I Choosing a Book
1 You must read a book.
You must choose a book to read.  Magazines, newspapers, and comic books don't have the quantity of text you need to develop reading fluency.  When you are done, you will choose another book to read, so don't bother looking for the shortest one on the shelf--there is no "done" until June. 

2 Look over the 8th Grade Books and choose a book you like.
Don't read a book you don't like. Don't waste your time. There are too many good books out there waiting for you. If you don't like your book, you are required to find another one. Find a book that's fun, or one that matters to you, to your life, to who you are and who you want to become. Check out which books have been our favorites on the 8th grade page of books, but don't let other people make your choices for you.  Don't be afraid to read one of the new books.

3 Choose some books that expand your reading territory.
Sometime during the year, read at least one book form each of the three basic genres: novel, poetry, and nonfiction. Try new authors, subjects, purposes, and genres.

II Reading Time in Class
Understand that reading is thinking. Don't distract other readers. Don't put your words in our brains as we're trying to escape into the worlds created by the authors of our books.

At the beginning of the year, each student will be given ten points for daily reading.  You will lose one of these points if you are not reading or writing in response to your reading the whole time that is given.

Take care of the books that have been provided for you. Return each book borrowed from the classroom library to its shelf, and alphabetize it by the author's last name.


III Create Mini Reviews.
For each book that you read, create a mini-review. Your mini-reviews will make up 15% of your final grade.   You will be given credit for each book when the mini-review is done. 

IV Create Mini Reviews.
For each book that you read, create a mini-review. Your mini-reviews will make up 15% of your final grade.   You will be given credit for each book when the mini-review is done. 


Most of this information has been taken from Nancie Atwell's In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading, and Learning. 2nd Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers. Pages 113-114 & 116-117.

If you are an English teacher and you haven't read, studied, noted and highlighted this book, immediately visit Amazon.com or , better yet, your local bookstore.