Dear Parents,
Welcome to Summer! We thank you for the time and effort you have invested in your child’s education, particularly over the past few months. Distance learning has been a challenge for all and we applaud you (and your child) for making the best of these unprecedented times. The end of the school year hasn’t been what anyone would have expected but we are happy to welcome summer and hopefully some time to relax and recharge.
As we move into summer, we would like to provide options for at-home enrichment. The summer months are an important time to relax and unwind but are also an opportunity to keep your child engaged and on track for the fall. Attached you will find summer choice boards to use with your child. It is important to note that these are NOT required. This is simply a tool to provide parents with activities and ideas for summer enrichment.
How it Works
Download a packet of choice boards that match your child’s grade level. Choice boards are grouped by grade level band based on the grade your child has completed. For example, a child finishing 1st grade will use the K-1 document. Each page of the document is one week of themed activities (6 weeks total) with different activities in categories such as reading, writing, math, STEM, etc. Each activity follows a theme for the week but can be done independently of all other activities. For example, all activities in week two are about ice cream but you do not need to complete the activities in any particular order so your child can pick and choose the activities that interest them. You can also use grade level bands above or below your child’s grade based on your child’s needs.
What do I Need?
As you view the choice boards, you will notice that they are divided by subject/ category. Materials needed are italicized in the top of the boxes. Many items will likely be available in your home or easily accessed at the supermarket. For reading activities and some of the other categories, you will need device with internet access. Texts sourced from www.myon.com can be accessed using the following login info:
School: Brooklyn Reads Elementary
Username: brooklyn
Password: read
My Child (and I) are Tired of School
Your child might be tired from weeks of distance learning and the stress of our current situation. This is not intended to add to anyone’s stress or become a point of contention in your household. To make this seem less like “school” you can:
- Empower your child to choose the activities themselves. Let them pick what they are interested in (i.e. complete all the math activities first).
- Challenge your child to see how many boxes they can complete in a week.
- Designate a short (20-30 min) block of time to complete an activity and then offer free choice time.
- Use the board like tic-tac-toe and try to complete a whole column or row across.
Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need structured activities to “do enrichment.” Trips to the library, talking about books, taking a walk and talking about what you see, planning a trip together, cooking by following a recipe, and even going to the grocery store discussing quantity and pricing are all learning opportunities. Do what is comfortable for you and your family. Take time to relax, unwind, and enjoy your summer. We look forward to our time together in September.