It’s SummerTime!
Help your child/grandchild get ahead for next school year!
You can help your children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren to be successful at school and in life by helping specifically in 3 areas: Reading, Math, and Writing.
READING SUGGESTIONS
*Read out loud as a family to encourage love of reading.
*Improve reading fluency. (A good reader can read at least 125 words in 1 minute by age 12. Time your kids and help them increase their fluency. Ask teachers in the Ward or the child’s teacher for help with good fluency strategies.)
*Provide time every day for silent FUN reading at home (15+ min.)
MATH SUGGESTIONS
*Single most important Math skill needed: MEMORIZED MATH FACTS
Kids should be able (without counting on their fingers!) to write or give verbally the answers to 60 facts in 1 minute in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by the end of 6th grade. The child’s teacher and teachers in the ward can provide you with practice pages and helpful strategies. Just ask!!!
WRITING SUGGESTIONS
*Encourage and praise all writing attempted by your child.
*Provide time to write in a journal.
*Model writing!!!!!
*Have kids write to grandparents, cousins, etc.
*Have a Funny Family Happenings log where kids can write down the cute, funny, strange, interesting things that happen A LOT in a family!!!!
INCENTIVES (GRANDPARENTS - YOU CAN REALLY HELP HERE!)
It’s all well and good to have kids rewarded by the good feelings they get when they do something right! In fact it’s the BEST motivation around, so USE IT!!!!
BUT these skills require lots of HARD WORK, so other incentives can also be appropriate:
-stay up a little later -$
-extra one-on-one time with mom, -earn some “thing” wanted
dad, grandpa/grandma, friends... -food, treats, etc.
-more computer/electronic game time -a Family Fun activity
There are lots of more great activities on the Church Website: www.lds.org Follow this pathway:
Home & Family » Family Home Evening » Activities » Family Activities
Included are activities in all these areas:
Family Unity Learning Cultural
Nature Physical Family Preparedness
And now’s a great time to be sure your young men & young women work on their personal progress!
2010 SUMMER READING LIST
Summer provides many opportunities for parents and young children to enjoy unforgettable books together.
Before Entering Kindergarten
Aylesworth: Naughty Little Monkeys c2003 (alphabet book)
Bang: When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... c1999 (character)
Crews: The Neighborhood Mother Goose c2004 (nursery rhymes, diversity)
DePaola: Stagestruck c2005 (school story)
Drachman: A Frog Thing c2005 (humor)
Ehlert: Pie in the Sky c2004 (family, fiction)
Ehlert: Mole’s Hill: a Woodland Tale c1994 (folklore)
Ernst: The Gingerbread Girl c2006 (fairy tale)
Kimmel: The Gingerbread Man c1993 (fairy tale)
Penn: The Kissing Hand c1993 (family story)
Pfister: Rainbow Fish stories (animal stories)
Prelutsky: Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young c1986 (poetry)
Shannon: David Goes to School c1999 (humor)
Sierra: Counting Crocodiles c1997 (counting, rhyming)
Sierra: Wild About Books c2004 (animals, humor)
Taback: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat c1999 (diversity)
Thompson: Little Quack c2003 (animal story)
Williams: ‘More More More’ said the Baby: 3 Love Stories c1990 (family, fiction)
Wood: Alphabet Adventure c2001 (alphabet book)
Wood: The Napping House c1984 (sleep, fiction)
Before Entering First Grade
Asher: Too Many Frogs c2005 (frogs, humor)
Bailey: Stanley’s Party c2003 (dogs, humor)
Bloom: A Splendid Friend Indeed c2005 (friendship)
Brett: Goldilocks and the Three Bears c1987 (fairy tale)
Bruel: Bad Kitty c2005 (alphabet book)
Carle: Mister Seahorse c2004 (fish stories)
Cronin: Dooby, Dooby, Moo c2004 (animal humor)
Cronin: Diary of a Fly c2005 (insect, humor)
Fleming: The First Day of Winter c2005 (counting, rhyming, diversity)
Hoffman: Amazing Grace c1991 (ethnic diversity)
Lester: Hooway for Wodney Wat c1999 (fantasy, abilities awareness)
McKinley: One Smile c2002 (kindness)
Numeroff: Beatrice Doesn't Want To c2005 (realistic fiction, humor)
Prelutsky: Me I Am c2007 (poetry)
Rathmann: Officer Buckle and Gloria c1995 (safety, fiction)
Scotton: Russell the Sheep c2005 (animals, fiction)
Seuss: The Cat in the Hat c1957 (classic)
Shannon: A Bad Case of Stripes c1998 (individuality, fiction)
Silverman: Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: School Days c2007 (fiction)
Before Entering Second Grade
Cannon: Crickwing c2000 (insects, fiction)
Crews: Below c2006 (fiction)
Ernst: Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen c2005 (fantasy, animals, humor)
Hoberman: You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together c2001
(rhyming stories)
James: Dear Mr. Blueberry c1991 (letter writing)
Lobel: Frog and Toad stories (classics)
Mayer: Little Critter stories (fantasy, animals)
McKissack: Flossie and the Fox c1986 (folklore, ethnic diversity)
McKissack: The Honest-to-Goodness Truth c2000 (character, ethnic diversity)
McNaughton: Once Upon an Ordinary School Day c2004 (school story)
Numeroff: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and sequels c1985 (cumulative tales)
Pallotta: Dory Story c2000 (sea story, fiction)
Parish: Amelia Bedelia stories (classics)
Pearson: Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed c2002 (kindness, fiction)
Peterson: Don’t Forget Winona c2004 (historical fiction)
Polacco: Aunt Chip and the Triple Creek Dam Affair c1996 (television, reading, fiction)
Rylant: Henry and Mudge stories (family, dogs, humor)
Schachner: Skippyjon Jones c2003 (humor)
Stevens: And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon c2001 (nursery rhymes)
Waber: The House on East 88th Street c1962 (crocodiles, classic)
Woodson: The Other Side c2001 (friendship, ethnic diversity)
Before Entering Third Grade
Banks: Max’s Words c2006 (fiction)
Bridges: Ruby’s Wish c2002 (historical fiction, ethnic diversity)
Bunting: One Green Apple c2006 (historical fiction, ethnic diversity)
Christelow: Where’s the Big Bad Wolf? c2002 (folk and fairy tale)
Cox: Butterfly Buddies c2001 (friendship, school story)
Curtis: The Bat Boy and His Violin c1998 (sports, music, ethnic diversity)
Demi: One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale c1997 (folklore, math)
DiCamillo. Mercy Watson to the Rescue c2005 (animals, fantasy, humor)
Goble: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses c1978 (folklore, ethnic diversity)
Grindley: Dear Max c2004 (fiction)
Holm: Babymouse c2005 (graphic fiction, friendship, imagination)
Johnson: Just Like Josh Gibson c2007 (sports fiction, historical fiction)
Kerrin: Martin Bridge: Ready for Takeoff! c2005 (fiction)
Pinkney: The Ugly Duckling c1999 (fairy tale)
Preller: Jigsaw Jones series (mysteries)
Stilton: The Geronimo Stilton series (mice, fantasy, mystery)
Tunnell. Mailing May c1997 (historical fiction)
Warner: Only Emma c2005 (fiction)
Willey: Clever Beatrice c2001 (folklore)
Wyeth: Something Beautiful c2002 (fiction)
Before Entering Fourth Grade
Birney: The World According to Humphrey c2005 (fiction, humor)
Birney: The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs c2005 (fiction)
Clements: Lunch Money c2005 (school, humor)
Curtis: Mr. Chickee's Funny Money c2005 (mystery, ethnic diversity)
Duffey: Hey, New Kid! c1996 (school story)
Feelings: Soul Looks Back in Wonder c1993 (poetry, ethnic diversity)
Fleming: The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School c2007 (school story)
Grimes: Talkin' About Bessie c2002 (biography, ethnic diversity)
Gutman: My Weird School series (series, school humor)
Howe: It Came from Beneath the Bed c2002 (humor, fantasy)
Hurwitz: Fourth Grade Fuss c2004 (school story)
Kehret: Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays c1999 (animals, non-fiction)
MacDonald: No More Nasty c2001 (humor, school story)
McDonald: Judy Moody c2000 (humor, school story)
Noble: The Last Brother (Tales of Young America series) c2006 (historical fiction)
Pennypacker: Clementine c2006 (fiction, series)
Roy: A to Z Mysteries (series, mystery)
San Souci: The Dangerous Snake and Reptile Club c2004 (friends, fiction)
Strickland: When Mack Came Back c2000 (family, historical fiction)
Various authors: My America series (historical fiction)
Before Entering Fifth Grade
Barry: Peter and the Starcatchers c2004 (contemporary fantasy)
Collins: Gregor the Overlander c2003 (fantasy)
DiCamillo: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane c2006 (fantasy)
Foreman: Summer of the Skunks c2002 (historical fiction)
Gorman: Dork in Disguise c1999 (school story)
Gutman: Baseball Card Adventures (sports, historical fiction)
Hannigan: Ida B:… and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaste, and (Possibly) Save
the World c2004 (realistic fiction, school story)
Hunter: Into the Wild c2003 (animal fiction)
Lasky: The Capture (Guardians of Ga’Hoole series) c2003 (fantasy)
Martin: Main Street series (realistic fiction)
Norman: My Feet are Laughing c2006 (poetry)
Peck: A Year Down Yonder c2000 (humor, historical fiction)
Seidler: Toes c2004 (animals, fiction)
Smith: Bone c2004 (graphic novel)
Soto: Baseball in April and Other Stories c1990 (ethnic diversity)
Strasser: Help! Series (fantasy, humor)
Stewart: The Mysterious Benedict Society c2007 (fiction, adventure)
Wright: The Wish Master c2000 (realistic fiction)
Various Authors: Dear America series (historical fiction)
Skurzynski and Ferguson: Mysteries in Our National Parks series (mystery, adventure)
Before Entering Sixth Grade
Blackwood: The Shakespeare Stealer c1998 (adventure/mystery)
Broach: Shakespeare’s Secret c2005. (mystery)
Carbone: Stealing Freedom c1998. (historical fiction)
Creech: The Wanderer c2000. (adventure)
Cushman: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple c1996 (historical fiction)
Di Camillo: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a
Spool of Thread c2003. (fantasy)
Funke: Inkheart c2003 (fantasy)
Giff: Nory Ryan’s Song c2000 (historical fiction)
Golding: The Secret Within c2002 (contemporary realistic, child abuse (not sexual)
Haddix: Double Identity c2005 (mystery)
Hesse: Music of the Dolphins c1996 (realistic fiction)
Holm: Penny from Heaven c2006 (historical fiction) Newbery honor winner
Isaacs: Torn Thread c2000 (historical fiction)
Kehret: Abduction! c2004 (adventure/contemporary realistic fiction)
Levine: Hana’s Suitcase: A True Story c2002 (biography)
Paratore: The Wedding Planner’s Daughter c2005 (humor/romance)
Ryan: Esperanza Rising c2000 (historical fiction/diversity)
Smith: Peak c2005 (adventure/coming-of-age)
Selznick: The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures c2007
(adventure/mystery) 2008 Caldecott Medal Winner
Whelan: Angel on the Square c2001 (historical fiction)
