Summer Academic Work

English Language Arts

Elementary Rising 1st - 6th Grade

Students are encouraged to read throughout the summer months. The Phoenixville Public Library partners with PASD to create book lists that coordinate with our curriculum. Other selections can also be found at these links:
American Library Association Notable Children's Books
PA School Library Association Young Readers Choice List
Additional Rising 6th Grade recommendations:

  • City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
  • Holes by Louis Sachar
  • Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
  • Brave by Svetlana Chmakova
  • Knockout by K.A. Holt
  • Fast Pitch by Nic Stone
  • Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
  • Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
  • The School of Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Students may also work on the Learning Path in Exact Path.

Middle School Rising 7th & 8th

Phoenixville Area Middle School teachers encourage our students to experience all the benefits and enjoyment of reading during the summer. This year’s list has various reading options, including different genres of fiction, nonfiction books, books in verse, and graphic novels. We believe there is something for everyone. We hope our students will have the experience described in this quote by Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: “Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well.”

Read one book from the grade-level choices included below. Complete a one-pager for the chosen text. Further directions are included below.

Rising 7th Grade

The Skin I'm In - Sharon G. Flake

Fish in a Tree - Lynda Mullaly Hunt

The Crossover - Kwame Alexander

The Grand Escape - Neil Bascomb

Enders Game - Orson Scott Card


Rising 8th Grade

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie - David Lubar

Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds (also available as a graphic novel)

Out of My Mind - Sharon Draper

Eleven - Tom Rogers

The Bletchley Riddle – Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin

A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, A Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out – Nicholas Day


7th/8th Grade One Pager Assignment

One Pager Overview
One Pager Example and Template

What is a One-Pager? It is a single page response to your reading. It connects the ideas in the book to your thoughts in a creative way.

Purpose

The One-Pager is focused on having students illustrate their thinking and skills in a manner that is less formal and more creative than a test or written response. The One-Pager should allow an audience to understand the big ideas, themes, and connections in your book. Teachers use the submissions to get a sense of student’s reading skills and skills at modeling their thinking. This informs classroom instruction throughout the year as teachers work to bolster and enrich these skills.

Directions

Read your selected text. While reading, take time to identify the following elements along with supporting quotes that illustrate the element.

•Theme(s)

•Symbols

•Key characters and how they change throughout the story

•Author's style

•Connections between the story's theme(s) and current events unfolding in the world

Create the one pager using the template provided with the following formatting:

•Center: Title and author of book

•Border: Use words and images to illustrate the theme(s) in the story.

•Top Left: Use an image and quote with page number from the book to represent what you feel is the most important symbol in the story.

•Top Right: Images and words that represent the key characters and how they change throughout the story.

•Bottom Left: Use images and quotes with page numbers to highlight the author’s style and the power of the language that is used.

•Bottom Right: Use images and/or words to show connections between the story’s theme(s) and current events unfolding in the world.


Helpful Hints

•Use handwriting that is neat and large enough to be read.

•Use this opportunity to express your thinking and learning using pictures and images along with words and phrases.

•Use the entire page to ensure you have enough space.

•Plan out what you will include before you start.

Rubric

RUBRIC

Rubric Advanced Proficient Basic Below Basic
Textual Analysis Shows a deep understanding of the text by providing specific story details from plot events and characters through the novel Shows a relatively strong understanding of the text by providing some references to accurate plot events and characters Shows some understanding of the text, though several points may contain errors in plot events or character details Does not show evidence of understanding or reading the text
Required Elements All five elements are included within the six required sections. Specific evidence from the text is included Five out of six sections are completed or four out of five elements are detailed. Three key elements are included. The one-pager is somewhat scattered and many be missing required organizational sections Fewer than three elements are included. No organizational pattern is evident
Thoroughness Project demonstrates significant effort and time. Design is creative, shows effort, is neat, and includes legible writing. May use color. Project demonstrates time, effort, and some creativity. Project may be disorganized or the writing may be challenging to read Text feature lacks detail or does not demonstrate time and effort Project appears incomplete
High School Rising 9th - 12th

Summer Work Philosophy and Purpose
Theme: Hero
Essential Question: What defines a hero?

All students will read two books over the summer. Students enrolled in the following classes should read the required text as indicated below and one more from the recommended list.

Required Texts:
9 Honors: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
10 Honors: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
11 AP: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
11 Honors: Kindred by Octavia Butler
12 AP: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
12 Honors: The Stranger by Albert Camus
12 Composition: Orbital by Samantha Harvey

This year’s reading recommendations represent a range of topics, perspectives, and experiences. Choose the book that you think you will most enjoy reading. If you prefer to read something that is not listed, please choose a title that speaks to this year’s theme and that matches your ability as a high school student.

Recommended Texts
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Grunt by Mary Roach
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Jackaby by William Ritter
The Sports Gene by David Epstein
They Call Me a Hero by Daniel Hernandez
American Shaolin by Matthew Polly
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
The Gift from Everywhere by Heidi Held
March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
One Day by Gene Weingarten


Math

Rising 1st - 8th Grade

Students should work on the Learning Path in Exact Path. Progress is encouraged.

Exact path will be available until July 31, 2026.


High School Advanced Placement

AP High School

 

AP Language and Composition
Teacher(s): Coulter, Curley
Join Code: CJK793

AP Seminar
Teacher(s): Coulter
Join Code: T6RL6F

AP World History
Teacher(s): Sprenkle
Join Code: KY8X8T

AP Computer Science Principles
Teacher(s): Costello
Join Code: ATBWEG

AP United States History
Teacher(s): Varady, Kabatt
Join Code: 6W4GXJ

AP European History
Teacher(s): Megan Kabatt
Join Code: FHY78R

AP Government and Politics
Teacher(s): McAndrew, Kabatt
Join Code: 74G678

AP African American Studies
Teacher(s): Baver
Join Code: KCXBP3

AP Biology
Teacher(s): Thomas
Join Code: A49DY6

AP Spanish
Teacher(s): Knaster
Join Code: JJWH89

AP Research
Teacher(s): Gross, Bicker
Join Code: LHE9J6

AP/DE Chemistry
Teacher(s): Davies
Join Code: 3M4TKL

AP Calculus AB
Teacher(s): Donovan
Join Code: 4RGTKP

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