th
Rising 8 grader
ENGLISH
This packet includes:
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English summer assignment information (page 2)
Summer reading information (page 3)
Reading and Writing activity (pages 4-5)
Vocabulary activity (page 6)
Literary Devices activity (page 7)
Spelling (pages 8-11)
Punctuation (pages12-15)
Grammar: Active & Passive Voice (pages 16-19)
 The completion of this assignment is mandatory and will count
towards your English grade.
CONTACTS:
[email protected] (Miss Impink, Glacier team)
[email protected] (Mrs. Koch, Blizzard team)
[email protected] (Mr. Husband, Avalanche team)
[email protected] (Mrs. Nickischer, Reading Specialist)
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ENGLISH SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
Dear parents and future middle school 8th grade students,
Literacy involves reading, writing, speaking, listening
and thinking. As we prepare our students for the skills
needed to be successful in the 21st Century, it is important
that we provide opportunities for our students to engage in
the activities that will help to build this literacy skill set.
The
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8th grade summer project includes practice with:
Reading
Writing
Vocabulary
Literary Devices
Spelling
Punctuation
Grammar: Active & Passive voice
This assignment is due to your English teacher at the
beginning of September. An exact date will be assigned
during the first week of school. The completion of this
assignment is mandatory and will count as a grade for
Trimester 1.
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SUMMER READING
The Reading and English Departments want to continue to help your children
maintain their good reading habits and help meet state expectations for every
child to become a proficient reader.
This letter includes directions on how to help your children find the right
books to read based on their reading ability and their interests. We are
asking that you encourage your child to read this summer. Although this
is not a mandatory program, research has proven that students who read reap
numerous long-lasting benefits. State and national test scores improve,
spelling improves, vocabulary improves and comprehension and background
information across all content courses also improve. Looking ahead to their
high school SAT tests and beyond, establishing strong reading habits in the
middle years will prove beneficial to them as they become lifelong learners.
Every student in the middle school will be expected to have an SR (sustained
reading) book with them throughout the school day. There are often times
when students could be reading. Please encourage your children to bring an
SR book for the first day of school and every day all year long.
This year we used the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) in grades 7 and 8.
SRI is administered on the computer and students are asked to read passages
and complete comprehension questions. At the conclusion of the inventory, a
Lexile level is generated for the students.
A “Lexile” level is used to measure the text demand of a book in order to assist
in matching children to appropriate texts. A Lexile level or measure is
represented by an “L” (for example, 850L).
“Find the right BOOK for every reader” will create a personal reading list for
your child, search for a book at our local library, or allow you to purchase
on-line through Barnes and Noble.
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2.
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Go to www.lexile.com/findabook
Enter the child’s Lexile measure (student is aware of their lexile level)
Pick the child’s interest categories
View/refine the search results
Print the child’s custom reading list for summer reading
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Utopian Communities
Introduction: Utopian communities in 19th century America were considered by many to herald a new age in human
civilization. Often led by charismatic leaders with high religious or secular moral ideas, these settlements experimented
wildly with different models of government, marriage, labor, and wealth. Hundreds of such societies littered the U.S.
landscape during the 1800s, most disappearing without a trace. Here are two that made a lasting impression on life in
the United States, for better or worse.
Directions: Read the following articles about two different 19th century Utopian communities. Then, write a
paragraph explaining the both similarities between Brook Farm and Fruitlands as well as the differences
between the two.
Brook Farm (1841-1846): The Transcendentalist Romance
The philosophical movement known as Transcendentalist was in full swing when Unitarian minister George
Ripley founded Brook Farm in the rural Boston suburb of West Roxbury in 1841. The community wasn’t particularly
unique for its time—after all, more than 80 utopian communities were launched in the 1840s alone—but it was notable
as the first purely secular one. Members farmed the land together and held the fruits of their labor in common. The
idea was that this would give settlers more time to pursue their own literary and scientific interests, which would then
benefit the rest of humankind. Money troubles and internal squabbling eventually eroded the community, which
disbanded after only a few years in existence. Founding member Nathaniel Hawthorne ended up having a pretty
miserable time there, which he would later document in his fictionalized account of Brook Farm, “Blithedale Romance.”
Fruitlands (1843-1844): The Farm Without Farmers
Fruitlands was founded in Harvard, Massachusetts, as a self-sufficient farming community by Charles Lane and
Bronson Alcott, two men with no practical experience in either farming or self-sufficiency. In contrast to the more
freewheeling ethos of Brook Farm, Lane advocated a far more rigorous lifestyle. Settlers were forbidden to eat meat,
consume stimulants, use any form of animal labor, create artificial light, enjoy hot baths, or drink anything but water.
Lane’s ideas later evolved to include celibacy within marriage, which caused no small amount of friction between him
and his most loyal disciple, Bronson Alcott, who had relocated his wife and four daughters to Fruitlands in a
characteristic fit of enthusiasm. Bronson’s family included a young Louisa May Alcott, future author of Little Women.
Louisa, her sisters, and their mother appear to have been saddled with the lion’s share of labor at Fruitlands, despite lip
service from Lane about the alleged equality of the sexes. When winter set in and life at Fruitlands became increasingly
harsh, most of its original members fled for more congenial settings. Louisa later wrote a scathing, barely fictionalized
report of life at Fruitlands called “Transcendental Wild Oats.” The community lasted less than seven months in total.
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Name: _________________________
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VOCABULARY
Directions: Use a dictionary to define the following words.
1. aptitude
2. chastisement
3. transgression
4. distraught
5. intrigued
6. anguish
7. integral
8. meticulously
9. relinquish
10. requisitioned
11. admonition
12. acquired
13. indifferently
14. serene
15. tentatively
16. augmented
17. dejected
18. exasperation
19. emphatically
20. ruefully
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Name: _________________________
Date: _____________Period: _____
LITERARY DEVICES
Directions: Use a dictionary or online resource to define the following terms.
1. cliffhanger
2. allusion
3. point of views (3rd person limited)
4. metaphor
5. symbolism
6. personification
7. mood
8. dramatic irony
9. euphemism
10. paradox
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Spelling
Learn About It
Spelling words incorrectly can cause confusion for the reader. Some words follow common
spelling rules; others have to be memorized.
Read the sentences. Look for spelling errors.
Familys are as different as the people in them.
I tossed a ball for my dog to retreive.
Rule
i before e
Join two words together to
make a compound word
Drop the final e before
adding a suffix that begins
with a vowel
For nouns ending in -s, -ch,
-sh, -x, or -z, add -es
For nouns ending in -y,
change the y to i and add
-es
Common Spelling Rules
Exceptions
After c, or when the sound
is like a long a
Some compound words
require a hyphen or a space
between them.
When adding a suffix that
begins with a consonant,
just add the suffix.
Some words take their
singular form
If a vowel precedes the -y,
just add -s.
Examples
retrieve, ceiling, sleigh
ballpark, tabletop, warmup, peanut butter
liking, hoping, guidance,
likeness, hopeful,
advertisement
foxes, taxes, dishes, fish
Groceries, skies, families,
monkeys
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Try It
Read the passage. Circle any misspelled words. Use the questions to help you.
Kicking Back
(1) Kickball playoffs: it’s what my team had been striveing for all season.
(2) I knew I had the best players in existence, but the other team was not to be
underestimated. (3) They had beaten us last season, but we would stop them
from making a repeat performance.
Which word is
misspelled in
sentence 1?
(4) Starting the bottom of the last inning, the score was tied. (5) As we
took our positions around the bases, a deluge of insults came from the offensive
team. (6) I reminded my team to fight back with their plays, not their mouths. (7) A few players rebelled
and taunted the other team in return, but once I took the mound, everyone’s focus returned to the ball.
(8) We made efficient work of beating our opponents, striking out the first
three players to take home plate. (9) My teammates rushing the mound to
celebrate. (10) A few minutes later, we were awarded a gleaming trophy, which we
proudly raised over our heads and took pictures with for the local newspaper. (11)
Before leaving the field, we shook hands with the other team and congratulated the
players on making the win so difficult for us. (12) At our celebratory dinner that
night, I asked everyone to raise their water glasses so I could toast the team for
kicking back against our rivals and securing one of the greatest wins in our team’s
history.
How would you
spell the plural
of trophy?
Why is it important to use correct spelling?
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Apply It
Read the passage. It contains mistakes. Answer the questions on the next page.
A Dream Come True
(1) Lakesha had been dreaming about this accomplishment since the time she could walk. (2) At the age
of sixteen, her pageant career had already been a successful one, but there was one goal she had yet to
acheive. (3) Lakesha wanted to take home the crown in the Pinter’s Pastrys Princess Pageant. (4) The
winner would not only get the title, but also be the face for every Pinter’s Pastries commercial produced
that year.
(5) As a little girl, Lakesha dreamed about being in one of their commercials. (6) The problem was
she wouldn’t be eligible to compete until she had three other teen titles under her belt. (7) Fortunately,
she had won one title every year since she began competeing at the teen level, starting at thirteen. (8)
Her opponents, though, had more crowns and sashs in their closets. (9) Winning would not be a piece of
cake. (10) To add to Lakesha’s nervousness, her mom’s budget was really tight for this particular
competition. (11) Not having enough money for a brand new gown, Lakesha would have to use the small
amount of money to make an old gown look new. (12) Wearing the same gown twice was a big
embarassment, but by the time Lakesha was done altering her long, red, strapless dress, she had a
beautiful short, black, spaghetti-strap dress to wear in its place. (13) Lakesha was a genius with fabric
dye and a sewing machine!
(14) When the big day finally arrived, Lakesha couldn’t believe that she actually had a chance at
being the next Pinter’s Pastries Princess. (15) She did a final onceover in the mirror, took a deep breath,
and went on stage.
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Use “A Dream Come True” to answer the questions. Write your answers in complete sentences.
1. Which spelling rule is broken in sentence 2? How should the word be spelled correctly?
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2. Which rule explains the spelling error in sentence 3?
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3. Which rule explains how to fix the misspelled word in sentence 7?
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4. Which word in sentence 8 is misspelled? What is the correct spelling?
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5. How do you spell the plural of dress?
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Punctuation
Learn About It
Punctuation, when used correctly, makes writing clearer. Some punctuation indicates
when the reader should pause.
Read the sentences. Determine the purpose for the commas, ellipses, and dashes you see.
“Mae…you take the fun out of everything,” Abby whined. “I promise it will just take a minute.”
“If it’ll take a minute—and only a minute—then I’ll hang around,” Mae agreed.
Mark
Comma ( , )
Ellipsis ( … )
Punctuation
When Used
To indicate a pause often
after an interjection (an
exclamatory word or
phrase)
To indicate a pause
Ellipsis ( … )
To indicate an omission of
information
Dash ( — )
To indicate a pause, often
before or after (or both)
extra information
Dash ( — )
To indicate an interruption,
often when someone’s
dialogue cuts off another
speaker
Example
Um, I don’t have enough
money.
I think I’ll have … tuna on
rye.
Four score and seven years
ago our fathers brought
forth…a new nation…
Many people thing—and
they are not alone—that
Louie’s Ice Cream Parlor
makes the best milkshakes.
“Mom, may I go—”
“Wait until I’m off the phone
to ask me a question, Mom
said.
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Try It
Read the passage. Circle the commas, underline the ellipses, and write a star over the dashes. Use
the questions to help you.
Mixing It Up
(1) The idea came to me as I was watching the male cheerleaders help the female squad members
with their stunts during the basketball game. (2) If boys and girls could practice the sport of cheerleading
together, why couldn’t we mix on the field in other sports?
(3) Having girls play on the boys’ football team is an idea that had already
been shot down, with good reason. (4) There are a lot of … issues with having a
coed team play a contact sport, so basketball wouldn’t be an option either. (5) In
tennis, though, the only contact being made is that of the racket hitting the ball.
(6) There is no reason why boys and girls couldn’t play doubles together or
opposite each other.
(7) As I continued thinking about it, I realized there were other sports that
could have coed teams without any problems—or at least any that I could think
of at the time. (8) Soccer is one such example, as is volleyball. (9) Softball would
be a great coed sport; in fact, softball is often played on coed teams in afterschool
leagues. (10) The same is true of bowling and kickball.
(11) Instead of fighting a losing battle in trying to get girls on the football
team, we should fight to make more sports coed.
Why does the
author use an
ellipsis in
sentence 4?
What other
punctuation
could the author
use in sentence 7
in place of the
dash?
How can understanding the function of punctuation help you to become a better reader and
writer?
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Apply It
Read the passage. It contains mistakes. Answer the questions on the next page.
A Little White Lie
(1) When I started at my new school after moving, the first thing people picked up on teachers included
was my last name. (2) My name is Eddie Wuerffel, and everyone wanted to know if I was related to the
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. (3) Eager to make new friends, I told them what they wanted to
hear and pretended that Danny Wuerffel was my Uncle Danny.
(4) Within a few days, everyone in the school knew my name, and all were excited to meet me. (5)
“Hey Eddie!” I’d hear. (6) “Do you ever get to toss a football with your uncle?”
(7) Before I could answer, someone else would appear, extending his hand for me to shake. (8)
“Eddie, I’ve been looking forward to—”
(9) “Eddie! (10) Do you want to hang out after school sometime?”
(11) I knew it was wrong, but this three-ring circus was a great way to meet people—I wasn’t
hurting anyone—and soon everyone would know me as just Eddie.
(12) Ah, how plans backfire! (13) Just as the intrigue was beginning to die down, one of my new
friends approached me. (14) “Uh, Eddie, this is kind of an awkward question … it’s my dad’s birthday,
and it would be awesome if I could maybe … get a signed autograph from your uncle …”
(15) Envisioning all my new friends disappearing as quickly as they were made, but knowing
there was no other way out without the lie spinning way out of control, I took a deep breath and braced
myself to tell the truth.
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Use “A Little White Lie” to answer the questions. Write your answers in complete sentences.
1. Rewrite sentence 1 using dashes.
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2. Which sentence uses dashes to indicate an interruption?
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3. If you were reading sentence 5 aloud, where would you pause? Rewrite the sentence using
appropriate punctuation.
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4. Rewrite sentence 7 using an ellipsis to take out nonessential information.
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5. Why is a comma used in sentence 12?
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6. In sentence 14, what do the ellipses indicate?
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Active & Passive Voice
Learn About It
Verb voice describes how a verb relates to its subject. There are two types of verb voice.
Active voice is when the subject performs the action in a sentence. Passive voice is when
something else acts upon the subject in a sentence. Active voice is the preferred voice for
most writing. Passive voice is often used when the subject of an action may be unknown.
When a sentence contains both active voice and passive voice, a shift in verb voice occurs.
To fix a shift in verb tense, revise the sentence so that voice is consistently active
throughout it.
Read the sentences. Determine who or what performs the action.
I called home to ask for a ride.
The phone was answered by my brother.
My message was given to my parents.
My parents picked me up from school.
Then, dinner was eaten.
Later, the dishes were cleaned.
Active Voice
Passive Voice
Shifts in Verb Voice
Verb Voices
I picked out our new four wheeler, but Dad paid for it.
Our new four wheeler was picked out by me, but it was paid for by Dad.
I picked out our new four wheeler, but it was paid for by Dad.
Our new four wheeler was picked out by me, but Dad paid for it.
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Try It
Read the passage. Pay attention to verb voice. Highlight or underline the sentences with passive
voice. Use the questions to help you.
A Frightening Find
(1) Do you voluntarily watch scary movies? (2) Do you ride the highest, fastest roller coasters?
(3) Then you, like so many in America, might actually get a kick out of being scared.
(4) Many studies have been conducted on this subject. (5) Scientists think
that one reason we like being scared is the satisfaction we feel after the
experience has ended. (6) We are happy that we can say we survived the
experience. (7) Some of us, more than likely, are also relieved that the
experience is over.
Who or what
does the action
in sentence 4?
(8) Scary movies are watched by about two-thirds of Americans.
(9) Researchers say this could be because the parts of our brain that process fear
What is the
and enjoyment overlap, meaning that being scared is actually enjoyed by some
problem with
people. (10) Psychologists note, though, that part of this thrill comes from
sentence 9?
experiencing it with peers. (11) Left alone, most people will not choose to watch
a scary movie or walk through a spooky house. (12) Also, the kinds of scares
people like are the ones that don’t put them in what they perceive to be real
danger. (13) Since adults and children have very different perceptions of reality,
this may be why kids are more afraid of walking through an eerie maze than adults are.
(14) Considering the half-billion dollars Americans are willing to spend seeing horror movies
every year, it is safe to say that, whatever the reason, most of us enjoy a good scare every now and then.
Why is the active voice preferred for most writing?
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Apply It
Read the passage. It contains mistakes. Answer the questions on the next page.
Gigantic Grub
(1) What does a 113-pound bag of potato chips and a 252-foot long churro have in common? (2)
They are both world record holders in the “Big Food” category.
(3) In May 2003, the world’s biggest chocolate chip cookie was baked by the Immaculate Baking
Company of North Carolina. (4) The cookie equaled the length of a basketball court and weighed as much
as four adult elephants. (5) Five hundred 80-pound batches of cookie dough were made. (6) Three
hundred thousand eggs were required, and the bakery used over 6,500 pounds of butter.
(7) Susie’s South Forty Confections of Texas made a “Texas-sized” piece of toffee in September
2002. (8) It weighed 2,940 pounds.
(9) It took fifty-eight chefs and two forklifts to bake and lift seven tiers of a 15,000-pound cake in
2004. (10) Almost 5,000 pounds of frosting were used to decorate it. (11) As wedding dessert this size
could feed over 59,000 guests!
(12) While most of these “big foods” are made just once for the sole purpose of setting or breaking
a record, some you can actually order from a menu. (13) At one eatery in Michigan, you can order the
world’s largest hamburger, which weighs 134-190 pounds … if you’re willing to pay $399 for it. (14) The
“Absolutely Ridiculous Burger” takes twelve hours to make and at least three people to flip. (15) The real
challenge, though, is in trying to eat it.
(16) In this time when “bigger is better,” chefs and bakers are rising to the challenge with new
heights and weights.
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Use “Gigantic Grub” to answer the questions. Write your answers in complete sentences.
1. How would you revise sentence 3 to make it active voice?
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2. Is sentence 5 active or passive voice? How do you know?
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3. What is wrong with sentence 6? How would you fix it?
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4. Is sentence 7 active or passive voice? How do you know?
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5. Which voice is used in sentence 10?
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6. How would you revise sentence 12 to fix the shift in verb voice?
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