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Middle School Required Summer Reading 2024: Grade 8

All rising 8th graders are required to participate in the summer enrichment program. To fulfill participation requirements, students must complete one row of BINGO by completing work for each subject. Subjects are represented according to the following legend:  

B– EnglishI–History, N– Language, G –Math, O –Science 

To fill in a block, students should complete one option from the list provided for each subject. The option completed for each subject can be represented on the BINGO card according to which option was selected. For example, students who read A Pho Love Story for the English requirement should mark 1, for option 1, in the B Column of the chart.  

Students can print the BINGO card or make an electronic copy. Work will be shared in Advisory during the first week of school, and it will also be submitted to teachers, according to subject areas, for a grade. All students will be entered into a grade-level raffle for prizes when fulfillment of the requirement is confirmed by advisors. Students may earn an additional raffle ticket by completing two rows of BINGO, but only one row is required. Finally, students are encouraged to log ALL of their reading on Beanstack to compete in additional challenges and win prizes! 

Designed by Middle School faculty members

Summer Enrichment BINGO Resources

Choose one from this list

After reading, write a letter from an antagonist to the protagonist. Your letter should reflect consideration of characters, conflicts, and theme.

1. Visit a historical museum or national park

Where did you visit?

What did you learn?

How did this change your understanding of history?


2. Watch a documentary or movie “based on a true story,” then read/watch two online sources about the same topic.

What movie did you watch?

What two additional sources did you look at?

How did the additional sources change your understanding of the movie?

 

Find additional sources:

3. Virtually attend a Gilder Lehrman “Book Breaks” or “Inside the Vault”

What session did you attend and why did that topic interest you?

Research and find one additional source on the topic discussed.

What did you find interesting about the discussion? Anything you’d like to do further research on?


4. Read a nonfiction book.

What book did you read?

Why did you choose that book?

What did you learn from the book and how did it change your understanding of history?

Suggested nonfiction books about history

(These are suggestions of great books you might choose, but you are not limited to these!)

N Column: World Language Choices

 

1. Choose a word from another language in the book you read. Look up how to say/write it in 3 other languages of your choice.

 

2. Make an itinerary (in another language, if you can, or in English) for a trip to a country who speaks that target language. The trip is 3 days long. What are FIVE must-see sites? Write a brief description for each site. 

G Column: Math Choices

(choose one)

Math Option 1:

Take a recipe, either cut it in half or double it, and make it.

  • Include the original recipe and the altered recipe.

  • How easy or difficult was the recipe to alter?  Explain.  

  • What would the recipe look like if you were to triple the original?  Would you have enough ingredients on hand to make it, or would additional purchases need to be made?

  • How did it taste?


Math Option 2:

Watch the following TedEd video on The Magic of Vedic Math.

  • From which civilization did Vedic math originate?

  • Explain how you can quickly find 67 times 11.

  • Explain how you can quickly find 105 squared. 

  • Explain how you can do 25 times 31 using the Vertically and Crosswise Pattern.

  • Teach someone else how to use one of these methods.  Was it easy or difficult to teach?  Were they able to pick up on the concept?

  • Do you think you will use any of these methods for quick mental math in the future?  Why or why not?


Math Option 3:

Plan a weekend trip for you and a friend on a budget of $2,000. You may pretend you are old enough to independently fly and/or drive/rent a car.  You’ll need to book travel, lodging, food, and activities. Use the internet to find actual costs.

  • Create a spreadsheet/document detailing expenses.

  • Did you have enough money to do what you wanted to do?  If so, what would you do with the money left over?  If not, how much more money would you have needed?  Why?

  • Did any costs surprise you?  Why or why not?  Explain.

  • If you worked at a job for minimum wage ($15/hour in MD), about how many hours would you have had to work to pay for this trip?  You need to account for the fact that after taxes, you only take home about 80% of your earnings. (MD Paycheck Calculator)

O Column: Science Choices

(Choose one) 

 
Option 1 - Reading a science-inspired book
Missing Earth Science?
  • Read The Story of More by Hope Jahren 

  • Write a paragraph to summarize what you think are the three biggest things impacting climate change right now.


Still loving Life Science?
  • Read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot

  • Write a paragraph to summarize three NEW things you learned about Henrietta Lacks OR the impact of her cells 


Ready for Physical Science?
  • Read The Martian or Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

  • Each book describes space travel in depth using many different formulae and equations - Write a paragraph to summarize three new things you learned about space travel. 


Option 2 - Visit a local location focused on Science

 

Missing Earth Science?

Still loving Life Science? 

Ready for Physical Science?

Option 3 - Watch a Science-inspired TV show or movie
 
Missing Earth Science?

Still loving Life Science?

Ready for Physical Science?

Looking for a Math-Science connection?