7th Grade - Why These Book? 

English

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

This is a classic story about a young boy’s quest to find a pirate’s buried treasure.  Along the way, he faces many challenges and adventures that test his strength and courage.

Rationale:  

This novel is included in the Saint Thomas Academy Reading Program because:

1. The book lends itself to class discussion and a variety of writing assignments.

2. The protagonist is an adolescent male.

3. The compelling content of the book will, hopefully, inspire the students to read other
     books by the same author.



The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

An exciting story about a girl’s survival in a violent game and an inhuman world.  

Rationale:  

This novel is included in the Saint Thomas Academy Reading Program because:

1. The book lends itself to class discussion and a variety of writing assignments.

2. The protagonist is an example of a strong adolescent female.

3. The compelling content of the book will, hopefully, inspire the students to read other books in the series.

Geography

Don't Know Much About Planet Earth by Kenneth C. Davis

"Best-selling author Ken Davis leads an exciting trek across the globe, answering some big questions about planet Earth in his trademark question-and-answer format, complete with captivating anecdotes, noteworthy quotes, and humorous illustrations by Tom Bloom."

ISBN # 0-439-43853-5

This book is an entertaining attempt to erase typical perceptions of geography.  It sets out to address much more than "place and name" geography;  it makes connections to the environment, history, cultural patterns, international politics, world economies, religions, and more.  While locations are the ABCs of geography, the real language of geography lies in the relationships that tie places together, make them unique, and render the world a more interesting place in which to live and explore.  Davis sets out numerous geographic questions that many of us have wondered about, and answers them in a readable style.  

This book is part of the course because:

1.  It opens the students up to the broader range of geographical thinking, beyond the foundational and traditional "place and name" geography.  
2. This book fills a gap in the course by covering a lot of physical geography concepts that the human geography curriculum does not address.  
3. The book will serve as an occasional resource for the entire year.  
4. The use of humor serves as a "hook" to engage students and to open their eyes to a social science that is literally all around them.