It’s that time of summer: You’re scrambling to find out what required assignments need to get done, besides shopping for clothes and supplies. We’ve got some good news on the reading front — there was no required reading for South Orange-Maplewood School District students in 6th-12th grades. (There are, however, math assignments; read about middle school math here and Columbia High School math assignments here.)
SOMSD did put out reading suggestions if students want to get back in the reading groove. Here’s the letter from the district:
June 15, 2016
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Summer is soon upon us and with it comes a break from assigned reading during the school year and the freedom to make selections that truly appeal to readers, based on their own interests. Some readers may choose one large book that may take the entire summer to read, select various books from the same author, or perhaps engage in the reading of a series. The possibilities are endless.
This summer, the English Language Arts department encourages all students to explore the vast selections of literature, from young adult selections to classics to contemporary nonfiction, to name a few possibilities. Of course, while reading, students may choose to annotate the text or take notes, but, essentially, the assignment is to read for pure enjoyment! *Only Advanced Placement courses in the English Language Arts department have specific summer reading assignments.
The teen librarians of both Maplewood Memorial Library and the South Orange Public Library as well as the two former middle school media specialists put together a suggested reading list for the summer, which can be found on library websites:
https://www.maplewoodlibrary.org/main/uploads/Choices-2016-final.pdf
https://www.sopl.org/childweb/lists/choices.pdf
Copies of the books are available at the Maplewood’s Main Library and Hilton Branch and SOPL.
Here are more links to reading lists for all students:
The New York Times Bestsellers (fiction, nonfiction, young adult) https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/?_r=0
International Literacy Association’s 2016 Young Adults’ Choices Reading List
https://www.literacyworldwide.org/get-resources/reading-lists/young-adults-choices-reading-list
Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime:
https://www.listchallenges.com/amazons-100-books-to-read-in-a-lifetime
An optional summer reading contest is:
The New York Times Annual Summer Reading Contesthttps://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/the-seventh-annual-new-york-times-summer-reading-contest/
Enjoy summer!
