Grade 8 Requirements

For Rising 8th 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.Click here to access 8th Grade Summer Reading Challenge Guidelines

Each student is expected to read at least 300 pages independently over the summer. Students who wish to help their class surpass Ms. Olsen's reading total are encouraged to read even more!

Students are not required to complete journal entries for books read as part of the challenge. However, they should record each book read and the number of pages completed on this survey. Ms. Olsen will use these submissions to track and tally class reading totals.

Any pages read between 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, and 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 9 count toward the challenge. Audiobooks may also be included recorded as page totals.

Families looking for books that may engage reluctant readers can explore Ms. Olsen's recommended reading spreadsheet. Students may also enjoy browsing a list of books that were popular with last year's students, especially if peer recommendations are motivating.

Fiction Texts

Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon
I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
This Is My America by Kim Johnson

Non-Fiction Texts

A Young People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn; adapted by Rebecca Stefoff
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice by Bryan Stevenson

March (Trilogy) by John Lewis

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.