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Red, White, and Blue Learning: Seven Resources for Independence Day - Edutopia

Grades
K to 8
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Looking for a way to keep students learning while celebrating Independence Day? This Edutopia article compiles a variety of free, engaging resources to help teachers and families connect...more
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Looking for a way to keep students learning while celebrating Independence Day? This Edutopia article compiles a variety of free, engaging resources to help teachers and families connect the Fourth of July to meaningful educational experiences. Rather than focusing only on holiday celebrations, the curated collection includes hands-on science experiments, history lessons, arts and crafts, educational apps, and multimedia activities that explore the history, traditions, and science behind Independence Day. Although some of the original links have changed over time, the article still offers valuable ideas and inspiration for cross-curricular summer learning or classroom activities that combine history, science, literacy, and creativity.

tag(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 Have students examine historical documents, paintings, or photographs related to the American Revolution and Independence Day.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.

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5 Fun, Educational Ways to Celebrate July 4th with Kids - Learning Liftoff

Grades
K to 5
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This Learning Liftoff article offers five engaging ways to teach students about Independence Day while incorporating history, science, art, and literacy. The resource encourages educators...more
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This Learning Liftoff article offers five engaging ways to teach students about Independence Day while incorporating history, science, art, and literacy. The resource encourages educators and families to explore the origins of the Fourth of July through interactive activities such as learning about the American Revolution, creating patriotic crafts, conducting simple fireworks-themed science experiments, making themed recipes, and reading books about America's founding. Rather than focusing solely on holiday celebrations, the site connects hands-on learning with historical understanding, making it a useful resource for enrichment activities in classroom lessons, summer learning, or holiday-themed centers.

tag(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.

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My Summer Book Custom - Scholastic Inc.

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K to 12
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Scholastic's My Books Summer Self-Select program is a customizable summer reading resource that allows schools and teachers to create take-home book packs for students in grades PreK-12....more
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Scholastic's My Books Summer Self-Select program is a customizable summer reading resource that allows schools and teachers to create take-home book packs for students in grades PreK-12. The program emphasizes student choice by allowing learners to select books that match their interests, reading levels, and backgrounds, helping build motivation and prevent summer reading loss. This is not a free program; schools or districts purchase the book packs and related literacy materials. However, the website provides ideas, sample materials, and book suggestions that educators and families can use to locate many of the same titles through local public libraries for free borrowing during the summer months. Teachers can also pair these book suggestions with other free summer learning resources such as public library reading programs, Scholastic's free printable reading activities, digital reading platforms like Epic!, reviewed here, reading logs, family discussion prompts, and audiobook access through library apps to help prevent the "summer slide" and encourage continued literacy growth throughout the break.

tag(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.

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Back to School Icebreakers Activities - Nearpod

Grades
K to 12
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This Nearpod blog post provides a collection of ready-to-use, interactive activities designed to help teachers build a positive classroom community during the first week of school....more
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This Nearpod blog post provides a collection of ready-to-use, interactive activities designed to help teachers build a positive classroom community during the first week of school. The article features icebreakers, getting-to-know-you lessons, collaborative discussions, reflection prompts, and engaging digital activities that introduce students to classroom routines while encouraging participation and relationship-building. It also highlights Nearpod's interactive tools, such as Collaborate Board, Draw It, Time to Climb, polls, and ready-made lessons, making it easy for teachers to create an engaging and welcoming learning environment from day one. Many of the featured resources are available as editable or ready-to-launch lessons for use in live or student-paced instruction.

tag(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.

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Discover Summer - National Summer Learning Academy

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K to 12
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The National Summer Learning Association's Discover Summer website is a helpful hub connecting families and educators to summer learning opportunities and resources. It allows you to...more
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The National Summer Learning Association's Discover Summer website is a helpful hub connecting families and educators to summer learning opportunities and resources. It allows you to search a large database of local and virtual programs by age, interest, and location, making it easy to find camps, enrichment activities, and academic experiences for students. In addition to the program directory, the site offers free resources, including activity ideas, planning guides, and access to select online learning platforms that support reading, STEM, and creative exploration. While many of the listed summer programs vary in cost, the site itself and its curated digital resources provide valuable no-cost tools teachers can share with families to help prevent summer learning loss.

tag(s): coding (110), STEM (380), summer (53)

In 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.

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Summer Reading Resources: Journals, Author Studies, and More - Kami

Grades
3 to 8
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The Kami blog post Summer Reading Resources: Journals, Author Studies, and More provides teachers with a collection of ready-to-use tools to keep students engaged in reading...more
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The Kami blog post Summer Reading Resources: Journals, Author Studies, and More provides teachers with a collection of ready-to-use tools to keep students engaged in reading over the summer months. The post includes ideas for setting up a summer library, highlights author studies featuring writers such as Beth Campbell, Susan Hood, Bob Shea, and Adam Rex, and offers printable and digital reading logs. It also features interactive templates through Book Creator for reading response journals, along with themed activities for June, July, and August that support comprehension, reflection, and other key literacy skills.

tag(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.
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Summer Reads - Text Project

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2 to 5
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SummerReads for grades 2-5 is a free, ready-to-use summer reading program designed to help students maintain reading skills over the break. It features 21 engaging informational readings...more
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SummerReads for grades 2-5 is a free, ready-to-use summer reading program designed to help students maintain reading skills over the break. It features 21 engaging informational readings per level (three chapters each across seven themed "books") on summer-relevant topics like weather, nature, sports, and travel. Texts are leveled (C, D, E) using the TExT model to ensure both accessibility and challenge. Each reading includes comprehension questions, audio support, and teacher or parent guidance. The goal is to provide consistent, meaningful reading opportunities all summer long, especially for students who may lack access to books at home, to help prevent the "summer slide."

tag(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.

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Memorial Day 2025: Facts, Meaning & Traditions - History.com

Grades
6 to 12
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Memorial Day is more than just a long weekend--it's a poignant opportunity to honor the sacrifices of those who served in the U.S. military. To help students grasp the depth ...more
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Memorial Day is more than just a long weekend--it's a poignant opportunity to honor the sacrifices of those who served in the U.S. military. To help students grasp the depth of this national observance, History.com offers a comprehensive article with an overview suitable for classroom exploration. The article traces the origins of Memorial Day, initially known as Decoration Day, which emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War to commemorate fallen soldiers. It became an official federal holiday in 1971 and is now observed on the last Monday of May. The piece delves into various traditions associated with the day, such as visiting cemeteries, participating in parades, and the symbolic act of lowering the flag to half-staff. Additionally, it highlights the evolution of Memorial Day into a time that also marks the unofficial start of summer, reflecting on how the day's meaning has expanded over time.
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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.

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Varsity Tutors Free Courses - Varsity Tutors

Grades
2 to 12
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Varsity Tutors offers a series of free live classes for summer learning. These sessions begin on May 6 and run through August 14. Classes provide learning opportunities to help students...more
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Varsity Tutors offers a series of free live classes for summer learning. These sessions begin on May 6 and run through August 14. Classes provide learning opportunities to help students prepare for the SAT and ACT exams, learn about hieroglyphics, visit an aquarium, and more. Select the link to any class to learn more about the content and suggested grade levels, and enroll. Each class is offered at a specific time and date and lasts 45 minutes to an hour.

tag(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.

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Really Great Reading - Free Resources - Really Great Reading

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K to 12
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Really Great Reading shares many resources to support reading instruction using the Science of Reading framework. Visit the free resources link to find summer school training and lessons,...more
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Really Great Reading shares many resources to support reading instruction using the Science of Reading framework. Visit the free resources link to find summer school training and lessons, heart word magic to help students read and spell high-frequency words, and reading assessments to group and monitor student progress. This site also includes a free version of Letter Tile Freeplay Live, an interactive activity that allows players to explore and sound out letters and sounds.

tag(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.

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Summer Specials - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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Summer break does not have to mean a pause in learning, growing, and discovering -- and the good news is that some of the most enriching and transformative summer experiences ...more
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Summer break does not have to mean a pause in learning, growing, and discovering -- and the good news is that some of the most enriching and transformative summer experiences available to students come with absolutely no price tag attached. This collection brings together a wide and carefully curated variety of free summer resources, programs, classes, camps, and opportunities designed to keep students engaged, inspired, and moving forward during the months away from school -- from free online courses, coding bootcamps, and STEM programs to library reading challenges, museum workshops, national park adventures, and community service opportunities that open doors and broaden horizons for students of all ages and backgrounds. This collection makes it easy for families and educators to find meaningful, accessible, and completely free opportunities that match every interest, age group, and learning style. Because every student deserves a summer full of possibilities -- regardless of zip code or budget.

tag(s): seasonal (47), summer (53)

In 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.

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Bookopolis Summer Reading Headquarters - Bookopolis

Grades
K to 12
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Get reading this summer by participating in activities shared by Bookopolis, reviewed here. Play Read-O to earn a free book by completing a Bingo...more
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Get reading this summer by participating in activities shared by Bookopolis, reviewed here. Play Read-O to earn a free book by completing a Bingo card and emailing a picture of the five in a row Bingo completion to Bookopolis. Take the summer reading challenge to read ten books or 10,000 pages to earn a badge and a free book. Second through eighth graders can join virtual book clubs that meet by Zoom over the summer. The book clubs are divided into two grade levels: second through fourth grade and fourth through eighth grade. In addition to the summer activities, check out the suggested book lists available for all grade levels.

tag(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.
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BOOK IT! Summer Reading Program - Pizza Hut

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K to 6
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BOOK IT! offers a summer home reading program where students in grades PreK-6 earn monthly rewards for achieving reading goals. After enrolling in the program, parents use the digital...more
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BOOK IT! offers a summer home reading program where students in grades PreK-6 earn monthly rewards for achieving reading goals. After enrolling in the program, parents use the digital dashboard to track their student's reading progress during June, July, and August. Move the slider to certify completion of the preset goal to receive a certificate to redeem at Pizza Hut for a personal pan pizza. Other features found on this site include a series of ongoing articles with activities and book recommendations; under Resources at the top, slide to Teacher Toolbox to find activities and calendars to track reading.

tag(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.
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Summer Reading Journal - Barnes and Noble

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K to 6
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Barnes and Noble provides a summer reading program for students in grades 1-6. The list starts with titles for reading divided into three grade bands. Students complete the journal...more
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Barnes and Noble provides a summer reading program for students in grades 1-6. The list starts with titles for reading divided into three grade bands. Students complete the journal by listing eight books they read from the list, then sharing their favorite portion of the book and a short explanation of why. Upon completion, students bring their record to Barnes and Noble between July 1 and August 31, to receive a free book.

tag(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.
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Grades 6-8 eBooks Resources for Teaching Remotely on Short Notice - TeachersFirst

Grades
6 to 8
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Remote teaching doesn't have to be complicated. Get off to a great start with this collection of free eBook resources to use and share with students in grades 6-8. These ...more
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Remote teaching doesn't have to be complicated. Get off to a great start with this collection of free eBook resources to use and share with students in grades 6-8. These resources include links to public domain eBooks, audiobooks, Kindle books, and podcasts. Enjoy new ideas in this collection to find ideas for summertime reading suggestions just for teachers.

tag(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.

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PBS Summer of Adventure - PBS Kids

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K to 3
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Not just for summer! Enjoy learning at home all year-round with PBS Kids Summer of Adventure. Download the free Summer Activity Book for new daily adventures, such as using bath ...more
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Not just for summer! Enjoy learning at home all year-round with PBS Kids Summer of Adventure. Download the free Summer Activity Book for new daily adventures, such as using bath time to explore math or learn how to make a bird feeder. Scroll through the site to find reading charts, map skills, activity booklets, collections such as Observing Nature, Sharing Your Creativity Through the Arts, and much more. Did you find this site too late for summer? No worries, there are plenty of activities throughout the year. Be sure to check the bottom of the page for the "What's On Today" PBS shows.

tag(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.
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WriteReader - WriteReader

Grades
K to 5
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The scientific research behind WriterReader is that one develops and improves reading skills by writing. With WriteReader, kids create their books, including text, pictures, and voice...more
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The scientific research behind WriterReader is that one develops and improves reading skills by writing. With WriteReader, kids create their books, including text, pictures, and voice recordings. Adults/Teachers have space on the page to write comments and make corrections. The interface is so simple that even a young child can use it successfully after some adult guidance. Open the Features tab in the top menu to see an index of all features categorized by Literacy Development, Easy Book Creation, Publishing and Sharing, and Teacher & Student Management, each with several links to explore. Click the Resources Center tab on the top menu to select Lesson Plans, Templates, Writing Prompts, Videos, and more. The basic plan offers 40 books and all the essential features. Register using your email or Google account. After logging in, use the menu bars in the upper-right corner to find Guides, which include a Parent Letter, a Quick Start Guide, a Template, and a few other get-started items. To create student accounts, you can enter students manually, or students can join the class using a class code. WriteReader has upgraded its page templates to support older students. US English, UK English, Dansk (Danish), and Svenska (Swedish) are available. There is also an introductory video on the landing page that will help everyone get started. This video resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable. WriteReader has added new premium features, including Read Aloud, Voice Search, Book Templates, and more. For these, you must pay.

tag(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.

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Tunes2Teach YouTube Playlists - Dana Lawrence Gillis and Ellie Rubenstein

Grades
K to 6
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Learn about The Scientific Method, Writing Style, and Behavior Rules with these engaging videos from Tunes2Teach and their students. Each short video teaches content through current...more
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Learn about The Scientific Method, Writing Style, and Behavior Rules with these engaging videos from Tunes2Teach and their students. Each short video teaches content through current music trends in a positive manner. Other videos introduce you to the professors responsible for Tunes2Teach and include information for making the most of summer reading. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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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.

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CurriConnects Booklist: Adventures in Summer - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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This collection of books is all about summer! Summertime brings many adventures: vacations, camp, wild weather, fireworks, and more! Travel aboard a cruise ship, explore a mysterious...more
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This collection of books is all about summer! Summertime brings many adventures: vacations, camp, wild weather, fireworks, and more! Travel aboard a cruise ship, explore a mysterious island, learn about summer weather, meet some tiny creatures living in hotels, and make this a summer reading adventure to remember. This collection of books offers both fiction and information texts. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, Lexiles''® to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. For more on text complexity and Lexiles'''®, see this information from the Lexile Framework. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your library does not have the books, try interlibrary loan!

tag(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.

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A Soft Murmur - Gabriel Martin

Grades
4 to 12
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Are you feeling stressed? Unable to concentrate or complete a task? This tool will generate background sounds to create a positive thinking environment! Choose from a variety of sounds...more
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Are you feeling stressed? Unable to concentrate or complete a task? This tool will generate background sounds to create a positive thinking environment! Choose from a variety of sounds that sooth and relax while promoting creative productivity. These sounds are much better than plain, white noise. Classic sounds for relaxation include thunder, rain, waves, summer night, forest, white noise, and more. Use the slider bar at the top of the page to adjust sound levels as needed.

tag(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.

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