July Study Guide 2020: Summer Learning

June 27, 2020

July Study Guide 2020: Summer Learning

Summer learning. Here’s a question we’ve been asked several times as a homeschooling family: “Are you continuing on with summer learning at home?”

Yes, learning at home this summer is a “GO!”

COVID-19 is still raging on and the stress has been hanging over our heads for months. This is pretty much what I’ve been hearing from other homeschoolers as well. But we are experts at free play and finding learning opportunities, so to keep us on track (and our minds active with fun things to do and learn) learning at home this summer makes sense.

For reference, both my kids are roughly at a first and third grade level. Many of the resources I’ve linked to reflect that.

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Fun things about July

Fun fact! This month’s full moon (July 5) is called the Thunder Moon. More moon facts.

Independence Day (U.S.) is Saturday, July 4.

Language arts

Different tools occupy our language arts toolbox. I pull from Oak Meadow for structure but also supplement with podcasts. “Circle Round” from WBUR is a favorite.

Specifically, we’re going to learn more about story summaries, more consonant blends and practice memorizing and reciting poetry.

We like read-alouds (short stories, poems and chapter books) for Poetry Tea Time. If you’re new to the idea of “Poetry Tea Time” – it is AMAZING. Want an excuse to light candles, bake brownies and snuggle up with a cup of tea? Look no further.

The kids also have personal goals of reading each day.

Music

Music appreciation is a huge part of our every day. We have been mostly learning music through just listening to different styles, free play on the piano and exercises in identifying rhythm.

Movement

While all of our out of home activities have ceased for the time being, we’re still wracking up hours for our 1,000 hours outside challenge. Other activities:

Dance parties – I’ve been just informed that we’re having an “America-themed” party with flags and patriotic music.
Go Noodle – a fun app we found that helps to get the kids moving – perfect for rainy days!
Wii Sports
Playing outside
Family hiking

Arts and crafts

Arts and crafts are interwoven throughout our studies. But the kids like to disappear to our “art studio” to create things out of cardboard, paper and glue. I’d like the kids to have a continuous craft project to work on, so I have carved out Monday afternoons for this deeper dive.

Other crafts this month:

write a poem on a painted background
Independence Day crafts
make handcrafted paper
make a watercolor thank you note
finish crafts from Creative Girls Club

Social emotional

Blank notebooks make great gratitude journals. At least twice a week, the kids draw a picture of their current mood and a few of the things they are grateful for.

Social studies

This month, we’re continuing with Oak Meadow’s curriculum. We’re revisiting family history, rhythms and stories.

The kids have learning about other cultures through “Let’s Go Luna” (PBS KIDS) and historical figures through “Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum” (PBS KIDS).

Health

I am taking the structure of Oak Meadow’s resources with my own spin and we’re covering: a review of last month, social skills, communication skills, respect and good sportsmanship. We’re aiming to cover this twice a week.

Science

The garden is in full swing and the kids have plenty to learn with us out in the yard. This month, we’re tending to the garden, learn about good bugs and bad bugs and what to do with some of the early fruits of the garden.

With Forest School on hold indefinitely, we’ve been pulling from the forest school themed books I have on hand from the library.

To keep things lively on the weekends, we’ll most likely do a Kiwi Crate box and or science experiments from the Magic School Bus Chemistry Lab.

In tandem with our Oak Meadow curriculum (charts, observations, predictions), the kids are going to continue tackling their animal study (Cheetahs and Pandas).

Animal Research Graphic Organizer (Education.com)

Math

Update: not much has changed here.

The kids love math and get a lot of practice in their workbooks. For a focused study, we’re aiming for twice a week. Multiplication is getting easier which means more fun quizzing each other at random times of the day.

We still love:

Prodigy is an adventure-based math learning platform.
Bedtime Math has been a fun way to teach practical applications and story problems. Each story ends with several math questions geared toward different age groups. They have an app, as well.
LEGO challenge cards
Math dice game – practice number combinations
Moose Math – basic operations practice