Due: Thursday, September 3, 2015 Reading Assignment ...

1 Eighth Grade Summer Reading Project Due: thursday , September 3, 2015 Reading Assignment : Read favorite greek myths by Mary Pope Osborne and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Writing Task: favorite greek myths tells stories from greek mythology in a traditional way. The Lightning Thief takes characters, events, and ideas from greek mythology and tells a story that combines those traditional elements with modern characters and a modern setting. Your Assignment is to select a story from favorite greek myths and use the characters, events, and ideas from that traditional story in writing your own, original story that also includes modern characters and a modern setting. The Lightning Thief features humor and action, and if you want your story to be funny and/or action packed, that s fine. However, it would also be fine to write a story with more of a serious or sad tone. Special Note for Students Who Have Already Read The Lightning Thief: If you have already read this novel, read the next novel (that you have not already read) from the Percy Jackson series.

2 If you have read the entire Percy Jackson series, begin (or continue) Reading the Heroes of Olympus series, which is a series-length sequel to the Percy Jackson series. Here are the titles of all the books, in the order in which they should be read: First series (Percy Jackson series): The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian Second series (House of Olympus series): The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, The Mark of Athena, The House of Hades, The Blood of OlympusSummer Project Grading Rubric 4 3 2 1 Narrative Elements The plot of the story and the development of the characters consistently provide the reader with entertainment and/or insight into the human condition. The plot of the story occasionally succeeds in creating suspense, humor, and/or some other emotional response from the reader; there is some psychological development of the characters.

3 There is a clear attempt to tell a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end; there are recognizable characters. The story does not have a clear plot and/or recognizable characters. Creative Use of Source Material The writer s creativity in adapting the plot and characters from one, specific story in favorite greek myths produces a fresh and interesting take on a classic narrative. The writer reuses the plot and characters from one, specific story in favorite greek myths while adding a distinctive twist. It is very clear that the story reuses the plot and characters from one, specific story in favorite greek myths ; however the writer is NOT simply copying the original story. There is little or no use of the plot and/or characters from one, specific story in favorite greek myths . Technical Correctness The writing demonstrates excellent fluency and technical skills. Controlled and varied syntax clearly conveys ideas and emotions.

4 There are few, if any, technical errors in grammar, syntax, usage, spelling, and punctuation. The writing demonstrates reasonably good fluency and technical skills. There is some variation in syntax and most constructions are used in an appropriate, controlled way. Technical errors are mostly confined to the more advanced and difficult aspects of writing. While meaning is usually clear, vocabulary and sentence structure may be a bit monotonous. There are probably technical errors in areas that an eighth grader should have already mastered. There are many distracting errors in grammar, syntax, usage, spelling, and punctuation, There may be many errors in areas that an elementary school student should have already mastered.