“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 […]
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, […]
In addition to crafts and Active Experiences, expose your campers to some great literature. Answering a few questions after reading a story is an effective way to maintain reading comprehension skills over the summer. Simple Download these children’s classics adapted by Simple Solutions. For very young children, use The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Steadfast Tin […]
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 […]
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 […]
Springtime can be magical for children and their pets. Spend some time with an adorable pup by exploring a longtime-favorite, Harry the Dirty Dog, by Gene Zion with illustrations by Margaret Bloy Graham. Then, create a story map. (By the way, you can use this idea with any children’s book.) If you don’t have a copy […]
Suddenly, you’re a homeschool teacher! Or maybe you’ve been doing that for years. Either way, as time goes on, you’ll be looking for some engaging, new educational activities to do with your kids at home. At Summer Solutions, we specialize in keeping students academically engaged outside of school. Here are two lesson ideas with free […]
Here’s a plethora of poetry links and a free download to get you started! World Poetry Day Celebrated around the world every March 21st National Poetry Month 30 ways to celebrate National Poetry Month this April April brings an abundance of great things…warm spring days, National Poetry Month, and a free Simple Solutions sample lesson […]
While the best way to teach reading is still debated, years of research support explicit, systematic phonics instruction as the foundation for reading success. In 2000, the National Reading Panel¹ recommended teaching phonics patterns by following a defined scope and sequence. “Learning to read is not natural or easy for most children. Reading is an […]
