~ Magnet Summer Reading 2025

~
Incoming 6th Grade Incoming 7th Grade Incoming 8th Grade

Standard Level: “Roll of Standard Level: Wonder by Standard Level: Refugee by

Thunder Hear My Cry” by R.J. Palaccio Alan Gratz
Mildred Taylor Intermediate Level: Intermediate Level: Trials
Intermediate Level: “The Tangerine by Edward Bloor of Apollo by Rick Riordan
Lightning Thief” by Rick Advanced Level: The Advanced Level: Seafire by
Riordan Hunger Games by Suzanne Natalie C. Parker
Advanced Level: The Collins
Mysterious Benedict
Society by Trenton Stewart

– Instructions –

Step 1: Choose a novel from the above list that corresponds to your grade
level. IB students are encouraged to read the advanced level book, but it is
not required. You can rent a copy from your local library or purchase from a
bookstore/online store.

Step 2: Choose one of the options below to create a report on. There are only
two options.

Step 3: Turn your entries in to your teacher by August 29th for credit.

That’s all you have to do! Enjoy whatever you decide to read this summer!
 Option 1: Book Trailer

Your summer reading book has been made into a movie, and you are in charge
of creating the trailer. You want to be as creative as possible. You also want
your project to be visually appealing. Remember, you want views to watch the
movie but not give the ending away! Use iMovie, wevideo.com, or any other
preferred video production source to create a movie trailer for your book.

Pay attention to the following details:

 Make sure the protagonist and antagonist are clearly identified

 Outlines the basic plot of the book (WITHOUT GIVING AWAY THE
ENDING!). Content of the video should not give away anything past
the climax of the story.
 Describes both an internal and external conflict.
 Includes how setting is important to the story.
 Includes your name, the author’s name, and the title of the book.
 Includes background music and special effects.

If your book has already been made into a movie, you cannot use any of the
clips from the trailer for the movie. This must be an originally designed
trailer by you.

Option 2: Three Key Passages

Select three passages that you feel help develop a major theme of the book,
or show a major character’s development. Choose a passage from the
approximate beginning, middle, and end sections of the novel.

Include:

 Three passages (a passage is just a short excerpt that you select--

this could be a paragraph), with the page number. Label your
passages: Beginning, Middle, End
  For each passage, explain why you chose it and how it develops
your chosen theme or character. Each response should be at least
one paragraph 6-8 sentences.
 All three passages should be about either a theme or character
development. Choose one of these two topics!

Finding Nemo (sample) summer reading assignment

Beginning passage: “OK. I’m thinking of something orange, and it’s small..." —
Dory
Critical Response: This quote was chosen because it demonstrates multiple
personality traits that are vital to character development later on in the plot.
When she is repeating this quote for the I Spy game with Marlin, we determine
that she is oblivious to her impact of having short-term memory loss on those
around her. Her innocence is what, later on in the story, helps her get genuine
help from strangers. At the same time, this quote being repeated for the I Spy
game is what triggers frustration out of Marlin. This provides a pivotal moment
in the plot line where we get to see how he responds when others don’t
think/process issues the same way he does. This connects to his internal
conflict throughout most of the story. He struggles to understand why others
don’t view situations the same way he does.

Middle passage: “When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just
keep swimming." — Dory
Critical Response: This passage directly links to the theme of the story. When
she references to continue swimming, this is a symbolic moment. This is not
indicating that you should literally dive in for a swim when times get tough, but
that you should continue to press on and try to stay positive during difficult
times. This theme begins building from the moment the character of Dory
enters the story. She embraces her struggles with short-term memory loss
from the moment we are introduced to her and tends to cope with it using
humor. This theme progresses even into the ladder portion of the story and
expands to support other characters.
End passage: “Nemo, newcomer of orange and white, you have been called
forth to the summit of Mt. Wannahockaloogie to join with us in the fraternal
bonds of tankhood!" — Jacques
Critical Response: This portion of the text is highly symbolic of the acceptance
that all adolescent crave. It also helps support another theme developed in the
plot line. Nemo began this journey by wanting so badly to fit in with those at
his school. So, this leads to him changing his personality in order to defy his
own father. The remainder of the plot line demonstrates him, along with many
other characters, just trying to find a safe place to feel accepted for who they
are. The moment Nemo goes through this ceremony in the dentist’s tank, it
represents the fact that he can now regain his confidence due to the fact that
he is no longer alone. The topic of acceptance can be viewed progressively
throughout this plot line in these ways: Marlin wanting his son to accept him,
Nemo wanting to feel supported and accepted while being different from
others and his father, and Dory wanting to be accepted in spite of her short-
term memory loss issues and the frustration around that.

NOTES FOR STUDENTS:

*Please notice that I try to spend very little time telling you about what
happened in this story, as I can assume you have already seen it.
*Please note that I am not just including my opinion about the characters. Do
not simply state that you selected a quote because you really liked it, or that
you focused on a character because you feel like they are really
nice/supportive/cool/etc.
*Please note that I specifically focus on a literary element in each of my critical
passages (1- character development, 2- theme, 3-theme). In addition to that, I
don’t just mention the literary element and then move on. My entire
paragraph is completely focused on elaborating on that literary element.
*Feel free to use this as a guide. But, obviously, your content will need to fit for
the summer reading book you read.
Written Response Rubric

Category 4 3 2 1

Passage #1 Selected an Poor passage Poor passage Minimal

(from appropriate selection selection passage
beginning) passage that and/or and/or and/or
connects to weaknesses student minimal
student’s in student’s paragraph student
paragraph on paragraph on missing focus paragraph
the topic of the topic of on topic of is
theme or theme or theme or provided.
character character character
development. development. development.

Passage #2 Selected an Poor passage Poor passage Minimal

(from middle) appropriate selection selection passage
passage that and/or and/or and/or
connects to weaknesses student minimal
student’s in student’s paragraph student
paragraph on paragraph on missing focus paragraph
the topic of the topic of on topic of is
theme or theme or theme or provided.
character character character
development. development. development.

Passage #3 Selected an Poor passage Poor passage Minimal

(from end) appropriate selection selection passage
passage that and/or and/or and/or
connects to weaknesses student minimal
student’s in student’s paragraph student
paragraph on paragraph on missing focus paragraph
 the topic of the topic of on topic of is
theme or theme or theme or provided.
character character character
development. development. development.

Overall analysis Student Student Student Student

and elaboration included included primarily provided
extended basic summarized. minimal
thoughts. thoughts. work.

Properly Each Most Missing many Did not

organized/cited passaged passages labels and include
labelled with labelled with page #s labels and
page # page # page #s
Book Trailer Rubric

Category 4 3 2 1

Does not cover

Introduce Provides Provides basic Did not
each main
s relevant info about character. include
protagoni details about them. this
st & them. informatio
antagonis n.
t

Story Includes basic Includes most Only includes Does not

Line/Plot plot points, but of the basic some story plot include
leaves out the plot points, but points. plot
ending. is missing vital points.
information
along the way.

Internal Refers to Refers to Refers to only Does not

and multiple major conflicts one conflict include
External conflicts (internal/extern (internal/extern major
Conflicts (internal/exter al), but not al). conflict.
nal) that ones that were
influence the of high
characters importance.

Setting’s Images and Setting(s) Setting(s) Setting(s)

Impact on words were clearly clearly not
the Story carefully identified with identified with effectively
chosen to little no connection identified.
represent the connection expressed
setting(s) and expressed about how it
its impact. about how it impacts the
 impacts the story.
story.

Special Used highly Was somewhat Several Very little

Effects creative creative and mistakes were creativity
elements to aligned slightly made which and
align with the with the tone of diminished the organizati
tone of the the novel. effect. on.
novel.