The summer slide, of course, is that step backwards in their literacy skills that kids take during the summer while they are enjoying a break from school and having fun in the sun, but there are a number of ways to combat this phenomenon.  Some kids enjoy reading during the summer and keep up their skills effortlessly by racing through library books and book club books that they’ve saved up during the school year.

Other students in middle  and upper elementary school need a more direct approach, and some parents appreciate having a little summer review work for their kids.  But no one wants long, heavy assignments, and teachers need summer work that doesn’t require lots of effort on their part at the end of a long school year!

One solution is a set of task cards.  Students can combine them into a summer booklet before leaving school, and then work on them a card or two at a time during the summer.  Each card provides a brief, to the point review of a basic skill.

The set pictured below, Summer Practice Task Cards is a set of thirty large, half-page task cards for end-of-year or summertime review of reading, writing, and vocabulary skills.
There are five cards on each of six summer topics:
1. At the Beach
2. Life on the Pond
3. Low-Tech Fun
4. The Ball Game
5. Picnic Time
6. Vacation

Each group of five cards includes each of the following:
Reading Skills
Writing Practice
Vocabulary
Fun Puzzles
Follow-up Activity

The cards are designed for middle-grade students, and would work well for end-of-year activities or to make packets for students to take home for summer practice.

Also included is a black and white outline cover page that students can color and a checklist for students to keep track of the cards they have completed.

Here is another option – a practice packets of reading, writing and grammar skills for students to use over the summer – ready to print and send home!

The Reading Skills part of the packet contains ten pages of summer reading practice. It includes six one-page reading review lessons and a four page novel response packet.

Each of the six one-page lessons begins with a vocabulary warm-up. For the lessons, students use a magazine, newspaper, or other reference source to complete various reading assignments such as reading an article and completing a chart, searching for specific items to cut and paste, and researching to create an informational poster.

For the novel packet, students read a novel of their choice and complete daily responses and follow-up questions.

Students will need a novel, a magazine or newspaper, and internet access or another reference source to complete the packet.

 

The Writing part of the packet contains ten one-page lessons. Each lesson begins with a review of editing, grammar, and spelling and is followed by a short writing exercise. The writing exercises include journal writing, editing and revising.

Students only need paper, pencils, and a dictionary to complete the writing lessons. An answer key is provided.

Both the reading lessons and the writing lessons are now included in this one summer practice resource.  This is a simple, easy-to-use and ready-to-go packet for students who need a little something to stay in practice over the summer.

if you are thinking of ways to minimize the summer slide for your students this year, maybe these easy-to-use resources will be just what you need.  Click on any of the images for more information.