2015 Rising 7th

Grade Summer Reading & Assignments

Welcome to 7th Grade! All rising seventh graders are required to read and reflect

on Naomi Shihab Nye’s novel, Habibi. This novel is a

realistic fiction reading about an Arab-American teenager

who moves at the age of 14 from St. Louis, Missouri to

Palestine with her family. Nye’s story details Liyana’s

journey, as she explores the issues surrounding becoming a

young woman, war within Israel during the 1970s, and

understanding her new found Arab heritage.

Summer Assignment Components

Required: This project will consist of the following five components for a total of

200 points and will be included in your first quarter grade! All assignments are

due on Friday, September 4th at 8:00 a.m. Late assignments will not be

accepted.

Five Double Entry Journal Response pages (75 pts) ...........................pg. 3-9

Culture Clue Detective Assignment (40 pts)..................................... pg. 10-14

Comprehension Questions (25 pts)...................................................... pg. 15-16

A DBQ – Document Based Question Assignment (30 pts) ............ pg. 16-23

Cultural Self Portrait (30 pts) ............................................................ pg. 24-26

Optional LIA Point Assignment: A presentation created for your cultural self

portrait assignment is worth 5 LIA (Leadership In Action) points and must be

presented to your class once we return to school in the fall.

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The Double Entry Journal

The Double Entry Journal allows you to record your responses to text as you read.

In the left-hand column, you will quote the text which is intriguing, puzzling, or

moving, or which connects to the topic of the double entry journal. In the right-

hand column, you will write your reaction to the quotation from the left side. Your

entry may include a judgment, an opinion, a question, a text connection, or an

inference about the character’s actions and motivations. Entries must be neat, in

complete sentences, and respond directly to the quote from the left hand column.

See the sample below for example responses.

Double-Entry Journal for Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Text Quote Reaction to Text

"To be awake is to be alive." (from the

chapter "Where I Lived and What I Lived

For") p. 83

I think that you can go through your whole life asleep if you don't stop

and think about what you're doing. It's important to make conscious

choices, especially when you're my age. (JUDGEMENT)

"I should not talk so much about myself if

there were anybody else whom I knew as well.

Unfortunately, I am confined to this by the

narrowness of my experience." (from the

chapter "Economy") p. 240

I disagree with what Thoreau says here. I think that you can know

another person as well as you know yourself. I know my best friend as

well as I know myself. Sometimes, I don't think I know myself well at

all. (OPINION AND TEXT CONNECTION)

"Say what you have to say, not what you

ought. Any truth is better than make-

believe." (from the Conclusion) p. 394

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the truth because you don't want to

hurt a person's feelings or because it's hard for you to admit

something. I wonder what happened that made Thoreau feel this way?

I can infer that he probably was lied to a lot when he was young.

(INFERENCE AND QUESTION)

Double Entry Journal Requirements – 75 Points

You will be required to complete five double entry journal pages based on five

focus areas. These focus areas are: 1) symbolism 2) internal conflict 3) character

motivation 4) setting and its influence on character action, and 5) strengths and

weaknesses. Each double entry page is worth 15 for a total of 75 points. Each

double entry journal page should include the following:

1. Three text quotes in the left-hand column. One example will be given for

each category. You will find the other two quotes from the text. You must

include the page number as a source for your quote!

2. One response for each quote. Your response may include a judgment about

the character or the action, a question, an opinion, a text connection, or an

inference about the character’s actions or motivations.

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Journal Focus Area: Symbolism

“What objects, actions or places become extensions of Liyana’s identity?”

“The secret kiss grew

larger and larger.”

Pg. 1

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Journal Focus Area: Internal Conflict

“When is it clear that Liyana is struggling to make decision or to accept a new outcome?”

“…her mouth tried to

shape the words,

“Maybe it’s a bad

idea,” but nothing

came out.” Pg. 2

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Journal Focus Area: Character Motivation

“What do you think is motivating Liyana’s actions or speech?”

“Liyana gave her short

shorts to Sandee

Lane...” Pg. 20

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Journal Focus Area: Setting and its Influence on Character Action

“How does the setting (time period, locations) affect what the characters say and do?”

“Liyana, too, had been

trying to memorize at least

one small detail about each

house on their street. The

blue cottage with the crooked

chimney…” Pg. 12

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Journal Focus Area: Strengths and Weaknesses

“What character traits does Liyana demonstrate? Is this considered a strength or a weakness?”

TRAIT: THOUGHTFUL

“Sometimes you remind me of

Sitti, my mother,” he told

her…”Making something out of

nothing. It’s her favorite thing

to do. She gets a whole story out

of-a button or a rock.” Pg. 13-14

TRAIT: _________________________

TRAIT: _________________________

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Culture Clue Detective Assignment

So, what is culture?

Culture encompasses the beliefs and values, norms, religion, customs, behaviors,

housing, skills, arts, music, clothing, language, family structure, and foods of a

group of people. These characteristics are transferred, communicated, and passed

along to future generations and become part of that group’s shared identity.

Overview: (20 points)

As you read Habibi, you will become a Culture Clue Detective by recording what you

learn about Arabic culture through Liyana’s point of view and the view points of

other characters in the book.

Directions:

You will need to identify 10 examples of Arabic culture in the text, along with

which characteristic of culture you are identifying, and their corresponding page

numbers as show in the chart below. You must find examples from at least 5 of the

12 characteristics given in the definition of culture above. This may mean that you

repeat some culture characteristics, but no more than twice for your first set of

ten.

Optional Extra Credit: You can earn an extra 10 points towards your grade on this

assignment by finding an additional 10 examples of Arabic culture in the novel and

by creating an additional graphic organizer for them. (Attach your organizer to

this packet.)

Page# Preface

Characteristic: Foods

“Challah (special type of bread eaten by

Jewish people) and hummus (a dip made of

chickpeas) are foods eaten by the people

of the region.”

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Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

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Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

Characteristic: ________________________

Page#

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Culture Clue Writing Assignment (20 pts)

Directions: When you are finished recording your clues, please reflect on the

following questions. Remember to A.C.E. (answer, cite, explain) it!

In what ways are Arabic and American cultures alike? Use examples from

the text to support your response.

1

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Comprehension Questions

Directions: Below are questions to answer about some of the highlights in the

novel. Be sure to answer each question in complete sentences.

In what ways are Arabic and American cultures different? Use examples

from the text to support your response.

2

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Comprehension Questions

Directions: Please respond using complete sentences. Your answers should be

at least THREE complete sentences. You may record your responses in a

notebook or on loose-leaf paper.

1. Why did Liyana’s family move to Jerusalem? In what ways was Jerusalem

different than what Liyana expected?

2. What are some of the things Liyana missed most about St. Louis and the

United States?

3. How did Liyana feel about the religious conflict in Jerusalem?

4. Once Liyana moves to Jerusalem, how does her identity (who she is and how

she sees herself) change? Give two examples.

5. What does Habibi mean, and how does it relate to the story?

Document Based Questions

Document Based Questions (DBQs) assess the ability of each student to work with

historical sources in multiple forms. The DBQ requires many skills - interpreting

primary and secondary sources, evaluating sources, considering multiple points of

view, using historic evidence, developing and supporting a thesis.

DIRECTIONS: The DBQ will consist of two parts. In the first part, students will

be required to answer a key question on each document. The second part will

require students to move beyond simply quoting all the documents. Students will

need to use the documents as evidence in support of a response to the assigned

question in part two.

More DBQ information for parents can be found below:

http://nysut.org/standards/101-parents-dbq.html

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Part I: Document Analysis (20 pts)

Document #1: Poem

Directions: On Page 14, Liyana talks to Poppy about the Emily Dickinson poem she

liked when she was younger. This poem is reprinted here. Read the poem and

answer the following questions. Your answers must be at least two complete

sentences.

I’m Nobody! Who are you?

I’m Nobody! Who are you?

Are you – Nobody – too?

Then there’s a pair of us?

Don’t tell! They’d banish us, you know!

How dreary – to be – Somebody!

How public – like a frog –

To tell one’s name – the livelong June –

To an admiring Bog!

-Emily Dickinson, 1951 Questions:

1. In your own words, what message is Dickinson trying to convey to you, the

reader? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.

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2. How does the message of this poem relate to Liyana and her experiences?

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Document #2: NY Times Article

Directions: Read the June 2011 New York Times article below about the current

conflict in Jerusalem. After reading the article, please respond to the following

question. Your answers must be at least three complete sentences.

1. In your own words, explain the Palestinian and Israeli conflict described in

the article.

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June 4, 2011

Israel Braces for Clashes During Border Protests

By ISABEL KERSHNER and FARES AKRAM

JERUSALEM — Israel on Saturday was bracing for possible clashes along its borders after Palestinian

activists in the region called for protest marches on Sunday, three weeks after a similar wave of

coordinated protests led to deadly clashes with Israeli troops.

Protests on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the Palestinian “naksa,” or setback, in the June 1967

Middle East war were being planned in the West Bank and Gaza, territories that were conquered by Israel

then. There have also been calls on social networking Internet sites for Palestinians in Lebanon and Syria

to march at the Israeli border.

That echoed the conditions that led to the violence on May 15, the day Palestinians mark as the “nakba,”

or catastrophe, of Israel’s establishment in 1948. Taking a cue from the so-called Arab Spring movement,

organizers in multiple countries and territories called for a coordinated action against Israel, and huge

crowds of Palestinians responded.

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They clashed with Israeli troops on four fronts, and breached the border between Syria and the Golan

Heights for the first time in more than 30 years. At least 14 protesters from Lebanon and Syria were

killed, stoking outrage in Palestinian camps across the region and intensifying pressure on Israel to create

the conditions for a return to peace talks.

The Israeli military was not giving out details of its preparations, but television reports showed soldiers

repairing fences and bulldozers digging trenches along the borders in the north. On Thursday, Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed Israeli forces to act with restraint, but also with

determination, to protect Israel’s sovereignty and borders. According to reports from Lebanon, activists

there canceled plans to march to the Israeli border after the Lebanese authorities declared the border area

a closed military zone.

On Saturday, Palestinian officials signaled another possible source of pressure on Israel, saying they

would accept a French proposal to attend a peace conference in Paris next month with the aim of

restarting negotiations based on the broad principles laid out by President Obama last month. Mr. Obama

said that talks should be for a future Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed land

swaps. He also suggested that talks should focus first on the issues of borders and security, and deal later

with the contentious issues of the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees of the 1948 war

and their descendants.

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that in principle, the French proposal was acceptable.

He told the Reuters news agency on Saturday that under the plan, neither Israel nor the Palestinians

would carry out “unilateral actions.” The Palestinians have demanded a freeze in Israeli settlement

building, while the Israelis oppose Palestinian plans to bypass negotiations and seek recognition for

statehood at the United Nations this fall.

There has been no public response to the French plan from the Israeli side, but Israel has previously

rejected talks based on the 1967 lines. Moshe Yaalon, the minister for strategic affairs in the Israeli

government, told Israeli television on Saturday that Israeli leaders would discuss the French proposal this

week.

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In a sign of growing frustration in Gaza, travelers tried to force their way through a crossing on the border

with Egypt that was temporarily closed on Saturday, a week after Egypt declared it open permanently in a

move hailed by Palestinians as an end of the Israeli-led blockade of the coastal enclave.

Officials of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, said they had not been told in advance

about the closing. Egypt said it was a result of delays in renovation work that should have been completed

on Friday.

Dozens of Palestinian travelers gathered in front of the closed gate leading to the Egyptian side of the

crossing in the morning. Peering through barbed wire next to the gate, they realized that it would be

impossible for buses to pass through because of the works on the other side. After waiting for three hours,

the travelers forced open the gate and entered the Egyptian section. The Egyptian police persuaded them

to return peacefully.

By the afternoon, there was some one-way traffic of people crossing from Egypt into Gaza by foot. But

Palestinian officials would not let people pass through to the Egyptian hall on foot, saying it would be an

offense to travelers. It was unclear whether the crossing would formally reopen open Sunday.

After Hamas took full control of Gaza in 2007, Israel responded by cutting off the territory, and Egypt

kept the crossing mostly closed. In June 2010, former President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt ordered the

crossing to reopen on a regular basis, but conditions for travel remained tightly restricted. The border was

sealed again from January, when Egypt was rocked by protests that eventually ousted Mr. Mubarak.

Last Saturday’s opening, ordered by Egypt’s interim leadership, was seen as a sign of a new approach,

giving Gazans a gateway to the world that bypassed Israel. But complications have already emerged. By

Tuesday, Hamas officials were complaining that the movement of travelers was being limited and that

dozens had been returned from the Egyptian side.

Isabel Kershner contributed reporting from Jerusalem.

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Document #3 – Cartoon

Directions: Review the cartoon below. Then, answer the following questions.

1. What message is the illustrator of this cartoon trying to convey to you, the

reader? How do you know?

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Part II: Key Question (10 pts)

DBQ: Is present day Jerusalem more similar or different from the Jerusalem

that was described in the novel? What are the effects on Liyana? Use

information from all three documents to answer this question.

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Optional Extra Credit: Over the summer, find another article, illustration,

drawing, poem, cartoon, or news source about the ongoing conflict between the

Palestinians and the Jews. After reviewing this fourth source, please reflect on

the following questions.

Document #4: ________________________________

1. Describe this source. Please attach a print out of the source.

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2. Based on this new source, what additional information did you gain about the

relationship between the Palestinians and the Jews?

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Cultural Self Portrait Assignment (30 pts)

Overview: This activity will get you thinking about your own individual and cultural identity

in terms of family history, as well as past and current experiences that have shaped who

you are today.

Directions:

1. The first step is to complete the two-part ‘Defining Your Culture’ worksheet. Part I

involves answering simple questions or making lists of ideas for each of the 12

items. Please write “none” for any item not relevant to you. On Part II of the

worksheet, you will answer three open-ended reflection questions. Be sure to

answer each of these question using complete sentences.

2. Next, you will create a Cultural Self Portrait. Your Cultural Self Portrait should be

a tangible object that can be hung on the wall, hung from the ceiling, or displayed

on a counter in the classroom upon your return in September. This Cultural Self

Portrait will draw upon the information you recorded on the ‘Defining Your Culture’

worksheet. Your Cultural Self Portrait can take the form of a drawing, mobile,

collage, montage, shadow box, or other medium of your choice. Be sure that at

least 6 sections from the ‘Defining Your Culture’ worksheet are reflected in your

Cultural Self-Portrait.

3. If you would like to earn 5 LIA points, you may choose develop a 3-5-minute

presentation to accompany your Cultural Self-Portrait. This will be presented to

your class in September. This presentation cannot simply be a description of your

Cultural Self Portrait, but must add to or enhance what you will submit in

Instruction #2 above. This presentation might be a collection of music, a dramatic

act or interpretive reading, or a media presentation. Presentations must be at least

3 minutes long, but should not exceed 5 minutes.

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Defining your CULTURE Worksheet – Part I What language(s) do you

speak?

What do you wear on special occasions?

What holidays and ceremonies are important in your family?

What music do you listen to?

What dances do you know?

How often do you see your extended family? What role do they play in your life?

Describe something very important to you (could be a value, a person, a goal, a hobby, a belief…)

What foods do you eat at

home?

What role (if any) does religion play in your life?

List your talents and interests.

In your family, what is

considered polite and what is

considered rude? What

manners have you been

taught?

What social organizations do you belong to?

What after-school activities are

you involved with or hoping to

join?

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Defining your CULTURE Worksheet – Part II

1. Looking at what you wrote in Part I, how would you describe yourself as an

individual?

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2. Looking at what you wrote in Part I, how would you describe the basic

characteristics of the culture you’re a part of? ________________________________________________________

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3. Think again about the culture group you are a part of. How do you relate to or

differ from that group’s beliefs, norms and values?

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