Preventing the Summer Slide (w/ iTeachSTEM)

Summer is in full swing here. But if you're like me, you're trying to find ways to keep your kids learning and using their minds during the long break before heading back to school. Summer slide? It's a real thing! And I don't just mean that fun slide they go down at the playground.

Ever heard the phrase "use it or lose it"?

Yeah. Exactly.

If kids don't use those great skills they learned during the school year, they will struggle more when school starts up again. I've seen it myself. In my own children and in the fifth graders I teach.

So, what is a parent (or teacher) to do?

I've spent a while scouring the internet for FREE resources to help keep kids practicing important skills all summer long while still having fun!

I think we can all agree that it is important for kids to read daily, but sometimes it can be difficult to motivate them. Especially when swimming pools, vacations, neighborhood friends, and holiday celebrations are "calling their names". Here are a few ideas to get your kids motivated to read every day during the summer.

SUMMER READING BINGO

(credit: My Sister's Suitcase)

I love the idea of having kids read in different places - inside and outdoors - just to spice up the routine. And the printable BINGO card is a great way to motivate kids. Maybe provide a treat or activity for each BINGO they earn.

READ THE BOOK. WATCH THE MOVIE.

(credit: Inner Child Fun)

I admit it. I often binge watch Netflix. And my kids SEE ME DOING IT. So what better way to encourage your kids to read over the summer than to pair reading with a movie. Let your kids choose a movie that is based on a book. Once they've read the book, watch the movie together. This is great for those REALLY hot days when being outside isn't possible. Follow up with a discussion about the similarities and differences between the book and the movie.

I know. Math in the summer?!? What a mean mom/teacher, right?

But it can be fun. I promise.

Check out these ideas.

SUMMER MATH CAMP

(credit: What We Do All Day)

I love that this blog post includes 6 weeks of simple and inexpensive ideas that incorporate math learning. Each idea has lesson plans and activities for various ages. She even has a Summer Science Camp too!

OUTDOOR MATH GAMES

(credit: Coffee Cups and Crayons)

Capitalize on the nicer weather and take your kids outside for some fun math games. Each activity uses minimal supplies that can be found around the house. My favorites include water, because let's face it. Summer is HOT!

Writing is also important. I have my kids keep summer journals and usually just set aside ten minutes a day for writing/drawing in their journals. Quick, simple, cheap. But here are a few other ideas you might like.

GOLDFISH ALPHABET LETTER TRACING

(credit: Totschooling)

For your little ones just learning the letters of the alphabet, check out these free printables. Turn snack time into a fun learning activity by letting your kiddo (gasp) play with their food!

MAKE A WRITING JAR

(credit: Far From Normal)

This blog post is AWESOME because it not only offers free printable writing prompts, but shares tips for how to implement the activity. Things like setting standards, offering choice, and multiple uses. I'm thinking of changing my journaling activity to include some of these writing jar prompts.

Since I'm a STEM teacher, I can't really skip over some great resources for science and engineering activities. Honestly, some of these I even use throughout the year with my students.

25 SIMPLE ACTIVITIES FOR LITTLE ENGINEERS

(credit: My Life and Kids)

It's exactly what it sounds like. Links to 25 easy engineering activities for the younger kiddos at your house. I've done #7, 12 and 19 in my class! So fun for kids.

PAPER BAG STEM CHALLENGES

(credit: Little Bins for Little Hands)

I love that each of these challenges requires minimal planning and utilizes items found around the house. Plus, there is something intriguing about a brown paper bag labeled "challenge" for kids. I think it would be fun to display the brown bag early in the week and have kids WAIT until Friday to complete it. Talk about suspense!

SUMMER SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

(credit: Growing a Jeweled Rose)

This is a great collection of 30 simple science experiments you can do with your kids. Each idea links to a post with detailed instructions and ideas. It's been so hot here lately, I think we might try the egg frying experiment. Breakfast anyone?

SLOW MOTION VIDEO AND NEWTON'S LAWS

(credit: iTeachSTEM)

This is something I did with my fifth graders, but I can't believe how much fun I had. Combine a bit of physical activity, predictions, a challenge, and your smart phone's slow motion video function. This totally blew my students' minds! And they ALL wanted to try it until they had figured out how to make that ball go into the bucket.

Spring into... Keeping up with Kindergarten (with Enchanted Kinder Garden)

Is it feeling like spring where you are? I sure hope so! We only have a few weeks left in school, 8 to be exact, and I'm already planning for the end of the year. I thought that you would like to as well.

One of my absolute favorite resources for the end of the year and prepping for summer is my EOY pack.

It's a summer review that's individualized specifically for each one of my students.

I usually make a list of each skill and then jot kids names down. I try to think of their weakest areas or areas that they could use just a little bit more work. Each pack that I send home is specifically for each of those kids. For example, if they soar in math, but lack a little with reading cvc words, I make sure that I include all of the cvc pages. This includes beginning, middle, and ending sound practice. It will help them in the long run when they've been able to practice in the summer.

I tried to make this as parent friendly as possible by including a letter explaining to them what it is and how I want them to use it. There is a summer book list included that provides suggestions of books that would be great to check out at the library. Parents usually aren't sure what to do in the summer with their children and I tried to help out as much as possible. The transition from kindergarten to 1st grade is a HUGE bridge to hurdle and this helps a little.

If you'd like a detailed list of what's included, just click on any image above.

Here's a little secret! We're giving away our best sellers this month! There is a K-2 resource set and a 3-5 resource set. How awesome is that? Make sure to come back and see who's giving what away tomorrow and each day until the middle of the month! Happy April!

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Ending the Year in Style in Kindergarten!

Hey friends! Are you out of school yet? I truly hope you are! My last workday was Tuesday. My last day with kiddos was last Friday. No matter how many days you have left, I hope you are wrapping it up easy and breezy. Here's a few ways I ended the year in the past!

Just from my personal experience, I've ALWAYS given my students something at the end of each year. With that in mind, I just like to send them off for the summer with some goodies AND memories to remember the year by. This year, they got nice little baggies filled with our ABC Chit Chat DVD, Kindergarten slideshow DVD, Graduation certificate, awards, and this year they received the book Click, Clack Moo - Cows That Type with a note inside. Also in the bags, they each got a personalized cup that I found a Dollar Tree! I seriously love these little cups. Super cute and EASY way to personalize something. I love my name on things and think it's a great way to send gifts home to your kids. Under the bags, is their individualized Keeping Up With Kindergarten summer review pack.

You can grab a sample of Keeping Up with Kindergarten here and check out my editable Graduation Diplomas.

Wrap things up in a fun and exciting way by posting a countdown. Last year, I made this countdown on my door and the entire school was excited (and made sure to remind me) as each day was one day less. It definitely amped up the excitement!

I always make sure to have a Ms. Brown and me picture in our dvds. I easily take over 1000 pictures each year and this is one of my FAVORITES! I usually have so many pictures of them and none of me. They will always have the memory of me through pictures and all the fun that we shared in their year with me. 

Packing up at the end of the year is EXTREMELY easy for me! I have tons of crate seats in my room that are more for storage than actual seating. I added these labels to each of the crates so I can easily tell what's inside throughout the year. I have crates for each month where I store my centers, larger items that don't fit in tubs such as pails for centers games and so on. I also have crates with just supplies and special occasion things that we do during the year. For example, I have all of my Q and U wedding decorations in a crate. This makes it so easy when it's time to pack up. I just take each crate and stack them on top of each other either in my restroom or on the counter. Last year, the counter worked well. This year, I stacked them neatly inside my restroom. When it's time to start getting BTS ready at the end of July (probably sooner knowing me), I can easily just pull out the beginning of the year crates that are label.

Do any of you own these plastic shelves? It makes storing away for the summer SO easy! I can place things on the bottom as well as the top and get twice the space when I need to get everything off the floor. Easy peasy, right?

Have a GREAT summer!