After a full year of hard work and getting my students ready for first grade, it can be difficult to say goodbye for the summer without worrying about the dreaded “summer slide”. Typically, the summer slide refers to the loss of reading and math skills in young students.
So every year, I send my students off with my Kindergarten Summer Handbook and my Summer Writing Journal. I love my Kindergarten Summer Handbook because it’s for both my students and their parents; it explains every skill and provides parents with essential information and tips for practicing each math and literacy skill included.
My Summer Writing Journal is also a fave because it includes all three types of writing: narrative, expository (how-to), and opinion writing. It includes 40 summer-themed writing prompts to help keep students writing throughout the summer and an easy-to-use writing checklist for independent editing.
But the most important things students should be doing over the summer is reading every day. This should be a mix of reading what they want plus reading at their level. They should have access to a diverse library filled with many different types of texts. Local libraries are a great source for summer reading books and incentives. I also recommend for students to have a designated “reading area” at home: a quiet, peaceful space where students can read with little distractions. My students also love reading incentives, so I send them home with a special 100-book reading log (it’s a free download in my TpT store).
And as a special summer freebie, CLICK HERE for access to my Summer Writing Journal for FREE!
Can’t wait