Middle School Reading and Writing Sessions Summer 2017
Choose from the Following Sessions
Meet Monday-Friday
Morning Session Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Afternoon Session Time: 1:00pm-3:30pm
*Each week-long session is $250. (Includes the cost of a book to keep.)
Discounts for early registrants prior to May 15th! Sign up NOW for $50 off registration!
Each session will be a one week intensive study of a novel. There is NO NEED to read before attending the week of class. However, you will need to plan for your student to read approximately 30 minutes per day after class to prepare for the next day. Each week will help your student work toward achieving the assigned summer reading requirements for middle school at SJS.
Meet Monday-Friday
Morning Session Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Afternoon Session Time: 1:00pm-3:30pm
*Each week-long session is $250. (Includes the cost of a book to keep.)
Discounts for early registrants prior to May 15th! Sign up NOW for $50 off registration!
Each session will be a one week intensive study of a novel. There is NO NEED to read before attending the week of class. However, you will need to plan for your student to read approximately 30 minutes per day after class to prepare for the next day. Each week will help your student work toward achieving the assigned summer reading requirements for middle school at SJS.
NEW POSTINGS FOR SUMMER 2017
Session A: A Wrinkle in Time (Science Fiction/Fantasy) NOW OPEN TO 5th GRADE
Open to ALL
Date: July 10-14 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Jana White
A Wrinkle in Time is a classic science fiction, fantasy story by Madeleine L’Engle. If you are interested in concepts from physics to psychology or topics such as ESP (extrasensory perception), space travel, and extraterrestrials, then this story will captivate you. One dark and stormy night, Meg and her brother Charles Wallace are visited by a stranger who says, “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract." Which, it turns out is a big problem. Thus starts the most unusual adventure into space and time to find Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while working on the tesseract problem. Along the way Meg and her brother battle good and evil discover the secret of the universe.
Session B: CANCELLED due to low enrollment
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Fantasy)
Open to Rising 6th Grade (rising 5th accepted with permission)
Date: July 17-21 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
Enjoy a classic children's novel. Even if you've seen the movie- the book is better! When four children are sent to the country to avoid London in wartime, they discover a wardrobe which magically transports them to the world of Narnia. Delight in the Pevensie Children's adventures and even get the chance to taste Turkish Delight for yourself!
More information on this text
Session C: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai (Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse) NOW OPEN TO 5th GRADE!
Open to ALL
Date: July 17-21 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Jana White
Inside Out and Back Again is a story written in free verse about a ten-year-old refugee girl, Ha, fleeing the war in Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon. She and her family leave Vietnam on a boat with few belongings and lots of hope. They arrive in Alabama with little knowledge of the language and culture. Inspired by the author’s own experiences as a refugee, Ha shares how she learns to speak English, eat new foods and cope with prejudice all while she is growing up. Since it is written in verse you also get into Ha’s head and feel her anger and frustration at being lost in a new world. The story is an eye-opening read; it will make you think about and question the immigrant experience.
Session D: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
Open to Rising 8th Grade (Rising 7th Accepted with Permission*)
Date: July 17-21 Time: 1:00-3:30pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
In the 1960s, twelve year old Cecilia Honeycutt takes care of her mother, who is very sick. Because of her sad reality, CeeCee escapes into books and uses her imagination. But when her mother passes away, CeeCee's life takes a dramatic turn. She is taken in by her southern aunt and moves to Savannah, Georgia. There, CeeCee befriends Aunt Tootie's beloved housekeeper, Oletta. CeeCee's escapades in her new hometown include spying on neighbors, living lavishly on the sleeping porch and searching for treasure on the beach! Explore the realities of life in the 1960s south. You'll even enjoy creating a 1960s themed "yard party" display of treats just like Oletta makes in the book. Discussion topics include: racial prejudice, culture of the north vs. south, 1960s expectation of girls, adoption. A list of recommended books to continue this genre/time period will be provided.
*Some mature content. This novel is for older middle school students.
More information on this text
Session E: CANCELLED due to low enrollment
Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl (Realistic Fiction)
Open to ALL Students (Rising 5th-8th)
Date: July 31-August 4 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
Danny and his father live in an old caravan behind a filling station (a gas station in the UK). Danny's life is filled with the wonderful stories his father tells. But one night, Danny accidentally discovers his father's secret. Soon, Danny becomes the mastermind behind a plot against the evil Victor Hazell. The only question is whether Danny and his father can get away with this plan! Published in 1975, this is one of Roald Dahl's lesser known novels, but one of his best!
More information on this text
Session F: Harry Potter Week! Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Selections from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling (Fantasy)
Open to All (5th-8th Grades)
Date: July 31-August 4 Time: 1:00-3:30pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
Are you already a Harry Potter fan? Or are you new to the wizarding world? Discover the joy of rereading Harry Potter with a closer eye or meet him for the first time! This week is for you! Review sections of the screenplay for the film "Fantastic Beasts" and make connections to Harry's world. Watch clips from the movies and compare them to the books. Make your own magic wand. Create your own quill pen! Celebrate Harry's birthday on July 31st. You'll be "sorted" into the houses of Hogwarts. Enjoy treats you read about in the books and even play a game of Qudditch outside on the playground! It is recommended students read the first book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but it is not necessary to enjoy the week.
More information on this text
Click Here to Register Now!
Session A: A Wrinkle in Time July 10-14 TIME: 9:30am-12:00pm
Session C: Inside Out and Back Again July 17-21 TIME: 9:30am-12:00pm
Session D: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt July 17-21 TIME: 1:00pm-3:30pm
Session F: Harry Potter Week July 31- August 4 TIME: 1:00pm-3:30pm
Session A: A Wrinkle in Time (Science Fiction/Fantasy) NOW OPEN TO 5th GRADE
Open to ALL
Date: July 10-14 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Jana White
A Wrinkle in Time is a classic science fiction, fantasy story by Madeleine L’Engle. If you are interested in concepts from physics to psychology or topics such as ESP (extrasensory perception), space travel, and extraterrestrials, then this story will captivate you. One dark and stormy night, Meg and her brother Charles Wallace are visited by a stranger who says, “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract." Which, it turns out is a big problem. Thus starts the most unusual adventure into space and time to find Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while working on the tesseract problem. Along the way Meg and her brother battle good and evil discover the secret of the universe.
Session B: CANCELLED due to low enrollment
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Fantasy)
Open to Rising 6th Grade (rising 5th accepted with permission)
Date: July 17-21 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
Enjoy a classic children's novel. Even if you've seen the movie- the book is better! When four children are sent to the country to avoid London in wartime, they discover a wardrobe which magically transports them to the world of Narnia. Delight in the Pevensie Children's adventures and even get the chance to taste Turkish Delight for yourself!
More information on this text
Session C: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai (Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse) NOW OPEN TO 5th GRADE!
Open to ALL
Date: July 17-21 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Jana White
Inside Out and Back Again is a story written in free verse about a ten-year-old refugee girl, Ha, fleeing the war in Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon. She and her family leave Vietnam on a boat with few belongings and lots of hope. They arrive in Alabama with little knowledge of the language and culture. Inspired by the author’s own experiences as a refugee, Ha shares how she learns to speak English, eat new foods and cope with prejudice all while she is growing up. Since it is written in verse you also get into Ha’s head and feel her anger and frustration at being lost in a new world. The story is an eye-opening read; it will make you think about and question the immigrant experience.
Session D: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
Open to Rising 8th Grade (Rising 7th Accepted with Permission*)
Date: July 17-21 Time: 1:00-3:30pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
In the 1960s, twelve year old Cecilia Honeycutt takes care of her mother, who is very sick. Because of her sad reality, CeeCee escapes into books and uses her imagination. But when her mother passes away, CeeCee's life takes a dramatic turn. She is taken in by her southern aunt and moves to Savannah, Georgia. There, CeeCee befriends Aunt Tootie's beloved housekeeper, Oletta. CeeCee's escapades in her new hometown include spying on neighbors, living lavishly on the sleeping porch and searching for treasure on the beach! Explore the realities of life in the 1960s south. You'll even enjoy creating a 1960s themed "yard party" display of treats just like Oletta makes in the book. Discussion topics include: racial prejudice, culture of the north vs. south, 1960s expectation of girls, adoption. A list of recommended books to continue this genre/time period will be provided.
*Some mature content. This novel is for older middle school students.
More information on this text
Session E: CANCELLED due to low enrollment
Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl (Realistic Fiction)
Open to ALL Students (Rising 5th-8th)
Date: July 31-August 4 Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
Danny and his father live in an old caravan behind a filling station (a gas station in the UK). Danny's life is filled with the wonderful stories his father tells. But one night, Danny accidentally discovers his father's secret. Soon, Danny becomes the mastermind behind a plot against the evil Victor Hazell. The only question is whether Danny and his father can get away with this plan! Published in 1975, this is one of Roald Dahl's lesser known novels, but one of his best!
More information on this text
Session F: Harry Potter Week! Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Selections from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling (Fantasy)
Open to All (5th-8th Grades)
Date: July 31-August 4 Time: 1:00-3:30pm
Teacher: Mrs. Emily Bemis
Are you already a Harry Potter fan? Or are you new to the wizarding world? Discover the joy of rereading Harry Potter with a closer eye or meet him for the first time! This week is for you! Review sections of the screenplay for the film "Fantastic Beasts" and make connections to Harry's world. Watch clips from the movies and compare them to the books. Make your own magic wand. Create your own quill pen! Celebrate Harry's birthday on July 31st. You'll be "sorted" into the houses of Hogwarts. Enjoy treats you read about in the books and even play a game of Qudditch outside on the playground! It is recommended students read the first book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but it is not necessary to enjoy the week.
More information on this text
Click Here to Register Now!
Session A: A Wrinkle in Time July 10-14 TIME: 9:30am-12:00pm
Session C: Inside Out and Back Again July 17-21 TIME: 9:30am-12:00pm
Session D: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt July 17-21 TIME: 1:00pm-3:30pm
Session F: Harry Potter Week July 31- August 4 TIME: 1:00pm-3:30pm