TeachersFirst's Summer Specials
Keep students engaged in fun, enriching activities this summer with the diverse learning opportunities showcased in this collection. From resources focused on robotics and coding to reading incentives at local libraries and restaurants, these summer programs strive to prevent learning loss while still feeling like a vacation. Audiobooks, online courses, exercise programs, and more round out the compilation of vetted resources. Easily share these ideas for summer academic and physical engagement with colleagues, families, and students. And complement them with our "Avoid the Summer Slide" collection for additional support to stimulate minds and strengthen bodies over the break!
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STEM Bootcamps - Numerade
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): statistics (119), STEM (269), test prep (67), tutorials (55)
In the Classroom
Flip your classroom and have students watch Numerade Bootcamp videos at home to learn foundational concepts before class. They then can apply their learning through in-class lessons. Have students create and take practice quizzes based on Numerade's standardized test prep Bootcamps using a program like Quizlet, reviewed here. This will engage them in active test prep, enhance recall through repeated practice, and extend readiness for exams. Have students summarize a Numerade bootcamp topic by creating short review videos with Padlet, reviewed here, helping their classmates understand key points from the videos. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Varsity Tutors Free Courses - Varsity Tutors
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): animals (283), coding (91), college (47), deserts (16), egypt (48), essays (21), Online Learning (42), pyramids (16), rivers (14), STEM (269), test prep (67)
In the Classroom
Include links to these free classes with your other summer reading and learning opportunities shared with students and parents. Be sure to highlight offerings of specific interest to your students; for example, if students are taking the ACT and SAT exams, point out the courses that help students prepare for these tests. Add a link to your digital calendar for each of the courses along with a reminder, then email students and parents a week before the course begins as a reminder to sign up and attend the class at the assigned time or use an online resource such as Remind, reviewed here to set up and deliver text reminders of upcoming classes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scholastic Summer Reading Home Base - Scholastic
Grades
K to 8tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), independent reading (86), preK (261), spelling (97), summer (29), writing (318)
In the Classroom
Share Home Base with other suggestions to encourage student reading over the summer; find additional ideas for summer reading programs and options on TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Summer Specials, reviewed here. Consider curating ideas for summer reading programs and activities by sharing a Wakelet, reviewed here collection with parents and guardians. Help parents understand the benefits of using a game-based platform to encourage reading over the summer by creating a short video using Free Screen Recorder Online, reviewed here to explain how to access this program and the different features provided.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Coding for Climate - Take Action Global
Grades
K to 12tag(s): climate change (90), coding (91), collaboration (91), seasonal (17), STEM (269)
In the Classroom
Register your class and join classes from over 150 countries to participate in Coding for Climate activities. Engage and prepare your students to participate by creating Multimedia Text Sets for exploration that include climate awareness activities and information. Learn more about Multimedia Text Sets by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: Using Multimedia Text Sets for Student Knowledge Construction, reviewed here. Encourage students to learn more about coding by offering time to explore different coding platforms. Visit the TeachersFirst Edge coding category found here to find many different options for coding.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens - The Smithsonian Institution
Grades
K to 12tag(s): alphabet (51), animals (283), colors (63), countries (72), egypt (48), folktales (34), habitats (86), insects (68), inventors and inventions (71), light (52), makerspace (42), museums (45), musical instruments (47), nutrition (137), oceans (149), plants (147), puzzles (143), seasonal (17), space (214), stars (69), STEM (269), summer (29), water (101), weather (161), webcams (11), women (140)
In the Classroom
Add Fun Stuff for Kids and Teams to your science and art bookmarks to use across many different content areas. For example, one activity is called Journey Through an Exploded Star; share a link to this interactive with students to explore before introducing lessons on stars and supernovas. Ask students to share their learning and add questions using IdeaBoardz, reviewed here. Create an IdeaBoard with two columns (or more if desired), then share the link with students to share information and questions with peers. Encourage student engagement in animal-related learning by introducing them to the Art Meets Science Collections. Afterward, ask students to create multimedia projects incorporating animals as art to showcase scientific concepts like habitats, conservation, and human interactions. Find many different templates and presentation ideas at Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Leaps and Logs: A Summer Learning Game - Microsoft
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): gamification (78), Microsoft (80), seasonal (17), STEM (269), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Share this activity with parents and students to encourage learning over the summer on your class website or end-of-year newsletter. Encourage students to share their activities and to remain active over the summer using interactive slide presentations made with Canva for Education, reviewed here. Create a topic for students to share their progress throughout the game and discuss how they complete tasks. For example, one of the coding activities challenges students to create a carnival game in Microsoft MakeCode, reviewed here. Ask students to share and discuss their game using Padlet, reviewed here, and compare their creations to those of others. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Purdue University Kids STEM Degree - Purdue University
Grades
K to 8tag(s): adaptations (14), colors (63), energy (130), environment (237), forces (37), fossils (41), habitats (86), mass (19), number sense (70), plants (147), seasons (37), soil (16), sound (73), space (214), STEM (269), summer (29), sun (71), tides (6), volcanoes (56), water cycle (22), weather (161)
In the Classroom
Use this site to offer your students STEM "degrees" in several ways. As a class, complete an activity weekly as an introduction and review of science content by including the video as part of a computer center activity. Work together to complete the quiz for each video, then request a certificate to recognize your class's accomplishment. Another option is for students to work toward achieving certifications on their own. Share this site on your class newsletter for students to complete over the summer as an exciting way to engage in science activities and earn a STEM degree. One benefit of having the option to choose from different grade levels is the ability to differentiate learning by offering various courses to students based on their interests and abilities. Some students may choose to earn several degrees in different grade levels. Support and encourage students to pursue STEM degrees by taking pictures of completed degrees and adding them to your class website. Extend learning by asking students to research one of the topics, then share a presentation with peers using Canva Edu, reviewed here. Canva Edu offers many options for creating and personalizing presentations including slides, infographics, and flyers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bookopolis Summer Reading Headquarters - Bookopolis
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (161), seasonal (17), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Include information and links to Bookopolis Summer Reading Activities in your end-of-year newsletter to parents. Encourage students to participate in the activities by sharing and discussing the information before the school year ends. Use Symbaloo, reviewed here to create a curation of summer reading links and activities for families, then share the link to your Symbaloo collection for families to find all options in one location. Encourage students to read and share their reading over the summer by contributing to video conference on Flock, reviewed here. Share the link to your Flock topic on your class website and newsletter.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass - Planet Fitness
Grades
8 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
If there is a Planet Fitness near you, encourage students to sign up and participate in fitness activities offered over the summer. If there isn't a nearby location, ask students to check with local gyms to see if they offer free summer activities for students. Engage and motivate students by asking them to design and share flyers about the benefits of good fitness. Canva for Education, reviewed here, and Genially, reviewed here, offer many options for creating visually appealing and interactive flyers. Ask students to create charts and graphs as they participate in their summer fitness program as a motivational tool. LiveGap Charts, reviewed here, offers a free online chart maker that doesn't require registration and includes many templates to customize the look and information shared on charts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What Do Snowmen Do In Summer? - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 8tag(s): commoncore (75), literacy (110), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Browse through the suggested activities found in this article. Then, create a Wakelet, reviewed here, page of books and ideas, and post it on your teacher or school webpage. If the school library is open during the summer, ask them to post your Wakelet page, too. Wakelet gives you the ability to have a cover image and background for your wakes, which makes them much more engaging and easily identifiable, especially for young or visual students!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Scholastic Home Base - Books - Scholastic
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): game based learning (179), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Engage and motivate students to read over the summer by sharing Scholastic with parents or your web page. Consider creating a Google Jamboard, reviewed here, for students to share their experiences with classmates when playing the games and suggest books for others to read.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Twinkl - Twinkl
Grades
K to 6tag(s): back to school (63), holidays (172), summer (29), Teacher Utilities (157), worksheets (70)
In the Classroom
Bookmark Twinkl for use throughout the year to find teaching resources for holidays, content topics, and homework ideas. Take advantage of Twinkl Create to easily make and differentiate charts, banners, word mats, and other classroom use printables. When saving favorite materials found on the site, set the popup reminder to remind you to use it later in the year. For example, when you find the End of Year packet, save it to your account and set a reminder for late spring so that it can be included with other items to include when wrapping up the school year or sending home materials for practice over the summer. Twinkl includes free teaching packets by grade level; these packets include activities customized for different ability levels. Use items from teaching packets as part of your center activities or send them home for additional practice as needed. After downloading materials, make your lessons digital using Kami, reviewed here. Use the free version of Kami to upload documents and add highlights, text, comments, and shapes before sharing with students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Camp BOOK IT! - Pizza Hut
Grades
K to 6tag(s): independent reading (86), seasonal (17), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Share Camp BOOK IT! with parents to encourage reading over the summer months. Use this program as an opportunity to collaborate with parents to engage students in reading by providing a reading list for students that includes books that appeal to your students. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to share suggested titles of books for students, and use the stream feature to organize the titles into different categories. Encourage students to add comments to your Padlet, sharing their book reviews. Enhance your students' summer reading experience by creating a topic using Flip, reviewed here, and ask students to contribute video book talks discussing their reading. Another idea is to create a Summer Bingo topic. Attach a Bingo form to your Flip topic with different squares to complete. Ideas might be reading a biography, starting a new book series, or sharing a book with a friend.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Summer Reading Journal - Barnes and Noble
Grades
K to 6tag(s): book lists (161), seasonal (17), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Depending on the month you check the booklist, you may find last summers books or the current summers books. No matter the list, it provides ideas to add to any summer reading book list shared with students and parents. Create a list using Google Docs or Padlet, reviewed here to share a variety of reading materials to engage students in summer learning. Encourage students to share their summer reading by creating a collaborative topic using Padlet again, but this time useThis is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image. , reviewed here. Ask students to share what they are reading and a short review with a video response. Encourage students to add comments to book reviews sharing their thoughts about the reading materials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Summer of Possibilites - Play Your Way - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 3tag(s): calendars (37), literacy (110), preK (261), reading lists (77), seasonal (17), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many free activities on this site; be sure to share with parents for ideas on learning at home. Consider having a "summer" day in the middle of winter as you enjoy summer activities in the warmth of the indoors. Share with parents at the end of the school year as a great resource for learning during the summer months.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ultimate Camp Resource - Ultimate Camp Resources
Grades
K to 12tag(s): back to school (63), crafts (53), family (51), makerspace (42), seasonal (17), songs (44), sports (80), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this tool for the first week of school or any time that you want to experience some "team-building" in your class. Use this site to find games and activities for classroom icebreakers. Find ideas on this site to build relationships among students. There is even an Art Project section (scroll to the bottom menu to find it) that has lots of crafts for your makerspace! Share this site with parent helpers to find ideas for classroom parties.Comments
This is a valuable resource, not just for summer!Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
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CurriConnects Booklist: Adventures in Summer - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (161), independent reading (86), summer (29)
In the Classroom
This collection is perfect to share with students (and families) prior to the summer break. Keep minds fresh during the summer. Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. If you want to "spice" up your final month of school, allow students to start summer (in their minds). These books provide experience with both fiction and nonfiction informational texts. They often require students to draw inferences about the "facts." Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. Share this list with your school library/media specialist or public library, as well, for them to "pull" books in support of your end of school-year reading. Extend the experience by having students create visual presentations of the concepts they learn. Challenge students to create a presentation using Prezi, reviewed here, or Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kidscamps.com - Internet Brands, Inc.
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Provide this link on your class website during the Spring. Share the website with your students to prepare them to discuss summer camps with their parents. In pairs, ask them to select two categories they are interested in and investigate what is offered and if there is a camp close to them. Create a Padlet for students to list the features of the category they explored.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NEH Summer Seminars - NEH
Grades
K to 12tag(s): grants (16), professional development (404), seasonal (17), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Share this opportunity with your colleagues in social studies, world cultures, and more. If you do take the trip, TeachersFirst encourages you to create a travel blog so that others may share in your experience or follow up by sharing lesson plans that come out of your experiences. Maybe the participants would like to cretae a wiki? Learn more about blogs and wikis from TeachersFirst's Blog Basics for the Classroom and TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Start with a Book - Reading Rockets
Grades
K to 6tag(s): independent reading (86), parents (59), preK (261), reading lists (77), reading strategies (99), summer (29)
In the Classroom
Share this website with parents as a resource to maintain learning over the summer break. Subscribe to the weekly text messages and pass them on to parents and guardians of your students. Use the toolkits found on this site to conduct mini science or reading camps over the summer. Share the list of books with your local library and ask them to include them on summer reading lists or to conduct mini reading camps over the summer using the toolkits. These ideas aren't just for summer! Keep these toolkits handy to use when teaching science and reading during the school year to engage students. Post the Growing Readers tip sheets on your class website throughout the school year to help parents work with students at home on reading skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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