Woodville Middle School
Summer Reading Assignment – Entering 8th Graders
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to
find his father.
After reading Bud, Not Buddy, you will complete a two part assignment:
1. TWO Written Responses
2. A creative project
Written Response Assignment (complete 2)
***This ONE is required
 Write a letter from Bud’s point of view (First person point of view) explaining the conflict in the story.
***Choose ONE of the three below
 Choose two characters from the book and one choice that each character made. Write a paragraph or
create a diagram comparing and contrasting the characters’ choices.
 Write a well written paragraph identifying the rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of the
book.
 Write a well written paragraph explaining what you think the author’s main purpose for the story is. In
addition to the purpose, include a possible theme and explain it.
All writing assignments should include basic paragraph construction including a topic sentence, supporting
sentences with specific details, and a concluding sentence. Assignments should be typed if a computer is
available. A handwritten assignment will be accepted. Each activity should be on a separate sheet of paper.
Written Response Scoring Rubric
8-point response clearly demonstrates exceptional understanding of the task, completes all requirements,
and provides an insightful explanation/opinion that links to or extends aspects of the text.
6-7-point response demonstrates a basic understanding of the task, completes all requirements, and provides
some explanation/opinion using situations or ideas from the text as support.
4-5-point response may address all of the requirements, but demonstrates a partial understanding of the task,
and uses text incorrectly or with limited success resulting in an inconsistent or flawed explanation.
2-3-point response demonstrates minimal understanding of the task, does not complete the requirements,
and provides only a vague reference to or no use of the text.
Response does not provide enough information for the teacher to evaluate. 1-point response is irrelevant or
off-topic or has been plagiarized.
Creative Projects
Students must choose ONE of the projects below to complete at home.
Choice #1: Book Jacket
Create a colorful, engaging book jacket that includes the following:
Cover: New cover for the book with illustration, title, author, and student name.
Inner Flap (left side): Summary –Sequential summary of key story events from the exposition, rising
action, climax, falling action and conclusion of the novel.
Inner Flap (right side): Text connections (text to text, text to self or text to world)
Back Flap: Theme – Description of the theme supported with examples from the story.
Rubric:
The summary is detailed and well written; the jacket is colorful, neat, and eye catching, the text connection is
meaningful and purposeful, careful proofreading is evident, and the theme is thoughtful and clearly explained.
(8 points)
Story summary (2 points)
Picture (2 points)
Theme / Text connection (2 points)
Grammar, spelling, mechanics (2 points)
Choice #2: Bookmark
Create an eye-catching bookmark that complements your summer reading book by illustrating a key event
that is pivotal to the climax and list 3 examples of figurative language used to bring key details and events to
life (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, etc.). The exact sentence from the novel
containing the example of figurative language must be included, along with the page number and labeled with
the type of figurative language it reflects. (8 points)
Format: (bookmark should be no smaller than 8 ½” x 3 ½”)
Front: Title, author, setting, theme
Back: 3 examples of figurative language
Rubric:
Title, author, setting (2 points)
Illustration is detailed, colorful and clearly a key event (2 points)
3 examples of figurative language (labeled), page number (2 points)
Grammar, spelling, mechanics (2 points)
Choice #3: Scrapbook
The scrapbook will include pictures, artifacts, and a short description that demonstrates the students’
understanding of and reflection on the novel. In addition, the student will design an attractive cover or title
page including the title of the novel and the author. (8 points)
Pages should include the following topics (organized in this order): 1. Setting 2. Characters 3. Major plot
events 4. Themes / lessons learned 5. One significant quote
Rubric:
Cover with title and author noted (2 points)
Each page topic includes pictures and a short description that explains its relevance to the novel (2
points)
Correct spelling, grammar, mechanics (2 points)
Creativity, neatness (2 Points)