Summer Reading Assignments (2021)

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“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what."- Atticus Finch 

 

When school starts in September, 8th graders will read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM).  TKAM centers around Atticus Finch, a lawyer who takes on the case of a black man falsely accused of a crime against a white person in the segregated South of the 1930s.  While Atticus is commonly viewed as a hero by today's readers, he was viewed as a troublemaker within his own society. While reading TKAM (this fall), we'll ponder: 

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•  Why do certain people choose unpopular, but moral, stances on the issues of the day in order to promote beneficial change?

• How can the wrongs of society be righted? 

• How can compassion for others help in negotiating difficult situations?

• How can we define courage? 

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Your summer assignments, which I'll ask you to upload at the end of the first full week of school, are as follows:

 

1. Choose one of the questions above and answer it. In a Google Doc, write a paragraph (8-10 sentences in length) in which you state your answer, support it with evidence and analysis, and end with a concluding sentence.  Please share the Google Doc with me (swalsh@dwight.global).  **Note - if you completed this assignment for English 7, please choose a different question this year!

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2. Read this article on The Great Depression and answer the questions according to the instructions.

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3. Read this poem by Billy Collins and answer the questions according to the instructions.

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Have a great summer! I look forward to meeting you soon! 

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