From a seventh grade teacher:

"I feel that sending home mandatory summer reading can turn away the kids who don't like to read. I don't particularly enjoy starting my year correcting summaries or book reports either. I suggest possible family trips and projects such as a compiling a photo essay, designing a poster, sending me a post card and researching the trip destination. The student could plan the itinerary, budget and map. I also let my students know the type of genre I'll be reading the next year (sci-fi, poetry and historical fiction) and the topics that will be covered in social studies and science. I do that in case some would like to read up on a particular topic or do some non-fiction reading. They can create a book marker or concept map to share their reading. They can also do plain old reading for fun! Summertime is fun, and kids can enjoy what they read by having free choice. I just provide a guide not an assignment. Bonus points are given to those who, with parent signature, participate in the activity."
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