JMJ
June 23, 2016
th​
8​
Grade Literature
Miss Blanchard
Summer Reading Assignment
Dear Students and Parents,
th​
Welcome to 8​
Grade Literature class!
th​
I very much enjoyed teaching you this past year in 7​
Grade Literature. I am so
pleased to have another opportunity to share with you more great authors, poets, play
writes, and their works. To prepare for our year together all students will read T
​he Call
of the Wild​
, by Jack London, the Puffin Classic publication. ISBN number
978-0-141-32105-9. The following link will bring you to Amazon.com where the book
can be purchased for $5.99.
https://www.amazon.com/Call-Wild-Puffin-Classics/dp/0141321059/ref=sr_1_1?s=book
s&ie=UTF8&qid=1466692693&sr=1-1
In the pages that follow you will find sets of vocabulary, reading activities, and
comprehension questions for each chapter. This work should be written on binder
paper in legible cursive. This packet, accompanied by your work, should be kept in a
folder which will be submitted on the first day of school.
All summer assignments are to be submitted on the first day of school, and will be
the first grades entered for the first quarter. Any summer assignments submitted on
the second day of school will received a deduction of 50%. Any summer assignments
submitted on or after the third day of school will not be accepted.
Follow the 5 Standards for Written Responses:
1. Use complete sentences.
2. Rephrase the question in your answer.
3. Answer the question(s).
4. Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text.
5. Use proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
All work should have a typed heading: Name, Date, and Subject
All work should reflect time, effort and neatness.
Any artwork should completely fill the page and include intentional color, shading, or
some other artistic technique.
Additionally,​
read ​
one​
of the books from the list on the next page and choose one of
the report options to complete for that book. Please read as many of the books from
the recommended list for our own enjoyment.
I hope that you will enjoy your summer.
Sincerely in Christ,
Miss Blanchard
Book List​
Little Women​
by Louisa May Alcott
Jane Eyre​
by Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice​
by Jane Austen
The Wizard of Oz​
by Frank L. Baum
The Magician's Nephew​
by C. S. Lewis
The Silver Chair​
by C. S. Lewis
The Last Battle​
by C. S. Lewis
The Fellowship of the Ring​
by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Two Towers​
by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Return of the King​
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Murder on the Orient Express​
by Agatha Christie
Where the Red Fern Grown​
by Wilson Rawls
My Brother Sam is Dead​
by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier
The Time Machine​
by H. G. Wells
The Hound of the Baskervilles​
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
David Copperfield​
by Charles Dickens
The Westing Game​
by Ellen Raskin
Cheaper by the Dozen​
by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Report Options:
1. Write a diary as the main character would write to explain the major events in the
story; must have at least four full-page entries, typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font, and
1 in margins all around.
2. Describe the problem or conflict existing for the main character. Explain how the
problem was or was not resolved; must be at least two pages, typed, double spaced,
12 pt. font, and 1 in margins all around
3. Make a collage representing an event or part of your book. Must be ½ piece of poster
board, ​
completely covered​
with pictures and words. A one page explanation of the
collage images, words, and how they represent the events in the book must also be
included; typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font, and 1 in margins all around.
4. Imagine that you are the author of the book you just read. Suddenly the book
becomes a best seller. Write a letter to a movie producer convincing him to make
your book into a movie. Explain why the story, conflict, characters, setting, etc.
would make a blockbuster movie. Suggest a filming location and actors to play lead
and supporting roles; must be one to two pages, typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font,
and 1in margins all around.
5. Write a complete description for three of the characters in your book. Include a
physical description, personality description and emotional description; must be one
page per character, typed, double spaced, 12pt. font, and 1 in margins all around.
Draw a portrait to accompany the description of one of the characters.
6. Write about the life of one of the characters, twenty years from now. The facts of
the character’s future life should honor the character as the author created him or
her to be. Creativity is encouraged as long as there are good reasons for the
alterations to the character; must be two pages, typed, double spaced 12 pt. font, and
1 in inch margins all around
JMJ
Name:
___________________________________________________________
The Call of the Wild​
by Jack London
th​
8​Grade Literature
Miss Blanchard
Summer Reading Assignment
Vocabulary
Directions:
Before you read, review the vocabulary lists for each set of chapters. Choose 10 of the
listed words to define.
Use lined loose leaf paper.
Include your name, date, subject, title and author of the book and the title of the word
list.
Your definitions should include:
the word (underlined), part of speech, and the definition of the word as it is
used in the text.
Number the words.
Skip lines between words.
Use legible cursive.
Example:
1. Inclination​
, noun1. A particular disposition or mind or character, propensity, liking
JMJ
The Call of the Wild,​
by Jack London
th​
8​Grade Literature
Miss Blanchard
Comprehension Questions: Chapter 1-3
Directions: Answer the follow questions on loose leaf paper. Include your name, date,
subject, and chapter title. Number the questions and skip lines between your responses.
Remember to follow the standards for answer questions:
● Use complete sentences
● Rephrase the question in your answer
● Answer the question(s)
● Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text
● Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
You may not begin an answer with a pronoun or the word “because.”
Chapter 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
Who is Buck? Describe him. How did he rule?
Why did Manuel, the gardener, kidnap Buck?
How did Buck react to the stranger’s rope?
How and why did the man in the red sweater treat Buck in the manner described?
What did he hope to accomplish? Do you agree with the way he treated Buck?
Explain.
5. Explain the sentence, “He was beaten, but not broken.”
6. Who is Perrault?
7. Why is this chapter titled, “Into the Primitive?”
Chapter 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Why was Buck’s first day in Alaska like a nightmare?
What happened to Curly and how?
How does Buck feel about Spitz? Why?
Who are Francois and Perrault and how do they work Buck?
Why was Buck hitched between Dave and Sol-leks?
What are the ways Buck learns about sledding and life in the north?
What is meant by “The Law of Club and Fang?”
Chapter 3
1. What happened between Spitz and Buck at the beginning of this chapter?
Summarize the event and its results.
2. Why did Buck refuse to rise, but instead lay on his back with all four feet in the
air?
3. How did Francois save Buck from mad Dolly?
4. Why did Francois whip Spitz? Why did Francois whip Buck?
5. Why did Buck howl in Dawson?
6. When was Buck joyful?
7. Toward the end of the chapter, what happened between Buck and Spitz, and the
rabbit?
JMJ
The Call of the Wild,​
by Jack London
th​
8​Grade Literature
Miss Blanchard
Comprehension Questions: Chapter 4-5
Directions: Answer the follow questions on loose leaf paper. Include your name, date,
subject, and chapter title. Number the questions and skip lines between your responses.
Remember to follow the standards for answer questions:
● Use complete sentences
● Rephrase the question in your answer
● Answer the question(s)
● Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text
● Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
You may not begin an answer with a pronoun or the word because.
Chapter 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Why wouldn’t Buck get into his harness?
How was Buck’s behavior toward the other dogs different? Why?
Why did Francois say that Buck was worth $1,000?
Who took over the team after Perrault and Francois?
Why didn’t Buck like the mail run?
Why did Buck like laying by the fire?
Why did Dave suffer the most form the 1,800 mile run and what happened to
Dave?
Chapter 5
1. In what ways was the team in a “wretched state” when it reached Skagway?
2. If they’d travelled 2,500 miles in 5 months, how many miles did they average per
month, per week, per day? (I bet you didn’t think you would be doing math in
literature!)
3. Who are Hal, Charles, and Mercedes? Describe each.
4. Did Hal, Charles, and Mercedes make a good choice to be in the North? Explain.
5. Explain the advice “Half the load, twice the dogs” given to the Hal, Charles and
Mercedes. How did they respond to this advice?
6. Why were 14 dogs too many?
7. How would you describe the seven remaining dogs?
8. Why did John Thornton advise them not to go on to Dawson?
9. What is meant by the saying, “It was idle to get between a fool and his folly?”
How does this saying fit the family?
10.Why didn’t Buck lead the family’s dog sled? What finally happened to the family?
JMJ
The Call of the Wild,​
by Jack London
th​
8​Grade Literature
Miss Blanchard
Comprehension Questions: Chapter 6-7
Directions: Answer the follow questions on loose leaf paper. Include your name, date,
subject, and chapter title. Number the questions and skip lines between your responses.
Remember to follow the standards for answer questions:
● Use complete sentences
● Rephrase the question in your answer
● Answer the question(s)
● Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text
● Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
You may not begin an answer with a pronoun or the word because.
Chapter 6
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Why did Jim Thornton’s friends leave him beside the river?
How did Skeet, the Irish setter, care for Buck?
What did Jim Thornton bring back for Buck?
How did the man and Buck express their relationship?
Why did Buck go more often into the forest?
What happened when Burton struck Thornton?
How did Buck prove Thornton’s boast?
Why did an onlooker offer Thornton $1,200 for Buck? Did he take the offer, why
or why not?
Chapter 7
1. Who is the “hairy man” in Buck’s dreams?
2. How did Buck respond to these strange dreams?
3. What was making the night call?
4. How was Buck rewarded by the wolf? Why did Buck leave the wolf?
5. How did Buck survive for weeks while looking for the wolf?
6. How was Buck transformed when he was in the wild?
7. Why was Buck successful in killing the bull moose?
8. Why did the Yeehats flee the camp?
9. What happened to John Thornton?
10.Why was Buck ready to obey the call from the wild?
11. When did Buck join the wolf pack?
12. Why is ​
The Call of the Wild​
a classic?