Honors English 1 Summer Reading Assignment Dacusville Middle School Mrs. Johnson
Dear Honors English 1 Student and Parent,
Summer reading assignments for Honors English 1 are assigned to all rising 8 th graders in the School District of Pickens County who register for Honors English 1. At Dacusville Middle
School, Honors English 1 students must complete all required summer reading and assignments.
Each reading assignment is graded and recorded as a major grade for the Quarter 1 grading period.
English 1 is an accelerated honors program, which allows students to receive high school
English 1 credit while in the 8 th grade. In order to receive credit, students must successfully pass the Honors English 1 course and the English 1 End of Course (EOC) Exam, which counts 20% of the students’ overall grade for the year. This is a high school level course and will utilize the 9 th grade textbook and related assignments.
The program requires a strong work ethic and a willingness to put forth the effort needed to complete an accelerated core curriculum class. Your child has been identified for this gifted and talented program, and/or has shown the ability required, and/or has met criteria required to be given this opportunity.
Please read and sign that you understand the requirements and the date that these assignments are due, which is the first day of class for the 2012 – 2013 school year. If you have any questions, please contact me at Dacusville Middle School at 864 – 397 - 3525 or by email at tonijohnson@pickens.k12.sc.us. In the subject line of your email, please include the following identification information: your child’s first name initial, last name, and Honors English 1.
I am looking forward to having your child in Honors English 1.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Toni Johnson
Honors English 1
***Please return to Dacusville Middle School or to Mrs. Johnson by June 14, 2012
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We have read and understand the requirements for the eighth grade Honors English 1 program at
Dacusville Middle School for the 2012 – 2013 school year.
Student’s Signature: _______________________________________________________
Parent’s Signature: ________________________________________________________
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Honors English 1 Summer Reading Assignment Dacusville Middle School Mrs. Johnson
***Note: You will need to purchase the novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry.
***Assignments: Due the first day of Honors English 1 class for the 2012 – 2013 school year.
1.
Read The Giver by Lois Lowry.
2.
AFTER READING, STUDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE THE THREE ASSIGNMENTS BELOW!
3.
Create an A to Z “Book” for the novel with one letter of the alphabet per page.
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26 sentences minimum – one or more sentences per letter.

Eight (8) words minimum per sentence that "capture" the essence of the book and its
characters, themes, plot, lessons to be learned, literary concepts, etc.

Illustrated! Illustrations can be drawn by hand (colored pencil) or computer-generated.
4.
Create a Book Cover!
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Must include a summary of the book (minimum: one paragraph with 8 original sentences
plus quotes from the book).
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The summary must include two quotes from the book.
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Must include a review of the book— (Why should someone read this book? What can we
learn from it?) You cannot use the cover of the book on the internet. It must be original.
5.
Create a Chapter 24. Many students are disappointed with the ending of The Giver. Lowry intended her ending to be this way leaving you, the reader, to create an ending of your own.
With that in mind, create Chapter 24, Lois Lowry style. Lowry enjoys the writing process and utilizes a computer for her rough drafts. She marvels at the thought that the ideas just come out of her head and into the computer! Sit at your computer with The Giver beside you. Reread
Chapter 23, and then begin your own Chapter 24 like you think Lois Lowry would have written it.
You must continue her writing style but incorporating your own ideas. Minimum: one-page
typed double-spaced (12 font Times New Roman or Calibri) or two-pages handwritten.
6. Format for Summer Reading Assignments:
 The assignments may be typed or neatly handwritten.
 A handwritten assignment must be legibly written in only black or blue ink.
 Staple multiple pages or bind them together in an appropriate manner for each particular assignment. Prepare an individual cover sheet to place on top of all your assignments.
Type your name, the title of the course and assignment name (Honors English 1 Summer
Reading Assignments), the name of the assignments you chose to do, and the date on the cover sheet.

Place your work together in a folder. Make sure your name is on the back of each assignment in the event that it is separated from your folder.
Honors English 1 Materials List
 1 - one and one half inch Round Ring View Binder for Honors English 1
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1 - package of 25 - 30 sheet protectors for Honors English 1 notebook
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1 - package of 5 - subject dividers for Honors English 1 notebook
 Loose-leaf notebook paper
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One – spiral-bound composition notebook (that will fit inside binder)
 1 - small package of Post-it flags, or small Post-it notes, or something similar
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Number two pencils and/or mechanical pencils and lead and several black pens
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1 – 2 folders
 1 - pack of different-colored highlighters and/or colored pencils
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(Optional) Pencil/Pen/Highlighter Case for notebook
 (Optional) Personal Dictionary and Thesaurus
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