Summer Reading
Students entering 8th grade, September 2012
Fever 1793
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Your Name ________________________________
**Bring this completed packet and your book to your L.A. class on the first day of school.**
Hello Readers!
By carefully completing this assignment over the summer, you will be prepared
to discuss the story in the fall and to write an in-class essay. You will also be able to
show us what kind of reader you are now, and what kind of reader you can become.
This packet is due in your Language Arts class on the first day of school.
There are three sections in this packet:
Section A-Vocabulary
Section B-Journal
Section C-Written Response
You must complete all sections for the packet to be considered “complete.” Incomplete
work will not be accepted.
In order to successfully complete this assignment, you must understand the following
concepts:
Challenge A challenge can be considered a test of one's abilities or resources in
some sort of demanding situation. Most good stories involve challenges that
characters must face and attempt to overcome. Through challenges characters
grow, typically gaining new knowledge and perspective by the end of their
journey.
A challenge can be any one of the following, and sometimes several at once:
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Self
Person vs. Society
Person vs. Nature
Character Traits A trait may be one word that a reader could use to describe the
personality of a character. For example, a character may be considered
courageous, disciplined, or curious. A reader can identify a character’s trait(s)
through what the character says or does. Character traits are not feelings.
Part A—Vocabulary: Chapters 1-10
As you read Fever 1793, look for these vocabulary words, write the sentence and page
number from where it appears in the book, and write down the dictionary definition.
Find the vocabulary word in the book. Write
Vocabulary Word
Definition from
the
sentence from the book and page number.
Dictionary
abhorred
page______
instill
page______
forge
page______
miasma
page______
loitering
page______
impudence
page______
demure
page______
conceded
page____
implore
page _____
Pestilence
page _____
Vocabulary: Chapters 11-21
As you read Fever 1793, look for these vocabulary words, write the sentence and page
number from where it appears in the book, and write down the dictionary definition.
Find the vocabulary word in the book. Write
Vocabulary Word
Definition from
the
sentence from the book and page number.
Dictionary
destitute
page______
jaundiced
page______
commotion
page______
placid
page______
invalid
page______
venturing
page______
relent
page______
shroud
page ______
exorbitant
page _____
hoisted
page _____
Vocabulary: Chapters 22-Epilogue
As you read the last chapters of Fever 1793, look for words that you are unfamiliar
with or don’t know the meaning of very well. Write down the word, the chapter it
comes from, the sentence and page number from where it appears in the book, and
write down the dictionary definition. You must have a total of seven words!
Unfamiliar Word
and Chapter.
Word:
Chapter:
Word:
Chapter:
Word:
Chapter:
Word:
Chapter:
Word:
Chapter:
Word:
Chapter:
Word:
Chapter:
Definition from
Dictionary
Find the vocabulary word in the book. Write
the sentence from the book and page number.
Part B: Journal: Challenges
As you read, thoughtfully complete the journal below.
Text (#).
Opponent
Interpretation
Against what or whom did
Cite ten specific examples of
challenges faced by a variety of major this character struggle?
(Versus-a Person,
characters. Include page number in
Vs.- Circumstances,
parentheses.
Explain how the citation outlines the two
opponents in the challenge – the character
and their opponent. What does it say
about the main character involved?
Example: “I groaned. Mother had been a
perfect girl. Her family was wealthy then,
but that didn’t stop her from stitching
entire quilts before breakfast, or spinning
miles of wool before tea. It was the War,
she liked to remind me. Children did
what was asked of them. And she never
complained. Oh, no. never. Good children
were seen and not heard. How Utterly
unlike me,” (2).
Matilda’s efforts to sleep are being spoiled by
her mother’s instructions. Matilda would
rather go back to sleep and not hear about
how her mother used to be “perfect.” Matilda
struggles against physically going back to sleep
(vs. self) and against her mother’s instructions
(vs. person). She also struggles against her
mother’s expectations of perfection, which
she doesn’t think she can live up to (vs. self).
Her inner thoughts are heavily sarcastic,
showing just how high, and unachievable, her
mother’s expectations are. However, Matilda
does get up and get downstairs, just as her
mother told her, too, so she is also an
obedient child, even if she is reluctant (and a
little fussy about it).
Vs.-Nature, Vs.-Society,
Vs.-Self)
1.
Vs. Person and
Vs. Self
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Part C: Written Responses
Directions: Using your own paper, respond thoughtfully to both prompts below. Your work
should be typed or written neatly in ink. Please attach your responses to this packet.
Expository Prompt: Several of the characters in Fever 1793 experience significant challenges.
How did facing those challenges change that character? Begin with a strong topic sentence
that states your answer to the prompt. Then, support your topic sentence with evidence from
the text and thoughtful commentary. You must use at least two quotes from the text to
support your answer. Use your journal from the preceding pages to inform your response.
Narrative Prompt: Matilda dreams of traveling to France where she will bring back fabric,
combs, and jewelry that everyone will want to buy from her dry goods store. She then wants to
expand her business to include a restaurant, apothecary, school, and hatter’s shop, allowing
her to own a whole block of businesses.
Write about your dreams in your life in for this school year and next year in high school. You
should include different aspects of your life such as academic, personal, activities, travel, etc.
You must have at least 3 paragraphs that have high-quality topic sentences and examples and
explanations to support.
Make sure you bring your book and this packet on the first day of school.