JMJ June 23, 2016

8th Grade Literature Miss Blanchard

Summer Reading Assignment Dear Students and Parents, Welcome to 8th Grade Literature class!

I very much enjoyed teaching you this past year in 7th Grade Literature. I am so pleased to have another opportunity to share with you more great authors, poets, play writes, and their works. To prepare for our year together all students will read The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, the Puffin Classic publication. ISBN number 978-0-141-32105-9. The following link will bring you to Amazon.com where the book can be purchased for $5.99. https://www.amazon.com/Call-Wild-Puffin-Classics/dp/0141321059/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466692693&sr=1-1

In the pages that follow you will find sets of vocabulary, reading activities, and comprehension questions for each chapter. This work should be written on binder paper in legible cursive. This packet, accompanied by your work, should be kept in a folder which will be submitted on the first day of school.

All summer assignments are to be submitted on the first day of school, and will be the first grades entered for the first quarter. Any summer assignments submitted on the second day of school will received a deduction of 50%. Any summer assignments submitted on or after the third day of school will not be accepted. Follow the 5 Standards for Written Responses:

1. Use complete sentences. 2. Rephrase the question in your answer. 3. Answer the question(s). 4. Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text. 5. Use proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

All work should have a typed heading: Name, Date, and Subject All work should reflect time, effort and neatness. Any artwork should completely fill the page and include intentional color, shading, or some other artistic technique. Additionally, read one of the books from the list on the next page and choose one of the report options to complete for that book. Please read as many of the books from the recommended list for our own enjoyment. I hope that you will enjoy your summer. Sincerely in Christ,

Miss Blanchard

Book List

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum

The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis

The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis

The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Where the Red Fern Grown by Wilson Rawls

My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Report Options:

1. Write a diary as the main character would write to explain the major events in the story; must have at least four full-page entries, typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font, and 1 in margins all around.

2. Describe the problem or conflict existing for the main character. Explain how the problem was or was not resolved; must be at least two pages, typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font, and 1 in margins all around

3. Make a collage representing an event or part of your book. Must be ½ piece of poster board, completely covered with pictures and words. A one page explanation of the collage images, words, and how they represent the events in the book must also be included; typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font, and 1 in margins all around.

4. Imagine that you are the author of the book you just read. Suddenly the book becomes a best seller. Write a letter to a movie producer convincing him to make your book into a movie. Explain why the story, conflict, characters, setting, etc. would make a blockbuster movie. Suggest a filming location and actors to play lead and supporting roles; must be one to two pages, typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font, and 1in margins all around.

5. Write a complete description for three of the characters in your book. Include a physical description, personality description and emotional description; must be one page per character, typed, double spaced, 12pt. font, and 1 in margins all around. Draw a portrait to accompany the description of one of the characters.

6. Write about the life of one of the characters, twenty years from now. The facts of the character’s future life should honor the character as the author created him or her to be. Creativity is encouraged as long as there are good reasons for the alterations to the character; must be two pages, typed, double spaced 12 pt. font, and 1 in inch margins all around

JMJ Name: ___________________________________________________________

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

8th Grade Literature Miss Blanchard

Summer Reading Assignment Vocabulary

Directions: Before you read, review the vocabulary lists for each set of chapters. Choose 10 of the listed words to define. Use lined loose leaf paper. Include your name, date, subject, title and author of the book and the title of the word list. Your definitions should include:

the word (underlined), part of speech, and the definition of the word as it is used in the text. Number the words. Skip lines between words. Use legible cursive. Example:

1. Inclination, noun- 1. A particular disposition or mind or character, propensity, liking

JMJ The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

8th Grade Literature Miss Blanchard

Comprehension Questions: Chapter 1-3 Directions: Answer the follow questions on loose leaf paper. Include your name, date, subject, and chapter title. Number the questions and skip lines between your responses. Remember to follow the standards for answer questions:

● Use complete sentences ● Rephrase the question in your answer ● Answer the question(s) ● Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text ● Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation

You may not begin an answer with a pronoun or the word “because.” Chapter 1

1. Who is Buck? Describe him. How did he rule? 2. Why did Manuel, the gardener, kidnap Buck? 3. How did Buck react to the stranger’s rope? 4. How and why did the man in the red sweater treat Buck in the manner described?

What did he hope to accomplish? Do you agree with the way he treated Buck? Explain.

5. Explain the sentence, “He was beaten, but not broken.” 6. Who is Perrault? 7. Why is this chapter titled, “Into the Primitive?”

Chapter 2

1. Why was Buck’s first day in Alaska like a nightmare? 2. What happened to Curly and how? 3. How does Buck feel about Spitz? Why? 4. Who are Francois and Perrault and how do they work Buck? 5. Why was Buck hitched between Dave and Sol-leks? 6. What are the ways Buck learns about sledding and life in the north? 7. What is meant by “The Law of Club and Fang?”

Chapter 3

1. What happened between Spitz and Buck at the beginning of this chapter? Summarize the event and its results.

2. Why did Buck refuse to rise, but instead lay on his back with all four feet in the air?

3. How did Francois save Buck from mad Dolly? 4. Why did Francois whip Spitz? Why did Francois whip Buck? 5. Why did Buck howl in Dawson? 6. When was Buck joyful? 7. Toward the end of the chapter, what happened between Buck and Spitz, and the

rabbit?

JMJ The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

8th Grade Literature Miss Blanchard

Comprehension Questions: Chapter 4-5 Directions: Answer the follow questions on loose leaf paper. Include your name, date, subject, and chapter title. Number the questions and skip lines between your responses. Remember to follow the standards for answer questions:

● Use complete sentences ● Rephrase the question in your answer ● Answer the question(s) ● Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text ● Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation

You may not begin an answer with a pronoun or the word because. Chapter 4

1. Why wouldn’t Buck get into his harness? 2. How was Buck’s behavior toward the other dogs different? Why? 3. Why did Francois say that Buck was worth $1,000? 4. Who took over the team after Perrault and Francois? 5. Why didn’t Buck like the mail run? 6. Why did Buck like laying by the fire? 7. Why did Dave suffer the most form the 1,800 mile run and what happened to

Dave? Chapter 5

1. In what ways was the team in a “wretched state” when it reached Skagway? 2. If they’d travelled 2,500 miles in 5 months, how many miles did they average per

month, per week, per day? (I bet you didn’t think you would be doing math in literature!)

3. Who are Hal, Charles, and Mercedes? Describe each. 4. Did Hal, Charles, and Mercedes make a good choice to be in the North? Explain. 5. Explain the advice “Half the load, twice the dogs” given to the Hal, Charles and

Mercedes. How did they respond to this advice? 6. Why were 14 dogs too many? 7. How would you describe the seven remaining dogs? 8. Why did John Thornton advise them not to go on to Dawson? 9. What is meant by the saying, “It was idle to get between a fool and his folly?”

How does this saying fit the family? 10.Why didn’t Buck lead the family’s dog sled? What finally happened to the family?

JMJ The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

8th Grade Literature Miss Blanchard

Comprehension Questions: Chapter 6-7 Directions: Answer the follow questions on loose leaf paper. Include your name, date, subject, and chapter title. Number the questions and skip lines between your responses. Remember to follow the standards for answer questions:

● Use complete sentences ● Rephrase the question in your answer ● Answer the question(s) ● Support your answer(s) with examples/details from the text ● Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation

You may not begin an answer with a pronoun or the word because. Chapter 6

1. Why did Jim Thornton’s friends leave him beside the river? 2. How did Skeet, the Irish setter, care for Buck? 3. What did Jim Thornton bring back for Buck? 4. How did the man and Buck express their relationship? 5. Why did Buck go more often into the forest? 6. What happened when Burton struck Thornton? 7. How did Buck prove Thornton’s boast? 8. Why did an onlooker offer Thornton $1,200 for Buck? Did he take the offer, why

or why not? Chapter 7

1. Who is the “hairy man” in Buck’s dreams? 2. How did Buck respond to these strange dreams? 3. What was making the night call? 4. How was Buck rewarded by the wolf? Why did Buck leave the wolf? 5. How did Buck survive for weeks while looking for the wolf? 6. How was Buck transformed when he was in the wild? 7. Why was Buck successful in killing the bull moose? 8. Why did the Yeehats flee the camp? 9. What happened to John Thornton? 10.Why was Buck ready to obey the call from the wild? 11. When did Buck join the wolf pack? 12. Why is The Call of the Wild a classic?