Reading is basic to all learning and is encouraged at The Perkiomen School Middle School. During the summer, students entering grades five through eight are required to read a minimum of two books from the attached grade level lists. English assignments, in the early fall, are based on the summer reading. These can include in class writing assignments and/or homework assignments.
Summer Reading Guidelines
• Students should choose two books from their respective grade's list.
• They should not choose books they have already read.
• If a student enrolls after August 15, they only have to read one book.
• ESL students do not have to do summer reading.
• Preparing a Study Guide is optional, but strongly encouraged.
Optional Study Guide
Students may choose to take notes as they read and develop study guides. The students should develop the study guides on their own with only organizational help from parents. They should not be so long or detailed that they are not useful. Study guides are meant to be a quick reference tool that can be used when completing assignments.
Possible Organizational Format
Main characters: Make a list of the main characters and describe them. Students should include: age, physical description, and notes about the character's personality.
Setting: Include the time and place in which the novel takes place. The setting may change throughout the story.
Conflict: What is the problem or conflict in the story? Are there other minor conflicts that are also important?
Plot Summaries: Divide the book into five to ten sections and write a plot summary for the sections.
Optional Reading Opportunities
Reading Olympics: Our middle school has a very active Reading Olympics Team. We hope that students will look at the Reading Olympics Book list to get a head start on the reading for the club if they are interested in joining. The link to the Reading Olympics book choices is on the school web site under Middle School.
