Summer

I have a confession. I really don't mind teaching summer school. Actually, I might even go as far as saying I like teaching summer school! Now don't get me wrong, I like being on vacation even more and I cannot wait to join all of you who decided to take a much needed, well deserved break! But I do enjoy the shorter school days, much smaller class size, and slightly more relaxed environment that summer school brings.

If you are teaching summer school or just looking for some fun in the sun themed activities to help prevent the "summer slide", read on to find several literacy, math, and science ideas to try out this summer! Be sure to grab your Summer themed freebie before you leave!



These are always a hit and fun to make after reading a non-fiction book about sea creatures. Add a little more science to this activity by discussing how the oil and water always separate, no matter how hard you shake the bottle! You could also point out how the sensory bottle has different layers and discuss the layers of the ocean.


These hats are ADORABLE and give lots of patterning practice! To make them all you need is construction paper, a sentence strip, dot markers (or crayons/markers), and glue or a stapler. Measure the sentence strip to fit around the child's head. Cut 8 strips of paper for the octopus' legs and a rounded shape for the octopus' head. Instruct students to create a pattern on each of the 8 tentacles. Attach the "head" and "tentacles" to the sentence strip for an adorable Octopus Pattern hat!  



Another beachy way to practice patterning is this fun pattern identifying and extending activity. Students identify what kind of pattern is on each strip then extend the pattern by filling in the missing piece. You can find this activity here.



This ice cream cone matching activity is another summer favorite for math.  Students can match the ice cream numeral to the correct quantity using either the 10 frame or the tally mark ice cream cones. You can find this activity here.



Sand and seashells make this letter hunt activity really fun and engaging! I love to place the letter sand bucket cards in a tub filled with play sand. Students  draw a card, identify the letter, and then cover the matching letter with a seashell on the sandcastle page. You can find this printable letter recognition activity here.



I am sure by now you have heard of and probably tried making jello "oceans" with students. While that activity is an oldy and a goody, pudding oceans are a great alternative if you need instant gratification (and an instant snack)! For this activity, students mix a drop or two of blue food coloring into white vanilla pudding. Once your pudding is a lovely blue color, add gummy sea creatures. If you want to add "sand" to the mix, crushed graham cracker does the trick! I like to have students write a how to after they are finished to tie this tasty treat into writing practice. Can you read those sweet little pre-k instructions I have pictured? 

Speaking of tasty treats, if this letter matching and beginning sound activity doesn't scream summer, I don't know what does! Students have to find the capital letter, lowercase letter, and a picture with that begins what that letter's sound to complete the red, white, and blue Popsicle. You can find this printable here.



Another fun in the sun literacy activity is this rhyming match. These cards are the perfect addition to a summer themed sensory bin or if you are working with a small group, you can turn the cards upside down to play a rhyming memory match game! You can find this printable rhyming match activity here.




I have done several versions of this paper plate whale craft over the years and they always turn out so cute! After we have learned a few facts about whales, students will write their favorite fact and then create their own whale by coloring and cutting up a paper plate. 


The last idea I have for you today are these vocabulary cards featuring 24 different fun in the sun words and illustrations. There are so many great ways you can use these cards but here are a few ideas:

•Students can put vocabulary on the word wall by beginning sound
•Students can use vocabulary cards in the writing center to help them write about summer, the beach, the pool, etc.
•Students can build vocabulary words with magnetic letters, stamps, letter beads, etc.
•Place a thin layer of sand in a tray and students can write the words in the sand.
•If you can cut the picture off of the word, students can read the vocabulary words and match them to the pictures.
•Students can put the vocabulary words in ABC order

Grab your Vocabulary Cards HERE!



I hope you found a few ideas to use with your kiddos! If do use any of these activities, I would LOVE to see them! Please tag me @teachglittergrow so I can share out your amazing hard work on social! 

Happy teaching! 
-Cole 

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