete:
 An Annotation Guide
On the first day of class, you will turn in a total of 4 Annotation Guides (one for
each book).
Alternate Option
 In lieu of reading the three (3) books and completing a three (3) Annotation
Guides, the student can submit an official certificate from his local summer
reading program.
 “Eats, Shoots and Leaves” is mandatory, however, and an Annotation Guide
will need to be turned in.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions: [email protected].
“General” Annotation Guide: Interact!
Text interaction is the essential to text-comprehension, depth of understanding, and is key to creating a long-lasting resource.
Interaction Section
What question do you have about
a specific part of the text?
Page #,
Paragraph #,
Line #
(Example:
Page 3,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 2-5)
Response Section
(Example: I didn’t understand what the bulldozers represent/symbolize.)
What question do you have about
a specific part of the text?
React to what you read:
What did you find interesting,
Why?
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: I was amazed at how supportive his friend was to him. It reminds me of how supportive I am of my
friends.)
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: The detail the author uses to describe his characters. This is noteworthy because if the author did not
use that much detail I wouldn’t have cared too much about the character.)
(Interesting: engaging and
exciting and holding the
curiosity)
React to what you read:
What did you find noteworthy.
Why?
(Noteworthy: worthy of notice
or attention, notable,
remarkable)
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: I have no idea what the poem means. The author uses big words and the format is hard to follow and
understand.)
Make a prediction. What
happens next? (do this as you
read)
(Example:
Page 34,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-8)
(Example: On page 34, it says the character has a dream that he broke his leg. I think he is actually going to
break his leg in this story.)
What part of the story do you
find to be very important? Why?
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: The theme of loyalty keeps presenting itself in this story. It’s important because the whole story is
about how two boys stick up for one another in any situation.)
What part of the story do you
find to be very important? Why?
(Example:
Page 66,
Paragraph 3,
Lines 4-18)
(Example: The author used a lot of adjectives when describing the setting. This helped me as a reader because I
was able to visualize the scene.)
React to what you read:
What did you find confusing?
Why?
(Confusing: causing confusion)
What part of the story do you
find to be very important? Why?
Write down words you do not
understand, then define.
(5 minimum)
Write down words you do not
understand, then define.
(5 minimum)
Write down words you do not
understand, then define.
(5 minimum)
(Example:
Page 66,
Paragraph 3,
Lines 4-18)
(Example: Dither = a state of flustered excitement or fear.)
How do you relate to this book?
What have you learned?
(Be specific and detailed – bring
in text evidence)
(Example:
Page 66,
Paragraph 3,
Lines 4-18)
(Example: This story reminds me so much of my story/life. I learned that friendship is not something to take for
granted and that it takes work to make it the best it could be - especially when John says “I’ll always be there for
you, Tommy” on page 66.)
My signature indicates that I have completed the required reading and uphold LaSalle Institute’s code of Truth, Honor Duty:
Write Name Here
“Eats, Shoots and Leaves” Annotation Guide: Interact!
Text interaction is the essential to text-comprehension, depth of understanding, and is key to creating a long-lasting resource.
Interaction Section
What question do you have about
a specific part of the book?
Page #,
Paragraph #,
Line #
(Example:
Page 3,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 2-5)
Response Section
(Example: I didn’t understand what the bulldozers represent/symbolize.)
What question do you have about
a specific part of the book?
React to what you read:
What did you find interesting,
Why?
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: I was amazed at how supportive his friend was to him. It reminds me of how supportive I am of my
friends.)
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: I was amazed at how supportive his friend was to him. It reminds me of how supportive I am of my
friends.)
(Interesting: engaging and
exciting and holding the
curiosity)
React to what you read:
What did you find interesting,
Why?
(Interesting: engaging and
exciting and holding the
curiosity)
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: I have no idea what the poem means. The author uses big words and the format is hard to follow and
understand.)
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: I have no idea what the poem means. The author uses big words and the format is hard to follow and
understand.)
What part of the book do you
find to be very important? Why?
(Example:
Page 25,
Paragraph 2,
Lines 5-9)
(Example: The theme of loyalty keeps presenting itself in this story. It’s important because the whole story is
about how two boys stick up for one another in any situation.)
What part of the book do you
find to be very important? Why?
(Example:
Page 66,
Paragraph 3,
Lines 418)
(Example: The author used a lot of adjectives when describing the setting. This helped me as a reader because I
was able to visualize the scene.)
React to what you read:
What did you find confusing?
Why?
(Confusing: causing confusion)
React to what you read:
What did you find confusing?
Why?
(Confusing: causing confusion)
What part of the book do you
find to be very important? Why?
Write down words you do not
understand, and then define.
(7 minimum)
(Example:
Page 66,
Paragraph 3,
Lines 4-18)
(Example: Dither = a state of flustered excitement or fear.)
How do you relate to this book?
What have you learned?
(Be specific and detailed – bring
in text evidence)
(Example:
Page 66,
Paragraph 3,
Lines 4-18)
(Example: This story reminds me so much of my story/life. I learned that friendship is not something to take for
granted and that it takes work to make it the best it could be - especially when John says “I’ll always be there for
you, Tommy” on page 66.)
My signature indicates that I have completed the required reading and uphold LaSalle Institute’s code of Truth, Honor Duty:
Write Name Here