If you attended or will be attending Julia Landon College Prep., San Marco Bookstore will have your required reading books available for purchase! (Landon reading requirements are noted below). Of course they have a full range of summer reading fun for the whole family, so be sure to stop in the next time you visit the square.   If you are still looking for a copy of this year’s Hendricks Haiku Project II, they can help with that too!

Landon Summer Reading Requirements

Every student entering Julia Landon is required to complete the summer reading and corresponding assignments, which are due on the first day of school, unless otherwise requested by your child’s specific Language Arts teacher (check the blogs close to the start of school for up-to-date information on the due date).

      All students are required to read the selected Required Reading novel listed for each grade level.  This is a non-fiction text.   Students are required to read one of the student choice books (fiction) in addition to the non-fiction reading for each grade level.   Students at each grade level will read two books total.   There is an assignment for each book.

Assignment #1 (ALL GRADE LEVELS MUST COMPLETE THIS TASK):  After you have read the required fiction book (“student choice”), think about how one of the characters in your novel demonstrates leadership.  Write an essay about that character’s leadership, using the prompt below and the attached essay framework to guide your writing.  Remember to use quotes from the book as support for your ideas, and to cite the page numbers.  The essay may be handwritten (neatly) or typed (12 font, black ink).       Essay Prompt: After reading, think about how one of the characters in your fiction text demonstrates leadership abilities and displays leadership characteristics. In a five-paragraph essay, explain how this character shows these abilities and characteristics and how his or her leadership leads to or contributes to either a positive or a negative outcome.

EXPOSITORY ESSAY FRAMEWORK

 

Introductory Paragraph:   Engaging beginning (Hook)   Transition from the engaging beginning to the thesis   Thesis statement (your stance and your three reasons)       Body Paragraph: (Leadership trait #1)   Topic Sentence Statement (Main Idea Statement)   Support sentence   Facts/details   Elaboration/example   Details/closure/transition       Body Paragraph: (Leadership trait #2)   Topic Sentence Statement (Main Idea Statement)   Support sentence   Facts/details   Elaboration/example   Details/closure/transition       Body Paragraph: (the positive or negative effect/s of the traits above)   Topic Sentence Statement (Main Idea Statement)   Support sentence   Facts/details   Elaboration/example   Details/closure/transition       Closing Paragraph   Restate Thesis or Topic Sentences   Restate main details           Assignment #2 (ALL GRADE LEVELS MUST COMPLETE THIS TASK):   Follow the directions below to create a mind map for the required non-fiction selection.  You may create the mind map on a blank piece of paper, on a poster, or on the computer, whichever you desire.

MIND MAP

A Mind Map is another way of “making notes” on a subject or a book, and it includes words, pictures, colors, and lines.

1. Write the title of the book you’ve read in the center of the page, and draw a circle around it.  Think of this as your central subject.
2. As you think of major or important facts or events draw lines out from this circle. Label these lines with a phrase or sentence or drawing. Think of these lines as your major headings.
3. As you think deeper about the book and uncover more details, themes, etc. which belong to the major event lines you’ve already created, draw these smaller events/details as lines linked to the major event lines. The smaller events/details are your subheadings.
4. Finally, for individual facts or ideas, draw lines out from the appropriate subheading line and label them.
5. As you think about the book and look over your map, new information may come to mind;  link it  to the Mind Map appropriately.

NOTE:  A complete Mind Map may have main topic lines radiating in all directions from the center. Sub-topics and facts will branch off these, like branches and twigs from the trunk of a tree. You do not need to worry about the structure produced, as this will evolve as you develop your mind map.   KEYS TO A GREAT MIND MAP:

• Use single words or simple phrases for information: In your Mind Map, single strong words and meaningful phrases can convey the meaning more clearly than full sentences. Excess words just clutter the Mind Map.
• Print rather than write in cursive.
• Use color to separate different ideas: This will help you to separate ideas where necessary. It also makes your Mind Map easier to remember. Color also helps to show the organization of the subject.
• Use symbols and images: Where a symbol or picture means something to you, use it. Pictures can help you to remember information more effectively than words.
• Using cross-linkages: Information in one part of the Mind Map may relate to another part. Here you can draw lines to show the cross-linkages. This helps you to see how one part of the subject connects with another.

Please go to the following website to view a sample mind map.  This website is the source of this compiled information and can provide additional information as well. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm