Grade 8 Honors Required Summer Reading
Circleville Middle School and Crispell Middle School
The objective of summer reading for students is to assist them in cultivating skills that have been built throughout their academic careers. It is the hope that summer reading will strengthen and reinforce skills that are vital to all aspects of academics and beyond. Honor students will choose one of the following book options to read this summer and will complete an assessment on the book upon their return to school in September.
Book Options
- Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
- The Crossover (verse edition) by Kwame Alexander
- As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
- Once by Morris Gleitzman
- Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
- The task you will complete for credit in September is listed below.
- If you purchase the book, feel free to use the annotation skills you gained in 7th grade to assist you.
ELA 8H – Summer Reading Constructed Response (Due Date: Sept. 15, 2025)
Directions: Think about the book you read for your summer reading assignment; specifically, think about the protagonist, the conflicts they encounter, and the theme of the text. Use the CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) strategy to write a constructed response to the following THREE questions:
- What is one conflict the protagonist encounters in the text? Describe ONE conflict, back up your claim with one piece of evidence from the text, and be sure to analyze the text evidence with a detailed and thorough explanation.
- What is a character trait the protagonist uses to solve that conflict? (A personality trait, not a physical trait.) Describe ONE character trait, back up your claim with one piece of evidence from the text, and be sure to analyze the text evidence with a detailed and thorough explanation.
- What is one theme revealed by the protagonist’s journey and struggle in the text? Describe ONE theme, back up your claim with one piece of evidence from the text, and be sure to analyze the text evidence with a detailed and thorough explanation.
- Use the CER strategy to answer each question.
- Be sure to cite your text evidence correctly.
- Be sure to use proper spelling and grammar.
Resources to find the text
A video explaining how to access online reading and audiobooks: SORA Instructions
- CVMS Library: https://sites.google.com/pinebushschools.org/cvms-library/home
- Crispell Library : https://sites.google.com/pinebushschools.org/libraryatcrispell/home
- Pine Bush Area Public Library– 223-227 Maple Ave, Pine Bush, NY https://pinebusharealibrary.org/
- Middletown Thrall Library– 12 Depot Street, Middletown, NY https://www.thrall.org/WelcomeHome.html
- Mamakating Library– 128 Sullivan Street, Wurstboro, NY https://mamakatinglibrary.org