Academy for Classical Education Summer Assignments for Students Entering SIXTH GRADE The reading assignments below are for children who will be entering the 6 th grade in Fall 2016. If possible, you should purchase your own copies of the novels. It is a tremendous advantage to be able to take notes in the margins and underline or highlight notable passages. Should you study these novels again in college, your own annotated and highlighted copies will be invaluable. There books are available at local bookstores, as well as through online retailers such as Amazon.com. SUMMER READING Required Material: Assigned books (preferably purchased but may be checked out from a library) One folder with prongs or pockets for assignments Assigned Book: The Adventures of Robin Hood by Robert Lancelyn Green ISBN-13: 9780141329383 Choose ONE: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Hatchet by Gary Paulsen The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin Rules by Cynthia Lord Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O Dell Assignment for The Adventures of Robin Hood by Robert Lancelyn Green: 1. When you have completed the novel, write a one-page essay (at least 4 paragraphs) comparing the main character (protagonist) of the novel to another famous person in real life or in another novel that you have read. The essay could include physical characteristics, personality, hardships and conflicts faced, or how the character deals with these hardships/conflicts. The essay must also include the lessons that the character learned throughout the novel as well. 2. Activity Menu see attached Assignment for Book of Choice: 1. Choose one character from the novel you chose from the list above. Create a music playlist for that character containing at least 5 songs that apply to the character in some way. Write a short explanation for each song explaining why you chose that particular song for your character. Song choices should appeal to the character s personality, thoughts, or experiences. Songs with inappropriate words or themes should not be used.
Novel Reading Menu You may do any of the following activities that you choose. Each activity has been assigned a point value. You must complete at least 5 points worth of activities. Mapmaker: draw a map of the book's setting. Collage: create a collage around themes, events or characters in the book. Dear Diary: write a diary entry as if you were a character in the story. Write down events that happen during the story and reflect on how they affected the character and why. Sing Me a Song: write a song/rap about the story, a character, or an event in the book. Found Poetry: take sections of the story and, choosing carefully, create a found poem Draw!: translate a chapter into a cartoon; draw the an important scene in the chapter. Second Chance: write about how it would change the story if a certain character had made a different decision earlier in the story P.O.V.: how would it change the story if you rewrote it in a different point of view? Re-write a chapter of the story in a different point of view. Postcard: design a postcard and write to the author or a character in the book Billboard: as in the movies, take what seems the most compelling image(s) and create an ad. Fictional Friends: who of all the characters would you want for a friend? Why? What would you talk about or do together? Biography: write a short, one page biography of one of the characters that most interests you. Who are they? What is their story? Personal Ad: what would a particular character write in a personal ad for the newspaper? Create the ad. Reader Response: pick the most important word/line/image/object /event in the chapter and explain why it is the most important; be sure to support your opinion with examples. Notes and Quotes: draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper; on one side write down 7 important quotes; on the other comment on and analyze the quotes (what do they mean, and why are they important?) Author Interview: write an interview or letter in which the character in a story asks the author a series of questions and reflects on how they feel about the way they were made.
6 th Grade Readiness These skills should be met as students are being promoted from 5 th grade to 6 th grade: English/Language Arts: Reading Comprehension o Making Inferences o Drawing Conclusions o Making Predictions o Main Ideas and Supporting Details o Summarizing Basic Parts of Speech o Nouns (inc. Subject Nouns & Objects of the Preposition) o Verbs (Main & Helping) o Adverbs o Adjectives (inc. Article Adjectives) o Prepositions & Prepositional Phrases The Writing Process o Prewriting o Rough Draft o Revising o Editing o Final Draft Paragraph Writing and Mechanics Science: Study Skills Reading comprehension skills o Recognizing main idea and supporting statements in reading an informational text Recognizing text features o captions o subheadings o photographs/charts/tables/maps Use of mnemonic devices of memorization Classification skills grouping Memorization Piece: Math: Multiplication Facts Parts of a division problem o Dividend o Divisor o Quotient The difference between a multiple and a factor How to use a ruler Long division steps Multi-digit multiplication steps Subtraction from numbers that require multiple borrowings Place value from thousandths place to hundred millions place How to round numbers Social Studies: Geography Skills o Reviewing continents and major oceans o Practicing cardinal directions o Map skills o Practicing locating countries from Europe, North America, and South America using http://www.yourchildl earns.com/mappuzzles.htm Study Skills o Making and using flash cards o Writing in complete sentences Current Events o Finding the main idea in a news article
6 th Grade Student Supply List These are supplies that we will use on an everyday basis. Students will be responsible for keeping up with their own supplies and replenishing them throughout the school year. Binders o Students may opt to have 1 inch binders for each subject OR one 3 inch binder for all subjects. Student is expected to keep binder neat and organized. 8-10 Dividers o These will be used in binders for various subjects. 1 Zippered pencil bag 1 pack of colored pencils 2 Highlighters 3 packs of 3x5 index cards 1 hand-held pencil sharpener with cover 1 glue stick 2 packs of white computer paper 1 straight-edge 12 ruler with Metric and English (wooden or flexible) 3 spiral notebooks 1 subject In addition to the above list, students should always have a supply of the following. Please check to make sure your scholar always has these supplies. Loose-leaf paper Pencils and erasers Pens (blue, black, and red) ** 1 GB or 2 GB flash drive optional, but suggested (to store research and projects) Donations: Clorox wipes Kleenex/Tissue Hand Sanitizer Paper Towels Box of Band-Aids IN-CLASS NOVELS
The following books are not required for summer reading, however these books will be read throughout the school year. If you would like to get a head start, you may want to begin reading during the summer. Beowulf, retold by Robert Nye ISBN: 978-0440905608 The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean ISBN: 978-0140380538 The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White ISBN: 978-0399225024 A Mid-Summer s Night s Dream by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare Version) ASIN: B009CPH6P6