Summer Learning Projects

In my last blog post, I talked about my need to organize some learning activities for my girls, and for the family in general this summer. I gave many specific reasons for doing this, and if you're interested, you can read about them in the blog titled "A Change of Course".

New Experiences for the Entire Family:

• Visit Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids
• See a race at the Hartford Motor Speedway
• Take family to see the Charlie Daniels Band
• Go to the Drive-In movies at least once
• Visit Short's Brewing
• Go on vacation to the Upper Peninsula
  

Learning Projects, Goals, & Experiences for Shana:

• Take a long bike ride with Mom or Dad. Ask Shana to look at a Berrien County map and plan the route. Could also obtain a map of bike routes in the area, and devise a course.
• Enter 2-3 projects in the BCYF.
• Continue working on crocheting (possibly crochet something for one of the BCYF projects).
• Add to personal blog at least once per week.
• Continue to improve math skills in a variety of ways: do Study Island a couple times per week; do surveys on topics of interest, and then make a graph to show the results; ask Mom or Dad to set-up an "Amazing Math Race"; use manipulatives to practice multiplication and division; review adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers.
  
• Take a long hike with mom. Look at park maps to plan the adventure.
  
• Learn about horses by participating in a week-long Horse Camp.
  
• Study nature through summer classes at Sarett Nature Center.
• Spend 20 minutes per day writing for pleasure, whether it be a short story, poems, or a chapter book.
  
• Invite a friend to do something with you at least once every 7-10 days.
  
• Review some of the stuff you've learned over the last couple of years: states & capitals, presidents, etcetera.
  
• Continue learning French (work on this a little everyday).
  
• Use your new painting set to make some cool paintings to decorate your room in Hagar Shores.
• Continue practicing and improving on the violin.
  

Learning Projects, Goals, & Experiences for Stella:

• Study nature through classes at Fernwood and Sarett Nature Center.
• Continue learning French.
• Work on reading, and hopefully be able to read basic books by the end of summer.
• Play math games using rocks, sticks, and whatever is available in the yard.
  
• Learn to name the 50 US states.