myMA
Summer is a wonderful time to engage in exploration and new experiences outside the traditional classroom. One of the most important habits to develop is a love of reading; therefore, we feel it is vital for students to continue reading throughout the summer.
Research tells us that students need to read in order to maintain their independent reading levels. In the fall, the impact of a student not having read during the summer months, combined with the fact that many of his/her classmates did read, may result in a difficult transition into the school year. Summer reading is an opportunity for students to be curious about new topics, to dive into books, and to let their imaginations soar.
We expect summer reading to look different for each individual student. We understand that students have a variety of interests and strengths when it comes to reading; therefore, as you can see below, we support student choice. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in the book selection process and to read alongside their student(s).
The lists below include required readings and optional selections for each grade level. Additional assignments in seventh and eighth grade for the required reads are also linked below:
Grades 6-8 Summer Reading:
8th Grade: Required Reads: The Giver (Lois Lowry) & Nine Days (Fred Hiatt) + one choice read
7th Grade: Required Reads: Same Sun Here (Silas House and Neela Vaswani) & Fever 1793 (Laurie Halse Anderson) + one choice read
6th Grade: Required Reads: A Knight’s Journey and Bertrand’s Quest (Carole Wilkinson) + one choice read
Sixth graders are expected to read two books, while seventh and eighth graders are expected to read three books. Our hope is that students will blend individual reading and also have a communal experience to discuss issues and values that are important to our community. Early in the school year, teachers both in advisory programming and academic classes will host conversations around these books.
Some readings are provided by the school, while others are billed to a student’s account so they may annotate and write in the text. We are also asking families to acquire a copy of the choice book either online, through a local bookseller, or at a local public library.
A printable copy of the lists of the books can be seen below and accessed by clicking here. Lists on Amazon have been created for each respective grade (Rising Sixth, Rising Seventh, and Rising Eighth). The reading lists will also be made available at the local Barnes & Noble bookstores (Lehigh Valley Mall, Center Valley and Bethlehem locations) in the near future.
In addition to the required summer reading, we encourage students to read other books, articles or blogs that simply interest them. If they like sports, read about sports; if they like mysteries, read mysteries; if they like non-fiction, read non-fiction. What is most important is that our students read.
For those students and families looking for additional book titles, here are a few recommended resources.
- Enrichment Reading List for Sixth Graders
- Enrichment Reading List for Seventh & Eighth Graders
- Middle School Book List – GoodReads
Happy reading, and have a wonderful summer!
Cindy Siegfried, Grade 6 English
Bud Brennan, Grade 7 English
Nick Lucas, Grade 7 Social Studies
Kathy Bulman, Grade 8 English
Laura Riker, Grade 8 English
Dave Walp, Grade 8 Social Studies
