Updated: June 2023

Required Summer Assignments for Grades 3-8

Students entering grades 3-8 have assignments to complete over the summer to help keep them engaged in learning activities. When students return in the fall, there will be class activities and assessments to follow up on these assignments. 

The grade level list will give you the details about the requirements for students entering that grade in the fall. 

Amazon book lists are available to help you easily find the correct books for the summer reading assignments, but you do NOT need to purchase your books from Amazon.  Click on the book image for the link to the Amazon list for that grade level. 

Note: Supply lists for 2023-2024 were sent in the June parent packets. These will also be available in the Family Portal of RenWeb soon.

3rd Grade

All incoming 3rd graders need to read The Littles by John Peterson.

This is a beginner chapter book. If The Littles is above the child’s reading level, a parent can read the book to the child. The teachers have created a read-aloud of each chapter (links below). Students are encouraged to follow along in the book as they listen to the read-aloud. There will be classroom activities based on the book during the first weeks of school.

You can find it on Amazon: https://bit.ly/Read-3-2020 

Students should also read an additional book of their choice that matches their reading level. When students return to school they will do a book report on what they read. (A Mouse Called Wolf, by Dick King-Smith, is highly recommended by the third-grade teachers as the second book for students to read.)

The Littles – read alouds

MATH FACT PRACTICE
Paper copies of the summer math worksheets will be included in the August packets that parents pick up at the Back-to-School Party. The suggested pacing is one page per day between the party and the first day of school. Families who want to start earlier or work at a slower pace can download the math packet from this website anytime during the summer. 

Download the 3rd grade Summer Math Packet here.

4th Grade

Choose two books to read over the summer. One book must be from the list below and another book of the student’s choice. (or read 2 from the list) When students return in the fall, they should bring the books to school with them.

  • Allie’s Bayou Rescue – Missy Robertson
  • Chocolate Fever – Robert Kimmel Smith
  • Hello Stars (Faithgirlz / Lena in the Spotlight) – Alena Pitts & Wynter Pitts
  • Prince Martin Wins His Sword – Brandon Hale
  • Secret of the Hidden Scrolls (series, pick 1) – M.J. Thomas
  • Shiloh – Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  • Ten Boys Who Used Their Talents – Irene Howat
  • Ten Girls Who Used Their Talents – Irene Howat
  • The Dead Sea Squirrels: Squirreled Away – Mike Nawrocki
  • Defender of Faith, Revised Edition: The Mike Fisher Story – Kim Washburn
  • The One and Only Bob – Katherine Applegate
  • The Whipping Boy – Sid Fleischman & Peter Sis

Link to the book list on Amazon: https://bit.ly/Read-4-2020

MATH FACT PRACTICE
Paper copies of the summer math worksheets will be included in the August packets that parents pick up at the Back-to-School Party. The suggested pacing is one page per day between the party and the first day of school. Families who want to start earlier or work at a slower pace can download the math packet from this website anytime during the summer. 

Download the 4th grade Summer Math Packet here.

5th Grade

Choose two books to read over the summer. One book must be from the list below and another book of the student’s choice. (or read 2 from the list) When students return in the fall, they should bring the books to school with them. During the first days of school, there will be writing activities covering the books that students read.

  • Defending the Line: The David Luiz Story – Alex Carpenter
  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library – Chris Grabenstein
  • Heart of a Champion: The Dominique Dawes Story – Kim Washburn
  • Little House in the Big Woods (pick one from the series that you have not already read) – Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • London Art Chase (Faithgirlz) – Natalie Grant
  • The Door Within (trilogy – read one) – Wayne Thomas Batson
  • The Feather Chase – Shannon L. Brown
  • The Middle of Somewhere – J.B. Cheaney
  • The Mother-Daughter Book Club – Heather Vogel Fredrick
  • The Wild Robot – Peter Brown
  • Treasure Hunters – James Patterson

Link to the book list on Amazon: https://bit.ly/Read-5-2020

MATH FACT PRACTICE
Paper copies of the summer math worksheets will be included in the August packets that parents pick up at the Back-to-School Party. The suggested pacing is one page per day between the party and the first day of school. Families who want to start earlier or work at a slower pace can download the math packet from this website anytime during the summer. 

Download the 5th grade Summer Math Packet here.

6th Grade

All students must read Out Of My Mind by Sharon Draper and select one additional book from the following list as their second summer reading book.

When the school year begins, students will engage in writing activities and literary discussions about Out Of My Mind, and participate in a book talk with their teacher about the second book that they chose to read. Families will need to purchase a copy of Out of My Mind so that students can take notes in the book. Students must bring their copy of the book to class for assignments during the beginning of the school year.

  • A Long Walk to Water – Linda Sue Park
  • Black Beauty – Anna Sewell
  • Girl Power (Faithgirlz) – Melody Carlson
  • Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’Dell
  • Maniac Magee – Jerry Spinelli
  • On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga) – Andrew Peterson
  • Soul Surfer – Bethany Hamilton, Rick Bundschuh, Sheryl Berk
  • The Great Wall of Lucy Wu – Wendy Wan-Long Shang
  • The Hero Two Doors Down – Sharon Robinson
  • The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer – John Grisham

Link to the book list on Amazon: https://bit.ly/Read-6-2020

Math Practice
Students will receive a summer math packet in their end-of-year family packet (June). They should work on the packet throughout the summer and turn it in on the first day of school.  This is because it is a longer packet — a balanced approach to completion would be two pages per week throughout the summer.

Download the 6th grade Summer Math Packet here.

Bible Reading Assignment
Students need to read the book of Matthew over the summer to help them prepare for their Bible class which covers the Gospels.

7th Grade

All students must read Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

All students must also choose one additional book from the following list as their second summer reading book.

Students should be prepared to engage in activities and assignments related to both of their summer reading books. If you purchased the book, it will be helpful for your child to bring it to school for discussions and other activities.

  • Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes with a Price – Tim Shoemaker
  • Eight Cousins – Louisa May Alcott
  • Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose – Sadie Robertson
  • Rules – Cynthia Lord
  • The Magician’s Nephew (or another book from the Chronicles of Narnia series that you have not yet read) – C.S. Lewis
  • The Prince Warriors- Pricilla Shirer
  • The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1) – John Flanagan

Link to the book list on Amazon: https://bit.ly/Read-7-2020

Summer Devotions

7th & 8th graders will read a Bible devotional book over the summer so they can discuss these books in small groups when they return to school in the fall. This summer’s devotional book is Jesus 101 – Teen Devotional: 30 Devotions on Getting to Know the Savior from Lifeway.  Students must get a physical copy of the book (not digital) so that they can answer questions in the book and take notes.  You can purchase this book on Amazon or from the Lifeway website. Plan ahead, this devotional book is designed to be completed one lesson at a time over 30 days. 

Math Practice
It is essential that middle schoolers have their basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts committed to memory. If your student cannot rapidly recite facts such as 8×9=72 and 132÷11=12, we strongly suggest you download the math facts packets for fifth and sixth grade for your student to complete.

8th Grade

All students must read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.

All students must also choose one additional book from the following list as their second summer reading book.

Students should be prepared to engage in activities and assignments related to both of their summer reading books. If you purchased the book, it will be helpful for your child to bring it to school for the discussions and other activities.

  • A Season of Miracles: A Novel – Rusty Whitener
  • Blitz Your Life – Tim Shaw
  • Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
  • Fever 1793 – Laurie Halse Anderson
  • Four Perfect Pebbles: A True Story of the Holocaust – Lila Perl & Marion Blumenthal Lazan
  • Porch Swing Girl – Taylor Bennett
  • Rasco and the Rats of NIMH – Jane Leslie Conly
  • Through Gates of Splendor – Elizabeth Elliott
  • Unbroken (Young Adult Adaptation): An Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive – Laura Hillenbrand

Link to the book list on Amazon: https://bit.ly/Read-8-2020 

Summer Devotions

7th & 8th graders will read a Bible devotional book over the summer so they can discuss these books in small groups when they return to school in the fall. This summer’s devotional book is Jesus 101 – Teen Devotional: 30 Devotions on Getting to Know the Savior from Lifeway.  Students must get a physical copy of the book (not digital) so that they can answer questions in the book and take notes.  You can purchase this book on Amazon or from the Lifeway website. Plan ahead, this devotional book is designed to be completed one lesson at a time over 30 days. 

Math Practice
It is essential that middle schoolers have their basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts committed to memory. If your student cannot rapidly recite facts such as 8×9=72 and 132÷11=12, we strongly suggest you download the math facts packets for fifth and sixth grade for your student to complete.