SCIENCE:
MSU - Woman in Engineering (Spartan Programs for all ages): www.egr.msu.edu/wie/k-12/programs-outreach
Pure Michigan - Events for every season: http://www.michigan.org/events/
20 + Things to do in Michigan (your ultimate summer bucket list): http://www.michigan.org/blog/events/20-free-things-to-do-in-michigan-this-summer/
Planet Walk: http://www.lansing.org/listings/planet-walk/1007/
Potter Park Zoo: http://www.potterparkzoo.org/
DIY science activity ideas: http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/learning-activities/science
Plan a visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: http://www.meijergardens.org/plan/
Visit Wildlife Reflection's Taxidermy Studio to see Mark Esch's natural artistry : http://www.wildlifereflection.com/refrences.html
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ and http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/?ar_a=1
Photographs and videos of animals and natural environments, links to encyclopedia resources, craft ideas, puzzles, and quizzes.
http://kids.usa.gov/teens/index.html- The WebRangers game simulates being a national park ranger, and students can practice cryptology and code breaking, explore the 50 states, discover health careers, learn tips for saving money, and listen to stories from Peace Corps volunteers.
Google Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as they typically kicking off the summer with some free boating, park, and fishing days. I encourage you to head out to a state or local park with a day pass, usually a minimal cost. Consider going for a hike and looking for wildlife, identifying plants, or talking about ecosystems. Many state parks host special events for kids. Be on the lookout for these!
SciStarter – Science ideas, activities, projects: www.scistarter.com
Leafsnap – An electronic field guide: http://leafsnap.com
eBird – A bird-watching checklist: http://ebird.org/content/ebird
World Water Monitoring – www.worldwatermonitoringday.org
Living Fossils – https://priweb.org/
Global Access to Knowledge About Life on Earth (text, pictures, videos, sounds, maps, classifications, and more.) - http://eol.org
Zooniverse - People Powered Research (volunteer to help reseachers deal with the flood of data that confronts them) - http://zooniverse.org
http://sciencenetlinks.com/tools/- The American Association for the Advancement of Science has interactive games, podcasts, information on the inner workings of the body, and science news written by young readers.
http://wonderopolis.org/- Each day, this site explains a new “wonder” of daily life, for example, how to create harmony, why zebras have stripes, and where buffalo roam.
http://iwaswondering.org/- Inspired by the middle-school biography series, Women’s Adventures in Science, this site has brief biographical information and interactive games, including a virtual telescope.
Michigan State University Programs & Opportunities:
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources: https://www.canr.msu.edu/
MSU Animal Science Youth Events Calendar: https://www.canr.msu.edu/ans/extension/youth_events
Spartan Youth Programs- http://spartanyouth.msu.edu
Engineering Program for Students of all ages: http://www.egr.msu.edu/future-engineer/programs
Vet-a-Visit - https://cvm.msu.edu/vetschool-tails/vet-a-visit
Science Festival (in April): http://sciencefestival.msu.edu/
Abram’s Planetarium at MSU: http://www.abramsplanetarium.org/
MSU Museum - Where Science and Culture Meet: http://museum.msu.edu/
MATH:
Seek a local math tutor that you KNOW will provide quality support and instruction.
Access IXL accounts to review concepts already taught or preview future concepts (available for one year; yes, even throughout the summer)
Algebra Balance Scales Negatives (a fun, interactive way to practice solving equations): http://www.hoodamath.com/mobile/games/algebrabalanceequations.html
Common Core Standards Map - http://www.illustrativemathematics.org/standards/k8-
Summer Skills- www.summerskills.com- You can purchase full books on this website, but if you explore a certain grade level you will also get many sample problems that you can do to practice skills at a certain grade level. It is a good way to practice those basic skills.
Math Facts Apps (fun and interesting apps to use for practicing Math facts over the summer): http://www.edutopia.org/blog/10-apps-for-math-fluency-monica-burns
Bedtime Math- This is a great website for kids of all ages to read about an interesting situation and then answer age-appropriate Math questions. http://bedtimemath.org/dailymathproblem/
ART:
Saturday Morning Art at MSU (SMart): http://www.art.msu.edu/community/smart/
Design your own abstract art: https://www.pinterest.com/expressivmonkey/abstract-art-lessons/?lp=true
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/kids.html- The National Gallery of Art website features the Photo Op program, which allows kids to use a virtual camera to take pictures and experiment with photo-editing tools; they can also create virtual paintings, assemble collages, and explore art history.
READING: Reading is a fundamental skill that transcends all subjects.
Practice, practice, practice this skill with your student!!!
"A Magical Summer of Reading" http://www.scholastic.com/ups/campaigns/src-2016
DeWitt District Library - Learn, Connect, Explore: http://www.dewittlibrary.org/
Schuler Books Summer Reading: https://www.schulerbooks.com/summer-reading-club
Reading Trainer App- There are free apps and apps that you can purchase that use this name. All of them are designed to improve reading speed and retention rate.
Grade 7 Vocab Audio and Pics App- This app is designed to help strengthen vocabulary skills for this age level.
Middle School Vocabulary Prep App- This app is designed for students to solidify their word skills.
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), can help you find some of the best books: www.ala.org/yalsa/best-fiction-young-adults
Social Studies:
Open Street Map (a free, interactive, worldwide map to easily explore streets and communities around the world) - http://www.openstreetmap.org
Historypin App - This app reveals historical photos and allows them to be layered with a modern scene.
GeoBee Challenge App- This is a challenging app with geography and history questions to test students’ knowledge.
www.mission-us.org- Free, interactive, online games about the Revolutionary War, slavery, and the Westward Expansion
General Summer Classes:
DeWitt Community Education Classes: https://www.active.com/orgs/dewitt-community-education
Grand Rapids Academic Summer Programs (GRASP) - a nine week correspondence summer program written for math and reading, designed for children who have completed grades K-8. Children receive a packet of materials in the mail, the lessons are scored, results recorded, and lessons returned. An online version of GRASP is also available for grades 4-8: www.grps.org/GRASP Register at: http://grasp.grpublicschools.org/
LCC Youth Programs: https://www.lcc.edu/learning/youth-programs/index.html
Student design solutions for real world challenges: www.discoverDesign.org
http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home- More than 250 free e-books, and kids can print, illustrate, and construct their own picture books, play games to test their comprehension, and do math activities.
CAMPS:
YMCA: http://www.michiganymcacamps.org/?gclid=CJLoj5TXu70CFY0-MgodSUIAdw
Other Sites worth visiting for ideas:
Lansing, MI, visitor attractions: http://www.lansing.org/visitor/things-to-do/attractions-museums/
Family Fun ideas in Lansing, MI: www.lansingfamilyfun.com
Michigan History Center: http://www.michigan.gov/mhc/0,4726,7-282-61080_62766---,00.html
Clinton County Events: http://www.clintoncountychamber.org/events/
DeWitt Ox Roast: http://www.dewittoxroast.org/
GREAT resource for understanding Pediatric Heart Surgery : http://smheart.weebly.com/
MSU - Woman in Engineering (Spartan Programs for all ages): www.egr.msu.edu/wie/k-12/programs-outreach
Pure Michigan - Events for every season: http://www.michigan.org/events/
20 + Things to do in Michigan (your ultimate summer bucket list): http://www.michigan.org/blog/events/20-free-things-to-do-in-michigan-this-summer/
Planet Walk: http://www.lansing.org/listings/planet-walk/1007/
Potter Park Zoo: http://www.potterparkzoo.org/
DIY science activity ideas: http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/learning-activities/science
Plan a visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: http://www.meijergardens.org/plan/
Visit Wildlife Reflection's Taxidermy Studio to see Mark Esch's natural artistry : http://www.wildlifereflection.com/refrences.html
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ and http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/?ar_a=1
Photographs and videos of animals and natural environments, links to encyclopedia resources, craft ideas, puzzles, and quizzes.
http://kids.usa.gov/teens/index.html- The WebRangers game simulates being a national park ranger, and students can practice cryptology and code breaking, explore the 50 states, discover health careers, learn tips for saving money, and listen to stories from Peace Corps volunteers.
Google Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as they typically kicking off the summer with some free boating, park, and fishing days. I encourage you to head out to a state or local park with a day pass, usually a minimal cost. Consider going for a hike and looking for wildlife, identifying plants, or talking about ecosystems. Many state parks host special events for kids. Be on the lookout for these!
SciStarter – Science ideas, activities, projects: www.scistarter.com
Leafsnap – An electronic field guide: http://leafsnap.com
eBird – A bird-watching checklist: http://ebird.org/content/ebird
World Water Monitoring – www.worldwatermonitoringday.org
Living Fossils – https://priweb.org/
Global Access to Knowledge About Life on Earth (text, pictures, videos, sounds, maps, classifications, and more.) - http://eol.org
Zooniverse - People Powered Research (volunteer to help reseachers deal with the flood of data that confronts them) - http://zooniverse.org
http://sciencenetlinks.com/tools/- The American Association for the Advancement of Science has interactive games, podcasts, information on the inner workings of the body, and science news written by young readers.
http://wonderopolis.org/- Each day, this site explains a new “wonder” of daily life, for example, how to create harmony, why zebras have stripes, and where buffalo roam.
http://iwaswondering.org/- Inspired by the middle-school biography series, Women’s Adventures in Science, this site has brief biographical information and interactive games, including a virtual telescope.
Michigan State University Programs & Opportunities:
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources: https://www.canr.msu.edu/
MSU Animal Science Youth Events Calendar: https://www.canr.msu.edu/ans/extension/youth_events
Spartan Youth Programs- http://spartanyouth.msu.edu
Engineering Program for Students of all ages: http://www.egr.msu.edu/future-engineer/programs
Vet-a-Visit - https://cvm.msu.edu/vetschool-tails/vet-a-visit
Science Festival (in April): http://sciencefestival.msu.edu/
Abram’s Planetarium at MSU: http://www.abramsplanetarium.org/
MSU Museum - Where Science and Culture Meet: http://museum.msu.edu/
MATH:
Seek a local math tutor that you KNOW will provide quality support and instruction.
Access IXL accounts to review concepts already taught or preview future concepts (available for one year; yes, even throughout the summer)
Algebra Balance Scales Negatives (a fun, interactive way to practice solving equations): http://www.hoodamath.com/mobile/games/algebrabalanceequations.html
Common Core Standards Map - http://www.illustrativemathematics.org/standards/k8-
Summer Skills- www.summerskills.com- You can purchase full books on this website, but if you explore a certain grade level you will also get many sample problems that you can do to practice skills at a certain grade level. It is a good way to practice those basic skills.
Math Facts Apps (fun and interesting apps to use for practicing Math facts over the summer): http://www.edutopia.org/blog/10-apps-for-math-fluency-monica-burns
Bedtime Math- This is a great website for kids of all ages to read about an interesting situation and then answer age-appropriate Math questions. http://bedtimemath.org/dailymathproblem/
ART:
Saturday Morning Art at MSU (SMart): http://www.art.msu.edu/community/smart/
Design your own abstract art: https://www.pinterest.com/expressivmonkey/abstract-art-lessons/?lp=true
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/kids.html- The National Gallery of Art website features the Photo Op program, which allows kids to use a virtual camera to take pictures and experiment with photo-editing tools; they can also create virtual paintings, assemble collages, and explore art history.
READING: Reading is a fundamental skill that transcends all subjects.
Practice, practice, practice this skill with your student!!!
"A Magical Summer of Reading" http://www.scholastic.com/ups/campaigns/src-2016
DeWitt District Library - Learn, Connect, Explore: http://www.dewittlibrary.org/
Schuler Books Summer Reading: https://www.schulerbooks.com/summer-reading-club
Reading Trainer App- There are free apps and apps that you can purchase that use this name. All of them are designed to improve reading speed and retention rate.
Grade 7 Vocab Audio and Pics App- This app is designed to help strengthen vocabulary skills for this age level.
Middle School Vocabulary Prep App- This app is designed for students to solidify their word skills.
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), can help you find some of the best books: www.ala.org/yalsa/best-fiction-young-adults
Social Studies:
Open Street Map (a free, interactive, worldwide map to easily explore streets and communities around the world) - http://www.openstreetmap.org
Historypin App - This app reveals historical photos and allows them to be layered with a modern scene.
GeoBee Challenge App- This is a challenging app with geography and history questions to test students’ knowledge.
www.mission-us.org- Free, interactive, online games about the Revolutionary War, slavery, and the Westward Expansion
General Summer Classes:
DeWitt Community Education Classes: https://www.active.com/orgs/dewitt-community-education
Grand Rapids Academic Summer Programs (GRASP) - a nine week correspondence summer program written for math and reading, designed for children who have completed grades K-8. Children receive a packet of materials in the mail, the lessons are scored, results recorded, and lessons returned. An online version of GRASP is also available for grades 4-8: www.grps.org/GRASP Register at: http://grasp.grpublicschools.org/
LCC Youth Programs: https://www.lcc.edu/learning/youth-programs/index.html
Student design solutions for real world challenges: www.discoverDesign.org
http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home- More than 250 free e-books, and kids can print, illustrate, and construct their own picture books, play games to test their comprehension, and do math activities.
CAMPS:
YMCA: http://www.michiganymcacamps.org/?gclid=CJLoj5TXu70CFY0-MgodSUIAdw
Other Sites worth visiting for ideas:
Lansing, MI, visitor attractions: http://www.lansing.org/visitor/things-to-do/attractions-museums/
Family Fun ideas in Lansing, MI: www.lansingfamilyfun.com
Michigan History Center: http://www.michigan.gov/mhc/0,4726,7-282-61080_62766---,00.html
Clinton County Events: http://www.clintoncountychamber.org/events/
DeWitt Ox Roast: http://www.dewittoxroast.org/
GREAT resource for understanding Pediatric Heart Surgery : http://smheart.weebly.com/