/w=256,quality=90,fit=scale-down)
Summer Reading
- Summer Reading
- Entering 6th Grade Required Reading
- Entering 7th Grade Required Reading
- Entering 8th Grade Required Reading
- Why summer reading?
- Summer with C.S. Lewis
Summer Reading – As a part of our English curriculum, all Oaks Christian School students are required to read during the summer and participate in classroom discussion during the first weeks of school. Each C. S. Lewis book contributes over time to common characters and themes. Books may be purchased through the EdTech Shelfit store, the Amazon link provided below, or any local bookstore, and it should be read close to the beginning of the school year, so the reading is fresh in students’ minds as they return.
Entering 6th Grade Required Reading
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
Required Assignment:
Read and enjoy the story. While you are reading, select a favorite quote to share. Be prepared to discuss and write about this story once school begins.
Suggested Reading: If you are looking for other books to read for pleasure during the summer, here are some suggestions:
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Redwall by Brian Jacques
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Entering 7th Grade Required Reading
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
Required Assignment:
Courage is defined as the ability to do something that frightens us. While reading, highlight moments in which characters act courageously. Be prepared to complete a reading assessment and contribute to a class discussion on the first few days of class.
Suggested Reading: If you are looking for other books to read for pleasure during the summer, here are some suggestions:
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Any biography of someone you admire (100+ pages)
Entering 8th Grade Required Reading
Entering 8th Grade Required Reading Assignments:
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
Required Assignment:
As you read, highlight and note the descriptions and traits of the various characters within the novel. Consider how these traits impact the community both positively and negatively. Be prepared to take a writing assessment and to contribute to a class discussion on the first days of school.
8th Grade Advanced Students also read:
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
Required Assignment:
In addition to reading Prince Caspian, read this second novel as an Advanced English student. Reflect on how the theme of freedom—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—differs among the four escapees and within their respective communities. Be prepared with evidence and examples from the text for a writing assessment.
Suggested Reading:
The Fiddler’s Gun by A.S. Peterson
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Any autobiography of someone you admire (150+ pages)
Why summer reading?
At Oaks Christian, we value and seek to cultivate a culture of reading. A regular habit of reading, both for pleasure and academic purposes, is a key factor in student success in school and beyond. Summer reading helps to reinforce this habit and gives students a common text to begin the year discussing and writing about, helping classes set the academic tone for the year.
We also think this is a great opportunity for you to talk with your students about what they are reading, especially as they will return to the enjoyment of C.S. Lewis books each summer. Below are some questions you may use to launch conversations about the stories they are reading in the series, and perhaps you will be inspired to join your OCS Lions on this journey through Narnia!
Summer with C.S. Lewis
Try out these conversation starters to talk with your kids about the Chronicles of Narnia book they are reading. Each question applies to all books, so if you have kids in different grades, they may answer these similarly or have different perspectives to share from their text. (Level up the challenge by asking them to show you where they remember details in the book to support their answers!) Enjoy and support your child’s discoveries.
What surprises you about the characters in your story? How would you describe Narnia from the way it’s mentioned in the book? Think about the first time Aslan appears in the story. How is he portrayed? Who does he appear to at first? Do you see any connections to Bible stories you already know? What do you think about the significance of the lamppost? Which characters embody the battle between good and evil? Do you believe in other worlds?
If you’d like to explore each book more deeply over time, consider purchasing this companion text for a brief C.S. Lewis biography, questions to ponder from each book, Narniac sayings and more.
ROAR! A Christian Family Guide to the Chronicles of Narnia by Heather & David Kopp, illustrations by Marin French
And if you’d like to use this devotional guide, Roar Like a Lion, by Levi Lusko, it will illuminate some of the spiritual truths found in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
