Name_______________________________________
DUE DATE: September 3, 2015
Parent Signature (acknowledging the assignment) __________________________________________________
8A Summer Reading Assignment
This summer, students entering 8A English will be reading The Contender by Robert Lipsyte and a classic
novel from the attached list. The reading comprehension activities in this packet will are DUE ON THE
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER. If you have any questions, e-mail me at
mrsdrewharley@yahoo.com.
Directions: As you read The Contender and your selected novel, complete the literary element chart below.
Literary
Elements
What is the
setting and
what role does
it play in the
novel? Why is
it an important
factor? How
does the setting
influence the
plot? Be
specific.
Describe one of
the novel’s
protagonists
using strong,
accurate
adjectives.
Support your
adjectives with
evidence from
the novel.
Select one of
the novel’s
themes and
explain how the
story conveys
this idea
through the
characters and
the plot.
Novel Title: ___________________________
Author: ______________________
The Contender
by Robert Lipsyte
Directions: After reading the novel, consider a powerful moment in the text and analyze it. Copy the text
in the box below. Then respond to your selection on the lines provided.
Book: _______________________________ Author: _____________________ Page/Chapter: _______
Text/Passage
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Guiding Questions to think about in responding to chosen passage:
Why is this a significant passage in the text?
What does this help me understand about the character(s)?
How does this affect the conflict?
How does this show character change?
How does this help me understand the plot?
What is the author’s purpose in this passage?
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Directions: After reading The Contender, consider a powerful moment in the text and analyze it. Copy
the text in the box below. Then respond to your selection on the lines provided.
Book: __The Contender________ Author: _______________________ Page/Chapter: _______
Text/Passage
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Guiding Questions to think about in responding to chosen passage:
Why is this a significant passage in the text?
What does this help me understand about the character(s)?
How does this affect the conflict?
How does this show character change?
How does this help me understand the plot?
What is the author’s purpose in this passage?
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Directions: After reading both novels, review the essay question below, and respond to it in a well-developed
essay with a minimum of four paragraphs.
Conflict arises in all literature. The way in which a character faces life’s obstacles informs the
reader about his/her character. How have the protagonists in both of your novels faced conflict?
What did they learn about themselves in the process? How did they change or grow?
In an essay, be sure to do the following:
 Discuss the role of conflict in The Contender and your selected novel
 Explain how the conflict shaped the protagonists in each work of literature
 Use details from both novels in your response
 Follow the conventions of standard written English
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Print as many pages as needed to complete your summer reading journals.
Title: ________________________________ Author: ______________________________
Journal # _____/10 Date ________ Pages read so far:
___________
TEXT WITH PAGE NUMBER
Choose a passage from the text that stands out to you
(you like it, you dislike it, you think it’s important, it
makes you think). You may want to focus on
passages that help you to think about and understand
the main character.
REACTION/REFLECTION TO TEXT
Guiding Questions to think about in responding to chosen passage:
What does this make me think about?
What does this help me understand about the character(s)?
How does this show character change?
How does this help me understand the plot?
How does this affect the conflict?