TeachersFirst Summer Specials

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.     

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STEM Bootcamps - Numerade

Grades
6 to 12
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Numerade STEM Bootcamps provide free, interactive video lessons in STEM subjects like math, physics, chemistry, biology, and economics. The platform includes Bootcamps with step-by-step...more
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Numerade STEM Bootcamps provide free, interactive video lessons in STEM subjects like math, physics, chemistry, biology, and economics. The platform includes Bootcamps with step-by-step video tutorials, practice problems, and quizzes designed to enhance students' understanding. You can access a variety of topics for different grade levels and standardized tests like the ACT and SAT. The videos have captions available for students who may need them. Videos do have discussions under them, so be mindful of this if are having students use them independently.

tag(s): statistics (129), STEM (371), test prep (71), tutorials (50)

In the Classroom

Flip your classroom and have students watch Numerade Bootcamp videos at home to learn foundational concepts before class. They then can apply their learning through in-class lessons. Have students create and take practice quizzes based on Numerade's standardized test prep Bootcamps using a program like Quizlet, reviewed here. This will engage them in active test prep, enhance recall through repeated practice, and extend readiness for exams. Have students summarize a Numerade bootcamp topic by creating short review videos with Padlet, reviewed here, helping their classmates understand key points from the videos. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.

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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 (274), college (44), deserts (20), egypt (59), essays (18), Online Learning (34), pyramids (24), rivers (16), STEM (371), test prep (71)

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 specific interest to your students; for example, if students are taking the ACT and SAT exams, point out the courses that help students 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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Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens - The Smithsonian Institution

Grades
K to 12
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Find an abundance of games and learning activities for kids and teens at this engaging site from the experts that The Smithsonian Institution provides. Scroll through the homepage to...more
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Find an abundance of games and learning activities for kids and teens at this engaging site from the experts that The Smithsonian Institution provides. Scroll through the homepage to find activities divided into several categories, including Art, History, and Culture activities and collections, Science and Nature, Art, History activities and collections, and an Art Meets Science collection. Activities include webcams, interactive ebooks, and simulations. Many of the included materials are in Spanish; some activities require downloading from the AppStore from Google Play.

tag(s): alphabet (46), animals (274), colors (63), countries (73), egypt (59), folktales (35), habitats (104), insects (63), inventors and inventions (88), light (58), makerspace (39), museums (52), musical instruments (59), nutrition (135), oceans (142), plants (141), puzzles (163), seasonal (48), space (248), stars (78), STEM (371), summer (50), water (104), weather (175), webcams (19), women (189)

In the Classroom

Add Fun Stuff for Kids and Teams to your science and art bookmarks to use across many different content areas. For example, one activity is called Journey Through an Exploded Star; share a link to this interactive with students to explore before introducing lessons on stars and supernovas. Ask students to share their learning and add questions using IdeaBoardz, reviewed here. Create an IdeaBoardz with two columns (or more if desired), then share the link with students to share information and questions with peers. Encourage student engagement in animal-related learning by introducing them to the Art Meets Science Collections. Afterward, ask students to create multimedia projects incorporating animals as art to showcase scientific concepts like habitats, conservation, and human interactions. Find many different templates and presentation ideas at Genially, reviewed here.

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Leaps and Logs: A Summer Learning Game - Microsoft

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2 to 12
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Leaps and Logs is a summer learning activity for students aged eight and older available to play online or using a paper version. Students use the provided gameboard and instructions...more
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Leaps and Logs is a summer learning activity for students aged eight and older available to play online or using a paper version. Students use the provided gameboard and instructions to complete their choice of challenge tasks in language arts, social studies, science, STEM topics, and the arts. Play continues until students land on the FINISH space.

tag(s): gamification (93), Microsoft (55), seasonal (48), STEM (371), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Share this activity with parents and students to encourage learning over the summer on your class website or end-of-year newsletter. Encourage students to share their activities and to remain active over the summer using interactive slide presentations made with Canva for Education, reviewed here. Create a topic for students to share their progress throughout the game and discuss how they complete tasks. For example, one of the coding activities challenges students to create a carnival game in Microsoft MakeCode, reviewed here. Ask students to share and discuss their game using Padlet, reviewed here, and compare their creations to those of others. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.
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Purdue University Kids STEM Degree - Purdue University

Grades
K to 8
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Purdue University offers STEM "degrees" for kindergarten through high school students which are available for completion individually or as a class. Select a grade level band from the...more
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Purdue University offers STEM "degrees" for kindergarten through high school students which are available for completion individually or as a class. Select a grade level band from the eight options to access the ten videos required. After watching the short videos, complete the accompanying quiz to receive a code. Collect all ten codes and complete the form to request your certificate of completion. Videos cover various STEM topics, such as seasons, fossils, and the environment. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): adaptations (19), colors (63), energy (139), environment (253), forces (46), fossils (44), habitats (104), mass (22), number sense (74), plants (141), seasons (59), soil (16), sound (74), space (248), STEM (371), summer (50), sun (87), tides (6), volcanoes (62), water cycle (25), weather (175)

In the Classroom

Use this site to offer your students STEM "degrees" in several ways. As a class, complete an activity weekly as an introduction and review of science content by including the video as part of a computer center activity. Work together to complete the quiz for each video, then request a certificate to recognize your class's accomplishment. Another option is for students to work toward achieving certifications on their own. Share this site on your class newsletter for students to complete over the summer as an exciting way to engage in science activities and earn a STEM degree. One benefit of having the option to choose from different grade levels is the ability to differentiate learning by offering various courses to students based on their interests and abilities. Some students may choose to earn several degrees in different grade levels. Support and encourage students to pursue STEM degrees by taking pictures of completed degrees and adding them to your class website. Extend learning by asking students to research one of the topics, then share a presentation with peers using Canva Edu, reviewed here. Canva Edu offers many options for creating and personalizing presentations including slides, infographics, and flyers.

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Bookopolis Summer Reading Headquarters - Bookopolis

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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 (161), seasonal (48), summer (50)

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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Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass - Planet Fitness

Grades
8 to 12
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Planet Fitness offers a free summer pass at participating locations for teens ages 14-19. The pass is available from mid-May through the end of August. and provides access to equipment...more
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Planet Fitness offers a free summer pass at participating locations for teens ages 14-19. The pass is available from mid-May through the end of August. and provides access to equipment and fitness classes. Preregister to receive a digital pass located on your Planet Fitness app. In addition to the digital pass, the app includes a variety of workouts, categorized by fitness level, that guide participants toward achieving personal goals. Also, Planet Fitness is keeping a leaderboard tracking participating schools in the US and Canada; the top five schools from each country are eligible to win a $10,000 grant.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): fitness (35), seasonal (48), summer (50)

In the Classroom

If there is a Planet Fitness near you, encourage students to sign up and participate in fitness activities offered over the summer. If there isn't a nearby location, ask students to check with local gyms to see if they offer free summer activities for students. Engage and motivate students by asking them to design and share flyers about the benefits of good fitness. Canva for Education, reviewed here, and Genially, reviewed here, offer many options for creating visually appealing and interactive flyers. Ask students to create charts and graphs as they participate in their summer fitness program as a motivational tool. LiveGap Charts, reviewed here, offers a free online chart maker that doesn't require registration and includes many templates to customize the look and information shared on charts.
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What Do Snowmen Do In Summer? - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 8
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What Do Snowmen Do In Summer? - is one of the TeachersFirst Help! I lost my media/library specialist collection found here that...more
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What Do Snowmen Do In Summer? - is one of the TeachersFirst Help! I lost my media/library specialist collection found here that features topics and resources that focus on integrating literacy with technology. The Introduction and Background Knowledge discuss how important it is, yet how hard it is, to keep children engaged in literacy once summer vacation arrives and the weather gets nice. The Activities suggest how to get books into kid's hands with links and ideas for where to find them. Some exciting ideas for activities are offered, such as Camp Book-it, Chuck E Cheese Reward Calendar, and a few others. The last section of the article suggests Extension activities you may not have thought about regarding summer literacy. Ideas found on this resource include correlation to ISTE and AASL National School Library Standards.

tag(s): commoncore (61), literacy (124), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Browse through the suggested activities found in this article. Then, create a Wakelet, reviewed here, page of books and ideas, and post it on your teacher or school webpage. If the school library is open during the summer, ask them to post your Wakelet page, too. Wakelet gives you the ability to have a cover image and background for your wakes, which makes them much more engaging and easily identifiable, especially for young or visual students!

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Scholastic Home Base - Books - Scholastic

Grades
2 to 6
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Want to preview a book? Scholastic Kids allows you to preview books from Marvel, Dogman, The Babysitters Club, Upside Down Magic and more. Once you select the book series, you ...more
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Want to preview a book? Scholastic Kids allows you to preview books from Marvel, Dogman, The Babysitters Club, Upside Down Magic and more. Once you select the book series, you have access to a short blurb about the book, a video trailer, other suggested books, and activity sheets. There is also a Sneak Peek of the Week, which allows you to download the beginning of the book. Scholastic Kids provides links to purchase books, but you can also visit your local library to get them.

tag(s): game based learning (304), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Engage and motivate students to read over the summer by sharing Scholastic with parents or your web page. Consider creating a Microsoft Whiteboard, reviewed here, for students to share their experiences with classmates when playing the games and suggest books for others to read.

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Twinkl - Twinkl

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K to 6
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Twinkl provides elementary curriculum resources in all subjects, including many based upon international standards. Although much of the site includes content that requires a paid membership,...more
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Twinkl provides elementary curriculum resources in all subjects, including many based upon international standards. Although much of the site includes content that requires a paid membership, Twinkl includes many valuable free resources. Use the search bar to find free resources by grade level or content area, including activity booklets, teaching packets, posters, and more. Save favorite resources within your Twinkl account for later use. Use the links at the bottom of the home page to find additional free tools such as Twinkl Create. Twinkl Create is an interactive that includes templates that guide you by creating personalized banners, word mats, flyers, and much more.

tag(s): back to school (50), holidays (283), mayans (32), summer (50), Teacher Utilities (215), worksheets (70)

In the Classroom

Bookmark Twinkl for use throughout the year to find teaching resources for holidays, content topics, and homework ideas. Take advantage of Twinkl Create to easily make and differentiate charts, banners, word mats, and other classroom use printables. When saving favorite materials found on the site, set the popup reminder to remind you to use it later in the year. For example, when you find the End of Year packet, save it to your account and set a reminder for late spring so that it can be included with other items to include when wrapping up the school year or sending home materials for practice over the summer. Twinkl includes free teaching packets by grade level; these packets include activities customized for different ability levels. Use items from teaching packets as part of your center activities or send them home for additional practice as needed. After downloading materials, make your lessons digital using Kami, reviewed here. Use the free version of Kami to upload documents and add highlights, text, comments, and shapes before sharing with students.
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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 (83), seasonal (48), summer (50)

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 (161), seasonal (48), summer (50)

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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Virtual Field Trip Resources - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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This collection of reviewed resources includes our best virtual field trips. Peruse the list of websites and many suggestions for ways to use them in teaching almost any subject or...more
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This collection of reviewed resources includes our best virtual field trips. Peruse the list of websites and many suggestions for ways to use them in teaching almost any subject or grade. Be sure to read the "In the Classroom" suggestions for examples of ways to use virtual field trips as part of a lesson or unit.

tag(s): virtual field trips (139)

In the Classroom

This collection includes virtual field trips for all grades. Each review includes several classroom use ideas. Get out your projector (or interactive whiteboard) and take your students on an adventure. Have students go on a "field trip" with a partner or independently on laptops or other devices. Explore the activities suggested.

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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 (124), preK (322), reading lists (76), seasonal (48), summer (50)

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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Ultimate Camp Resource - Ultimate Camp Resources

Grades
K to 12
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Enter the world of Ultimate Camp Resource and find a myriad of songs, games, and more to use at home, at camp, or in a classroom. Download and print all ...more
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Enter the world of Ultimate Camp Resource and find a myriad of songs, games, and more to use at home, at camp, or in a classroom. Download and print all skits, songs, games, or just the one you're interested in. Some of the songs even have videos!

tag(s): back to school (50), crafts (110), family (53), makerspace (39), seasonal (48), songs (49), sports (88), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Bookmark this tool for the first week of school or any time that you want to experience some "team-building" in your class. Use this site to find games and activities for classroom icebreakers. Find ideas on this site to build relationships among students. There is even an Art Project section (scroll to the bottom menu to find it) that has lots of crafts for your makerspace! Share this site with parent helpers to find ideas for classroom parties.

Comments

This is a valuable resource, not just for summer! Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12

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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 (161), independent reading (83), summer (50)

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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Khan Academy - Sal Khan

Grades
4 to 12
9 Favorites 1  Comments
 
There are plenty of helpful sites to learn content. What makes this so special? Created by an uncle wanting to help his nieces learn material, Khan Academy has grown into ...more
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There are plenty of helpful sites to learn content. What makes this so special? Created by an uncle wanting to help his nieces learn material, Khan Academy has grown into a Creative Commons attributed site for helping all students. What information is available? Maybe one should ask: What are you looking for? View a vast array of videos on many topics: SAT prep, Algebra, Geometry, Chemistry, Biology, History, Trigonometry, Calculus, Economics, Brain Teasers, Banking and Money, Statistics, Finance, Physics, and more....Whew! The only problem? The videos are hosted on You Tube. If your district blocks You Tube, then they may not be viewable. Ed note: An alternative is to access Khan Academy through iTunes U FREE downloads, assuming you can load and access iTunes!

tag(s): atoms (45), cells (79), energy (139), functions (61), homework (26), matter (52), molecules (43), photosynthesis (19), respiration (10), structures (15)

In the Classroom

Share the site with your students in order to access at home for homework help. List this link on your class website. If you are unable to view this site on student computers but You Tube is unblocked for teachers, consider using a projector or interactive whiteboard to show to the whole class. Use your google account to log in once you click on the exercises link. From there, find access to exercises that students can complete that are related to each video. Encourage students to share links to specific videos they find helpful on a "Video Reviews" (yes, that is a pun) page of your class wiki. For a very real challenge, have students create their own simple review videos in the Khan Academy style using FlexClip, reviewed here. FlexClip is designed to allow you to create short animated or explainer videos to share on YouTube and other social media sites, then, upload to SchoolTube, reviewed here, TeacherTube, reviewed here, or YouTube, whichever works best in your school. Embed them on your class wiki for a year-to-year student-made study guide!

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Linda R., , Grades: 0 - 12

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Kidscamps.com - Internet Brands, Inc.

Grades
K to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
This comprehensive directory lists thousands of summer learning opportunities for kids of all ages. Day and overnight camp choices include those focusing on sports, special needs, family,...more
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This comprehensive directory lists thousands of summer learning opportunities for kids of all ages. Day and overnight camp choices include those focusing on sports, special needs, family, self-improvement, arts, adventure, and academics. They also offer Online camps. The site also includes advice for parents about selecting, paying, and packing for summer camp.

tag(s): seasonal (48), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Provide this link on your class website during the Spring. Share the website with your students to prepare them to discuss summer camps with their parents. In pairs, ask them to select two categories they are interested in and investigate what is offered and if there is a camp close to them. Create a Padlet for students to list the features of the category they explored.

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NEH Summer Seminars - NEH

Grades
K to 12
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This is a collection of summer seminars provided by NEH. Offered are one-to-four week programs called Institutes, where participants learn about and discuss important topics in the...more
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This is a collection of summer seminars provided by NEH. Offered are one-to-four week programs called Institutes, where participants learn about and discuss important topics in the humanities. Another topic is Landmarks of American History and Culture, which has a video with an overview of the Landmarks workshops offered for the current summer. You will also find information for Applicants and Participants and Application and Notification dates.

tag(s): grants (16), professional development (319), seasonal (48), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Share this opportunity with your colleagues in social studies, world cultures, and more. If you do take the trip, TeachersFirst encourages you to create a travel blog so that others may share in your experience or follow up by sharing lesson plans that come out of your experiences. Maybe the participants would like to cretae a wiki? Learn more about blogs and wikis from TeachersFirst's Blog Basics for the Classroom and TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.

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LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems! - The Kennedy Center

Grades
K to 5
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This introductory video from the Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems series invites students into a fun, informal drawing session led by the popular children's author and illustrator....more
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This introductory video from the Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems series invites students into a fun, informal drawing session led by the popular children's author and illustrator. In the video, Willems models using simple shapes and creativity to begin sketching, while encouraging viewers to experiment, take risks, and enjoy the process of making art. The tone is relaxed and interactive, making it ideal for younger learners as a creative warm-up or brain break, while also promoting artistic confidence, storytelling, and imaginative thinking. This video is hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.

tag(s): artists (99), authors (113), crafts (110), drawing (57), summer (50)

In the Classroom

Watch a portion of the video and have students follow along to create their own doodle. Pause as needed so students can keep up, then allow time for them to add personal details or backgrounds to their drawings. After drawing a character, have students write a short paragraph or story about it. Display student doodles around the room. Students can walk around, leave positive comments, or identify creative elements they notice in others' work. Share this link with students (and families) to explore during the summer break or on a snow day.

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