8th Grade Language ArtsSummer Reading

HEROESPERSEUS—

Fearless mortal warrior, who takes on an impossible challenge:slaying the monstrous Medusa, whose glance turns men to stone.

GODSZEUS—

The almighty king of the Gods, who cannot resist feminine beauty—mortal or divine—and his jealous and vengeful wife, Hera.

MONSTERSTHE MINOTAUR—

Half-man and half-bull, the horrible fruit of a queen’s unspeakabledesire, who destroys the young victims sacrificed to his terrifyingpower.

A fantastic realm of spells and curses, magic and mystery, and forcesthat create and destroy at will—enter the world of the heroes, Gods,and monsters of the Greek myths.

Where have you seen Greek mythology?

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus

• Hera

• Athene

• Poseidon

• Hades

• Demeter

• The Birth of the Twins

• Artemis

• Apollo

• Sons of Apollo

• Hermes

• Hephaestus

• Aphrodite

• Nature Myths• Prometheus

• Pandora

• Phaethon

• Orpheus

• Narcissus and Echo

• Eros and Psyche

• Arion

• Demigods• Perseus

• Daedalus

• Theseus

• Atalanta

• Fables• Midas

• Pygmalion

Evidence = quotes

Do not reuse myths for multiple sections!

Theme: the central message or moral of a story.• It must be general, not specific.

• Wrong: The wolf attacked Red Riding Hood.• Right: Don’t trust strangers.

• It must be a complete sentence.• Wrong: Courage• Right: You can find courage within yourself.

Characterization

• Description of character• Direct characterization: the

author directly describes the character

• Indirect characterization: the character’s personality is revealed through his/her own actions, or by the responses of other characters

Character Development

• The ways in which a character changes (develops) throughout the story

• It requires a Before/After view• Before—the ways in which the

character behaves at the start of the story.

• After—the ways in which the character behaves after he/she has learned the required lesson.

CharacterizationDirect Characterization

“Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways. For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year. For another, he really wanted to do his homework but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night. And he also happened to be a wizard.” – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (page 1)

Indirect Characterization

“While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), Harry had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs, grabbed some of his books, and hidden them in his bedroom. As long as he didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that he was studying magic by night.” – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (page 2)

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

8 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

11 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

8 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

12 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

26 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

12 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

28 pages

Contents• The Gods

• Zeus…………………………………3

• Hera…………………………..…...6

• Athene…………………………….8

• Poseidon………………………..15

• Hades…………………………….19

• Demeter…………………………22

• The Birth of the Twins…….30

• Artemis…………………………..32

• Apollo…………………………….36

• Sons of Apollo………………..39

• Hermes…………………………..43

• Hephaestus…………………...48

• Aphrodite…………………….…50

• Nature Myths• Prometheus………………….55

• Pandora………………………..59

• Phaethon………………………63

• Orpheus……………………….74

• Narcissus and Echo……….84

• Eros and Psyche……………91

• Arion………………………….102

• Demigods• Perseus…………………….…109

• Daedalus…………………….134

• Theseus………………………145

• Atalanta………………………172

• Fables• Midas…………..191

• Pygmalion…….197

17 pages

• What does “admirable” mean?

• Character Traits—descriptions of a character’s personality• Not physical description!

• Common character traits:• Religious, • Honest, • Loyal, • Devoted, • Loving, • Kind, • Sincere, • Devoted, • Ambitious

• Satisfied, • Faithful, • Patient, • Determined, • Persistent, • Adventurous, • Considerate, • Cooperative, • Cheerful,

• Optimistic, • Pessimistic, • Funny,• Dishonest,• Disloyal,• Unkind,• Rude,• Disrespectful,• Impatient,

• Impatient• Greedy• Angry• Cruel• Wicked• Obnoxious• Grumpy• Selfish• Unforgiving

2016-2017 Language Arts Supply List

• 1 spiral notebook

• 1 composition notebook

• hand sanitizer for the classroom

• loose leaf paper

• Handheld pencil sharpener, or replacement lead

• We recommend that students purchase their own copy of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury for the second nine-weeks, as students will be annotating the book in class.

• black or blue pens, or pencils

• white-out or erasers

• 1 red pen for peer editing

• markers, colored pencils, or crayons

• tissues for the classroom

• 3 highlighters in various colors