Updated: June 2024

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. 

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
Incoming third graders will receive a summer math facts packet in their end-of-year (June) envelope.  Work on the packet throughout the summer.  Completed packets are due to the child’s new teacher on the Thursday of the first week of school.  Packets will be given a completion grade.  Additional copies of the packet may be downloaded HERE.  Families are also encouraged to use flashcards to practice math facts throughout the summer.

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 two 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

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

MATH FACT PRACTICE
Incoming fourth graders will receive a summer math facts packet in their end-of-year (June) envelope.  Work on the packet throughout the summer.  Completed packets are due to the child’s new teacher on the Thursday of the first week of school.  Packets will be given a completion grade.  Additional copies of the packet may be downloaded HERE.  Families are also encouraged to use flashcards to practice math facts throughout the summer.

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
Incoming fifth graders will receive a summer math facts packet in their end-of-year (June) envelope.  Work on the packet throughout the summer.  Completed packets are due to the child’s new teacher on the Thursday of the first week of school.  Packets will be given a completion grade.  Additional copies of the packet may be downloaded HERE.  Families are also encouraged to use flashcards to practice math facts throughout the summer.

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 at the beginning of the school year.

  • A Long Walk to Water – Linda Sue Park
  • A Place to Hang the Moon – Kate Albus
  • Girl Power (Faithgirlz) – Melody Carlson
  • Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’Dell
  • 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
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum
  • Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer – John Grisham

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

Math Practice
Incoming sixth graders will receive a summer math packet in their end-of-year (June) envelope.  Work on the packet throughout the summer and give it to Mrs. Wright on the first day of school for a letter grade.  Additional copies may be downloaded 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
  • Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose – Sadie Robertson
  • Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
  • 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 Upside Down: 30 Devotions on Servant Leadership and Gentleness 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 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 Upside Down: 30 Devotions on Servant Leadership and Gentleness 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.