Summer Learning
Resources for Summer Learning
SUMMER BREAK IS HERE!
Summertime is the perfect time to rest, relax, and recharge your batteries so you're refreshed for the fall. Grand Blanc Schools wishes our families a wonderful summer break making lifelong memories with family and friends!
Summer learning programs play a critical role in advancing students’ growth and success. This is a time of endless possibilities for learning and enrichment activities to expand access to high-quality summer programming for students across the state.
GISD Literacy Resources
Genesee County educators care about the learning needs of children and want to see every child reach literacy milestones. Parents are valuable partners in helping their children succeed in school. One of the most important things a parent can do for their children is to read to them, starting at birth! They can help their children learn to read through simple, free, everyday activities done at home, while out in the community, or just about anywhere.
Find important facts, tips, activities, and other resources parents can use for ages 0-5 (opens in a new window)and ages 5-8 (opens in a new window)to help their child begin, and stay on, the path to literacy!
8-WEEK SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAM
The Michigan Learning Channel’s 8-week summer program has everything kids need to continue building their brains and learning key concepts that will help them succeed in school.
From Pre-K - 6th grade, each grade has 2-3 hours of video lessons per week, plus a fun and interactive activity book. Local events and special broadcasts around our 8 weekly themes help pique kids’ interest. All programs are available on broadcast television and on-demand online.
For detailed programming information, see the Summer Schedule.
Download PDF files of our full activity books to print at home. To get a peak at what’s in our activity books, download our 8-page preview booklets for
SUMMER READING
READING CHALLENGES
READ TO A MILLION CHALLENGE!
The dreaded summer reading slide is a big deal, and yes – it is a real thing. When students are not exposed to reading and learning over the long summer months, they can lose many essential skills.
Make sure summer is full of reading! Participation in the GISD's Read to a Million Challenge can boost reading skills. It is also a great way to encourage your child to read during the summer months! Use the QR code below to log your reading progress.
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading
Genesee District Libraries Summer Reading Challenge
One Challenge for All Ages!
- The challenge runs June 11-August 6.
- Register by clicking here.
- Track your minutes, activities, and reviews.
- Note: in Beanstack, log reading by logging minutes
- All ages can participate. Complete badges to earn tickets and enter prize drawings. Complete any combination of 15 badges to complete the challenge and earn a completion prize.
- Completion Prizes:
- Ages birth-2: Book & Shaker Egg
- Ages 3-18: Book Prize
- 19+: GDL Summer Challenge T-Shirt
- Printable Log: Keep track on paper then log your progress on Beanstack. Click here to download.
Scholastic's Summer of Reading on Home Base Challenge
From Monday, April 26 to Friday, September 3 kids can participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading Program where they will be encouraged to read, celebrate their achievements and help increase access to books for their peers.
Students who are registered for the Challenge by an educator, public librarian, or community literacy partner can:
- Log their reading minutes to earn digital prizes when they complete weekly reading challenges and gain access to reading activities, including games, quizzes, and videos based on the Harry Potter series;
- Access videos featuring popular children's book authors reading aloud from their titles and illustrators bringing their characters to life;
- Use the new timer feature that acts as a stopwatch to track their personal reading time;
GRASP SUMMER ENRICHMENT
GRASP SUMMER ENRICHMENT FOR K-8 STUDENTS
The GRASP program is a nine-week program in reading and math for grades K-8. The program helps students retain skills learned during the past school year and prevent that summer learning loss.
The cost is $38 for one subject or $68 for both Math and Reading, per child.
MAIL IN OPTION (GRADES K-8th)
Children may choose two different options to participate in GRASP. Children may choose the correspondence or mail-in version of GRASP. If choosing to participate by mail, children receive a packet of materials and mail in a lesson a week. The lessons are scored and returned to the student.
ONLINE GRASP OPTION (GRADES 4-8th ONLY)
Please note: the online option is only available for grades 4-8. When participating online, lessons are scored immediately. There are no books sent. Everything is done on the computer.
The children can earn awards for participating in GRASP.
Students who pass (70% or above) on 7 lessons are awarded a certificate. A medal is awarded for passing all 9 lessons.
For more information or to enroll your child in the GRASP program, click here.
EARLY CHILDHOOD RESOURCES
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Read 1,000 books before your kindergarten and track your progress using Beanstack.
Register by clicking here.
1. Track the amount of books you read. Repeat titles count!Note: in Beanstack, log reading by logging books
2. For every 100 books you read, earn a sticker and a free book prize.
3. Complete the challenge by reading 1,000 books. Visit your local branch to get a completion certificate.
Want to keep track of your reading progress on a paper then log your activity online? Click here to print a paper log.
Looking for book suggestions? Start with this booklist: Books Your Child Should Hear Before Kindergarten
Does your child want to practice their letters, sounds, and sight words?
TEENS AND TWEENS
Mi Library Quest is Calling all Tweens & Teens!
MiLibraryQuest Summer 2023: Survive Together NowJuly 1 - August 5, 2023
Teens in Michigan are invited to participate in MiLibraryQuest: Survive Together Now!
Teens, you'll face all manner of ghosts and ghouls as you solve the mystery of their appearance in our state. Puzzles and riddles will aid you in the quest to Survive Together Now beginning July 1st!
Learn more about the Quest and get started at https://milibraryquest.wixsite.com/quest1/current-quest.
The biannual MiLibraryQuest challenges are created by public librarians throughout Michigan with support from the Library of Michigan.
If you have any questions, please email MiLibraryQuest@gmail.com
Tips to Make Summer Reading Happen
1. CHOICE: Let your kids choose the books that they read. Kids Need to Pick Out Books.
2. BOUNTY: Fill your house with lots of books. More books = more chances for your children to find a fantastic, amazing, very good book that they can’t put down.
3. LIBRARY: Use your library. Let your kids go WILD and check out lots of books!
4. TIME: Kids need opportunities for reading. So, make sure they’re not filling all their time with TV, video games, and iPad time.
5. TECHNOLOGY: Don’t forget about audiobooks, Kindles, iPads, and Nook reading. Ebooks and audiobooks count as reading, too. (See: audiobooks for tweens & audiobooks for teens.)
6. READABILITY: Make sure your child is reading books that he or she can actually comprehend. When choosing a book, use the 5 finger test to decide if it’s a just right book. During and after reading, ask your child to tell you a little bit about the story. If you haven’t read the story, read the back and ask questions pertaining to that summary. Make sure your child is understanding what he reads — and that he KNOWS IF HE DOESN’T. For more clarity about reading comprehension, visit this post.
7. COZY READING SPACE: Kids LOVE a Cozy Book Nook. It doesn’t have to be fancy but it does need to involve the kids. Find a corner – those work best. Let your child add pillows, lamps, books, stuffed animals, a headlamp or flashlight, and create a special space.
Read more tips on how to make an enticing book nook.
8. DOWN-TIME: Kids Need Margins Just Like We Do. We all need unscheduled time to rest and relax. Kids especially. Remember to make time during the day for rest and reading.
9. READING WHILE WATCHING: Do you want your child reading while they’re watching TV? Turn on closed captioning!
EPIC BOOKS FOR KIDS
GENESEE DISTRICT LIBRARY KIDS
Register for Reading Challenges through Beanstack
Beanstack is a tool for facilitating reading programs in our 19 libraries. It’s easy and fun for the whole family. Participate as little or as much as you’d like. Our intention is to encourage a culture of reading through a variety of reading challenges.
Check out our current challenges below. If you would like to get started, click here.
IMAGINATION SOUP SUMMER READING
Summer Reading Lists Ages 0 - 13
Math Corner
MATH GAMES AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Online Games
BedtimeMath.org - besides bedtime stories, give your child some bedtime math problems.
Calculation Nation - a collection of fun, web-based Math games
Khan Academy - A personalized learning resource for ages K-8.
Games to play with Dice or Cards
Home Activities
Math Choice Boards
Math at Home from the Bridges Curriculum Choice Boards First choose your grade level, then at the top of the next page, select a set to focus on.
Fun with Math at Home Activities
Mathies Home Support - Activities to do at home. Home Connections are broken down by grade level and are short activities to do at home.
Number Sense Activities
Splat - Number Sense activities any grade level
Which One Doesn’t Belong? - give students a picture of 4 items and they have to justify why one of the 4 doesn’t belong:
Same, but Different: Discuss how the 2 images are the same, and how are they different?
Worksheets
10 Days of Lessons and Answer Keys
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
FAMILY FUN AND ENGAGEMENT
20+ Things to do in Michigan: Your Ultimate Summer Bucket List
Top 10 Family Vacation Ideas in Michigan
TAKE A BREAK OUTSIDE
Virtual Field Trips
Click on the links below to begin your travels!
The Nature Conservancy • Detroit Zoo