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 or login to the ACDS summer blog here.

2. Read our 7th grade community read

The required seventh grade book is Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

Select two of the following questions and answer it in a paragraph in your journal or on your blog. Use evidence from the book to make a strong argument. Pay attention to grammar and spelling.

Which of the characters would you rather have as a best friend? Why?
Who or what are ‘the Low Cuts? Why do the Low Cuts feel like they have to steal?

What ‘differences’ does Fatima note down in her checklist? What can you tell about Fatima’s personality from these lists?

How are video games important in this story? Why do you think the author chooses to reference them?

Additional activities:

We learn that Jasmine has a disease called sickle cell anemia. Using online databases in your school library or on the internet, research two facts about this disease that are not recorded in the novel.
Tardigrades (water bears) are said to be one of the most fascinating creatures on earth. Some even suggest that they are one animal that can actually survive in space. Using online databases in your school library or the Internet, research three fascinating facts about the tardigrade and record them in your journal.
In your journal, draw the insides of the locker described on page 3. Create some "Friendship Flags" for your own best friend.

This book is available at the Alexandria Public libraries, Hooray for Books (20% discount if you mention you're from ACDS) and elsewhere.

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 the suggested optional entries, ideas from the Summer Ideas blog, 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.