FREE LANGUAGE ARTS LESSON - A Summer
Bucket List
By Connie
Casserly
Grades
3-12
Colleagues:
Are
you tired of spending the first few days of school in the fall jumpstarting
your students’ brains and motivation from Summer Lethargy Mode?
Are
you wishing that you had a summer activity besides the usual reading assignment
to keep students’ brains charged?
Are
you concerned about your administrators’ exhortations to “Grab a standard and
go, go, go” during that very first faculty meeting when you know that you absolutely must assess your students’ thinking,
comprehension and writing skills baselines before you dive into the standards pool?
This handout will go a
long way in banishing your concerns because the activities guarantee that children
will keep their minds and bodies active and alert during their summer vacation.
The plus is- they won't feel like they are completing an assignment or doing a
task related to school while they keep their comprehension and their analytic
and creative thinking and writing skills fresh.
Although this list is
best suited for children in grades 5-12, third and fourth graders will find
activities that fit their abilities and skill levels, too. Many 6-10 year olds
I know blow me away with their ability to text, use a computer or a digital or
Smartphone camera, play an instrument and cook, so they will find a number of
suggestions engaging.
Ideas 8, 10 and 11 are
more fitted to older children, though. Idea 13 is great for kids in grades 3-8.
Using simple household supplies-along with adult supervision-they can have fun
with science experiments while learning chemistry, biology, physics and much
more. Tell the children and their parents to use this terrific book for ideas: The Everything Kids Science Experiments Book
by Tom Robinson for $8.95 ($6.12 Kindle edition). They don't have to spend
money on a book unless they want to, though as they can probably find similar
books at the library. Best of all, they will find activities on-line using the
search terms: kids science experiments.
Be
sure to give A Summer Bucket List to
students before the end of the school year. Maybe, follow it up with a quick
email to parents to explain this activity. They'll be thrilled with some ideas
to ward off the "I'm bored," grumblings.
Happy Teaching,
Teach it Write
Building Powerful Academic Homes
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