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Red, White, and Blue Learning: Seven Resources for Independence Day - Edutopia
Grades
K to 8tag(s): crafts (114), holidays (292), july 4th (19), multimedia (66), preK (328)
In the Classroom
After exploring one of the featured science activities, challenge students to design and build a safe "firework" launcher, create a patriotic-themed engineering project, or investigate the science behind fireworks through a simple experiment. Have students examine historical documents, paintings, or photographs related to the American Revolution and Independence Day. Students can work in groups to identify important details, make inferences, and discuss how these sources help tell the story of America's founding. Build a choice board using several of the article's suggested resources. Include options such as reading a historical article, completing a patriotic craft, exploring a virtual museum, conducting a science investigation, or writing a journal entry from the perspective of someone living during the American Revolution. Students can select activities that match their interests while demonstrating their learning.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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5 Fun, Educational Ways to Celebrate July 4th with Kids - Learning Liftoff
Grades
K to 5tag(s): american revolution (95), crafts (114), enrichment (16), holidays (292), july 4th (19), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Conduct one of the suggested fireworks-themed science activities, then have students predict, observe, and explain the results using the scientific method. Read one of the recommended Independence Day books as a class or in small groups. Students discuss historical events, compare life in colonial America with life today, and write a reflection on what freedom and citizenship mean to them. Working in small groups, have students design a community Fourth of July celebration. They create an event schedule, design patriotic decorations or posters, develop a budget for supplies, and explain how their celebration honors the history and traditions of Independence Day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My Summer Book Custom - Scholastic Inc.
Grades
K to 12tag(s): preK (328), reading lists (79), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Create a "Book Tasting" activity where students preview several suggested titles, read excerpts or summaries, and rotate through stations to discover new genres and authors before selecting books for independent reading. Have students create a personalized summer reading wishlist by browsing recommended titles and organizing books into categories such as realistic fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, or biographies. Students can then search for those books at their local public library. Encourage students to keep a summer reading response journal with Book Creator, reviewed here that includes predictions, favorite quotes, character reflections, and connections to their own lives while reading self-selected books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Back to School Icebreakers Activities - Nearpod
Grades
K to 12tag(s): classroom management (144), collaboration (137), firstday (28)
In the Classroom
Use Nearpod's Collaborate Board for students to post fun facts, summer memories, reading interests, or personal goals. Encourage classmates to respond to one another to help build connections from the first day of school. Launch a collaborative Nearpod lesson where students brainstorm classroom norms using polls, open-ended questions, and Draw It activities. Turn the class's ideas into a shared digital classroom agreement. Reinforce routines such as technology expectations, transitions, or classroom rules by creating a Time to Climb quiz. Find more ideas for classroom learning activities at Nearpod, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Discover Summer - National Summer Learning Academy
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Have students explore the website to find a summer program that interests them. Have students design their own "dream" summer camp based on ideas from the site. They can include a schedule, activities, and subjects covered, integrating writing, creativity, and planning skills. Students can choose two programs from the site and compare them using a graphic organizer using the 2 and 3 Interactive Venn Diagrams by Class Tools, reviewed here. They can analyze cost, subjects, activities, and target age groups, building critical thinking skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Summer Reading Resources: Journals, Author Studies, and More - Kami
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): authors (114), digital storytelling (177), journals (26), literacy (123), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Copy and complete the book templates from Book Creator, reviewed here. Use Kami, reviewed here to write on the PDFs Summer Reading Logs. Learn more about the authors featured using Kiddle, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Summer Reads - Text Project
Grades
2 to 5tag(s): reading comprehension (145), reading strategies (87), summer (53), vocabulary (251), vocabulary development (103)
In the Classroom
Begin by introducing one of the themed "books" such as Weather Wonders or Sports and Games. Have students preview titles, predict topics, and set personal reading goals for the week. Use a Think-Pair-Share routine to discuss what makes summer reading fun and important. After each reading, have students add "leaves" to a classroom Knowledge Tree. Each leaf includes a new fact or vocabulary word learned. This visual grows as the class completes each chapter and helps connect informational texts to real-world topics such as travel, nature, and science. Using the audio versions as models, have students record their own expressive readings of a favorite passage using Adobe Podcast, reviewed here. Encourage them to add short introductions explaining what they liked about the text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Memorial Day 2025: Facts, Meaning & Traditions - History.com
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): civil war (145), flags (19), holidays (292), memorial day (27)
In the Classroom
After reading or summarizing the article, have students create a T-chart comparing the original purpose of Memorial Day (Decoration Day) with how it is celebrated today. Assign students to create a timeline using Time.Graphics Timeline Tool reviewed here or Timeline reviewed here of key events mentioned in the article, such as the end of the Civil War, the first Decoration Day, and the 1971 federal holiday designation. Students can use the article to write or illustrate a simple brochure or one-pager to teach younger grades about the history and importance of Memorial Day. They can use Canva Infographic Creator reviewed here to create it digitally.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Varsity Tutors Free Courses - Varsity Tutors
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): animals (283), college (36), deserts (20), egypt (60), essays (17), Online Learning (34), pyramids (24), rivers (17), STEM (380), test prep (70)
In the Classroom
Include links to these free classes with your other summer reading and learning opportunities shared with students and parents. Be sure to highlight offerings of particular interest to your students; for example, if students are taking the ACT and SAT, point out courses that help them prepare for these tests. Add a link to your digital calendar for each of the courses along with a reminder, then email students and parents a week before the course begins as a reminder to sign up and attend the class at the assigned time or use an online resource such as Remind, reviewed here to set up and deliver text reminders of upcoming classes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Really Great Reading - Free Resources - Really Great Reading
Grades
K to 12tag(s): literacy (123), phonics (53), preK (328), reading comprehension (145), reading strategies (87), science of reading (35)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for learning about and finding activities for reading instruction. Share ideas and articles with parents to support reading activities at home. The Heart Word Magic section includes many short video tutorials to help students learn to read and spell high-frequency words; consider including a video tutorial in your weekly classroom newsletter and on classroom computers for students and parents to review at home and in school. As an alternative to adding information to your classroom newsletter, consider using Wakelet, reviewed here or Padlet, reviewed here to organize and share resources with parents and guardians.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Summer Specials - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Find new programs, places, tools, activities, and more to share with your students for use during the summer break! Each review includes classroom use ideas. Read the details of each event or resource and find the ones that will be useful to your students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bookopolis Summer Reading Headquarters - Bookopolis
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (165), seasonal (47), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Include information and links to Bookopolis Summer Reading Activities in your end-of-year newsletter to parents. Encourage students to participate in the activities by sharing and discussing the information before the school year ends. Use Symbaloo, reviewed here to create a curation of summer reading links and activities for families, then share the link to your Symbaloo collection for families to find all options in one location. Encourage students to read and share their reading over the summer by contributing to video conference on Flock, reviewed here. Share the link to your Flock topic on your class website and newsletter.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BOOK IT! Summer Reading Program - Pizza Hut
Grades
K to 6tag(s): independent reading (84), seasonal (47), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Share Camp BOOK IT! with parents to encourage reading over the summer months. Use this program as an opportunity to collaborate with parents to engage students in reading by providing a reading list for students that includes books that appeal to your students. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share suggested titles of books for students, and use the stream feature to organize the titles into different categories. Encourage students to add comments to your Padlet, sharing their book reviews. Enhance your students' summer reading experience by creating a topic using Gravity, reviewed here, and ask students to contribute video book talks discussing their reading. Another idea is to create a Summer Bingo topic. Attach a Bingo form to your Gravity topic with different squares to complete. Ideas might be reading a biography, starting a new book series, or sharing a book with a friend.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Summer Reading Journal - Barnes and Noble
Grades
K to 6tag(s): book lists (165), seasonal (47), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Depending on the month you check the booklist, you may find last summers books or the current summers books. No matter the list, it provides ideas to add to any summer reading book list shared with students and parents. Create a list using Google Docs or Padlet, reviewed here to share a variety of reading materials to engage students in summer learning. Encourage students to share their summer reading by creating a collaborative topic using Padlet again, but this time use. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image. Ask students to share what they are reading and a short review with a video response. Encourage students to add comments to book reviews sharing their thoughts about the reading materials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Grades 6-8 eBooks Resources for Teaching Remotely on Short Notice - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 8tag(s): audio books (43), ebooks (49), podcasts (172), professional development (296)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of your remote teaching lessons to offer a variety of reading suggestions to your students. Browse through the free books offered and create a list of suggestions based on your knowledge of student interests and abilities. Encourage communication and collaboration between your students through the use of Padlet, reviewed here. Use Padlet to share links to your book suggestions, then ask students to add comments and reviews.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Summer of Adventure - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 3tag(s): calendars (36), literacy (123), preK (328), reading lists (79), seasonal (47), summer (53)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free activities on this site; be sure to share with parents for ideas on learning at home. Consider having a "summer" day in the middle of winter as you enjoy summer activities in the warmth of the indoors. Share with parents at the end of the school year as a great resource for learning during the summer months.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WriteReader - WriteReader
Grades
K to 5tag(s): digital storytelling (177), literacy (123), multilingual (82), reading strategies (87), science of reading (35), writing (310)
In the Classroom
WriteReader is so simple that very young students can use it successfully after a demonstration on a whiteboard or projector. While creating their books, students will be able to add images and multiple pages, delete pages, include voice-over, use color on pages, view one page at a time or the entire book, and toggle between letter names/sounds and no audio. Use this tool to design simple projects using student drawings to tell the story. Have students draw and annotate stories about their summer at the beginning of the year and share them with classmates. Students of any age love to draw, so why not have them draw their impression of what the message to the reader was after hearing a story, and then explain it in writing? Nonreaders and ENL/ESL students, in particular, will benefit from hearing letter sounds as they begin writing in their new language.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Tunes2Teach YouTube Playlists - Dana Lawrence Gillis and Ellie Rubenstein
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): back to school (56), behavior (49), creative writing (125), descriptive writing (45), paragraph writing (18), scientific method (49)
In the Classroom
Use the Behavior Rules video as part of your Back to School activities. Challenge your class to create their own Behavior Rules video specific to your classroom, and then share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Share the other videos during appropriate English and science units. Be sure to create a link to these videos or your creations on your class website for viewing at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: Adventures in Summer - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (165), independent reading (84), summer (53)
In the Classroom
This collection is perfect to share with students (and families) prior to the summer break. Keep minds fresh during the summer. Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. If you want to "spice" up your final month of school, allow students to start summer (in their minds). These books provide experience with both fiction and nonfiction informational texts. They often require students to draw inferences about the "facts." Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. Share this list with your school library/media specialist or public library, as well, for them to "pull" books in support of your end of school-year reading. Extend the experience by having students create visual presentations of the concepts they learn. Challenge students to create a presentation using Prezi, reviewed here, or Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Soft Murmur - Gabriel Martin
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): creative writing (125), learning styles (23)
In the Classroom
Be sure to share this link with students (and their parents) looking for less distracting sounds while brainstorming or working. Does your class have silent reading time, or are you reading a book to the class or conducting a science lab? Turn up your speakers and use a background sound as mood music to set the stage for your story. Use the sounds during creative writing exercises. Why not listen to waves or water while studying them?! Play a few minutes of relaxing sounds before a major test. Consider using as background sounds for student presentations. If you talk with students about discovering their own learning styles, offer this site as a suggestion for them to try while prewriting or studying for tests. Emotional support (and autistic support) teachers may want to experiment to see if these sounds can help their students. Some students may find them over stimulating while others may find the sounds very helpful.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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