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Hello Middle Upper Classmen!
First, before you delve into the assignments below, let me make this announcement: Please know that I am
available to answer any questions you may have related to your summer project. My goal is to have you
perform successfully. As a part of the 8th grade team, I want to let you know that we believe mediocrity and
average can’t fit in the same room with quality. It is literally impossible! That being said, please take your
time with the assignments and reach out to me if you need clarity or assistance. Questions lead to quality;
misconceptions lead to mistakes. Excellence is attainable and effort takes you there! Therefore, no question
is too small and any question is welcome!
Here is your Summer Reading Project.
It is a TEST GRADE and worth 40% of your Quarter 1 Grade.
What?
Our Summer READING Project carries the theme of the Holocaust. Why?
During the 2015-2016 school year, we will read more about the Holocaust as it is in one of our
reading units.
Please choose 1 of the books from the 2 following options.
Book
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Fiction
Author: John Boyne
Movie
The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas
Directed by Mark Herman
Anne Frank
Non-fiction
Author: Anne Frank
Anne Frank
Directed by Jon Jones
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As you read the novels, annotate!
What is annotating? Annotate means to add notes or comments to a text, book, drawing,
movie, etc. It’s what you say when you see a commercial and you ask, “Can that really happen?
Wouldn’t he actually fall down?” It’s what you say when you see a movie and someone performs
an illogical action and you whisper to your friend, “Why did he do that? Doesn’t he know that
the burglar is on the other side?” It’s the same with a book; you talk to the book as if you are
talking to your friend, but instead of talking, you write.
Below is an example of annotating in the margins of the book:
Low level thinker: “That was dumb.”
This is low level annotation because it does not promote inquiry and does not involve any one
else in the conversation. The conversation is closed because you made a statement, not asked a
question.
High level thinker: “I wonder why he did that. What was he thinking?”
This is high level annotation because it does promote inquiry; it allows others to become
involved in the conversation and allows the reader to infer about many possibilities. It is a
question, not a statement.
Low level thinker: “That was cool!!!!!!!!!!”
Why is this low level annotation? __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
High level thinker: “She just sat there in the smoke. I wonder what she was thinking about. Why
didn’t she move?
Why is this high level annotation? __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Whether you choose Anne Frank or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, annotate! Have fun learning
new words as you read. Don’t let your brain stay average. In fact, make notes in the margins for
the meanings of new words. Also, capture interesting moments, or events that remind you of
something from your life. Make connections ~ (text to self, text to world, text to text).
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After reading Anne Frank and watching the movie, answer these Anne Frank study guide
questions. You get to type your answers. NO HANDWRITTEN RESPONSES! I am requiring
your study guide answers to be typed to prevent me from struggling to read anyone’s hand
written responses. Also, in college, all papers are typed unless they are written in class and
submitted the same day. As you type out your responses, please be sure to number each
response. Answer each question with a complete sentence. Your high level study guide questions
are below.
1. Film: Consider Otto Frank’s statement to the fellow residents of the annex: “We’re lucky.
We’re really very lucky.” Why does he say this and what impact does it have on the
residents of the annex?
2. Book and Film: Upon their very first few days in hiding in the secret annex, Mummy is
preparing dinner and actually burns the meal. How does this happen? Why was she in
the same room while the meal burned, but she did nothing to prevent it?
3. Book and Film: Why do the residents of the annex celebrate holidays and birthdays while
they are in hiding? How do these events contribute to a sense of “normality” in an
abnormal environment and why is that important?
4. Book: Because they have been in hiding for so long, the residents of the secret annex
want simple things, nothing too fancy. What are the wishes of each of the residents of
the secret annex?
5. Book and Film: Consider the decision to invite Mr. Dussel to share the annex with the
Franks and Van Daans. What risks does this decision pose for those in hiding as well as
to their helpers?
6. Text to World: What examples of courage, compassion, and sacrifice do you see in the
film? Do the people who perform these acts think of themselves as heroic? Specifically
consider Miep Gies and the other people who helped the eight residents of the secret
annex. What did they risk by helping the annex residents and how did they feel about it?
7. Text to Self: Describe a situation in which you or someone you know or have read about
took a courageous stand. What happened? Who benefited?
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After reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and watching the movie, answer these study guide
questions. You get to type your answers. NO HANDWRITTEN RESPONSES! I am requiring
your study guide answers to be typed to prevent me from struggling to read anyone’s hand
written responses. Also, in college, all papers are typed unless they are written in class and
submitted the same day. As you type out your responses, please be sure to number each
response. Answer each question with a complete sentence. Your high level study guide questions
are below.
Chapters 1-5
1. Book and Film: What did Bruno hope to see outside his bedroom window?
2. Book: Why do you think Bruno always tried to be honest with himself?
3. Text to World/Self: Why is it important to not pass judgments based on appearances?
Chapters 6-10
4. Book and Film: What happened to Bruno on the tire swing? Who rescues him?
5. Book and Film: Before he became the family’s waiter, what did Pavel do for a living?
Chapters 16-20
6. Book: What did Bruno expect to find behind the fence? What did Bruno discover
instead?
7. Why does the author state at the end of the story “Of course all of this happened a long
time ago and nothing like that could ever happen again. Not in this day and age”?
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When do I turn in my summer project?
Your Summer Reading Project is due the 1st Friday upon your return to Uplift Hampton. Why not
the 1st day? It is not required the 1st day because there may be some who enroll in the summer
and will need time to catch up. Your typed answers need to be stapled to the back of this handout.
In the unlikely event that you lose this project, print it from the Hampton website. The project will
be uploaded May 27, 2015.
What if I don’t have it ready the 1st Friday upon return?
You will!
In the midst of preparing you for college life (with all of the summer assignments), have fun. I am
going to and I think you should too!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Swim!
Eat lots of barbeque!
Go to Six Flags!
Go to Hawaii, but don’t tell me because I’ll be jealous and may not like you (just kidding)
Sleep in, stay in your pjs, and play videogames (unless you are grounded from videogames).
Tweet, flip, post, follow, blog, upload, and befriend!
Learn how to cook one or another dish and if it’s good, bring it to class one day.
And last, but definitely not least, laugh a lot because laughter is known to be a medicine. If
you can’t find anything to laugh about, look at number 4.
Enjoy Your Summer!
Anita Scott
anscott@uplifteducation.org
8th Grade ELAR Teacher
Uplift-Hampton Preparatory
972-971-4677
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