Summer Reading

To kick off our independent reading for the year, I'd like to get a sense of your reading habits and preferences.  This first IR assignment will give you a taste for future project options, and give you a chance to share what you've read.

A really cool book cover by Travis English

Step 1: The Poster

I will give you paper in our first class for you to use.  You will be creating a poster for a book you read this past summer; it should be exciting, creative, and get other students interested in the book.  It should not be a copy of the book cover.

Your poster must include:

• The book's title, author and genre, clearly written and prominent

• Some sort of drawn image that captures the essence of the book - a character, a scene, symbol, location, object, etc.  You are welcome to trace, but do not just cut out printed images and glue them to the sheet.  Stick figures are a-ok!!

• Include on the poster a small bit of text - a sentence from the novel, or a review, or your own tagline that might get people even more interested.

• Please put your name on the back of the poster.

Other things to consider:

• Use colored pencils, markers or other drawing materials to make the poster bright and eye-catching.

• If you have trouble writing in large, clear letters, feel free to type and then paste the text on the poster.

Step 2: The Talk

When the poster is due, you will give a brief "Book Talk" to the class.  This is an informal opportunity to practice speaking in front of others.  It will only be for about 2 minutes.

Your talk should include:

• Introduce the book you read, as well as the author and genre
• Explain the image on your poster and why you chose to use it
• Tell us how you liked the book (be honest!)

Other things to consider:

• Your energy and enthusiasm is vital to create excitement and interest in others
• No spoilers!  Avoid giving away details that might ruin the book for someone else
• Be polite and answer any questions your classmates might have at the end

Step 3: Join Goodreads! (Optional)

If you love books like I do, or if you have a hard time keeping track of what you've read, what you want to read, or just need help finding something that interests you, join goodreads.com!  There's even a mobile app you can use.

Mrs. Gray and I are big fans of this website, but you must be 13 to join, and have your parents' permission.  I have a private STAB group on the website that I am happy to invite you to join where we discuss books and see what people are reading.  Because this site is a social media site, it's important to be smart about how you use it, and with whom you communicate.  I won't add or friend people I don't know in real life and I stay mindful of where and what I post. 

REMEMBER: You represent STAB everywhere you go, even online.

Finally, for more info about IR projects and due dates for the year, visit the resources page.