Grade 7 Requirements

For Rising 7th Graders

The ACDS Reading and Response Journal project is required summer work. Students may choose to keep either a hard copy journal, an online blog, or a combination of the two. The requirements are the same for blogging or journaling; it is just the format that is different. Students should view the journal as a way to chronicle their summer and to share their personality with their classmates and teachers in September. Students will not receive a grade on this project, but will receive teacher feedback, and the journal will provide the basis for conversations that will allow teachers to get to know students better. Everyone will want to keep a journal that helps them document a great summer and one that makes them proud.

Required Journal or Blog Entries (You must complete each of these)

Remember: all journal entries should include the date the entry was written. (It is okay if you create multiple entries on the same date.). Don't forget to use complete sentences, correct capitalization, punctuation and spelling.

1. Create a cover for your journal.

2. Rising 7th Grade Book Options for Summer Reading 2026

Anthologies

Fresh Ink: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology by Lamar Giles
Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance by Bethany C. Morrow
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez

Fiction Texts with Aligned Themes and Topics

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Jayla Jumps In by Joy Jones
New Kid by Jerry Craft
Others Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch

Non-Fiction Texts with Aligned Themes and Topics

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz

Choice Books: Three or more

Read: Three books of your choice. Please select books that you have not read before. It can be any book-- fiction, nonfiction, biography, graphic novel, etc. Some resources when picking books:

Write: Two response journal entries for each book.

Entry #1 – When you are about half-way finished with the book, provide a reflection. What is the book about? (Make sure you include the main character and the setting.) Who is the narrator? What is the conflict? What do you think is going to happen?
Entry #2 – After you have finished with the book, provide a reflection. What did you like most about the book? What was your favorite “quotation” from the book? Would you recommend the book to a friend? (Why/why not?)

Optional Entries (Complete as many of these as you would like)

Students are encouraged to try some of these journal prompts or to use the rest of the journal to pursue other projects of interest. Be sure to click on the hyperlink in each task to see the specific reflection questions to inspire your answers. The reflection questions are a guide to help format your answers-- you may address other questions that interest you instead or as well.