Summer Learning: How to create a family storybook

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Summer Learning: How to create a family storybook

Summer Break is here, and our thoughts are revolving around words like vacation, relaxation, rest, getaway, and so on! Words like homework, project, and assignment instantly turn into bad-words the minute summer vacation begins, so I encourage you to avoid them at all costs! Instead, try to generate creative ways to keep your child/children actively involved in writing, reading, and processing information over the break. One way to keep all these language arts skills at the forefront in a covert way is to develop family storybooks.

Family storybooks are similar to

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Summer Learning: How to develop your child's communication skills

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Summer Learning: How to develop your child's communication skills

Have you ever thought of scheduling a weekly family meeting during the summer months? It really is a great way to boost communication skills at home! Kids of all ages, when given the chance, can participate in structured discussions to recap the previous week and plan for the next one. Routine meetings can allow everyone to contribute personal thoughts, feelings, ideas, choices, etc., so that everyone has an opportunity to be heard. Topic possibilities are endless, yet providing this type of platform can build family connections and help children develop their personal communication skills.

Here’s how it works:

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Summer Learning: Let's go to the library!

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Summer Learning: Let's go to the library!

I fondly recall the summers I spent taking my son to the local library when he was young. I can still remember his excitement as he perused the library shelves, looking for just the right books to take home to read. Those weekly trips were part of our routine, and we both looked forward to them with anticipation!

Did you know that many libraries across the nation

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Summer Journaling with Appreciative Inquiry

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Summer Journaling with Appreciative Inquiry

Summer vacation is coming soon! So, what are your plans? Have you included any activities that will help your child keep their language arts skills sharp over the break? (Haha! I’m almost positive that most of you just knitted your brows and sarcastically muttered the words: “Ugh, NO!”) Before you stop reading this post, I’d like for you to consider doing some “AND” thinking because there is a way for students to enjoy their time off from school AND continue applying language arts skills! They might just learn to appreciate the experience while they’re at it if we add an additional AND to the list! The key is to cop a good action plan in advance!

Before I get to the suggested activity, I want to tell you about

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How to Keep Language Arts Skills Sharp During the Summer

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How to Keep Language Arts Skills Sharp During the Summer

Slurpees, sunshine, swimming, sunbathing, relaxing, travel, camping, barbecues, bike rides, fireworks, friends, and LANGUAGE ARTS! Of course, summer vacation might include some of these foot-loose and fancy-free things, but it’s also an opportunity to keep parents engaged in their child’s learning over the summer months.

Remember, the key to success in whatever you want to do is setting goals for yourself. Encourage families to set short and long-term academic goals for the summer. (I've included a great bonus lesson on Setting Goals at the end of this post!)

Here are three great ways to keep your child's Language Arts skills sharp this summer:

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Creating a Summer Adventure List

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Creating a Summer Adventure List

As eager as your students are for the school year to end, it won’t be long until they are actually bored during their summer break. Yes, I said “bored.” Help your students stay focused and creative while they gear up for that day with this fun and creative classroom activity.

In this blog, I will share an activity that will teach students a valuable lesson as they create their own Summer Bucket List. The catch is that they will create it while working in small groups. As always, you can do as much or as little as you like with this idea. Here’s how to get started.

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Summer Learning: How to create a family storybook

/
Summer Learning: How to create a family storybook

Summer Break is here, and our thoughts are revolving around words like vacation, relaxation, rest, getaway, and so on! Words like homework, project, and assignment instantly turn into bad-words the minute summer vacation begins, so I encourage you to avoid them at all costs! Instead, try to generate creative ways to keep your child/children actively involved in writing, reading, and processing information over the break. One way to keep all these language arts skills at the forefront in a covert way is to develop family storybooks.

Family storybooks are similar to

Read More

Summer Learning: How to develop your child's communication skills

/
Summer Learning: How to develop your child's communication skills

Have you ever thought of scheduling a weekly family meeting during the summer months? It really is a great way to boost communication skills at home! Kids of all ages, when given the chance, can participate in structured discussions to recap the previous week and plan for the next one. Routine meetings can allow everyone to contribute personal thoughts, feelings, ideas, choices, etc., so that everyone has an opportunity to be heard. Topic possibilities are endless, yet providing this type of platform can build family connections and help children develop their personal communication skills.

Here’s how it works:

Read More

Summer Learning: Let's go to the library!

/
Summer Learning: Let's go to the library!

I fondly recall the summers I spent taking my son to the local library when he was young. I can still remember his excitement as he perused the library shelves, looking for just the right books to take home to read. Those weekly trips were part of our routine, and we both looked forward to them with anticipation!

Did you know that many libraries across the nation

Read More

Summer Journaling with Appreciative Inquiry

/
Summer Journaling with Appreciative Inquiry

Summer vacation is coming soon! So, what are your plans? Have you included any activities that will help your child keep their language arts skills sharp over the break? (Haha! I’m almost positive that most of you just knitted your brows and sarcastically muttered the words: “Ugh, NO!”) Before you stop reading this post, I’d like for you to consider doing some “AND” thinking because there is a way for students to enjoy their time off from school AND continue applying language arts skills! They might just learn to appreciate the experience while they’re at it if we add an additional AND to the list! The key is to cop a good action plan in advance!

Before I get to the suggested activity, I want to tell you about

Read More