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Bridging the Bridging the Summer Summer

Education GapEducation GapRenita DeGraff

rdegraff@nsd.orgDeb Henderson

dhenderson@nsd.org

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Bridging the Reading Gap

0 Read! Read! Read!0 At least 30 minutes a day of reading keeps

skills current0 Ask your child’s teacher for their just right

reading level (ask for grade level equivalence – usually that is what is listed on the back cover of a book)

0 It’s okay to read lower level books for practicing fluency and decoding skills

0 Just right level books are best for comprehension, both literal & inferential

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How do I Get my Child to Read?

0 Read the same book and discuss over a “date”

0 Sit side by side and read with your child0 If you have many reading levels, use audio

books. Younger kids can listen, while older kids follow along.

0 Join a Reading Incentive Program0 King County Library0 Barnes & Noble Bookstore

0 Access on-line resources, such as scholatic or A to Z Learning

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Real Life Reading

0 Read travel books or brochures0 Read your city’s newspaper together0 Check out magazines from the library0Decide on a summer topic and become an

expert – research with books, zoo visits, museum visits, write to an expert

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Bridging the Math Gap

0 Facts! Facts! Facts!0 Play War with cards0 Flashcards0 10 in the car, 10 before a meal, 10 while

brushing your teeth

0 Logic Problems0 Riddles, while in the car

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Real Life Math0 In the car

0 Miles to your destination, miles per gallon, cost per journey0 Plan a Vacation and price it out0 Cost Comparisons – are cherries a better buy at the grocery store or at

the farmer’s market?0 Plan a home or yard project

0 What materials would you need?0 How much would it cost?0 Practice measuring – area, perimeter, square feet0 How much time will it take? Plan it out on a calendar.

0 Practice time0 If my swimming lesson starts at 9:20, lasts 50 minutes, when will I be

done?0 Have them pay!

0 Value of coins, making change0 Practice days of week, months in a year, which months are in which

season

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Bridging the Writing Gap0 Have a “pillow journal.” Your child writes to you and

puts in under your pillow, you write back and put it under theirs.

0 Travel or Daily Journal0 Writing, drawings with labels

0 Family Curiosity Journal 0 What are you curious about? Who in your family can help

you find out more?0 Write letters on real paper, address envelopes, take it to

the post office and put a real stamp on it0 Email or write the White House – they do respond!0 Write your congressman or mayor about what they are

doing well or an improvement you would like to see in your community

0 Write a book – it could be a combination of a story, nonfiction facts. Add photos and publish it!

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Bridging the Science Gap

0 Science is being emphasized more in the Common Core State Standards – start early!

0 Kitchen Science Experiments – so many websites!

0 Practice the scientific process0 Following the steps in a science experiment

helps with content, sequencing, and observing

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Real Life Science0 Cook with a recipe0 Sequencing, fractions, measurement

0 Nonfiction Reading and Vocabulary0 Zoo and museum signs, reading charts & tables

0 Go Outside!0 I Spy! 0 Science journal – write down details, draw what you see

and include labels & captions0 Use a magnifying glass and draw a part of something

0 Make Connections0 Land - Plot of Land –Root – Trunk - Branch – Leaf – Flower

– Bee – Apple I eat!0 In a Car – Sand – Rocks – Lifting – Tide Pool – Small Sea

Creatures0 Water Detective – find out where the water is coming

into the lake from?

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Some Summer Resources0 Parentmap.com0 King County Library System0 --Summer Reading Program(under Events tab)0 Museum Quest Program (under Programs & Classes

tab)

0 http://www.readinga-z.com/0 Great site for leveled books

0 Scholastic.com0 http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-

resources/