“Back to school” has a very different ring to it this year. Many aspects of beginning a new school year are dramatically different from how they’ve ever been. Anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, and stress are our unwelcome companions. All of our lives are different in some ways. We need to acknowledge that, but also remind ourselves […]
A Simple Solution to Demystify Math Standards As an elementary teacher, I attended countless workshops and graduate classes aimed at making math understandable and engaging for my students. But I was aware that not everyone had the same experience with math. When the parents of my students asked how they could help their children, I […]
Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof. That, as you might recognize, is the inscription on our 2,080-pound national treasure, the Liberty Bell. There are many myths and misconceptions in US history, some of which involve this famous symbol. According to the National Park Service, the State House bell, as it […]
When I was in elementary school, my favorite activity was whole-class flashcard races. I already had the longing to become a teacher and couldn’t wait to get my own set of tall, buff-colored flashcards for every math operation. When I had my own classroom, I used flashcards in a less competitive way. My students made […]
The school year is finally winding down—and what a year it has been! Teachers, parents, and students will all be happy to take a break from distance learning. Unfortunately, the summer slide will not be taking a break. In fact, the impact of the COVID slide, as some are calling it, may be substantially worse, […]
Back in February, Susie, Mary Pat, and Regina from the Simple Solutions proofreading team worked very hard to ensure our revised science books were error free. Use the worksheet below to help your students become proofreading pros too! Practice Your Proofreading Skills! Use the Proofreader’s Symbols Chart to complete the worksheet below. Click on the […]
There are many ways to help students improve their communication skills by writing for an authentic audience. School may not look the same right now, but gratitude and thank you notes are more important than ever. The end of this non-traditional school year is upon us, and there are many reasons to celebrate and be […]
With much of the country following stay-at-home orders, scheduled field trips have been put on temporary hold. So, why not try a virtual field trip to…anywhere? Virtual field trips are a great way to enhance curriculum and make learning more engaging. They incorporate 21st-century technology in a meaningful way, provide interactive learning experiences, and expose […]
For many years, researchers have warned us of the learning loss that occurs when students are not academically engaged. It’s a loss that increases with age as children progress from elementary through middle school. At Summer Solutions, we specialize in preventing learning loss through these research-based strategies: Retrieval practice is one of the best ways to […]
Opening day has come and gone, and your favorite Major League Baseball team (and mine) is still undefeated! We all hope the suspension of sports is a temporary situation and that we will soon hear those two familiar words, “Play ball!” Until then, here are some activities to create new fans among your children and […]
