by Jen Donovan 

When school lets out for the summer, academic losses can occur. Bright Ideas for Summer brought to you by ReadWriteThink  provides a welcome cure for the dreaded summer slide. It features fun and educational activities that keep students on their toes throughout the dog days of summer.

Activities and projects like poetry writing help students explore the creative writing process. Thinking about fun summer memories and experiences with Summer’s Poetic Memories is a great way to get started. Students can explore different types of poem formats and increase their vocabulary as well.

Teachers can supplement these activities in coordination with summer reading assignments as well. Students can dive deeper into summer reading by exploring characters with the Trading Cards activity, which provides students with the opportunity to expand their understanding of the reading by creating new storylines and characters. 

The Summer Superheroes activity also gives students a chance to learn about character development as they create their own superhero with special summertime powers.

Persuasive writing skills can be practiced with the Can You Convince Me? activity. Students learn to craft a convincing argument for a summertime treat, and learn about the use of persuasive skills in everyday life. Printable versions of all these activities and specific handouts are available on the Bright Ideas for Summer webpage.

The best part about these activities is that students are able to save and share their work in the Thinkfinity Community—a free online education-focused social website. With the help of their parents, students can see their published activity on display, as well as explore other student works. These activities can also be sent through e-mail, so students and parents can share their work with teachers and family members. With the help of these activities, students can enjoy the freedom of summer while still beating the summer slide.

ReadWriteThink Presentations at IRA Chicago

Learn more about these Bright Ideas and ReadWriteThink at the International Reading Association’s Annual Convention April 30 to May 2, 2012, in Chicago. ReadWriteThink will present two sessions: Engaging Learners with “Games” in the Elementary Classroom on Monday, April 30, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in room W180 and A Day With ReadWriteThink.org: Incorporating Tools Across the Curriculum on Tuesday, May 1, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in room W176B. Visit iraconvention.org for more details.

ReadWriteThink is also hosting a QR code scavenger hunt with the chance to win prizes! Ready to start thehunt now? Scan this QR code or click here to begin. 

The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K-12. ReadWriteThink presents teachers with effective lesson plans and strategies, a professional community, and engaging online interactive student tools.