S.A.I.L. Into Summer Learning
Students Actively Involved In Learning
Literacy experts and educators agree that children of all ages need to be read to, read by themselves and talk about the books they have read during the summer. Your student’s summer reading and book discussions will help maintain reading skills, improve reading fluency and provide the opportunity to learn new vocabulary and concepts. Most importantly, when parents and children enjoy summer reading together, children develop a love of books and reading that lasts a lifetime. According to research by Richard Allington (2007), by the time a struggling reader reaches middle school, summer reading loss has accumulated to a two-year lag in reading achievement. Researchers also conclude that two-thirds of the ninth-grade reading achievement gap can be explained by summer learning loss. Let’s work together to help students stay on track and not lose valuable ground in reading.
Resources For Summer Reading
Summer Reads Text Project
- Each book starts with guidelines on how to use the book.
- There are comprehension questions at the end of each book.
- There is a place where students can keep records of their reading of chapters within books.
- If students have access to computers (e.g., the library), a recording of each text will be made available. This recording allows students to monitor and check their reading.
- Check out the link under student texts for Beginning Reads for students K - 2!
Summer Reading Incentive Programs
Online Books, Videos, MP3's and Podcasts
Resources Based on Author/Illustrators
Non-fiction Resources
Summer Writing
Counting on time during the summer to sharpen those math skills?
Did You Know?
- All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004).
- Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. (Cooper, 1996).
A Parents Guide to Common Core Math Standards
The Helping Your Child Series
Social Studies Resources
Imagine, Dream, Create
It's a WIN- WIN! Take a summer challenge by entering fun contests and take part in some learning to make it even better!
Line by Line poetry contest! Win $, fame and supplies for next year! Enter by 8/19!
On the Record -The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps has had some impressive interviews- including one with President O'Bama. Students ages 10-14 can submit original news stories, pitches and essays to grab a spot on the 2015-2016 Press Corps and break the next big news story by kids for kids. Deadline- Sept 25
Do you want to learn to code? Check out this cool site!
Snail mail! Imagine you've received a postcard from prehistoric times. Tell us what it says and looks like.
Are you game? Design and build a card game, board game or app showing some awesome math problems. Winning teams will share their work at the 2015 math fair and be inducted into the game-a-thon hall of fame Deadline- July 15
mindresearch.org/gameathon
Pet Project! Encourage budding artists to have fun this summer by submitting a drawing of their favorite animal to the Animal Rescue kids' art contest. The winning drawing for each month will be shared on the Animal Rescue website.
Have some summer learning fun while on a STAYCATION in metro Detroit and beyond!
Take family field trips to museums and other sites in the metro Detroit area i.e., science center, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Historical Society, Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, the Detroit Zoo, et cetera. IDEA: Have your child write a reflection journal or draw a picture of their favorite highlights.
Make a photo memory book of the cool sites (if allowed). IDEA: Have your child write why these pics are memorable or something they learned.
If you are visiting another city, state or country, have your child take photos, write in a journal, or write on a postcard something they learned from the visit. Send postcards to family and friends.
More info: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev073.shtml