Summer Days in Somerdale
Not your average summer program!
for students in grades 1-8
7 Weeks of Fun!
- Sessions are Monday-Thursday from 9:00-10:30 and 10:55-12:25, unless otherwise noted.
- All Summer Days activities are provided at no cost to students.
- Most sessions will be capped at 13 students.
- Sessions with fewer than five participants will be canceled and students will be placed in a different session.
- Sessions are subject to change without notice.
- Some special assemblies with larger capacities will be spaced according to CDC and NJDOH guidelines.
- If the session your child is interested is full, your child will be assigned to another session at the same time and placed on the waiting list for the session of interest.
- Students may attend one or two sessions per day.
Arrival for session 1: 8:45 am
Dismissal for session 1: 10:30 am
Arrival for session 2: 10:50 am
Dismissal for session 2: 12:25 pm
- If students are staying for both sessions, they may bring their own snack to eat between sessions.
- Students should bring a beach towel, hat, sunscreen, and refillable water bottle for all sessions.
Off-Campus: Somerdale Park staff will chaperone students to off-campus field trips on some Fridays in July.
- Any student who attends any Summer Days session is eligible to attend field trips at no cost.
- Some field trips may require special permission slips or waivers.
- More information will be emailed to those who register.
*All COVID-19 Protocols remain in place
*Students must wear masks at all times indoors and when within 6 feet of one another outdoors.
Please email Maria Montroni-Currais (mmontroni@somerdale-park.org) with questions.
Session Descriptions
Hosted by Outside Organizations:
Chocolate-Tasting with Jacques from the Chocolatarium- (Waitlist) Discover the history of chocolate and how it evolved throughout the centuries. See and taste the wonders & craftsmanship of chocolate.
Life in a Salt Marsh: Salt Marsh ecosystems are some of the most productive places on planet Earth. Participants will assist our instructor in creating a living model of a salt marsh. As they go, they will be introduced to the extremely important elements of a Salt Marsh including tides, mud, sun, grasses, bacteria, fiddler crabs, snails, plankton, fish, terrapins, birds, and how all of these elements affect humans. Once the model is created, participants will be able to take a closer look and also investigate other hands-on activities and live animal touch tanks.
SkyDome Planetarium: Students will learn how to identify every planet in our solar system in dramatic "flights" towards each world. They will be introduced to Greek mythological characters and see how these heroes of the past can be found in the stars. Students will witness the night sky in different seasons and from different global perspectives.
Mad Science Space Phenomena: Meteors and comets and asteroids, oh my! Explore the phenomenal events that take place in the night sky! Investigate asteroid impacts and craters on the moon, cook up a comet made of dry ice, and discover how meteors burn up in our atmosphere
Mad Science Under Pressure:
Join Bernoulli and Newton as we take this exciting look at the science behind the properties of air... under pressure. Use a vortex generator to create air pockets with a punch, and levitate ping-pong balls in a defiance of gravity!
Mad Science Detective Science: Students will become science sleuths as they investigate how chemistry provides evidence at the scene of the crime. During this hands-on detective work, children will gather and test 'crime scene' clues, make and analyze their own fingerprints, decipher codes and encrypt messages.
Luna Vita Yoga with Sara Collinsgru - Sara Collinsgru will provide yoga and mindfulness skills, as well as age appropriate social and emotional skills that correlate with yoga and mindfulness. Ms. Collinsgru will engage students using hands on activities such as yoga poses, breathing techniques, and various mindfulness activities. Students will learn and practice quieting their mind and body and being present in the current moment, and ways to utilize these skills inside and outside the classroom.
Game 7 with Malcolm and Kendall - This summer, the Game 7 Character Builders, bring their "Goal Line" program to Somerdale Park School! This program takes students to the next level by providing them with fun, physical training, accompanied by social-emotional learning. Essentially, Game 7 will strengthen the mind and body and teach students what's going on inside of themselves as they grow.
Image Fitness- Fitness and Nutrition with Nate Hendersen - Students will learn a basic understanding of nutrition, the benefits of a balanced diet, a basic understanding of fitness and basic exercises, the benefits of exercising, and middle school students will learn how to build their own workout. Come and have some fun while learning about a healthy life style!
Little Medical School - Students will assume the role of a doctor and learn how the body and organs work, how to use medical instruments, and even tie knots like a real surgeon.
HousePaws' Vets in Training Gr 1-5- Children are fascinated by animals and display a deep passion for animal welfare and well-being at an early age. The HousePaws Vets in Training Program embraces the human-animal bond through interaction and education.
By providing hands-on experienced-based education to each student in the program, the children are empowered to explore the human-animal bond and the many facets of veterinary medicine.
Hosted by Somerdale Park Teachers
Dance- Our Summer Dance Workshops encourage young dancers to develop artistry in dance through dynamic movement and exploration. Young dancers are offered the chance to expand their movement vocabulary through Ballet, Jazz, Modern, African, Swing, Lyrical, and Latin techniques with many more styles of dance such as Broadway and Ballroom. Classes will incorporate center work, combinations and choreography. Anatomy, nutrition, conditioning and improvisation will be part of the learning experience.
Fitness - A dynamic and energy-filled cardio/muscle training workout that is bound to get your heart rate up, your body moving, and make you work up a sweat. Cycle through cardio and strength intervals incorporating 2LB hand weights that will work your body head to toe. This low-impact, high-intensity class will increase your strength and balance.
Beginner Yoga: Young learners will explore the fundamentals of traditional yoga poses, breathing techniques, and yoga history/philosophy. Young learners will challenge themselves at their own comfort level. Modifications will be offered as they practice each pose.
Lawn games- Let’s get our energy out! Students can try their hands at all sorts of outdoor challenges while bonding with one another and working together to complete activities.
Track and Field- Students will set goals, improve their skills, gain self-confidence, and have fun while training on the field.
Math games- Students will develop unique interests in problem solving and build upon their math skills in a fun, encouraging, and engaging atmosphere.
Drama- Let’s work together and explore the art of telling stories through live acting! Students will learn the importance of articulation, projection, and voice variation when speaking a part. Drama is a fun and exciting way to watch a story in action! Each week the students will be performing a new play. They will create sets and props, learn lines, use microphones, and learn how to move around a stage. Students in Drama will be able to explore the arts through acting, monologues, skits, activities and more. No background experience in drama and acting is needed to join us in this fun!
Science and STEM: Unlock your imagination with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math! Join us for hands-on science fun. Each week will focus on a different theme and will include physics, chemistry and life science activities geared towards each groups academic level. All students will have their own supplies and some activities will take place outside.
Arts and Crafts- Here is where we will learn how to make cool crafts and create fun ideas using different materials. These hands on activities will explore our creative side and produce fun projects to decorate your room!
Creative Writing – Did you know that playing games can actually help develop your writing skills? Join in the fun to expand vocabulary, use your imagination, and create original forms of writing created by you!
Art grades 1/2 and 6-8: Come enjoy the process of creation. This is not ‘art for artists’, it’s art for everybody!
6-8 Book Club- We will be reading and discussing the book that all students entering 6th, 7th, and 8th grade are required to read this summer. We will be reading Efren Divided as a small group to prepare for September.
6-8 Music Technology- Students in Music Technology will explore creating music with numerous Digital Audio Workstations. Students will be able to create music using loops, instruments and notation. You don't need to have prior knowledge of Music Technology to have fun with this course - we will show you everything you need to know!
6-8 Song Writing- Students in Song Writing will be able to create lyrics as well as music for their lyrics. Song Writing is a way for artists to get their messages out. What messages do you have for the world to hear? No prior knowledge of song writing is needed to join this class!
6-8 Ukulele- Students in Ukulele will be able to explore the basics of ukulele playing and technique. We will cover everything from tuning the instrument to playing along with our favorite tunes. No worries if you have never played ukulele before, we will show you! (The school will provide a ukulele for the course).
6-8 Piano- Students in Piano will be able to understand the basics of piano playing. We will learn the notes on the piano and how to play a few tunes! No prior piano knowledge is needed to join this course! (The school will provide pianos for students to use, but pianos will have to stay at the school).
3-5 and 6-8 Leadership- Students in Leadership will learn skills to influence, empower and lead! From being leaders in school to leaders in society, we will explore numerous ways to use our voices and actions to take lead.
1-2 and 3-5 Crazy 8s: Crazy 8s offers high-energy math activities that are designed to make math fun and social. This is a program for everyone! The activities are intended for a range of abilities and will build confidence in every kid. Children will be allowed to keep some items to encourage continued math fun at home. **Please note that it is strongly preferred that children sign up for both weeks of Crazy 8s at their grade level.
1/2 and 3-5 Coding: Students will solve game-based puzzles and projects to learn the basics of programming concepts such as sequencing, repetition, and conditional logic. As they learn they will create games, stories, and art.
1-2 and 3-5 Book Club – Are you looking for an adventure or can you benefit from additional opportunities to read? Let’s stir up our imaginations by diving deep into literature to connect with the characters and plot. Join book club to read and discuss short books with your friends to learn fun lessons within a story.
3-5 and 1-2 Wilson- The Summer Wilson Reading Program will provide students with an opportunity to reinforce and enhance phonics skills enabling them to become confident readers. This program is for students that have previously participated in Fundations and/or Wilson during the 20-21 school year and/or students that have been recommended for the program. Our goal is to encourage the love of reading!
1-2 Music and Rhythm- Students in Music and Rhythm will be able to explore the world of music by performing on numerous rhythm instruments. From boomwhackers to drums, we will be able to perform and create music with numerous instruments!
1- Fundations and First Grade Skills
This will be a continuation and reinforcement of the skills taught throughout the 2020-2021 Kindergarten School Year. The goal of our Fundations ESY program is to strengthen the foundation of reading and writing and encourage meaning and joy while doing so. I will make Reading and Writing FUN!