Literary Investment: Summer Reading Requirement
Heritage Christian Academy has consistently emphasized reading the literary classics. Through books, we enter into the thoughts and lives of others, growing and learning alongside them, succeeding and failing, rejoicing and grieving, journeying and dying. It is among our greatest human delights. One of our responsibilities as educators and parents is to see that our children acquire not only the ability to read well, but also acquire a taste for what is good and beautiful in literature.
For each grade we have selected books that:
- enlarge a student’s imagination about God, the world, or humanity;
- evidence the highest quality writing and story-telling;
- are conducive to the formation of virtue;
- are “age-appropriate,” even if challenging;
- have endured the test of time or have influenced literate culture;
- integrate with other areas of the curriculum.
In addition to the books that students may read in class with their fellow students and teachers, we hope to help students develop the habit of reading books on their own. In order to do this, we will now require students going into first grade through sixth grade to keep a “literature log” of the books they read throughout the summer. Each book they read will receive a particular point value based on its length and difficulty. Half of the required points should come from the suggested list, and half of the required points can come from self-selected books. For self-selected books, students earn 1 point per 100 pages read. Students will receive a grade based on their accumulated points for the summer. This grade will represent 15% of their Reading Grade for Quarter One
Students may earn points for a book if
- a) they read it on their own,
- b) someone reads it to them, or
- c) they listen to an audio version of the book.
In order to encourage families to read together, when they do so, each student in the family will receive the appropriate credit for the book, according to their grade levels. If a child listens to an audio version of a book, we ask parents to verify that their children are appropriately attentive while the recording is playing.
Students are required to read books from the designated Literature List available from the web site on the elementary academics page, which have been selected by HCA according to the above criteria.
Reading Requirements
Students entering first grade are required to read (or have read to them) and record the titles of twenty picture books or emergent readers. (Books longer than traditional picture books or emergent readers may count for more than one title according to their length 32 pages = 1 book).
Students going into second grade are required to read and record the titles of twenty picture books or appropriate level readers. (Books longer than traditional picture books or emergent readers may count for more than one title according to their length 32 pages = 1 book).
Students entering grades three through sixth are required to read books from the following book list to earn the required points.
- Third Grade 10+
- Fourth Grade 12+
- Fifth Grade 16+
- Sixth Grade 18+
Verification of Reading
Parents are responsible for verifying that a book has been read by their child, or that they have listened attentively to one that has been read to them. Titles of books, authors, and point values should be recorded on the child’s literature log and submitted by September 29. The required parent signature certifies that the parent has verified the child’s reading as well as the accuracy of all points recorded.
Summer Reading Links
Verification of Reading Form
Reading List
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