Summer Learning Week of July 13: Reading, Language and Storytelling (Grades K-2)

We hope that you are enjoying summer break!  Each Monday through August 17, we will be sharing a Weekly Learning Menu, filled with mostly screen-free activities that families and caregivers can enjoy together. There is no need to complete every activity. Choose one or two that fit your family’s schedule and have fun learning together!

Weekly Learning Menu

Daily Reading

• Sign up for the Arlington Public Library Summer Reading Challenge and encourage your students to read, or be read to, for at least 30 minutes each day.

Arlington Central Library is open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Students can also access digital books through APS Library Resources in Canvas.  Reading, Language and Storytelling

• Take your student on a sound scavenger hunt.  Choose a letter sound and ask your student to find things around your home, or current location, that start with the same sound. For example: “Can you find something in our house that starts with the letter /p/ sound?  (Possible answers include picture, pencil, pear and pillow). Explore even more literacy activities on the APS literacy resources webpage.)

Math and Problem Solving

Try one of these fun math activities:

• Treasure Hunt Counting: Find 10 objects around your home or outside (e.g., leaves, socks, spoons). Sort them into  groups and count them together.
• Shape Walk: Go on a walk and look for various shapes in your neighborhood. Can you find rectangles, circles, triangles or octagons?  Count the sides and the corners! Ask: How many sides? How many corners?
• Storytime Math: After reading a book, ask questions like:
  • How many characters were in the story? 
  • What if one more joined? 
  • What if one went away?

Science and Nature

• Sink or Float?
  • Fill a medium bowl halfway with water and gather at least five household objects. Before placing each object in the water, ask your student to predict whether the objects will sink or float.  Then test each one and discuss the results!
  • Ask:
    • What do the floating items have in common?
    • What about the ones that sank?

Social Studies

• Ask your student to draw a picture map of your home and/or your neighborhood. Include important places, such as a favorite room, play spot, park, school or landmark.

Creative Arts and Expression

• Create a nature collage by collecting leaves, petals, sticks and other natural materials. Arrange and glue them in a picture, shape or pattern.
• You can also explore artwork together through the National Gallery of Art Virtual Tours.

We hope these activities help create meaningful moments of learning and connection for your family.