ENTERING SEVENTH GRADE

Students entering seventh grade are to read two books over the summer.  One of them is Schooled by Gordon Korman and the other is your choice from the list below.  Scroll through the list of titles and descriptions to find something that interests you!

Underneath the list, you will find your summer reading assignment as well as some helpful resources.

Have a great summer!

Schooled by Gordon Korman

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Your assignment: Be prepared to discuss the book when you return in September. Use the resources on this page as a guide.












Key Vocabulary
  • community (pg. 3) noun. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
  • hippies (pg. 4) noun. a person, esp. of the late 1960s, who typically rejected the government and sought direct personal relations expressing love and expanded consciousness, often expressed externally in the wearing of casual, folksy clothing and of beads, headbands, used garments, etc.
  • social security (pg. 4) noun. A U.S. federal benefits program developed in 1935. The program includes retirement benefits, disability income, veteran's pension, public housing, and even the food stamp program.
  • homeschool (pg. 5) verb. to teach (one's children) at home instead of sending them to school.
  • barometer (pg. 5) noun. anything that indicates changes.
  • microprocessor (pg. 5). noun. an integrated computer circuit that performs all the functions of a CPU.
  • lentils (pg. 10) noun. a plant of the legume family, having flattened, biconvex seeds used as food.
  • sitar (pg. 11) noun. a musical instrument of India with a small, pear-shaped body and a long, broad, fretted neck.
  • tarmac (pg. 13) noun. a brand of material used for surfacing roads, airport runways, parking areas, etc.
  • statistics (pg. 27) noun. the science that deals with the collection, classification, analysis, and interpretation of numerical facts or data.
  • projectile (pg. 30) noun. a substance projected or impelled forward, as through the air.
  • apex (pg. 40) noun. the tip, point, or vertex; summit.
  • shrouded (pg. 42) verb. to wrap or clothe for burial; enshroud.
  • peppering (pg. 52) verb. to pelt with as if shot or missiled
  • refugee (pg. 56) noun. a person who flees for refuge or safety, esp. to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, war, etc.
  • immortal (pg. 61) adj. not mortal; not liable or subject to death; undying.
  • mollify (pg. 63) verb. to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease.
  • commune (pg. 83) noun. a group of persons living together, sharing possessions, work, income, etc., and often pursuing unconventional lifestyles.
  • philanthropy (pg. 122) noun.An activity performed with the goal of promoting the well-being of fellow man.
  • beseeching (pg. 153) verb. to implore urgently.
  • intermittent (pg. 174) adj. stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again.
  • obnoxious (pg. 179) adj. highly objectionable or offensive.
  • contamination (pg. 181) noun. the state of being impure or unsuitable made by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc.
Guiding Questions
The questions are in chronological order.
  1. What is the relationship like between Cap and his grandmother? Describe the setting in which they live. What type of place is “Garland Farm”?
  2. With whom will Capricorn be staying? How does he feel?
  3. How is the class president elected? Who is being nominated? Why?
  4. Cap states, “everything was more complicated in the world outside the community.” What does he mean?
  5. Up to this point in the book how would you describe Capricorn Anderson?
  6. Although Cap gets teased about knowing everybody’s names, what is the value in knowing someone’s name? How do you feel when others forget your name?
  7. What is “empathy”? How does Cap show empathy toward Sophie?
  8. How are Sophie’s feelings for Cap beginning to change? Why?
  9. In Chapter 10, how does Cap react to the pranks against him? How does it make the pranksters feel? How does Naomi feel?
  10. In Chapter 11, who considers himself a victim? How does he feel about Cap getting all the “attention”?
  11. What is the importance of “power” to the characters in this book? Who has it? Who doesn’t? Is power important to you?
  12. In Chapters 14 and 15, how do we know Cap’s “popularity” is changing?
  13. In Chapter 16, how does Cap use his “power”? Do you agree or disagree with Cap’s actions?
  14. How does Cap’s “charity work” and “organizing” of the dance affect his popularity? Why?
  15. What prank is pulled on Cap at the pep rally? Whose fault is it for Cap’s injury? How does the school react?
  16. After Cap leaves school, what is rumored as to his whereabouts? How does Zach Powers react?
  17. In the final chapters of the book, to what event is everyone headed? What is happening there? What does Cap do that “silences” the crowd? Why is this an important act?
  18. In the end, how do the characters learn the importance and social impact of personal responsibility by taking ownership of their behavior? How do the characters in the book stand up for what they believe is right? (Note: you may pick one character to discuss or the student body as a whole)
Supporting Resources
In the book, Capricorn's lifestyle is a throwback to the 1960's. Here are some sites that will help you understand the period better.
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1960s.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippie
http://www.thebeatles.com/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/16-history/283-viet-nam-war.html
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/16-history/410-civil-rights-movement.html

A video on a "real life" commune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HffKdrLz1k