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Summer Reading

SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT: GRADES 9–12

Westmark requires that all rising Upper School students complete a summer reading assignment in order to develop their reading skills, foster their connection to and engagement with literature, and activate their imaginations. The assignment consists of three parts, outlined below, to be completed by the first day of school. Students will receive a grade for completing their assignment.

PART 1: SELECTING AT LEAST TWO BOOKS

Over the summer, all students are required to read at least two books of their choice. The books they select should be of interest to them and fit within the following parameters:

  • Students should select at least one book at their independent reading level: they should be able to decode the book easily and read the book aloud without difficulty.  
  • Students are encouraged to select a second book to read with assistive technology, like Learning Ally. This technology will enable them to access and engage with books that they may not be able to easily read on their own.

If a student needs help determining which books are at their reading level, follow the steps below:

  • STEP 1: Turn to a page in the middle of a book. 
  • STEP 2: As your child reads aloud, count any errors.
  • STEP 3: Use the following guidelines to determine if the book is a good choice.
    • If the student makes three or fewer errors, the book is a good choice for them.
    • If the student makes more than three errors, the book may be too difficult to read and understand independently. Listening to an audiobook or having an adult read the book aloud would be recommended.

BROWSE RECOMMENDED BOOKS

PART 2: CREATING A READING PLAN

The summer reading assignment asks students to harness their executive-functioning skills. To aid in doing so, Upper School students are required to complete a backward planning document that details how many pages they must read per day to complete the assignment. Note: Some students may be asked to complete this Summer Reading Log by their Reading Teacher.

START BACKWARD PLANNING

PART 3: COMPLETING TWO WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

In order to make meaningful connections to what they read, students must also complete the two writing assignments.

  • WRITING ASSIGNMENT 1: Complete a Summer Book Reflection via Google Forms for both of the books they read over the summer. The forms, which will be sent directly to the student's English Teacher, must be submitted prior to the first day of school.

COMPLETE SUMMER BOOK REFLECTIONS

  • WRITING ASSIGNMENT 2: Complete a book report on one book.

REVIEW BOOK REPORT ORGANIZER

GRADING CRITERIA

Students will be assessed on the completion of their summer reading assignments. Please keep in mind these deadlines:

  • The Summer Book Reflections must be submitted via Google Forms prior to the first day of school.
  • The book report must be turned in to the student's English Teacher on the first day of school.

The student's English Teacher will grade the Summer Book Reflections according to the following criteria:

  • The student has completed the assignment: All questions/prompts (including student name, book title, author) are answered.
  • The student writes in complete sentences using the Sentence Writing Strategy as follows:
    • The sentence starts with a capital letter.
    • The sentence has end punctuation.
    • The sentence has a subject.  
    • The sentence has a verb. 
    • The sentence makes sense. 
  • Student responses show a thoughtful understanding of the text.
  • The student has turned in the assignment on time.

The student's English Teacher will grade their book report according to the following criteria (5 points each, 30 points total):

  • The student has completed the assignment: All questions/prompts (including student name, book title, author) are answered.
  • The student has written four paragraphs as assigned. The first paragraph is about the beginning of the book; the second paragraph is about the middle; the third paragraph is about the end; and the fourth paragraph includes a personal reflection.
  • The student writes in complete sentences using the Sentence Writing Strategy as follows:
    • The sentence starts with a capital letter.
    • The sentence has end punctuation.
    • The sentence has a subject.  
    • The sentence has a verb. 
    • The sentence makes sense. 
  • The students' responses reference concrete details from the text to show understanding.
  • The student has turned in the assignment on time.
  • The student follows writing formatting and conventions:
    • They included a heading with their name and date on the left side of the paper. 
    • They double-spaced (2.0) their paper.
    • They indented all paragraphs.

ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE

If you need additional assistance, please contact Robyn Bridges, Reading and Assessment Coordinator, Literacy Instructional Coach (rbridges@westmarkschool.org), or Marissa DeSiena, Curriculum and Special Projects Coordinator (mdesiena@westmarkschool.org).