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Summer Reading Lists

Forest Oak Middle School
Summer Reading
2005 - 2006

Why do we have summer reading?
In Montgomery County Public Schools, summer reading has been an expected practice in middle and high schools and an encouraged practice in elementary schools since 1998.

The ability to read is crucial to an individual's success in school and on the job. Reading is a life-long skill that a person not only needs to succeed as a student and a worker, but it is also an essential skill in civic and personal activities. Perhaps even more importantly, however, reading opens the world to a person through periodicals, references, essays, and literature. By reading, individuals have the opportunity to learn about people, times, regions, and ideas that they may never actually encounter in life. Reading can also bring a lifetime of pleasure and mental acuity.

Research strongly suggests that reading, like most skills, improves with practice and decreases when we don't engage in it for even a short time. Therefore, consistent with our commitment to prepare all students for success during school and after graduation, we continue in MCPS to expect all students to read during the summer.

Overview of summer reading at Forest Oak Middle School
We use summer reading as preparation for students' English classes. Summer reading is assessed in the pre-assessment for the thematic unit of the first marking period in English 7, 8 and in Reading 6. This assessment will be in the form of brief or extended constructed response.

Expectations
Please encourage your child to read as much as possible before returning to school on August 30th. For students entering grade 6, select one of the novels below and complete the Character Analysis graphic Organizer. For students entering grades 7 and 8 English, select ONE of the following novels and complete the Establishing Character graphic organizer. For students enrolled in honors classes in English, select TWO novels from the following novels and complete the Establishing Character graphic organizer for each book selected. Also, your child will be expected to pass the computerized test (Accelerated Reader) upon his/her return to school. Please use the attached Reading Goals sheet to document all titles completed during the summer.

Students Entering Grade 6

Students Entering Grade 7

Students Entering Grade 8

* more challenging

• Limited copies of the titles listed above are available for students to use during the summer. These books must be returned on August 30th.
• A "one-stop shopping" page of summer reading lists and assignments is available @ MCPS Summer Reading List

Sincerely,
Mr. Martin McCarrick

We hope you find these books exciting and enjoyable at the beach, in the mountains or in you own home.

You might also try: Montgomery County Dept. of Public Libraries

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Last updated on May 25, 2004