Summer Read and Respond Challenge
Grades 6-8
As part of our rigorous academic program at Franklin Academy, all students entering grades 6-8
are required to participate in our Summer Read and Respond Challenge. Each student must
read and write a literary response essay for at least three books from the Franklin Academy
summer booklist. The purpose of a response to literature is to state an opinion about a
character’s traits, the setting, plot, theme, or moral of the story. Typically, the essay is
organized with a brief summary of the story, followed by an opinion that is supported by
evidence from the text. Many responses include connections to other stories, the world, or the
reader’s own experiences, as well as a personal reflection that reveals how the story has
impacted the reader.
For each book that is read, the student is required to fill out the five Paragraph Response to
literature graphic organizer, and then use that organizer to write a five paragraph essay. The
graphic organizers, essays, as well as a table of contents and bibliography, will be collected on
the first day of school.
Step 1: Choose Three Books from the Book List
The following books are suggested for 6th-8th grade students. Please select a book and review
the level on ARbookfind.com. The books that the students choose should be specific to their
reading ability based on the latest STAR report.
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Summer Read and Respond Challenge
Grades 6-8
Step 2: For each book, fill out the graphic organizers
Graphic Organizer
❶Introduction: Write the quick summary and the thesis statement
The author: ___________________
Genre:_____________________
Title: __________________________
Setting: ________________________
The main character________________________________________
Problem or Main Event in Plot (What did the character do? What happened to the character?
____________________________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: (Choose one sentence starter and list three opinions for your thesis statement.)
The character was ________________, _________________, and ______________.
The setting in the story was _______________, ______________, and ________________.
The plot/events in the story were ____________, ____________, and _______________.
The theme/moral of the story was ___________, ______________, and ______________.
Body: Record page #’s of evidence. Write: transitions, evidence,
analysis, and connections
❷Evidence: Page #
❸Evidence: Page #
❹Evidence: Page #
Transition Word:
Transition Word:
Evidence: Quote/Paraphrase:
Evidence: Quote/Paraphrase:
Analysis of Evidence:
Analysis of Evidence:
Connection (select one):
To Yourself:
Connection (select one):
To Yourself:
Another book:
Another book:
The World:
The World:
Evidence: Quote/Paraphrase:
Analysis of Evidence:
Connection (select one):
To Yourself:
Another book:
The World:
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Summer Read and Respond Challenge
Grades 6-8
Graphic Organizer Continued
❺ Conclusion: restate the thesis statement, then make a reflection
Starters:
 This proves
 This clearly
demonstrates
 This specific proof
Subject:
Opinion/Judgement:
__________________________
 the character was…
 the impact of the
__________________________
setting was…
 the events were…
__________________________
 the theme/moral
was…
Reflection Starters (Choose one):
 After reading the book, I (felt, wished, realized, understood)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
 Once I finished the book, I reflected
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Summer Read and Respond Challenge
Grades 6-8
Sample of Graphic Organizer Filled Out
❶Introduction: write the quick summary and the thesis statement
The author: __Chris Van Allsburg_____
Title: ___The Stranger________
Genre:______Fantasy________
Setting: __In the country in the beginning of fall______
The main character:____The Stranger_________
Problem or Main Event in Plot (What did the character do? What happened to the character?
A mysterious man was accidentally run over by Farmer Bailey. Mr. Bailey took the man back
to his farm to help him. After that, strange things began to occur.
Thesis Statement:
The character, the Stranger, was very odd.
Body: Record page numbers of evidence. Write: transitions, evidence,
analysis, and connections
❷Evidence: Page # 306
❸Evidence: Page #308
❹Evidence: Page #310
Evidence: Quote/Paraphrase:
“Oh, you can throw that out,”
he answered. “It’s broken.
The mercury is stuck at the
bottom.
Paragraph Transition:
Another reason …
Paragraph Transition: While
the Stranger’s difficulty with
buttons seemed very unusual,
…
Analysis of Evidence: A
human being would be dead
with a temperature that
measured that low on the
thermometer.
Connection: Reminds me of a
sci-fi movie. I wonder what
would have happened if Mrs.
Bailey used the thermometer
later?
Evidence: Quote/Paraphrase:
“The fellow seemed confused
about the buttons and
button-holes.”
Analysis of Evidence: How is
it possible for a grown man
not to know what a button
is?
Connection: Reminds me of
reports I have read about
amnesia. People forget
where they are, but
Evidence: Quote/Paraphrase:
“The stranger never retired.
He didn’t even sweat.”
Analysis of Evidence: Mr.
Bailey, a farmer who is used
to hard work, was sweating
and exhausted, yet the
stranger was fresh and full of
energy.
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Summer Read and Respond Challenge
Grades 6-8
remember everyday functions
like buttoning a shirt. Why
weren’t they more concerned
with this problem?
Connection: This reminds me
of robot movies about
androids that Iook human but
never sleep, eat, or tire. I
really felt the love of the
Bailey family in this part.
They didn’t fear the stranger.
Instead they treated him
kindly
Sample of Graphic Organizer Filled Out Continued
❺Conclusion: Restate the Thesis Statement, then Make a Reflection
Starters:
 This convincing
evidence proves
 This proves
 This clearly
demonstrates
 This specific proof
Subject:
 the character
was…
 the impact of the
setting was…
 the events were…
 the theme/moral
was…
Opinion/Judgement:
_exhibiting many bizarre behaviors
and actions because he was
autumn, not a man.
__________________________
Reflection Starters:
 After reading the book, I (felt, wished, realized, understood)
After reading the book, and finding out the man was really a season not a man, I
wished I could treat people like the Bailey’s treated the stranger, with kindness and
without judgment.
 Once I finished the book, I reflected
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Summer Read and Respond Challenge
Grades 6-8
Step 3: For each book, use the graphic organizer to write a 5 paragraph essay
Example of five Paragraph Essay in Response to Literature
Numbers ❶-❺ correlate to the numbers in the graphic organizer.
The Stranger: A Response to Literature
❶According to the fantasy short story The Stranger, which occurred during the beginning of
autumn out in the country, author Chris Van Allsburg wrote about a mysterious man who was accidentally
run over by Farmer Bailey. Mr. Bailey took the man back to his farm to help the unknown man. After that,
strange things began to happen. This character, referred to as the Stranger in the tale, was very odd
❷The Stranger’s icy cold temperature was one of the first clues to prove he was an odd character.
This image was created when the author wrote that the doctor told Mrs. Bailey: “Oh, you can throw that
out,” he answered. “It’s broken. The mercury is stuck at the bottom.” A human being would be dead with a
temperature that measured that low on the thermometer, so the doctor really thought the instrument was
broken, but it wasn’t! This scene reminds me of a sci-fi movie when strange events begin to happen. This
connection makes me wonder what would have happened if Mrs. Bailey used the thermometer, instead of
throwing it away?
❸Another reason the Stranger was an odd character was his inability to button his shirt. This was
demonstrated when the author wrote: “The fellow seemed confused about the buttons and button holes.”
How is it possible for a grown man not to know what a button is? The Bailey’s should have realized something
very strange was happening. This scene reminded me of reports I have read about amnesia. Sometimes
people have accidents and forget who they are, and everyday functions like buttoning a shirt. This makes me
ask: “Why weren’t the Bailey’s more concerned with this problem?”
❹While the Stranger’s difficulty with buttons seemed very unusual, his inability to tire really made
him stick-out. “The stranger never tired. He didn’t even sweat.” It seems impossible for Mr. Bailey, a farmer
used to hard work, was sweating and exhausted, yet the stranger was fresh and full of energy. This reminds
me of robot movies about androids that look human but never sleep, eat, or tire. After all these strange
events, even something like androids seems possible. The really amazing part is the love of the Bailey family.
They didn’t fear the stranger. Instead they treated him kindly
❺All this evidence proves the character was very odd. Ultimately, the hermit-like man turned out to
be the season fall. Now that’s odd! After reading this short story, I wished I could treat people like the
Bailey’s treated the Stranger, without judgment and only with kindness.
Step 4: Presenting
1. Place all documents into a presentation folder
a. three graphic organizers and three essays
2. Include a title page
3. Include a table of contents
4. Include a bibliography
5. Turn in the folder to your language arts teacher on the first day of school.
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