Augusta Raa Performing Arts Magnet Middle School
Summer 2016
Eighth Grade Summer Reading
All students entering eighth grade in August 2016 at Raa Middle School will read the
book Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman. ALL students will answer questions while reading
and turn those questions in the first week of school. Students in gifted/talented
classes will have a project due
Friday, August 19th.
Full Tilt: Blake and Quinn are
Read Full Tilt in
brothers with opposite personalities. Blake
chases Quinn into a phantom carnival that
traps customers forever. In order to
escape, Blake must survive seven deadly
rides by dawn. Each ride presents Blake
with a deep and personal fear, which Blake
must ultimately confront a horrible secret
from his past. Will Blake save his brother
and survive and escape the carnival?
Ten Weeks:
A suggested pacing
guide!
Chapters 1-2 – June 6th-10th
th
th
Chapters 3-4 – June 13 -17
Purchase your book at Raa Middle
st
School after May 1 !
Chapters 5-6 – June 20th-24th
th
Chapters 7-8 – June 27 -July 1
st
Research has shown that students who do not read during the summer lose three
Chapters 9-10 – July 4th-8th
th
Chapters 11-12 – July 11 -15
Why Summer Reading and Full Tilt?
th
Chapters 13-14 - July 18th – 22nd
Chapters 15-16 – July 25th – 29th
August 1st-5th – Final Project
August 8th-12th – Make sure
everything is ready to turn in to
your language arts teacher!
*** If you are planning to
enroll in a gifted/talented
class, please refer to the
school website for your
final book project
instructions!***
months of reading gains. Raa Middle School is committed to ensuring students
continue to grow and expand their reading comprehension skills, not lose them.
Full Tilt is a coming-of-age young adult novel about a boy who seems to have it
all together and responsible but has these fears about various life events and
experiences that he is now forced to address. Addressing fear is very important
to incoming eighth graders, because they will soon develop fears about things
high school, college, and life after college. Students who read this novel during
the summer will be able to share their own growing up experiences, compared to
those in the novel, with a literary experience that allows us to guide them
through critical thinking and decision making, specifically with addressing fear.
***Per School Board Policy 2240, Leon County Schools recognizes that certain
instructional materials may conflict with a student’s or parent’s value system. In
such cases, a parent may request in writing an alternative summer reading
assignment. Please direct inquiries to Jessica Fuesy, Assistant Principal at Raa
Middle School.***
Steps to a Successful Ramtastic Summer!
1.
2.
3.
Read at least 15 minutes four days a week!
Follow the suggested reading guide!
Answer the guided reading questions AS you are reading,
and not after you finish the entire book.
Guided Reading Questions:
Answer all questions in
COMPLETE sentences unless
otherwise noted.
Chapters 1 and 2
1. How is Quinn’s life like a roller
coaster?
2. Which character is most like you?
Explain your answer by citing evidence from text to support your response. For example, you might cite the behavior of
chosen character that resembles how you would act.
3. If you could compare yourself or your life to a ride at an amusement park, which ride would it be? Why?
4. What does Quinn mean when he says, “I go places sometimes.”
5. Blake has several visions or flashbacks of some objects or events in this chapter. Explain them.
6. Blake feels that he has experienced a life-altering experience. Choose one of the following topic sentences and
complete the paragraph.
a. Topic sentence 1: My life was as normal as most kids until I had a life-altering experience.
b. Topic sentence 2: I’m lucky because I’ve never had a life-altering experience. However, I can imagine having one if the
following events happened to me.
7. What happens that reveals there will be mystery in this book?
8. What was the scariest or most memorable ride you’ve ever been on? Describe the whole experience (who you were
with, where was it, what did it look like, how old were you, how you felt during the ride). If you have never been on a
scary ride, describe what rides you fear and why.
Chapters 3 and 4
1. Explain the following sentence: He does acceleration instead of speed.
2. What does the title of this chapter mean?
3. Why does Blake think Quinn is at a carnival?
4. What does Blake think his mission is?
5. To what does the title refer?
Chapters 5 and 6
1. _____ The Tilt-A- Whirl is unusual because (a) all the riders disappear (b) it is moving in the wrong direction (c) there is
only one rider in each pod (d) all of the above
2. _____ Blake goes on the carousel because (a) he sees his favorite animals (b) Cassandra is there (c) his hand is glowing
(d) he thinks Quinn may be there
3. _____ Blake goes on the carousel because (a) he sees his favorite animals (b) Cassandra is there (c) his hand is glowing
(d) he thinks Quinn may be there
4. Which of Blake’s fears is the carousel illustrating?
5. Number these events in the order they happened.
_____The blue-plate special is presented to Blake.
_____ The sky turns to orange.
_____ Blake ends up on the other side of the wall.
_____ A machine gun fires on Blake’s car.
_____ Blake gets a note that says Hold On.
_____ The bumper car turns into a vintage Volvo.
_____ Blake realizes he’s in Chicago.
_____ An orange car slowly approaches Blake’s car.
_____ Blake sees Quinn.
_____ Maggie, Russ, and Blake get into the bumper cars.
_____ Blake enters a tavern.
_____ Blake accepts a drink from Cassandra.
_____ Blake’s car is broadsided. _____ Blake’s car is rear-ended by an ugly kid.
6. What does Cassandra represent?
7. What fears are represented in this chapter?
8. What happens to the children who do not survive the rides?
9. What is the primary emotion that the children feel when they are on the bumper cars?
10. How does Russ’s and Blake’s relationship change in this chapter?
Chapters 7 and 8
1. What fear does the Captain and the blue whale represent?
2. Quinn is referred to as a lightning rod. How does this pertain to his life?
3. What do the “works” inside Quinn represent?
4. Pretend that you are Cassandra and have just met Blake on the rocks. Retell the events that follow from Cassandra’s
point of view. As Cassandra, describe your conversation with Quinn, Be sure to include your feelings.
5. Why is the Mirror Maze Maggie’s ride?
6. What part of the ride pertains to Blake?
7. What do Blake and Maggie discover about themselves?
8. If you were to be in a House of Mirrors, what fears would you face? What truths about yourself would come out?
What would you learn about yourself that you’ve never admitted to anyone. Be honest.
9. How is Blake changing as he goes from ride to ride?
Chapters 9 and 10
1. Blake is riding on the Kamikazee. Out of what secret fears does this ride appear?
2. Explain the title of the chapter.
3. How has Cassandra helped Blake to escape from the doomed plane?
4. Why is Russ determined to kill Blake?
5. Why has Blake been on Cassandra’s list for 10 years?
6. Why does Blake consider himself a balance?
Chapters 11 and 12
1. Why is it so difficult for Blake to get on the next ride?
2. What is the “living reminder” of Blake’s screwed-up life?
3. Why can’t Blake save Quinn?
Write T for True of F for False
4. _____ Blake is taken to a room where he is to be mummified.
5. _____ The temple guard binds Blake to the table with ropes around his arms and legs.
6. _____ Quinn has been drugged so he has no strength to fight.
7. _____ Cassandra readies Quinn’s body for mummification.
8. _____ Extra salt is brought in for the mummification of Quinn.
9. _____ One of the steps of mummification is when the brain is pulled out through the nose.
10. _____ Quinn does not want to be empty on the inside.
11. _____ Blake and Achmed help Quinn to escape.
12. _____ The people in the amusement park become furious when Blake is about to go on his 7th ride.
13. _____ The street vendor tries to capture Quinn and Blake.
14. _____ The amusement park seems to be melting.
15. _____ The rides are built on the broken spirits of its riders.
16. _____ Quinn and Blake are successful in climbing the Great Pyramid of Cheops.
17. _____ The rides are crashing all around them.
18. _____ Blake falls into The Works.
19. Describe the changes in the people and the amusement park as Blake runs toward his last ride .
Chapters 13 and 14
1. Explain The Works. What happens there? What is its significance?
2. What does the following sentence mean? “Nothing comes without a price, and no one comes who doesn’t choose to
be here.”
3. Explain Blake and Quinn’s role reversal as they try to get on the next ride.
4. List all of the items mentioned in this chapter that came directly from either Blake’s or Quinn’s memory.
5. Explain the following sentence: “I think that was the moment I really found my brother.
6. What happens to Cassandra?
Chapter 15
Fill in the missing words.
Blake screamed, “You have to let me ____1____! I finished all 7 rides. You have to let me ___2____!” Cassandra agreed
that she must let Blake go, but ____3_____ would have to remain because he only completed ____4_____ rides. There
was one more ride Blake must ride so that ____5____, ____6_____, _____7_____, and he could leave the park. When
Blake looked at the ride it looked like a harmless yellow _____8_____. But once he got on, the ___9____ turned into a
yellow _____10_____. Blake’s memory of his terrible ride when he was ____11____ haunted him. He kept reliving the
nightmare over and __12___ again. Each time, Blake could not remember how he ___13_____. In his memory, he kept
trying to reach the ___14_____ door, but the floor slanted higher and ___15____. He tried to ___16___ open the
____17___, but he was not ___18____ enough. Then he remembered. He remembered that he had ___19____ open the
door. He stood at the back edge of the ___20_____ while the bus teetered on the edge of the ___21_____. He finally
remembered that he ____22____ off the bus, just as the bus fell. Cassandra said that the bus plunged into the
___23____ because Blake had jumped off the bus. She said that because he had ____24____, everyone else ____25___.
But Blake knew that the bus would have fallen ___26_____. At last he was free! He forgave himself for __27___. The ride
was finally ____28___.
Chapter 16
Write a one-paragraph response convincing the teacher whether or not the amusement park existed. Make
sure to cite evidence to support your response. Below is a writing strategy that will help you write an effective
paragraph.
P= paraphrase the question( or restate – whichever you are comfortable with doing)
A= answer the question – make sure to state whether or not the amusement park existed.
C= cite evidence – what in the text lead you to your opinion?
E= elaborate – you now must explain what the evidence shows.
***Remember, this is a paragraph response, and it should be your best writing !***
Full Tilt Gifted/Talented Project – Option 1!
Brochure Book Project
You are a marketing manager and you have just been assigned a project to create a
brochure for the phantom carnival that Blake “attends”. Your job is on the line, and
you must convince your boss that you are a perfect fit for this marketing company.
You MUST persuade readers to visit the carnival. You want to be as creative as
possible, and you want your project to be visually appealing. You may use the
computer or draw it, but it must be NEAT!
Check off each requirement after you’ve completed it.
REQUIREMENTS
Fold paper into a tri-fold. There are also programs online that have brochure
templates that you can use.
Cover (when folded, the front page):
The cover page should have the following (10 Points):
1. Title of Book
2. Author’s Name
3. Picture/Visual Relating to the Book (NOT THE BOOK COVER)
4. Student Name
Inside of the Brochure (the three main flaps):
This is the most CRUCIAL part to your brochure. This is the map of the park. (40
Points)
1. Create a map of the park. The map must give directions to each ride that
Blake must ride. REMEMBER TO BE CREATIVE!
2. At each ride there must be the following:
 A picture of the ride
 A picture of the fear that Blake faces
 A short blurb about what Blake learns from this ride
 A short blurb explaining why someone should ride this ride
The Right Inside Flap (when laid flat it is part of the back):
Meet the Characters (20 Points)
1. Introduce the readers to Blake, Quinn and one other character in the book. In
three to three sentences explain each person’s personality.
2. Add pictures of what you think the character looks like.
Back of the Brochure:
Theme and Recommendations
1. Detailed description of the theme -What does this book teach you about life?
Any moral lessons? Give examples from the book
2. Have at least one picture that illustrates the theme.
3. Recommendation-Would you recommend this book to others? Why or Why
not?
Spelling, Grammar, and Neatness:
Did you proofread EVERY section? (10 points)
***Due in class the first week of school!***
Full Tilt Gifted/Talented Project – Option 2
Movie Trailer
You are a marketing manager and you have just been assigned a project
to create trailer/commercial for the phantom carnival that Blake
“attends”. Your job is on the line, and you must convince your boss that
you are a perfect fit for this marketing company. You MUST persuade
readers to visit the carnival. You want to be as creative as possible, and
you want your project to be visually appealing. Use PowerPoint or
IMovie to create a movie trailer for the book. Pay attention to the
following details:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Introduces the main characters of the novel. (15 points)
Outlines the basic plot of the book. (15 points)
Describes the main conflicts in the novel. (10 points)
Includes the setting (including all the rides) in pictures and words. (10 points)
Includes your name, the author’s name, and the title of the book. (5 points)
Includes background music and special effects. (10 points)
Plays by itself with appropriate transitions. (15 points)
8. Turned in on time, without technical
PLEASE NOTE:
difficulties, and with correct MUGS. (10 points)
Technology is fickle. If
9. Goes above and beyond with style and
you wait until the last
creativity. (10 points)
minute you may be VERY
disappointed with your
grade. It’s a good idea
to complete the project
*** Remember, you want viewers
several days in advance
to buy the book, but you don’t
and come before school
to make sure that it
plays. Your teacher
WILL NOT be available
before school on the
day the project is due.
A presentation that
want to give away the ending!
***