Summer Learning Fun for All!

The Learning Never Stops in Harlandale ISD
Summer Fun for Families
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Contents
HISD Favorite Websites......................................................................................................................................... 3
Elementary Math Links: ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Elementary Reading Links: .................................................................................................................................... 3
Reading/Language Arts Links: ............................................................................................................................... 3
Summer Youth Program School Site Registration................................................................................................... 3
Summer Learning in the City ................................................................................................................................. 4
Museums ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
History ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Outdoor/Eco Learning ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Animal Interactions ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
25 Activities to Keep Kids' Brains Active in Summer ............................................................................................... 5
13 Summer Learning Activities ............................................................................................................................ 10
Math Activities ............................................................................................................................................................ 10
Language Arts Activities .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Summer Elementary Math Activities ................................................................................................................... 12
Reasoning Mind Log In ................................................................................................................................................ 13
Think Through Math Log In ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Math Websites ............................................................................................................................................................ 21
Summer Reading and Writing Activities for Elementary ....................................................................................... 22
Parent Tips: Summer Reading ..................................................................................................................................... 24
At home ....................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Great summer reading habits ..................................................................................................................................... 25
Summer Social Studies Activities ......................................................................................................................... 26
Celebrating the Fourth of July ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Your family history ...................................................................................................................................................... 26
Go back in time............................................................................................................................................................ 27
Birthday events............................................................................................................................................................ 27
Learning about immigrants ......................................................................................................................................... 27
Visiting seats of government power ........................................................................................................................... 27
Making papier-mâché globes ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Getting a head start on geography ............................................................................................................................. 28
Learning about technological innovations .................................................................................................................. 28
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HISD Favorite Websites -http://edu.symbaloo.com/mix/techtoolsforstudents2
Elementary Math Links:
For Student Login information call Kim Northcutt at 989-4323
Reasoning Mind- http://www.rmcity.org/
Think Through Math- https://lms.thinkthroughmath.com/users/sign_in
Elementary Reading Links:
For Student Login information call Yolanda Landez at 989-4303
iStation- http://www.istation.com/Support
Reading/Language Arts Links:
RIFT Online Interactive Books (Pre-K): This website includes free interactive books that are narrated for
students to listen and watch individually or as a whole group.
http://www.rif.org/kids/leadingtoreading/en/preschoolers.htm
Summer Youth Program School Site Registration
http://www.sanantonio.gov/Parksandrec/summer_programs.aspx
The Parks and Recreation Department offers a quality, affordable Summer Youth Program, where
youngsters find sports, craft projects, active games, art exploration, fitness and nutrition, reading
opportunities, and math and science enrichment activities. Something for every child’s special interest!
Community center sites are open to participants ages six to 14 and school sites to children ages six to 12.
Swimming opportunities will also be offered for program participants at limited community center sites.
The program will be offered at more than 35 school sites near Harlandale ISD.
SA Kids Magazine activities: http://ourkidsmagazine.com/kidcation/
Trinity Technology Camps - https://www.idtech.com/locations/texas-summer-camps/san-antonio/id-techtrinity-university/
Best Family Education APPS and Activities by Grade Levelhttp://school.familyeducation.com/summer/family-learning/36089.html
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Summer Learning in the City
San Antonio Summer Fun Leads to Extraordinary Educational Opportunities
http://visitsanantonio.com/english/Explore-San-Antonio/Events/DiversiondeVerano/Summer-Learning
No need to put the brakes on learning during the summer months. Keep young minds active with exciting
and entertaining activities that provide a bit of education, too. Whether your child is passionate about
animals, art, nature or history, you'll find the perfect blend of leisure and learning to make your San
Antonio visit even more memorable!
Museums
This summer Witte Museum visitors can explore a state-of-the-art interactive adventure focused on getting
the body up and moving and inspiring a balanced life. The H-E-B Body Adventure exhibit features four
floors of fun activities with themes relating to health IQ, empowerment and wellness.
For a look at the life of more recent Texans, the new South Texas Heritage Center at the Witte features
interactive displays and intriguing stories about the cowboys, settlers, Native Americans and others who
shaped our state from 1850-1950.
The DoSeum, San Antonio’s Museum for Kids, opens on June 6. The DoSeum will serve as an interactive
learning laboratory for all young children allowing them to learn through play and helping them become
creative problem-solvers through hands-on activities. The DoSeum will offer exhibits unlike any other
children’s museum in the country, including an interactive robot named Baxter, a spy academy filled with
math challenges, an interactive puppet parade, a musical staircase, an ADA-accessible treehouse, a
Children’s River, and a significant outdoor exhibit area with plenty of shade and water features.
Texans are a diverse group, and the Institute of Texan Cultures is a great place for kids to gain an
appreciation of the various cultures that contribute to the makeup of this great state's population.
The Briscoe Western Art Museum is devoted to the art, history, and culture of the American West, with a
contextual emphasis on San Antonio, South Texas, and the Southwest.
History
Close to 300 years ago, five Spanish missions were established in San Antonio. While the Alamo is the most
famous, the other four, Mission San José, Mission Concepción, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada are
equally captivating. All five have been nominated to the U.N. World Heritage List. To give kids a better
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understanding of the 1836 battle at the Alamo, don't miss the 42-minute film, "Alamo: The Price of
Freedom" at the Alamo IMAX Theatre in Rivercenter Mall.
Hit all the historic highlights in downtown San Antonio with a narrated tour. Or, ride a VIA Metropolitan
Transit historic streetcar to Market Square, where Mexican restaurants, art galleries and souvenir shops
await.
Outdoor/Eco Learning
Chill out with an intriguing underground tour of stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones, chandeliers and soda
straws in the stunning Natural Bridge Caverns, where you can choose the level of adventure that is just
right for your family.
Paved pathways, a lake with ducks and turtles and a popular restaurant are three great reasons to visit San
Antonio Botanical Garden. See, smell and touch plants found in regions from South Texas to Japan.
Explore and tour cave and attractions at Wonder World Park. See the Earthquake Cave and experience the
devastations of a major earthquake close up. Exit the cave by an elevator for an overview of the “Balcones
Fault Escarpment” from the Tejas Tower. Board a train and splash through the waterfalls as the tour travels
throughout the Texas Wildlife Petting Park.
An eight-mile section of the River Walk south of downtown is called the Mission Reach, and is being
restored in phases with native plants, interpretative signage, public art and paved trails. Explore this urban
ecosystem with a self-guided tour at Roosevelt Park or Concepción Park.
Animal Interactions
While visiting SeaWorld San Antonio, take the animal lovers in your family on a behind-the-scenes tour for
interactive experiences with water-loving residents such as penguins, sea lions, dolphins and beluga
whales.
Millions of Mexican Free-tailed Bats spend the summer in Bracken Cave near Natural Bridge Caverns, just
north of San Antonio. Sign up for a guided tour and watch bats pour out of the cave at dusk in search of
insects for an event unlike anything you've ever seen before!
Your visit to San Antonio is not complete without a trip to a working ranch in the Texas Hill Country. The 86acre Enchanted Springs Ranch is that and more. Not only will you be entertained by the lively cowboys and
cowgirls in the Old West town, but you can also see Texas Longhorns, horses, buffalo, deer and exotic
animals.
25 Activities to Keep Kids' Brains Active in Summer
As students set out on summer adventures, send their parents a much-needed "life preserver" -- a list of 25 activities
to share and enjoy with their children. These fun activities cover all subjects and grades; there truly is something for
everyone. And, if you have your own summer adventurers at home, this list can rescue your kids from the boredom
and blahs of rainy summer days. This year, do more than amuse and entertain your kids and hope for the best for
your students, keep their minds working all summer long!
Included: Twenty-five activities to fight summer boredom and build thinking skills.
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Its summer -- that time of year when teachers bid farewell to students, hoping their gleefully escaping
charges don't forget everything they've learned during the school year. It's also the time of year when
nervous parents take on the challenge of keeping their children physically busy and mentally active during
long summer days. To help those efforts, Education World offers 25 ideas that not only reinforce skills
taught during the year, but also to entertain students through the summer months. Share these resources
with parents to help them and their children make the most of the lazy, hazy days to come!
Many of these activities link to online resources. In most cases, however, the activities can be completed
even by those without Internet access. The activities that do require Internet access can be printed and
distributed to students before school ends or accessed and printed by parents at most public libraries.
1. Fill in summer's special days and events on the Education World Coloring Calendar for June, July,
or August. Or help children use pencils, drawing paper, and rulers to create, decorate, and fill in
their own summer calendars.
2. Teach kids to cook with the step-by-step lessons and recipes at Cooking With Kids. The site also
includes measurement reminders, safety tips, and suggestions for involving kids in the cooking
process. Or check out your local library or book store for one of the recommended Heritage
Cooking for Kids: Taste History books and try out recipes from Colonial days, the Civil War, and
the Lewis and Clark expedition.
3. Make homemade Bubble Solution and experiment with such unique Bubble-Blowing Tools as
strings, milk containers, and garbage can lids.
4. Read aloud The Paper Crane by Molly Bang. Then introduce the art of paper folding by printing
and following the instructions for How to Make an Origami Crane.
5. Go on a Light Walk, an outing designed to teach kids the properties of light and facts about the
sun. Bob Miller of the Exploratorium explains it all. Can't take an online tour? Do your own
image walk by printing the directions and template found at the site.
6. Create musical instruments from materials found around the house. Need help? Enchanted
Learning provides instructions for such Musical Instruments as a rattle, box guitar, maraca, and
rain stick.
7. Cool down by making Ice Cream in a Bag. The simple technique produces delicious ice cream in
about 5 minutes. What ice cream varieties will you and your child concoct?
8. Read aloud a selection from Candlelight Storybooks or your own favorite myths or fairy tales.
Discuss the stories with your child. Then invite your child to choose a favorite story, and
together make a diorama depicting a pivotal moment in the tale.
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9. Catch a firefly and then go to The Firefly Files online, or read a book, such as Fireflies by Sally M.
Walker, to help your child learn more about them. Then invite your child to complete the
Education World Firefly Facts work sheet. Firefly Facts Answers:
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Fireflies are really beetles because they have four wings; true flies only have two wings.
o
Most fireflies like warm, humid areas.
o
In the United States, glowing fireflies are found east of the middle of Kansas.
o
Firefly larvae feed mostly on earthworms, snails, and slugs.
o
Scientists believe fireflies use their ability to flash as a warning signal to predators and to
attract mates.
10. Print a grid of dots from Connect the Dots by Math Cats and invite your child to make an original
tessellation.
11. Staple together pieces of plain paper or use a notebook to help your child make a cartoon flip
book. Kids draw a sequence of cartoons and simulate motion as they "flip" through the pages.
(Note that the first image in the series should be at the bottom of the stack of pages, and the
illustrations should progress from bottom to top.) How to Draw Cartoons or The Complete
Cartooning Course by Steve Edgell, Brad Brooks, and Tim Pilcher, offer simple instructions for
drawing cartoon figures.
12. Learn about national parks from the comfort of your own home, and encourage your child to
complete online activities and become a Web Ranger. Materials are grouped by age and include
cool awards and a membership card.
13. Start a rock collection. Collecting Rocks, a Web site by the U. S. Geological Survey, offers advice
to help the novice collector gather, identify, and store neat rock specimens. The Audubon
Society Pocket Guide Familiar Rocks and Minerals North America will help children identify and
label the rocks and minerals they find.
14. Plan with your child a family activity day. Decide how much money to spend, and help your child
research events and activities in your area and choose an affordable activity the whole family
can enjoy. Remind your child to be sure to allow enough time for the activity, and to remember
to include food in the day's plan. (The online Planning a Party guide will help.) Don't forget to
bring a camera and take lots of pictures. Your child can mount and label each photo and create a
family scrapbook of your special day. You might provide the questions below to help guide your
child's thoughts as they plan this special day.
o
Describe the event or activity your family will attend.
o
Will everyone in the family enjoy this activity? Why do you think so?
o
o
What do you need to arrange ahead of time? Will you need to purchase tickets? Pack a
lunch? Make reservations?
What supplies or materials will you need?
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o
What costs will be involved?
15. Take a virtual CampusTour of colleges and universities your high school student might be
considering. Tour the schools' grounds, look at maps, view videos and photos, and request
information about those institutions of higher learning. If you don't have Internet access at
home, take your tour at the local library.
16. Have your child follow instructions to Build the Best Paper Airplane in the World. Then ask your
child to design an original paper airplane and diagram the steps for constructing it, so another
family member can recreate it!
17. Start a family or neighborhood book club. Even a parent and child can form a book club, by
reading the same book and chatting about it. For larger groups, check out some online hints for
starting a book club.
18. Hang a white sheet outside at night and shine a light on it. Observe the variety of insects it
draws. To identify some of those nighttime visitors, see The Orders and Selected Families of
Insects or read the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders.
19. Kids rarely have the opportunity to design their own rooms to best suit their individual needs.
Invite your child to devote some thought to ways to improve his or her living space. Explore with
your child Kids' Room Decorating Ideas to find ways your child might individualize his or her
room without spending a great deal of money. Then have the child draw the layout of their
"new" room. The following questions might guide kids as they consider the possibilities:
o
Other than sleeping, what do you do most often in your room? Play games? Work on a
computer? Listen to music? Do homework? Entertain guests?
o
What furniture or other items do you use most often? What do you use least often?
o
What kind of storage do you need? A dresser? A bookcase? A clothes hamper? A desk?
o
What do you like best about your room? What do you like least?
o
How do you want to change your room?
20. Help your child make a set of tangrams with instructions found at the Math
Forum's Constructing Your Own Set of Tangrams. Trace the designs on a piece of paper, mix up
the tangram pieces, and use them to create jigsaw puzzles.
21. Create a thing of beauty from a lump of coal! With a few common ingredients, you and your
child can grow a "Magic Crystal Garden" with pieces of coal. Instructions for the crystal garden
can be found at Joey Green's Mad Scientist Experiments.
22. Soar into space (the space in your bedroom, kitchen, or dining room) by constructing Science
Bob's Balloon Rocket. This simple science experiment using a balloon, string, straw, and tape,
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illustrates the use of air pressure to produce movement.
23. Turn plain white carnations or fresh-picked Queen Anne's Lace into dramatic colored creations
by Coloring Flowers. Using just food coloring and water, flowers can be changed from white to
any tint, usually in just one day. Colors deepen over time, and kids will enjoy modifying the
experiment to see what unique combinations they can make.
24. Invite your child to play a Math game and record his or her scores on a sheet set up like the
illustration below. Choose a probability game, a timed flashcard activity, an online game from a
site such as FunBrain, or another favorite math activity. Then have your child graph the results
of the Game Challenge chart. Celebrate your child's effort with a special treat.
Game Title: _________________________________
Round
Kind of Game
Level of Difficulty
Score
1
2
3
4
5
25. Put old wallpaper and magazine scraps to good use by using them to create Recycled Paper
Beads. This easy activity requires very few common materials and keeps kids very busy on rainy
days. When they're finished, children can string their beads and give them as gifts or wear them
for fun.
- See more at: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev073.shtml#sthash.z7pXvNrf.dpuf
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13 Summer Learning Activities
Summer is a welcome break from school and a chance to spend time together as a family. But parents may
worry that too much time in the swimming pool will stall their child’s learning. By finding the right
combination of fun and education, you can make sure your kids expand their minds all summer long.
Here are some ideas for covering math and language arts without, as kids might say, sucking the fun out of
summer.
Math Activities
It’s the subject that can strike fear in kids and parents. Experts say the best way to neutralize the fear of
math is to make it relevant to kids. Here are some fun ways to do just that.
Picnic learning: Let your kids take charge of a family picnic. Give them a budget and let them plan the
menu, shop for the food, and pack everything. For more challenge, add nutritional goals, such as grams of
protein per serving and overall calories.
Pan for gold: Bury pennies in a sandbox and have children use colanders or sieves to find them. Then have
them count their loot. Compare findings and crown the winner.
Estimating time and distance: The next time your child asks “Are we there yet?” help her figure it out.
Using tools like a map or road signs, ask her to estimate how far you’ve traveled and how much longer it
will take to reach your destination. On routine trips, ask questions like “It’s 2:15, and it will take 25 minutes
to get to the doctor’s office. Will we arrive before your 3:00 appointment?”
License plate learning: When you’re on the road, have your kids study the license plate on the car in front
of you. Have them rearrange the numbers on the plate to make the largest three-digit number possible.
The person with the largest number wins the round. Change it up by asking for the smallest number
possible. Introduce algebra by using plate numbers to solve math problems. For example, add two numbers
to get the answer 6 (for example, 3 + 3). Or use three numbers to get 6, such as (3 + 3) x 1 = 6.
Grocery game: Cut out photos of grocery items from magazines, catalogs, and flyers. Help your child glue
them to individual index cards. As you develop your grocery list, ask your child to find the picture of the
needed item. Ask your child to count the cards to determine how many items you need. For added
challenge, have your child group items by food group and count the number of items in each group.
Clipping coupons: Teach money management by involving your children in your family’s grocery budget.
Instruct your kids to look in newspapers and flyers and clip coupons for items on your list. Then give your
child some coins and ask him to count out how much is saved by a single coupon. How many different coin
combinations can he make to total the savings—such as 50 cents—using nickels, dimes, quarters? Have
your child figure out the total savings.
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Grouping groceries: As you put away groceries, play Guess My Rule. Group items based on a common
feature—such as cold items or canned items. Challenge your child to guess what rule you used to group
items. Switch roles and ask her to use another rule to regroup the items. See if you can guess her rule—
glass jars, cardboard packages, food groups? This is a great way to help your child develop classifying and
mathematical reasoning skills and the ability to analyze data.
Language Arts Activities
One of the best ways to help children develop a love of language is to encourage them to play with words.
Start with these word games and activities that will have kids reading and writing for the fun of it.
Word search: Enlarge and copy a portion of the newspaper or magazine. Write four or five words at the top
of the paper and ask your child to search for them in the article, using a highlighter to mark the words.
Home theater: Create a stage where your children can put on plays, do dramatic readings, recite poems,
and sing songs. Assign everyone in the family part of a one-act play to read. Perform for the grandparents.
Go to plays or children’s theater presentations to pick up acting and production tips.
Picture a book: When reading from books without pictures, have children cut pictures from magazines that
look like the characters and settings they visualize. Or create separate sketches and compare them. Put the
pictures together and let children retell the story.
Summer journal: Let your child choose or make a special journal to record thoughts, feelings, activities, and
sketches. The journal will help him remember activities and deepen his understanding of experiences.
History rewrite: Choose a famous historical event your child has studied. Talk about the event—where and
why it happened, the time period, and the people involved. Next, select another place with which your
child is familiar. Ask her to retell the tale, setting it in the new location. She can rely on imagination and
discussion, or research the place to come up with realistic details. If you have more than one player, give
them different places to see how their stories differ. As an alternative, change the historical time instead of
the place and discuss how you’ve changed history.
Volunteer reading: Is there an elderly relative, a neighbor, or a younger friend your child can read to over
the summer? Reading for an audience is a different experience than reading independently. Your child will
build confidence in his reading skills and feel good about giving of his time to someone else.
The recipe for a perfect summer has just the right mix of relaxation, physical activity, family togetherness,
and learning. You may need to tinker a bit to find the right combination for your family. Once you do, you’ll
be able to cook up a summer full of fun and engaging activities.
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Summer Elementary Math Activities
BiblioTech
Check out electronic devices, books, magazines, etc..
www.bexarbibliotech.org
3505 Pleasanton Road
San Antonio, TX 78221
(210) 631-0180
Mon-Fri: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sat/Sun: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
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Reasoning Mind Log In
Grades 2nd – 5th
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Think Through Math Log In
Grades 3rd – 5th
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Super Sums
Pennies in the Pot
What Are My Chances?
Electronic Flash Cards
Drawing to Scale
Fill It UP
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Great Games Online
Money’s Worth
Tracking Time
The Game of Pig
Numbers in the News
You’re Gonna Flip
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Checkerboard Math
Math Printables
Maps & Math
More or Less
Counting Book
Place Value Card Game
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Highs and Lows
Simply Symmetrical
Money’s Worth #2
Tracking Time #2
Calculating Coupons
Math Challenge
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Number Search
Tracking Time 3
Check it Out
Guess If You Can
Pretzel Math
License Plate Special
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Simply Symmetrical #2
Let’s Play Store
Are You Average?
Math With M&Ms
Twenty-Five
Pretzel & Pasta Math
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Math Websites
Grades Prekinder – 5th
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives –
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
Biblioteca Nacionalde Manipuladores Virtuales –
http://nlvm.usu.edu/es/nav/vlibrary.html
Illuminations - http://illuminations.nctm.org/
Funbrain - http://www.funbrain.com/
Cool Math - http://www.coolmath.com/
PBS Kids - http://pbskids.org/games/math/
Math Playground - http://www.mathplayground.com/
AplusMath - http://www.aplusmath.com/
IXL Math - http://www.ixl.com/
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Summer Reading and Writing Activities for Elementary
The summer is a wonderful time for children to read what they most enjoy, to learn new things, and to have fun!
Summer reading is also an important way to prevent kids from losing too much ground over the summer —
research shows that summer reading can make a significant difference in a student's overall academic
achievement, particularly when she begins a new school year in the fall.
1.
Utilize Istation Reading at home:
 Install Istation on home computer
• www.istation.com/Install
• The first time you log in, you will be prompted to select your student's school.
• Type in the school information. (This will only be done once.)
• Utilize the user name and password provided to you by your home campus
 Watch for the Istation app for your smart phone in July
2. Take advantage of the local Public Library:
 Help your child get a library card
Getting your child her own library card will make her feel special, and will motivate her to use her library
card to check out books or other items. Make sure she understands the library's return policy. (RIF,
LCA / FNSB Public Library)
 Participate in the Mayor’s Summer Reading Program: Every Hero Has a Story! Visit your local
branch
 Use “Dial a Story” : call 210-207-4466 to hear a new story every week; available in both English and
Spanish
 BookFlix offers children Scholastic's award-winning animated story books and non-fiction eBooks,
plus interactive games and other features. Titles are available in English and Spanish. TrueFlix
features electronic versions of Scholastic's award-winning True Books series paired with topical
videos, project ideas, age-appropriate web links, and interactive educational games. All that you need
is a library car
 Utilize the library computers onsite or check out a laptop
 Help your child select books at the right level
A good way to decide whether your child is reading books at the right reading level is to have her
read a from a page in the book that she has chosen (any page but the first page). If she is reading
smoothly and understands what she is reading, the book is probably at a good level for her. If she
makes five or more errors in a passage of about 50 words, the level may be too challenging.
Librarians can also help you choose books at the appropriate level for your children. (PBS)
 Allow your child to choose what he reads
This includes popular fiction, magazines, graphic novels, and comic books. Summer is a time when
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children can discover the joys of reading, and they will be more motivated if they are reading
something they enjoy. If you are concerned about the content of what your child is reading, talk
with her about his interests and set some guidelines for appropriate choices. (RIF, CCLD, LCA /
FNSB Public Library)
 Find magazines that interest your child
Magazines are a great way for kids to practice reading, to learn new things, and to develop their
vocabulary. You may be able to find your child's favorite magazine at the public library, or you can
get a subscription at your home.
Locations:
Branch Location
Mission Library
Pan American Library
Address
3134 Roosevelt Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78214
1122 W. Pyron Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78221
Phone
(210) 207-2704
Phone: (210) 207-9150
Day
Times
Times
Sun.
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Mon.
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tue.
12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed.
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Thu.
12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri.
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat.
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
3. Visit the BiblioTECH, the first all-digital public library in the United States:
3505 Pleasanton Road
San Antonio, TX 78221
(210) 631-0180
Mon-Fri: 12p - 8p
Sat/Sun: 10a - 6p
 Check out electronic devices and books, magazines, comics
 Utilize technology onsite
4. Summer Family Reading Fun Calendar
http://www.justreadfamilies.org/greatideas/K5Activities.asp?style=print
5. TIME for Kids http://www.timeforkids.com/
6. Free online children’s stories http://www.storytimeforme.com/series
7. Free books from Google Play for Androids
https://play.google.com/store/books/collection/topselling_free
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8. Book Adventure: http://www.bookadventure.com/Home.aspx
9. Star Walk Free Library (opens July 31): http://starwalkkids.com/
Parent Tips: Summer Reading
By: Colorín Colorado (2008)
As a parent, there are a number of things you can do to encourage your child to read and to develop strong
reading and writing skills over the summer. Colorín Colorado has compiled a list of summer reading tips from a
number of sources listed at the end of the article.
Please note that these tips have been adapted from the original lists. The sources for each tip are noted in
parenthesis.
At home
 Make time for reading
During the busy summer months, it can be hard for you and your child to find a chance to read. Set
aside a quiet time each day for reading, and remember to include "reading time" when planning summer
activities. (RIF)
 Keep different kinds of reading materials at home
To stimulate reading at home, keep reading materials throughout the house, including newspapers,
magazines, and brochures. Keep some fun things on hand too, like word games, puzzles, or the kids'
section of the newspaper. This will increase your child's access to books and printed material,
providing more opportunities to practice reading. (RIF, LCA / FNSB Public Library)
 Beat boredom with books
Help your child find books that she finds interesting — especially on rainy days! These might include
non-fiction books, fun fact books, arts and crafts books, hands-on activity and project books, or
cookbooks with kid-friendly recipes. (RIF)
 Read aloud every day
Try to find time each day to read aloud to your children — even the older ones. Reading aloud benefits
children and teens, particularly those who are struggling readers. Read aloud in different places, from
the porch to the park. And don't be afraid to use silly voices and act out the story! (CCLD, Scholastic
Inc., RIF)
 Encourage your child to learn new words
Introduce your child to new words every day. Talk about what these words mean and how they are
used. (LCA / FNSB Public Library)
 Write away
Keep writing materials handy such as pencils, paper, and crayons so that your child can practice
writing. Encourage her to write letters or post cards to friends and relatives over the summer, to
keep a journal, make a summer scrapbook, or to write stories and poems. Ask your child to help you
when making shopping lists or copying a recipe. (LCA / FNSB Public Library, CCLD)
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Great summer reading habits
 Be a reading role model
Make sure your child sees you reading and writing, whether it's reading the morning newspaper or
making a shopping list. Talk with your child about what you are currently reading, and about books you
read as a child. Turn off the TV for some quiet reading time. Seeing that reading is an important part of
your life will help children understand that reading can be an important part of theirs. (Partnership for
Learning, RIF, PBS)
 Keep it fun
Don't set rules about reading for a certain amount of time or reading a minimum number of pages, and
don't make reading a punishment — keep it fun so that it's something that your child wants to keep
doing! (RIF / Partnership for Learning)
 Talk about what your child is reading
Talk about the books you and your child have read together — what you liked, what you didn't like, or
who your favorite character was. Ask your child to tell you about what she is reading. Libraries may also
offer book discussion groups for children, or online book chats with authors. (LCA / FNSB Public
Library, CCLD, Scholastic)
 Give your child a chance to read aloud to you
Reading aloud will give your child the opportunity to practice his reading skills. Encourage rereading of
favorite books she can read easily. For older kids, ask them to read you things that are interesting to
them, such as the newspaper sports page, a detective novel, or a music magazine. (LCA / FNSB Public
Library)
 Listen to audio books
If you will be spending a lot of time in the car or at home, rent books on tape or CD from the library,
and listen to them together. This can also be a great way to encourage language development, or to
encourage children with learning disabilities to enjoy stories. (CCLD)
 Connect books to summer activities and travel
Read books related to your summer activities and trips. For example, you might read a book about
dinosaurs after visiting a natural history museum, or a story about sand castles while at the beach.
Helping your child connect books with her own experiences will build her vocabulary and will make her
experiences more meaningful. Older children may also enjoy helping you research your summer plans at
the library or on the Internet. For more ideas on this topic, see Making Reading Relevant. (PBS, RIF,
LCA / FNSB Public Library)
By encouraging your children to engage in summer reading activities, you will help them find lots of fun ways to
use reading throughout the summer while keeping their reading skills in good shape!
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Summer Social Studies Activities
www.kids.usa.gov the official portal of the U.S. government. This site has games and activities for different age
levels, for all subject areas.
Your children learn about what is happening and has happened in the world in their social studies classes. The
following activities are designed to broaden their knowledge of this area and increase their interest. Many will
also provide family members a chance to work together. These activities are especially fun in the summer. Your
children's time will be especially well-spent if you can tie these activities to what they will be studying in school
the next year. Choose activities based on your children's ages. Younger children will need some assistance with
many of these activities.
Celebrating the Fourth of July
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Make the Fourth of July a more meaningful holiday that goes beyond picnics and fireworks. Add
to the fun of the Fourth of July through poems, songs, music, and facts that every American
should know. Choose age-appropriate activities.
March around the house or yard to the music of John Philip Sousa such as "The Stars and
Stripes Forever" and "The Washington Post." Be sure to tell your children the names of the
songs and the composer.
Find books of poetry associated with the early history of the United States. Read aloud "Paul
Revere's Ride" and "Old Ironsides." Enjoy singing together such songs as "You're a Grand Old
Flag" and "Yankee Doodle." Be sure to look up the histories of these poems and songs to make
them more meaningful.
Find out if everyone in your family can sing the first verse of "The Star Spangled Banner." If
not, practice singing it together. Continue by singing such songs as "America the Beautiful" and
"America." Also, check that everyone knows the words to "The Pledge of Allegiance."
Families with older children can read and discuss the preambles to the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution. Your children will study these documents at school and may
be asked to memorize them.
Attend community events that stress the patriotic nature of the holiday.
Learn how to correctly display the American flag. Find out the history of the American flag. Be
creative and make a flag cake. Make drawings or paintings of the first flag.
Your family history
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Children spend considerable time in school learning about well-known families both past and
present. They also need to know their own family's history as well as the major historic events
that occurred in their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents' lives.
Make a picture scrapbook as a family project that includes your immediate family, grandparents,
aunts, uncles, and cousins. Add great-grandparents whenever you have pictures. Tell your
children stories about each person and what was happening in the world when he or she was a
child such as seeing the first man walk on the moon.
Enhance the scrapbook by having your children draw charts or family trees to illustrate the
relationships between the generations. Older children may become so intrigued by the topic of
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genealogy that they may wish to use Internet Web sites to find out more about distant
ancestors and where they lived and what they did.
Go back in time
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Visit historic sites in your community that portray what life was like in the past. The ones with
docents who pretend that they are living in a specific era are particularly good choices. The San
Antonio Missions National Historical Park and the Institute of Texan Cultures are great places to
visit in the San Antonio community.
Birthday events
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Your children can learn about the interesting things that have happened on the day they were born.
By using a search engine or visiting the Web site www.historychannel.com/thisday, they will be able
to find some of these facts. If your children will be studying U.S. history, they should look for facts
about this country. If they will be studying another country or continent, they can look for events
that occurred in those places.
If several important events happened on the day they were born, your children can make a timeline
for the events. It will certainly help them remember these dates. For example, on Oct. 5, 1953, Earl
Warren became the 14th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; on Oct. 5, 1983, Lech Walesa won
the Nobel Peace Prize; and on Oct. 5, 1984, the first space shuttle was launched.
Learning about immigrants
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The United States has people from many different countries. Acquaint your children with some of
the well-known people who have immigrated or simply are working in this country. Take a trip to the
library and find age-appropriate books on these people. They can choose people like basketball
superstar Yao Ming from China or California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from Austria. Talk also
with your children about where their relatives immigrated from. They can find these places on a map
or globe. The Institute of Texan Cultures is also a great place to visit to learn about the immigrants
who came to Texas.
Visiting seats of government power
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Acquaint your children with the government of your state by visiting your state capitol. If this is not
a practical suggestion, you and your children can go online and make a virtual tour. Before you visit the
capitol, have your children use an almanac or go to the state's Web site to find out some basic facts
about your state, such as the names of the state bird, animal, flower, motto, song, your district's
representatives and the governor. Before you visit the capitol, find out if tours are given, and arrange
to join one, if possible.
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If you can't visit the state capitol, visit city hall or the county seat. Many are in very historical
buildings. And some will offer tours and even let you visit different meetings so that you can see local
government in action.
Making papier-mâché globes
• Children always enjoy hands-on activities. By making a papier-mâché globe, they can not only get a
picture of where things are located but do such things as tracing the routes of famous explorers.
Young children can color the oceans and land masses and use a marker to indicate where they live. As
they get older, children can add more details such as the names of the continents and oceans and
finally the names of major countries.
Here is one recipe to help you get started on this project. Begin by using a simple mixture of
flour and water. Mix one part flour with about two parts of water until the consistency is like
thick glue. You might need to add more water or flour to get this consistency. Mix thoroughly.
Adding a few tablespoons of salt helps prevent mold. Blow up a balloon, and then cover it with
strips of newspaper dipped in the mixture to form your globe.
Getting a head start on geography
• Give your children a head start in learning about the places they will be studying this year in social
studies. The more children know about geography, the better they will understand social studies.
• Find a map of a place your children will be studying this coming year, such as South America, Europe,
the Far East, the United States, Canada, or their home state. Quite often, it is possible to find
blank maps in learning stores as well as online.
• Have your children use encyclopedias or atlases to fill in the maps with the names of such things as
countries, states, capitals, oceans or rivers. They can then color the maps. Laminate the maps, and
use them as placemats. Once they are back in school, encourage the children to point to and talk
about the areas that they are studying in social studies during family meals.
• This activity can be expanded by helping your children learn where more places are located. Hang up
local, state, or national maps, and then have them circle the places where friends and other family
members live.
Learning about technological innovations
• Modern inventions are often explored on the TV program "Modern Marvels" on the History Channel.
Your family might enjoy watching this program together.
• One night at the supper table, make a list of items that the children have seen or used in their
lifetimes: iPhones, Scotch tape, Kleenex, trains, radios, cars, jet airplanes, Wii, television, cell
phones, iPods, dishwashers, dryers, washers, TV, electricity, cameras, hide-a-beds and the Internet.
Add to this list by looking for more useful inventions in your home. Enter all these items under the
heading "children.”
• The next night, add columns for parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Then work together
to list the items that parents, grandparents and great-grandparents used in their lifetimes. This will
give your children a good timeline of what inventions each generation had.
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