Summer Learning Academy

As a way of getting my feet wet back in the classroom, and warming up to teach 2nd grade this fall...I am spending 5 weeks teaching summer school. It's so interesting to me to hear the reactions of non-teacher adults to summer school. They wonder if the kids view it as punishment or if they want to be there...they wonder if its different from regular school instruction and if it makes a difference. Good questions, logical questions mostly. This year, I have the privilege of working with a group of 23 second graders who actually seem to like coming, and are pretty realistic about what they want to work on. The half day schedule works for me and them...and certainly makes us work harder all morning long.
In the past when I've taught, I always felt scattered and overwhelmed with where to start and how to plan, so I took it upon myself to simplify what I would cover as a result of the pre-assessment. We are 3 weeks in and still in schedule so it seems to be working :)

Monday, July 14th	Tuesday, July 15th	Wednesday, July 16th	Thursday, July 17th
*I can ask and answer questions to demonstrate I understand key details in an informational text *I can use strategies to generate addition and subtraction facts	*I can ask and answer questions to demonstrate I understand key details in an informational text *I can use strategies to generate addition and subtraction facts * I can use mental strategies to add and subtract two-digit numbers	*I can ask and answer questions to demonstrate I understand key details in an informational text * I can use mental strategies to add and subtract two-digit numbers * I can solve real-world and mathematical addition and subtraction problems with 2 digit numbers	*I can ask and answer questions to demonstrate I understand key details in an informational text * I can solve real-world and mathematical addition and subtraction problems with 2 digit numbers
Monday, July 21st	Tuesday, July 22nd	Wednesday, July 23rd	Thursday, July 24th
* I can describe the connection between events, ideas, concepts, or steps in an informational text * I can solve real-world and mathematical addition and subtraction problems with 2 digit numbers * I can use addition and subtraction to create and gather information from tables, bar graphs and tally charts	* I can describe the connection between events, ideas, concepts, or steps in an informational text * I can use addition and subtraction to create and gather information from tables, bar graphs and tally charts	* I can describe the connection between events, ideas, concepts, or steps in an informational text * I can use addition and subtraction to create and gather information from tables, bar graphs and tally charts	* I can describe the connection between events, ideas, concepts, or steps in an informational text * I can use addition and subtraction to create and gather information from tables, bar graphs and tally charts
Monday, July 28th	Tuesday, July 29th	Wednesday, July 30th	Thursday, July 31st
* I can retell stories I have read * I can identify the overall structure of a story * I can find the value of a group of coins. *I can tell time to the hour, half hour and quarter-hour.	* I can retell stories I have read * I can identify the central message, lesson or moral of a story * I can find the value of a group of coins. *I can tell time to the hour, half hour and quarter-hour.	* I can retell stories I have read * I can identify the central message, lesson or moral of a story * I can find the value of a group of coins. *I can tell time to the hour, half hour and quarter-hour.	* I can identify the central message, lesson or moral of a story * I can find the value of a group of coins. *I can tell time to the hour, half hour and quarter-hour.
Monday, August 4th	Tuesday, August 5th	Wednesday, August 6th	Thursday, August 7th
* I can identify differences in points of view of characters * I can use a ruler to measure lengths to the nearest centimeter or inch.	* I can identify differences in points of view of characters * I can describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. * I can use a ruler to measure lengths to the nearest centimeter or inch.	* I can describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. * I can ask and answer questions to demonstrate I understand key details in literature. * I can use a ruler to measure lengths to the nearest centimeter or inch.	* I can ask and answer questions to demonstrate I understand key details in literature. * I can use a ruler to measure lengths to the nearest centimeter or inch.

 The learning targets in blue are for literacy and the red are for math. It was so interesting to see how well their needs panned out for the 5 week plan. I post the learning targets weekly and it provides an anchor for the students and myself. You'd be amazed to hear how often they are asking the main idea question from week one "What is this text mostly about?" Its pretty cute :)

If I teach summer school again I will definitely use this method of planning and posting the learning targets we are working on. By the end of our program I believe the kids will have accomplished some very realistic goals and I will be able to measure their progress very specifically.

Here's to summer school! To those that attend and those that teach... Its a very different little world in here, isn't it? :)