Students getting ready to enter high school are preparing for a brand new world in education. More will be expected from them than ever before. And not that their grades did not matter in junior high, but their scores in secondary education will be permanently on their record for all to see.
It is essential that these students get started off on the right foot. This means that there has to be some preparation during the summer months to hold off the dreaded summer learning slide. The summer learning slide can happen when students do not keep actively learning during the months away from the classroom. In some instances, it can result in half a year of loss of knowledge for students.
To hold off the summer learning loss, giving the 8th-grade students a summer reading list to follow could help maintain and even grow their literacy skills.
In fact, with LightSail, a comprehensive online literacy program, there are thousands of books available instantly for all grade levels. With this summer reading list, the students will be well prepared for the months away from the classroom.
Lord of the Flies
Hailed as one of the best books ever written for young adults as Lord of the Flies demonstrates how quickly things can spiral out of control when kids start to turn on one another. Trapped on an island once their plane crashes, a group of young boys try their best to survive and coexist as hopes of being rescued are dashed.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
There are those in the scientific community that still believe there could be civilizations underground in areas around the globe. Journey to the Center of the Earth was published originally in 1864 and there have been plenty of films based on the book over the years. Do you believe there are continents underground where plants, animals, and even people exist? This novel may just open your eyes to the possibilities.
The Giver
In the novel, The Giver, 12-year-old Jonas has questions about what is happening in his society and the possibility that there are other societies out there that are different than the one he is currently living in. The book should definitely get the student thinking about the control that the local government has and whether nature or nurture makes a difference in what happens during childhood.
Little Women
Another novel that was written in the 1800s and still maintains its legendary status among the best books ever written. In Little Women, the four March sisters and their mother survive hardship after hardship as they experience everything life can throw at them. With an absent father, they retreat into themselves and make certain the immediate family is as strong as possible.
Posted on 7.Jul.21 in Literacy Strategies
