ROCK HALL — Kent County Public Schools has summer reading goals and assignments for student in all grade levels.
In addition, students are encouraged to sign up for the Kent County Public Library's summer reading program "Adventure Begins at Your Library."
The library's reading program is challenging community members — including students — to reach a cumulative goal of reading 1 million minutes.
Kent County Public Schools' reading assignments are listed by school level below.
Elementary Schools
The goal for elementary school students is for each to read eight hours, four or more books or 25 minutes a day, five days a week.
No matter how you track it, just keep reading!
Visit the Kent County Public Library for a list of summer reading book suggestions.
Recommended classics include:
"Frog and Toad"
"Henry and Mudge"
"Magic Tree House"
"Junie B. Jones"
"The Jungle Book"
"Charlotte's Web"
"The Wind in the Willows"
"The Incredible Journey"
"Make Way for Ducklings"
"Millions of Cats"
Additional book lists of recommended reading are available from the Association for Library Service to Children.
Reading gets you thinking and helps you become smarter!
It's a great time to read when you are:
• at the beach
• at a picnic or celebration
• getting ready for bedtime
• traveling
• waiting your turn at the doctor's office
• riding in a car
• relaxing.
Kent County Middle School
Kent County Middle School students are required to read at least one book over the summer break and select an assignment from the list of choices below.
Students must turn their assignments in to their English language arts teacher on the first day of school.
A booklist of recommended reading for middle schoolers available from the Association for Library Service to Children.
Students, ask yourself these questions before choosing a book:
• What are your interests?
• What genre do you enjoy reading? (General Fiction; Fantasy; Biographies; Science Fiction; History; Mysteries)
• Is the book you are planning to read part of a series? (That's more great books to read!)
• Who is your favorite author?
Now that you have chosen a book:
• Look at the cover and the title.
• Read the summary of the book on the back cover.
• Scan the text (font size, white space).
• Look at the illustrations.
• Check the number of pages.
• Look over chapter titles, especially if it is a nonfiction book.
Use the Five Finger Rule to find the "just right" book:
1 error: Too easy!
2 errors: A little easy!
3 errors: Just right!
4 errors: A little hard!
5 errors: Too hard!
Book project
Choose a project from one of the nine options below to show what you know about your book. Remember that no matter which project you select, you need to integrate cited text evidence!
All work is expected to be original. Work that is plagiarized will not be accepted.
1. Brochure
Create a five-panel brochure. Include the following: author, title, reflection, book review/star rating, about the book and author information.
2. Movie Poster
Create a movie poster. Include a vibrant drawing, title, author, list of actors and the characters
they are playing, etc. Use your cited text evidence to enhance the visuals and text on the poster.
3. Music
Write a rap, song or poem about the main character or book/story. You must have at least four stanzas with cited text evidence! As an option, you can create a video or audio recording of a performance of your project.
4. Storyboard
Draw at least six important scenes from the book in chronological order with captions.
5. Book Jacket
Create a book jacket. Include at least one drawing, the title, author, a five-sentence summary to hook the next reader and a review of the book.
6. Timeline
Create a timeline of your book with 12 events that you consider to be the most important to the plot.
7. Google Slideshow
Create a Google slideshow. Include the following: author, title, reflection, book review/star rating, about the book and author information.
8. Quiz
Create a 15-question quiz for the book/story. Remember to include the answer key. No more than five questions should be multiple choice. All questions should demonstrate a deep understanding of the text
9. Video/Vlog
Create a video or script in which you reflect on the book you read. Your video must at
least include a reflection, book review and a brief biography of the author.
High School
Kent County High School students are required to read at least one book over the summer break and select an assignment from the list of choices below.
Students must turn their assignments in to their English language arts teacher on the first day of school.
Students, ask yourself these questions before choosing a book:
• What are your interests?
• What genre do you enjoy reading? (General Fiction; Fantasy; Biographies; Science Fiction; History; Mysteries)
• Is the book you are planning to read part of a series? (That's more great books to read!)
• Who is your favorite author?
Now that you have chosen a book:
• Look at the cover and the title.
• Read the summary of the book on the back cover.
• Scan the text (font size, white space).
• Look at the illustrations.
• Check the number of pages.
• Look over chapter titles, especially if it is a nonfiction book.
Use the Five Finger Rule to find the "just right" book:
1 error: Too easy!
2 errors: A little easy!
3 errors: Just right!
4 errors: A little hard!
5 errors: Too hard!
Book project
Choose a project from one of the nine options below to show what you know about your book. Remember that no matter which project you select, you need to integrate cited text evidence!
All work is expected to be original. Work that is plagiarized will not be accepted.
Analysis
1. Write a book review. Come up with a rating system and assess the book based on how you would score it. Make sure you have detailed explanations about why you’ve scored it this way.
2. Create a song playlist that relates to the book. Be sure to put the songs in order of the storyline (exposition, inciting incident, rising action, crisis, climax, falling action, resolution) and write a brief explanation as to why you chose that song for that particular moment in the book.
3. Write a letter to the author asking questions about the decisions made regarding plot, characterization, setting and time period. Make two copies: one to turn in and one to send to the author.
Creative
4. Ever finish a book and wish it ended differently? Now is your chance to change the ending! Write a new last chapter to the book. When writing, remember to mimic the author’s style so the chapter feels consistent with the rest of the book.
5. Write an original poem or original song that relates to a theme of the novel. Consider the genre you wish to use as well as rhyme scheme and rhythmic details.
6. The missing chapter: Brainstorm and craft a chapter that you believe should be included in the book. This could be a prologue or epilogue or a chapter anywhere else in the novel. This does not need to match the length of the actual chapters unless you want it to.
Artistic
7. Create a piece of art that demonstrates one theme of the novel. The artwork can be in any medium (pencil sketch, watercolor, acrylic, collage, papier-mâché, digital) and must include the book title, author and a brief theme statement.
8. Comic book-ify your novel. You may draw by hand or use an online site of your choice. Make sure to get at least nine frames in.
9. Create a game (game board with questions/items that directly relate to characters, events, themes of the novel or a digital game that relates to the events, themes or characters in the novel.