Summer Salutations!

As our year comes to a close and we say our farewells, wishing happy and enjoyable summers to all -- some things are still on our minds for what we'll be doing all summer!

As Middle Schoolers -- we expect a lot from our 5th graders. This extends into the summer -- as we hate the dreaded "learning loss" that can occur from too much of doing nothing!
Letters have been sent home to our families, outlining the requirements for each student this summer.

Here's the gist:

• Students should be working on IXL. They should log-in and work on it throughout the summer. We are expecting that they gain a medal in every skill in their current grade level (5th). This is showing 70% proficiency in each area that they should've learned this year. 
• Students should also be reading. Push them to read every day -- 10, 15, 20 minutes -- any reading is good reading, if they're doing it all the time! At a minimum, we are requiring 1 AR leveled book that each child self selects be completed this summer. They are encouraged to take their time and take notes on this book -- in the fall they will be given an AR test on that book and that score will be entered into the grade book.
• Student should definitely be writing! Push them to write as much as possible! We request that students write 1-3 "journal" entries each week of the summer. These entries can be prompted (from websites in this post) or free-writes. They can talk about their days, their vacations, tell stories, etc. 

The importance of these tasks cannot be stressed enough. If your son/daughter keeps their math skills sharp, reads regularly and keeps writing -- they will enter next year so much more prepared! The transition will be smoother for them and their teachers next year and their successes will be greater!

REWARD! 

•  Our gracious and lovely PTO, as well as the 5th grade team have decided to purchase iPod shuffles for the students who complete their summer tasks. Every student, who has been promoted (not placed or retained) who completes their Math and ELA assignments will be entered into a grade level drawing to win an iPod shuffle! 
• We'd like to reward the kids for keeping their brains sharp and working hard over the summer with incentive and drive to keep plugging along.

 I know it's a lot to take in -- but if we band together, everyone will win!

-Miss Brown

Here are some websites that may help out this summer!

• IXL
• A link directly to the student's math website!
• AR Book Finder
• This site will tell students the level of the book as well as if it has an AR test or not.
• Students should be reading at or above their reading level. We encourage them to choose books that interest them, but to stay AT or go BEYOND their reading level!
• Book Lists
• This list offers books at various reading levels. This will help students to choose AR books at their levels!
• Scholastic Book Finder
• This allows you to search for books within a reading level!
•  Journal Prompts
• Possible Prompts for students to respond to! 
• More Prompts
• Reading Log
• A sample reading log for the kids to keep track of their reading.
• Scholastic's Summer Reading Challenge
• Scholastic allows students to log-in and track their minutes over the summer.
• Time For Kids
• A great resource for informational text options for the kids to work on! This will boost their test taking abilities, their science and social studies understanding and keep them sharp and ready for the high demands of the Common Core!
• Scholastic News
•  A great resource for informational text options for the kids to work on! This will boost their test taking abilities, their science and social studies understanding and keep them sharp and ready for the high demands of the Common Core!
• 
  

Keep checking back and there may be some additional helpful links -- if I come across any.