Summer Literacy

Pre-Primary School

List of 3 items.

  • Rising Two and Three-Year-Olds

    Download a copy of this information

    Opportunities for Reinforcement
    • Social-Emotional
      • Encourage your child to try new things
        • Sensory activities like cooking together, making slime/playdough, playing in the sand, making mud, digging in the dirt/gardening
      • Give your child opportunities to play with other children their age
        • Have play dates with neighborhood children and/or future classmates at a local park or in your backyard
        • Go to the library and join the weekly story time and/or check out books
      • Establish daily routines
        • Take pictures of daily activities (e.g., potty breaks, outside time, snack time, playtime, lunch, rest time, etc.) and have them put them in order every morning on a Morning Schedule Board.
      • Paint, draw and write
        • Use extra-large paper to foster motor skills—these are great ways to manage and express big emotions like disappointment or sadness.
      • Play music
        • Freeze Dance, Achy Breaky Bottom
        • Jump around and “act out” music
        • Create music with materials around the house
    • Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
      • Science
        • Do experiments
        • Make predictions
      • Math
        • Count and add
        • Recognize shapes and patterns
      • Literacy
        • Pre-Literacy skills are critical to your child’s reading performance in the future. Early literacy development includes awareness of books and print, hearing and playing with sounds in words, the relationships between letters and sounds, vocabulary development, story comprehension, and more! A few fun literacy activities are:
          • READ, READ, READ!
          • Visit your local library.
          • Storytelling (Picture books are great to use for storytelling. Storytelling is a fantastic activity for children to learn new vocabulary and how to construct their messages, sharpen memory, and improve listening skills. Encourage children to describe what they see.)
          • Blocks (Build castles, houses, farms. Once your masterpiece is built, create stories out of your play with animals and people.)
          • Acting out Stories (Read a story/rhyme together and discuss which characters you each want to be. Consider the props you might want to bring to this story alive.)
          • Treasure hunt (Use a tray or a toy box and throw a bunch of toys in it. Close your eyes and go on a “treasure hunt.” You can do this activity in a sandbox too. Bury toys in the sand and then go on a treasure hunt. As you and the child take turns pulling toys out of the box, encourage them to create a story from what they find. Storytelling is an important skill for oral language development.)
          • Crocodile Circle (Create a bin with a crocodile face on top, filled with letters and surprise cards. Pass the crocodile around the circle, singing, “Crocodile, crocodile down by the lake; I’m going to reach right in and see what (letter) you ate.” The person holding the crocodile then pulls a letter and calls it out. Start with the letters in your child’s name. Emphasize the sound of each letter!)
      • Hold something in one hand while using the other hand (e.g., hold a container and take the lid off)
      • Try to use switches, knobs, or buttons on a toy
      • Play with more than one toy at the same time (e.g., putting toy food on a toy plate)
      • Puzzles with 25-50 pieces
        • This work fosters:
          • Concentration
          • Spatial awareness
          • Shape recognition
          • Fine motor ability
          • Hand-eye coordination
          • Problem-solving skills
          • Language
      • Visit a local museums website, plan a day trip, and participate in their scavenger hunt
    • Physical / Core Strength Building (movement, fine motor, gross motor)
      • Swimming
      • Jumping on a trampoline
      • Climbing on playground equipment
      • Walking/Moving like a bear, crab, or other animals
      • Practicing yoga
      • Riding a bike
    Spontaneous and Structured Play
    Summertime is filled with many great opportunities for play, both spontaneous and structured. Continue to implement a consistent structure and routine for your child. This will allow them time to foster independence and autonomy.

    You will be your child’s primary playmate during these months—practice turn-taking and flexibility. For example, your child can choose what they would like to use, and then you can choose what will be next. We want children to continue hearing and accepting other people’s perspectives while implementing empathy and responsiveness.
    • Explore the Outdoors!
      • Have fun with bubbles.
      • Play with water and sponges.
      • Play hide and seek.
      • Collect rocks, wash, and paint them.
      • Toss water balloons.
      • Decorate a bike or scooter.
      • Paint a cardboard house outdoors.
      • Paint a mural outdoors. Go on a bug hunt.
      • Plant seeds in a garden.
      • Play with a water table.
      • Have a toy car wash.
      • Make a nature collage. 
    Providing opportunities for children to use their senses through sensory play is extremely beneficial for brain development. Sensory play builds nerve connections, promotes problem-solving and creativity, and enhances children’s scientific minds. Here are a few quick and easy recipes:
    • DIY Chalk Paint
      • 1 cup Cornstarch
      • 1 ½ cup water
      • Food coloring or washable paint 
      1. Let their imaginations go wild with this vibrant and easy recipe. Provide them with paintbrushes. They will have a blast painting sidewalks and driveways.
    • Honey Slime
      • 1 cup cornstarch
      • ½ cup honey
      1. Heat the cornstarch and honey in the microwave for a few seconds
      2. Then add 3-5 tbsp oil.
    • Cloud Dough
      • 1 cup cornstarch
      • ½ cup hair conditioner (any kind will do)
      1. Begin by adding the cup of cornstarch to your bowl. Then add your measured 1/2 cup of hair conditioner. Add it gradually to the bowl and mix both ingredients until you get a thick mixture. Continue stirring until it is soft and fluffy.
      2. Make sure you have a clean and flat surface to work on for this step!
      3. Grab the mixture and knead it for about one minute or until it is soft.
      4. Play with the cloud dough immediately and store it in an airtight container when done. 
    • Playdough
      • 2.5 cup water
      • 1 ¼ cup salt
      • 1 ½ tbsp cream of tartar
      • 5 tbsp of vegetable oil
      • 2.5 cups of flour (all-purpose)
      • Food coloring or watercolors
      1. Place all the ingredients minus the food coloring together in a large pot and stir until somewhat smooth. It will be lumpy. Not to worry, the dough will get smoother as it cooks.
      2. Place the pot on the stove and cook over low heat. Stir frequently with a large spoon. The water will slowly cook out of the mixture, and you’ll notice it starts to take on a sticky dough appearance. Keep mixing until the edges of the dough along the side and bottom of the pan appear dry. Pinch a piece of dough. If it’s not gooey, the dough is ready.
      3. Place the dough on a countertop, baking sheet, or large cutting board that can withstand a little food coloring.
      4. Knead the warm dough until it’s smooth, and then divide it into the number of colors you’d like to make. If you don’t want paint-stained hands, you could wear gloves for this step.
      5. Play with the dough immediately or store it in a large Ziplock bag or sealed container. Unused, it’ll keep for months.

  • Rising Four-Year-Olds

    Download a copy of this information

    Opportunities for Reinforcement
    • Literacy
      • Have a scavenger hunt (e.g., find the letter, find the letter sound)
      • Visit libraries
      • Read books and ask open-ended questions (i.e., “How..,” “What do you think…,” “Why...”)
      • Visit museums
      • Make cards for friends
      • Trace shapes and letters in sand or shaving cream
    • Math
      • Have a scavenger hunt (e.g., find this number, what has four legs)
      • Cook together (e.g., making playdough, making fruit kabobs, measuring)
      • Sort things (e.g., group leaves, rocks, and sticks; sort by size)
      • Make shapes (e.g., wiki stix, pipe cleaners)
    • Physical
      • Outdoor
        • Climb trees
        • Swim
        • Have a wheelbarrow race
        • Ride bikes or scooters
        • Have a scavenger hunt (e.g., nature)
        • Blow and/or play with bubbles
      • Art
        • Use sidewalk chalk
        • Paint with brushes and water
        • Practice finger painting
        • Hide things in playdough
        • Make a treasure map
        • Practice using scissors
        • Do a puzzle
    • Social and Emotional
      • Practice self-help skills to build autonomy (e.g., opening containers and bags; putting away toys/belongings)
      • Play cooperative games (e.g., Peaceable Kingdom)

  • Rising Kindergarten


    Opportunities for Reinforcement

    • Language, literacy, and math skills are playfully woven into each part of our day in our Kindergarten classrooms. These Summer Calendars are intended as springboards for fun and exploration throughout the summer months. Whether you complete every activity or choose only those that interest your child, please view the calendar as a chance to prompt your child’s inner mathematician, scientist, and creative thinker!

Primary School

List of 5 items.

  • Rising 1st Grade


    Opportunities for Reinforcement
    • RAZ Kids will be available to you over summer break. (Requires a login. Please see the email from your child's teacher.) 
    • Use this list of "trick words."
      • Keep these words fresh by using magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, or Scrabble pieces to build words, and add a timer and/or an additional player to make it a race.
      • Make it sensory. Use sand, sandpaper, and shaving cream, and write your trick words in or on the media.
      • Play Bingo or Memory.
      • Cut and paste needed letters from the newspaper or magazines to form words.
    • Encourage students to document their adventures and write letters to friends far and near. They can even dabble in reviewing the books they read.
      • Students can chronicle their adventures in a new journal, document them in a Google doc, or even write a postcard to a friend or teacher.
      • For students who like to practice their handwriting or prefer writing on the familiar lined paper, you can download and print copies of the Fundations Writing Paper.

    Skills Learned In the Previous School Year
    • Letter-sound association
    • Trick words
    • Tracking print
    • Recalling details and sequence events from a story
    • Composing a story with a beginning, middle, and end
    • Using inventive spelling
    • Beginning sentences with an uppercase letter and ending with appropriate punctuation

  • Rising 2nd Grade


    Opportunities for Reinforcement
    • RAZ Kids will be available to you over summer break. (Requires a login. Please see the email from your child's teacher.) 
    • Use this list of "trick words."
      • Keep these words fresh by using magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, or Scrabble pieces to build words, and add a timer and/or an additional player to make it a race.
      • Make it sensory. Use sand, sandpaper, and shaving cream, and write your trick words in or on the media.
      • Play Bingo or Memory.
      • Cut and paste needed letters from the newspaper or magazines to form words.
    • Encourage students to document their adventures and write letters to friends far and near. They can even dabble in reviewing the books they read.
      • Students can chronicle their adventures in a new journal, document them in a Google doc, or even write a postcard to a friend or teacher.
      • For students who like to practice their handwriting or prefer writing on the familiar lined paper, you can download and print copies of the Fundations Writing Paper.

    Skills Learned In the Previous School Year
    • Letter-sound association
    • Trick words
    • Making connections between texts on similar topics
    • Understanding characters and settings atypical from personal experience
    • Blending factual information with imaginative details to create a story
    • Using inventive spelling to closely approximate beginning, middle, and end sounds
    • Beginning sentences with an uppercase letter and ending with appropriate punctuation

  • Rising 3rd Grade


    Opportunities for Reinforcement
    • RAZ Kids will be available to you over summer break. Please use your child’s current login information for access.
    • Use this list of “trick words.”
      • Keep these words fresh by using magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, or Scrabble pieces to build words, and add a timer and/or an additional player to make it a race.
      • Make it sensory. Use sand, sandpaper, and shaving cream, and write your trick words in or on the media.
      • Play Bingo or Memory.
      • Cut and paste needed letters from the newspaper or magazines to form words.
    • Encourage students to document their adventures and write letters to friends far and near. They can even dabble in reviewing the books they read.
      • Students can chronicle their adventures in a new journal, document them in a Google doc, or even write a postcard to a friend or teacher.
      • For students who like to practice their handwriting or prefer writing on the familiar lined paper, you can download and print copies of the Fundations Writing Paper.

    Skills Learned In the Previous Year
    • Reading a variety of texts with expression
    • Trick words
    • Making predictions in both fiction and non-fiction text Inferring character traits, motivations, and feelings
    • Including interesting introductions and conclusions
    • Including details, definitions, or how-to steps
    • Organizing information on one topic into multiple paragraphs

  • Rising 4th Grade


    Required Reading
    • Rising 4th graders, we hope your summer is filled with lots of books and time spent reading. Complete this Bingo Board by reading a variety of genres in a variety of locations! Use your summer months to explore new-to-you genres in different reading spaces. We’ll share our best books upon our return to Lowell in September. These book conversations will help us develop norms around our classroom communities and set the tone for our goals as readers during the school year.
    • Parents, The following titles are part of our school year reading program, and your child will read a variety of the titles listed below in 4th grade. To facilitate classroom discussions about these books, we ask that your child avoid reading these popular titles over the summer. If your child has already read a few titles, that’s ok. Thank you so much!
      • Because of Winn-Dixie (DiCamillo)
      • Tiger Rising (DiCamillo)
      • Magician’s Elephant (DiCamillo)
      • Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (DiCamillo)
      • Front Desk including other books in the series (Yang)
      • Sea in Winter (Day)
      • We Still Belong (Day)
      • I Can Make This Promise (Day)
      • Two Roads (Bruchac)
      • In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse (Marshall)
      • She Holds Up the Stars (Laronde)

    Opportunities for Reinforcement (optional
    • We encourage students to document their adventures and write letters to friends far and near. They can even dabble in reviewing the books they read.
      • Summary Template: This is an example of what students should include in their book summary.
      • Book Review Template: Have students get creative and create a fun way to write a review. Here's an example of what they should include in a book review.
      • They can chronicle their adventures in a new journal, document them in a Google doc, or even write a postcard to a friend or teacher.
      • Editor's Checklist

    Skills Learned In the Previous Year
    • Summarizing a text
    • Making comments about a book (i.e., book review)
    • Reading a variety of genres
    • Writing in paragraph format
    • Using paragraphs and skipped lines to separate what happened first from what happened later (and finally) in a story
    • Editing

  • Rising 5th Grade


    Required Reading

    Each student should read Stargazing by Jen Wang over the summer. We will use this shared text during the first few weeks of school. 

    Recommended Reading

    Students should read one book from the list below.

    Opportunities for Reinforcement
    • We encourage students to document their adventures and write letters to friends far and near. They can even dabble in reviewing the books they read.
      • They can chronicle their adventures in a new journal, document them in a Google doc, or even write a postcard to a friend or teacher.

    Skills Learned In the Previous School Year
    • Summarizing a text
    • Making comments about a book (i.e., book review)
    • Reading a variety of genres
    • Balancing action, dialogue, and character thoughts/ feelings throughout a story
    • Using different kinds of information, such as examples, details, dates, and quotes, to inform
    • Using paragraphs to separate the different parts or times of the story or to show when a new character is speaking
    • Editing

Middle School

List of 3 items.

Summer Reading Resources

List of 2 items.

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Washington, DC 20012
202-577-2000

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Lowell School is a private PK-8th grade school located in NW Washington, DC. Our mission is to create an inclusive community of lifelong learners in which each individual is valued and respected.