8th Grade Summer 2025 Learning Challenge
ELA | Math |
Slides 2-10 | See slides 11 & 12 for practice with: -Order of Operations -Fractions -Negative Numbers -Conversions Slide 13 is for Enhanced Math Be ready to discuss ALL the ways you used math out in the real world this summer! |
GA Studies | Science |
| |
SUMMER OF AWE & WONDER
Slides 13-14
©MrsReaderPants 2024
TMS has read so many books this year, but this summer we want you to have lots of fun continuing to READ!
Join our new Beanstack Challenge and some other summer reading programs to earn prizes over the summer. Which grade level will read the most? Will the staff or the students read more? Compete with friends and teachers!
If we reach our TMS reading goal of reading 16,000 minutes this summer, Principal Black will treat us all to a popsicle party in August!
I can’t wait to see what we all read this summer! Have fun explorers!
Mrs. Price�Media Specialist
2025 Summer Reading Challenge with Beanstack
8th Grade Summer 2025 Learning Challenge
©MrsReaderPants 2024
TMS SUMMER READING CHALLENGE
https://themuseumschool.beanstack.com
● At home: Students can download the Beanstack mobile app on the iOS App Store or Google Play Store or log into their Google profile on any computer and click on the bookmark in TMS Students in the upper left hand corner in Google.
● Log In: Username: student’s s#@themuseumschool.org, Password: read1234
©MrsReaderPants 2024
Other Summer Reading Challenges
| Dekalb County Library System: �The 2025 Summer Reading Program is from June 1 - July 31! • School Age Children (6–12) and Teens (13–18): Earn badges on a virtual bingo card. Collect your badges by logging the minutes you read, completing literacy activities, and submitting book reviews to earn bingo. �Sign up here: https://dekalblibrary.beanstack.org/reader365 Get a library card from a Dekalb County Public Library. Check out ebooks for free using the Libby or Hoopla app. |
| Little Shop of Stories: �Sign up in the shop beginning May 17th! http://littleshopofstories.com/summer-reading-program/� SUMMER READS (Ages 6-12): Complete BINGO by reading 5 books that align with the prompts on our BINGO sheet. Once you've gotten BINGO, bring your sheet back to the shop to collect your prize! **Bonus Writing Challenge** Send us your responses to writing prompts for a chance to be published in our newsletter!� TEEN/ADULT CHALLENGE (13+) Grab a Summer Reading bookmark and get reading! Read five books that complete the challenges on the back of the bookmark. Fill in the titles on the front as you go. Then bring it in for a prize! |
| Brave and Kind Bookshop: https://www.braveandkindbooks.com Complete the 6 secret reading missions for a Brave + Kind tote and swag!
Check out Brave + Kind Events HERE! |
| Half Price Books: Check out this website for summer camp activities, book recommendations, and the information to earn $5 of book bucks in June and July! https://b.halfpricebooks.com/summer-reading/ |
©MrsReaderPants 2024
The list of books below, compiled by the Association for Library Service to Children, is full of award winning literature from the last few years. Choose some books, join a summer reading program, and read, read, read!!! You can also look back at our previous years’ lists on the TMS webpage for even more titles!
Taken from: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb
According to the ALSC Notable Children’s Books Committee manual, these categories loosely represent the following: Younger Readers – Preschool-grade 2 (age 7), including easy-to-read books; Middle Readers – Grades 3-5, ages 8-10; Older Readers – Grades 6-8, ages 11-14; All Ages – Has appeal and interest for children in all of the above age ranges
OLDER (Grades 6-8)
Across So Many Seas. By Ruth Behar. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen, $17.99 (9780593323403)�Told from the perspectives of four girls from the same Sephardic family, the novel chronicles each girl’s search for freedom and safety, spanning from Spain in 1492 to Miami in 2003. (Newbery Honor Book)
Black Girl You Are Atlas. By Renée Watson. Illus. by Ekua Holmes. Penguin/Kokila, $18.99 (9780593461709)�Vibrant collages adorn Watson's semi-autobiographical collection of poems that explores growing up as a Black girl and celebrates the strengths of the Black women in her life.
The Bletchley Riddle. By Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin. Viking, $18.99 (9780593527542)�While working at Bletchley Park during WWII, siblings Lizzie and Jacob try to find out what happened to their mother after she disappeared in Poland when the Nazis invaded.
Cruzita and the Mariacheros. By Ashley Granillo. Carolrhoda, $19.99 (9798765608500)�A summer of new responsibilities and experiences leads Cruzita on a journey of self-discovery as she explores what it means to her to be Mexican American. (Pura Belpré Children's Author Honor Book)
Deer Run Home. By Anne Clare LeZotte. Scholastic, $18.99 (9781339021904)�In this novel in verse inspired by an actual court case, a deaf girl finds the courage to speak up about her isolation and abuse.
The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II. By Candace Fleming. Scholastic/Focus, $19.99 (9781338749571)�The true story of 10 young women who left their homes during WWII to work in secret at Bletchley Park, intercepting German communications, breaking their codes, and helping end the war. (Sibert Honor Book)
The First State of Being. By Erin Entrada Kelly. Greenwillow, $19.99 (9780063337312)�Y2K becomes the least of Michael’s worries when he meets Ridge, a boy from the future. (Newbery Medal Book)
TMS Suggested Reading List
©MrsReaderPants 2024
The Ghostkeeper. By Johanna Taylor. Illus. by the author. Putnam, $24.99 (9780593526675)�A near-death experience as a child left Dorian with the ability to communicate with ghosts, which he now uses to counsel wayward and unhappy spirits.
The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival. By Estelle Nadel, Sammy Savos, and Bethany Strout. Illus. by Sammy Savos. Roaring Brook, $17.99 (9781250247773)�This unflinching and accessible graphic memoir tells the extraordinary true story of Nadel’s survival in Nazi-occupied Poland and her journey of resilience after the war. (Sibert Honor Book)
How It All Ends. By Emma Hunsinger. Illus. by the author. Greenwillow, $25.99 (9780063158153)�Thirteen-year-old Tara’s overactive imagination fuels her anxiety and fear over skipping eighth grade and starting high school early, but after making friends and learning to be true to herself, she enjoys a good year.
Impossible Creatures. By Katherine Rundell. Illus. by Ashley Mackenzie. Knopf, $19.99 (9780593809860)�Christopher and Mal must work together to save the last magical place on Earth, the Archipelago, and all the mythical creatures that inhabit it from destruction.
Louder Than Hunger. By John Schu. Candlewick, $18.99 (9781536229097)�Inspired by the author’s own experiences, this novel-in-verse follows 13-year-old Jake as he battles anorexia and confronts his inner voice while in an inpatient program.
Mid-Air. By Alicia D. Williams. Illus. by Danica Novgorodoff. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy, $17.99 (9781481465830)�Isaiah has big plans to spend the summer with his friends, but when one is killed in a tragic accident, Isaiah learns to process his grief in unexpected ways and accept help from unfamiliar faces.
Murray out of Water. By Taylor Tracy. Harper/Quill Tree, $19.99 (9780063326811)�When a hurricane forces Murray and their family to evacuate to their uncle's house, they navigate complicated family dynamics while discovering new facets of their identity.
Next Stop. By Debbie Fong. Illus. by the author. Random/RH Graphic, $21.99 (9780593425206)�Pia takes a bus tour on her own to see a magical glowing lake and hopes that it will grant her wish for her family to be whole again.
Pearl. By Sherri L. Smith. Illust. by Christine Norrie. Scholastic/Graphix, $24.99 (9781338029437)�Traveling alone to care for her ailing great-grandmother in Hiroshima, a Japanese-American girl struggles with her identity and loyalty when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and she is forced to translate for the Japanese military.
Red Bird Danced. By Dawn Quigley. Illus. by Carla Joseph. HarperCollins/Heartdrum, $18.99 (9780063223622)�In this emotional novel-in-verse set in the present day, two Ojibwe neighbors, Ariel and Tomah, struggle with the disappearance of Ariel’s aunt while raising awareness for missing Indigenous women.
©MrsReaderPants 2024
Shark Teeth. By Sheri Winston. Bloomsbury, $17.99 (9781547608508)�Twelve-year-old Sharkita "Kita" Hayes must decide whether to continue covering for her mother, who struggles with alcoholism, in order to keep her siblings together or seek help from trusted adults, risking their separation.
Sona and the Golden Beasts. By Rajani LaRocca. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, $19.99 (9780063295407)�After finding an orphaned golden-eared wolf pup, Sona and Raag embark on a quest to find the other sacred beasts of Devia, hoping to fulfill a prophecy and save their homeland.
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman. By Gennifer Choldenko. Knopf, $17.99 (9781524718923)�After waiting for his unreliable mother to come home, 11-year-old Hank seeks out his grandmother’s friend to care for him and his toddler sister, and he finds unexpected hope and support along the way.
The Things We Miss. By Leah Stecher. Illus. by Anna Kuptsova. Bloomsbury, $17.99 (9781547613021)�When J.P. discovers a door that can send her forward in time, she begins avoiding all the worst parts of being a seventh-grader, but she discovers skipping ahead has consequences.
Ultraviolet. By Aida Salazar. Scholastic, $18.99 (9781338775655)�Elio shares his churned-up feelings as he navigates falling in love, male posturing, and his changing body. (Pura Belpré Children's Author Honor Book)
Weirdo. By Tony Weaver Jr. Illus. by Jes and Cin Wibowo. First Second, $22.99 (9781250772862)�In this graphic memoir, 11-year-old Tony, embarks on a journey of self-acceptance to become the hero of his own story as he struggles with mental-health issues and bullying.
What Is Color? The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paint, and the Wondrous World of Art. By Steven Weinberg. Illus. By the author. Roaring Brook, $19.99 (9781250833419)�Science, history, and art converge in this vibrant and playful exploration of color.
The Wrong Way Home. By Kate O’Shaughnessy. Knopf, $17.99 (9780593650738)�Confused by her mother’s decision to flee across the country, 12-year-old Fern tries to find a way back to the commune where they once lived, uncovering disturbing truths about it along the way. (Newbery Honor Book)
ALL AGES
Almost Underwear: How a Piece of Cloth Traveled from Kitty Hawk to the Moon and Mars. By Jonathan Roth. Illus. by the author. Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano, $18.99 (9780316525541)�The true story of a piece of unbleached muslin and its journey from a factory, to the Wright brothers’ first flight, to the 1969 moon landing, and finally to Mars.
Aloha Everything. By Kaylin Melia George. Illus. by Mae Waite. Red Comet, $19.99 (9781636551128)�Stunning illustrations draw in readers as a young Hawaiian girl learns about her island's history, ecology, and culture through hula and deepens her connection to her homeland.
©MrsReaderPants 2024
Before the Ships: The Birth of Black Excellence. By Maisha Oso. Illus. by Candice Bradley. Scholastic/Orchard, $18.99 (9781338849974)�This compelling, beautiful account of African life before slave ships arrived reaffirms Black people’s incredible—and continued—cultural contributions and powerful inner strength.
Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber. By Sarah Albee. Illus. by Eileen Ryan Ewen. Charlesbridge, $18.99 (9781623543792)�An informative look at the history, science, and unique qualities of rubber.
Brave Baby Hummingbird. By Sy Montgomery. Illus. by Tiffany Boziac. Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman, $18.99 (9781665918497)�This beautifully illustrated picture book details the early life of hummingbird siblings.
The Dictionary Story. By Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston. Illus. by the authors. Candlewick, $18.99 (9781536235500)�When Dictionary brings her words to life, chaos ensues—until her friend Alphabet helps restore order in this clever and hilarious tale.
Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis. By Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illus. by James E. Ransome. Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman, $18.99 (9781534496620)�Compelling text and illustrations tell the story of John Lewis and his transformative work as a civil rights activist.
Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller. By Breanna J. McDaniel. Illus. by April Harrison. Dial, $18.99 (9780593324202)�Augusta Baker's legacy of libraries and storytelling is told through lyrical text that is matched with larger-than-life illustrations.
The Iguanodon's Horn: How Artists and Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together Again and Again and Again. By Sean Rubin. Illus. by the author. Clarion, $21.99 (9780063239210)�Since the discovery of the first dinosaur bones in 1822, scientists and artists have continued to adjust their ideas of how these creatures looked and behaved.
I'm Sorry You Got Mad. By Kyle Lukoff. Illus. by Julie Kwon. Dial, $18.99 (9780593462911)�Through a series of handwritten letters, Jack attempts to apologize for hurting Zoe’s feelings and gradually learns the importance of making true amends.
The Last Zookeeper. By Aaron Becker. Illus. by the author. Candlewick, $18.99 (9781536227680)�In this futuristic wordless picture book, a robot cares for animals in an abandoned zoo as the ocean slowly rises.
Life after Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall. By Lynn Brunelle. Illus. by Jason Chin. Holiday/Neal Porter, $18.99 (9780823452286)�A detailed picture-book explanation of the ecosystem that develops during the 150 years after the death of a blue whale. (Sibert Medal Book)
©MrsReaderPants 2024
https://www.dekalblibrary.org/kids�Dekalb Library has done a wonderful job of putting all of their kid friendly resources in one place! Reserve books online, download free digital and audio books, watch tv shows and listen to music. There are also great links to awesome websites and research tools. You can even learn a language!
https://soraapp.com/library/dekalbga
TMS has access to over 100 ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines through Dekalb County. Get a jump start on the GA Children’s Book Awards here!
https://www.hoopladigital.com/�Create a free account using your Dekalb County library card. There is instant access for up to 5 titles of ebooks at a time!
The Scholastic Summer Reading program offers kids an exciting, free, and safe summer reading experience, while helping to provide books to kids with limited or no access over the summer, keeping every child reading. https://www.scholastic.com/site/summer-reading.html
Open Library – You have to sign up for this, but it is full of digital and audio books and they are all FREE!
Storyline Online - This site has lots of picture books for you.�
How to access ebooks and audiobooks:
©MrsReaderPants 2024
Dekalb County Public Library �Little Shop of Stories �Brave + Kind Bookshop�Half Price Books�* Little Free Libraries are great places to look for books! Add your own to them and then see what else is out there. If we all add our used books, there should be a great selection!
Great websites for finding the perfect books:
�https://dekalblibrary.org/kids/reading-recommendations Dekalb LIbrary’s website is full of wonderful book lists! Also, check out the YA Lists for teens!
https://www.bookspotonline.com Gives all kinds of lists, including best sellers, book awards, and book reviews.
www.arbookfind.com This website is brought to you by Renaissance Place, the same company who provides us with Accelerated Reader. You can search for books by title, author, subject, and reading level. You can also type in a title of a book and it will give you the reading level for that book.
www.commonsensemedia.org This website is great for finding appropriate books on the correct reading level. You can search for books here or browse the lists, but most helpful is the search where you type in the title of your book (or movie, or app) and it tells you what age it is appropriate for.
https://hub.lexile.com/find-a-book/search This is a great website for finding books in your lexile level.
Another great website for summer resources:
https://getgeorgiareading.org/georgia-summer/ This website has all kinds of links to meal assistance, safety tips, and learning resources.
How to access books in print:
©MrsReaderPants 2024
Email me with any questions!
©MrsReaderPants 2024
Conversions (Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages)
Remember:
ALL fractions must be in simplest form!
I’m here if
you need
anything!
See you on July 31st!
-Mrs. O’Malley
©MrsReaderPants 2024
In addition to the previous page of math practice, please complete the following to prepare for Enhanced Math:
Multi-Step Equations with Variables & Combining Like Terms
Enhanced Algebra Summer Work
©MrsReaderPants 2024
SUMMER OF AWE AND WONDER CHALLENGE
I | | GA | |
Visit a GA beach, lake, or natural source of water. List the place: ____________________ | Play at an indoor or outdoor water park in GA. List the place: ___________________ | Tour a history museum or historical site (can be virtual). List the place: ___________________ | Hike or camp out at one of GA’s State Parks. List the place: ___________________ |
Eat or create a treat using peaches, blueberries, or peanuts. Name the treat: ___________________ | Snap a picture of an insect, bird, amphibian or reptile in Georgia’s nature. | Take a picture of a billboard featuring one of the following: Coca-Cola, Waffle House, Home Depot, Delta, or Southern Co | Take a picture with someone or something connected to the 1996 Olympics. |
Visit or research one of GA’s 7 Natural Wonders. | Visit or interview someone who has attended one of GA’s Colleges or Universities. | Find or research a (tv show or movie) filming location in Georgia. | Watch or attend a sporting event for one of GA’s Professional Teams. (Ex. Braves, Hawks, Falcons, Atl United, Dream) |
Take a picture of YOUR FAVORITE place in GA. Be sure you can explain why you selected it. | Sketch or snap a picture of a plant/flower growing in nature that catches your eye. | Visit a local farm, farmer’s market, or small business. Talk to the owner to get advice for how to start and run a successful business. | Do something kind for someone else. Journal about your experience. How did it feel to do something for someone else, not yourself? |
©MrsReaderPants 2024
GA Studies Gameroom
History/Geography | Government |
| Join Our Summer Learning Class Class Code: Marshall41053 5 Civics Based Games Available |
Economics | |
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Level Up Your Learning
These tasks are designed for students who want to learn with Ms. Tickles this summer. As a historian and life-long learner, I love growing my brain by studying interesting and lesser-known facts about different topics. Here are some topics I will be learning more about this summer and some resources to help you get started. I would LOVE for some of you to join me in one or more of these summer learning opportunities. Maybe we can have a special “Spill the Tea” Party when we get back to school in August. | |
Birds of Georgia | Backyard Birds of Georgia, eBird (Consider downloading the app.) |
GA Legends | GA Historical Society’s Tomochichi Digital Exhibit, Journal |
Civic Engagement | |
History School | For students 13 years old and up: Sign up for 1 of these FREE Summer Courses hosted by Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. |
Civic Season | Participate in Civic Season Activities between Juneteenth and July 4th. Be sure to capture pictures of any celebrations you attend. |
©MrsReaderPants 2024