PPS Summer Learning Guide 2018

SUMMER LEARNING GUIDE

PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SUMMER READING Reading lists for all grades.

MATH WORKSHOPS Summer math packets and workshops with fantastic teachers! Â

CAMPS & EVENTS Family-fun events all summer long!

& MUCH MORE!

IN THIS GUIDE, YOU WILL FIND

4 5

SUMMER READING LISTS HONORS & AP SUMMER WORK

6

MATH PACKETS

8

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

10 11

VPA CAMPS

PLYMOUTH YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATIVE

12

PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY

13

PLYMOUTH FAMILY NETWORK

14 16 17

HEALTHY PLYMOUTH

18

HEALTHY SUMMER TIPS

19

STAY CONNECTED

OLD COLONY YMCA

FREE FRIDAYS!

WHY SUMMER LEARNING IS IMPORTANT Summer is finally upon us!

As your children spend more days soaking in the sun and chasing ice cream trucks, it's important to mix in academic activities to prevent summer learning loss.

Research shows that the equivalent of one month of overall learning is lost after summer vacation.

In this guide, you will find resources to help prevent the "Summer Slide." From Plymouth Public Schools reading lists and math packets for all grades to camps and activities that will help keep your child's science and history knowledge proficient. This guide is full of helpful information. We hope you have a great summer vacation!

12 FUN WAYS TO HELP PREVENT SUMMER LEARNING LOSS

By Dr. Gail Gross, huffingtonpost.com

VISIT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY

A family trip to the library is a wonderful source for many activities. This includes taking turns reading to one another, sharing interests and opportunities for you and your child to write and discuss your choices of reading material. You can also record stories that you and your children create for one another, to be played back at bedtime or by a babysitter when you have a date night.

GO ON FIELD TRIPS

Field trips to art museums, science museums and history museums open up all kinds of activities that are related to history, math, science, geography and social studies. Not only do your children benefit from mutual discussions about your field trips, but also from reading, drawing pictures and writing stories about what interested them about their excursions. You can link a trip to a particular museum to the library, to find books that relate to the museum exhibitions. Then there are trips to ice cream factories, cheese factories, bakeries, farmer’s markets, arboretums, zoos, historical sites — all of which provide learning opportunities. Discuss with your children the measurements needed for baking and making ice cream and cheese, topics of history sites visited, and so on.

TRAVEL THE WORLD WITHOUT LEAVING HOME Geography was a big hit at our house. My family spent many hours looking at an atlas that we checked out at the library. The atlas is a great source of maps, color photos and explanations of resources found at particular locations. You can also hang a map in your children’s room and using colored tacks, track the course of a friend’s, family member’s or famous person’s trip across the globe. My family even planned dinner around a particular country, using the atlas to tell us what products could be found in that country and cookbooks to help us find native recipes.

This is not only a lot of fun, but also a great learning tool, as the mind remembers what is accompanied by the senses, especially sight, smell, touch, taste and the joy of creating.

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO CONNECT WITH OTHER CHILDREN Having a pen pal or a book club over the summer is a free and fabulous way of engaging reading and writing, English and literature.

COOK WITH YOUR CHILDREN Cooking is a great way to teach about measurements and how to use fractions. Theme nights for dinner not only teach cooking skills, but math, as you teach your child how to measure and convert weights, volumes and numbers. Using an historical cookbook for a taste of history can help you and your family re-enact events important to our past. History will be remembered when linked to a delicious meal, including an historical dessert.

GET INTO THE ACT WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY

PLAY SCHOOL WITH YOUR CHILDREN Let your child take turns being the teacher, with other children or with yourself. Include the creation of lesson plans, colorful pencils and workbooks.

Putting on family plays, writing scripts, rehearsing and memorizing parts can help your child not only learn about writing and organization, but also about performing. Try musicals, which can tap into your child’s musical talents and skills, while all along building self-esteem.

SPELL F-U-N WITH FAMILY GAME NIGHTS Family game night including Scrabble, Taboo or crossword puzzles, is a great way for your child to polish up on spelling. And simply enlarging your summertime vocabulary daily will increase your child’s.

TEACH ABOUT MONEY, STOCKS AND BONDS Use the newspaper as a teaching tool. This is an interesting and fun way to engage your children in math.

Your kids will love it, because they will feel grown up, imitating you.

SEND YOUR KIDS — AND YOURSELF! — TO CAMP If your child is lucky enough to be able to go to camp over the summer, they may enjoy a camp that focuses on their interests. For example, science camps and writing camps are interest-based. If you can’t afford a camp, you still have access to free and available day camp activities in your town or city. For example, performing arts centers, parks and recreation departments, various museums and outdoor theaters often offer free day programs in the arts, nature, and sports.

TAKE FAMILY VACATIONS — REAL OR VIRTUAL

ESTABLISH CHORES WITH A PURPOSE Small chores around the house can give your children the opportunity to save money, to count money and to plan for something special that they need their math skills to accomplish.

Supervised math, science, geography, history and spelling games on the Internet can be saved as a reward for a job well done.

Chores can provide so many lessons: responsibility, obligation, commitment, as well as curriculum.

Family trips to historic places like Williamsburg, Valley Forge or The Liberty Bell are fun vacations that include the re-enactments of important moments in history, and are so exciting. If you can’t afford family trips, you can plan for a future trip, and supervise the use of the Internet to create a virtual vacation. Remember, you don’t have to travel far or spend a lot of money: every town has its own historical sites that you can take advantage of, right there at home. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gail-gross/fun-ways-tohelp-prevent-summer-learning-loss_b_5435718.html

SUMMER READING

We are pleased to present the 2018 Plymouth Public Schools’ Elementary Summer Reading Program, offered in conjunction with the Plymouth Public Library’s program, “Libraries Rock!”

Research shows that frequent independent reading has a direct correlation to reading achievement and improves vocabulary and writing skills. We also encourage parents to read with their child, as reading aloud is another powerful way to enhance vocabulary, model fluent and expressive reading, and build listening comprehension.

The more students read, the better readers they become - and it is just plain fun too!

ENTERING GRADES 1-5

ENTERING GRADES 6-8

Click on the links below for summer reading lists

Click on the links below for summer reading lists

Elementary Summer Reading Overview

Middle School Summer Reading Overview

Grades 1 and 2 Summer Book List

Grade 6 Book List

Grade 7 Book List

Grades 3, 4 & 5 Summer Book List

Grade 8 Book List

Elementary Reading Response Packet

Middle School Reading Response Packet

ENTERING GRADES 9-12 Click on the links below for summer reading lists High School Summer Reading Overview

Required Summer Reading Book List One Pager Assignment Packet

HIGH SCHOOL

HONORS

& AP HONORS & AP COURSES SCIENCE &

TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING

MATHEMATICS SOCIAL STUDIES ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Our academic departments are proud of the Honors and Advanced Placement opportunities at Plymouth Public Schools and want you to be successful in your studies. These summer packets are designed to help you reach these goals by reviewing necessary skills. Be sure to follow the key information when completing your packet.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL YOU CAN FIND ALL HONORS & AP SUMMER WORK HERE!

RAISING THE BAR - FOR ALL: AP for everyone!

By Superintendent Dr. Gary Maestas

Traditionally, school districts have made AP classes available to the best of the best students and that was essentially based on grades. About a half a dozen years ago, we took a step back and looked at this approach. Were we missing an opportunity with students who showed potential in certain subjects, but their grades were not quite there?

In 2013, we changed our course and made it abundantly clear to all that AP courses were available to all high school students in grades 11 and 12.

READ MORE AT WICKEDLOCAL.COM

SUMMER

Your child has acquired many new skills this year in math class. However, over the summer months, many of the strides your child made the previous year may be lost due to summer math inactivity. For this reason, we are happy to provide your child with a summer math packet of skills that will help them start the year off right!

MATH PACKETS ENTERING GRADE 6

ENTERING GRADE 7

Summer Math Letter

Summer Math Letter

ENTERING GRADE 8 Summer Math Letter Click on the links above for math letters and Google Classroom codes. These packets are required, similar to summer reading, and will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis upon students’ return in the fall.

PNHS MATH TEAM 2017-2018

Congratulations to the PNHS Math Team on another undefeated season!

MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER MATH WORKSHOPS Students are encouraged to join several Plymouth math teachers this summer to jumpstart their summer math packets and receive any help they may need.

THANK YOU teachers!

Wednesday, June 27th – Ms. Geddis Wednesday, July 11th – Ms. Farley Wednesday, July 18th – Ms. Partridge Wednesday, July 25th – Ms. Benotti Wednesday, August 1st – Ms. Hapgood Wednesday, August 8th – Ms. Partridge Wednesday, August 15th – Ms. Good

Plymouth North High School 11:00am – 1:00pm You may drop in on any or all of these dates between the Room 247 hours of 11:00am and be

Wednesday, August 22th – Ms. Geddis

picked up by 1:00pm. Please bring something to write with and have some questions prepared for your teachers to best help with your math packet success

FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR FAMILIES

We know just how important it is to teach financial literacy at a young age. Opportunities such as the PSHS Credit for Life Fair have given students the chance to learn how to make important financial decisions. Visit consumerfinance.gov for helpful resources for families and children of all ages.

How Kids Develop Money Skills & More!

Watch PSHS Credit for Life Fair

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES & ADVENTURES

After spending hours exploring the great outdoors or relaxing at the beach, come inside and catch HABITAT EARTH at the Blake Planetarium. You won't want to miss this exciting full-dome show playing on July 11 and August 15 at 7:00 pm.

Tickets sell out fast!

Head to bitly.com/blakeplanet to get yours.

Habitat Earth

Through stunning visualizations of the natural world, dive below the ocean's surface to explore the dynamic relationships found in kelp forest ecosystems, travel beneath the forest floor to see how Earth's tallest trees rely on tiny fungi to survive, and journey to new heights to witness the intricate intersection between human and ecological networks. The show details the ways humans fit into this ever-evolving story of connection.

DISCOVER

Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary!

Spend your summer discovering the 481 acres of Mass Audubon’s Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary! From bird watching in the pine forest to aquatic explorations in the stream to monitoring firefly populations in the meadow there is a program for all ages and interests. Come explore the sanctuary on over three miles of trails from dawn until dusk and see how you can spend the summer enjoying the nature of Plymouth! To explore and register for our family and public programs visit our program catalog. For more information and ways to get involved contact Education Coordinator Morgyn Ellis at mellis@massaudubon.org or by phone at (508) 640-5202. www.massaudubon.org/tidmarsh

Follow on Facebook!

BLAKE PLANETARIUM The Blake Planetarium will be open all summer long with fascinating shows! It is the only 4K digital planetarium in Massachusetts south of Boston with 5.1 surround sound and full dome video capability.

WOW! Fully accessible with seating for 72.

A great family adventure. Don't miss out! Head to bitly.com/blakeplanet to purchase tickets.

ASTRONOMY 101 Tuesday, July 10 | 7:00 pm Tuesday, August 7 | 7:00 pm FROM EARTH TO THE UNIVERSE Tuesday, July 24 | 7:00 pm Tuesday, August 21 | 7:00 pm HABITAT EARTH Wednesday, July 11 | 7:00 pm Wednesday, August 15 | 7:00 pm

MID-SUMMER SKY Thursday, July 5 | 10:00 am Friday, July 6 | 7:00 pm Thursday, July 12 | 10:00 am Thursday, July 19 | 10:00 am Thursday, August 2 | 10:00 am Friday, August 3 | 7:00 pm

Open to the public Blake Planetarium 117 Long Pond Road Plymouth, MA 02340 pps_science@plymouth.k12.ma.us blakeplanetarium.com | 508-830-4470

LATE SUMMER SKY Thursday, August 16 | 10:00 am Friday, September 7 | 7:00 pm

ONE WORLD, ONE SKY: BIG BIRD'S ADVENTURE Wednesday, July 11 | 9:00 am and 11:00 am Monday, August 13 | 9:00 am and 11:00 am

@blakeplanetarium

@blakeplanet

TECHNOLOGY Check out these helpful apps and websites to keep your child's science and technology skills fresh this summer!

MERLIN BIRD ID

iNATURALIST

What's that bird? Merlin Bird ID helps you identify 2,000+ North, Central, and South American, and European birds.

One of the most popular nature apps, iNaturalist helps you identify the plants and animals around you.

PLUM'S CREATURIZER

NATURE PASSPORT

Kids and families can build wild creatures, then head outdoors to photograph them right in their own backyard.

An international app designed to get kids and families playing, exploring, and learning outdoors.

COMMON SENSE MEDIA

CODE.ORG

PARENTS! From apps and websites to TV and book, learn about how to keep your child safe. GREAT RESOURCES!

Interested in coding? Check out code.org for some fun activities.

BRAINPOP

CLEVER

Elementary and middle school students can learn and engage in fun Sy games using BrainPop through their school Google account!

Students can Clever all summer long! Go to clever.com/in/plymouth and use their Google ID to log in.

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS

Art, music and theater camps. Register today!

Musical Showcase July 9 - 13 9:00-3:00 PM | Held at PSHS $245 | Register here For students entering grades 6-9 for the 2018-2019 school year. Students of all abilities are welcome in this fun, supportive, and educational theater arts summer program, cotaught by current BROADWAY ACTOR from The Lion King!

Through acting, singing, and movement, students will explore songs and scenes from some of Broadway’s most beloved musicals. The first day will focus on getting to know students’ skills and interests. Students will then be selected to rehearse solos, duets, acting scenes, and/or small group numbers. All students will receive direction and personalized coaching.

Camp will culminate in an end-of-week showcase, performed at Plymouth South High School’s Black Box Theater!

The Kids Acting Up Theater Workshop

July 16 - 20 10:00-2:00 PM | Held at PCIS $125 | Register here

Calling all aspiring actors ages 7 to 12! Come and unleash your creative talents and imagination. This week-long program will encompass the basics of acting in a fun, friendly and positive way.

Through improvisation, theatre games and working with a script, students will work as a team, building self-esteem and confidence. At the end of the week all actors will have a chance to shine in a short production to be shared with family and friends.

A Cappella Workshop July 16 - 20 9:00-2:00 PM | Held at PNHS $160 | Register here Students entering grades 7 through 9 will spend a week learning about and singing contemporary a cappella music. Students will work on vocal percussion, stage presence, ensemble singing, and more while working with Dave Grossman, the Plymouth North High School choral director, and members of PNHS's a cappella program. The workshop will take place from July 16th through 20th, with a concert on the last day for friends and families to see what the students have accomplished.

eNature Photo Fun July 30 - August 3 9:00-1:00 PM | Held at PCIS $125 | Register here Bringing digital art and the outdoors together. This program is open to students entering grades 6-8 for the 2018-2019 school year. As a group we will spend time both indoors and outdoors taking photos and digitally modifying the images. We will use basic digital devices to capture the beauty and variety found on the trails around P.C.I.S. then use photo editing programs like Adobe Photoshop to modify and enhance the imagery.

Possible art projects might include creating photo montages, basic photo editing, and experimenting with exposure times to create fun effects.

Intermediate Summer Music

August 6 - 10 8:30-2:30 PM | Held at PNHS $230 | Register here

The intermediate program is designed for students entering grades 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 for the upcoming 20182019 school year with at least one year of instrumental experience that are working to improve their technique. Instructors will work with these musicians on sharpening their skills and expanding what they already know to make them better musicians. During the week, intermediate students will learn levelappropriate music theory concepts and techniques necessary to perform at an intermediate level. The week will culminate in a concert, demonstrating what the students have learned. The concert is Friday, August 10th at 12:00pm.

Instrumental Exploration August 6 - 10 3:00-5:00 PM | Held at PNHS $100 | Register here It is highly recommended that any student planning on participating in the instrumental program in the 2018-19 school year participate in this program. Our beginner program is for any students entering grades 4-6 for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year with no prior experience in instrumental music. Instructors will work with these students to prepare them to succeed in concert band and string ensembles. Musicians in this program will learn basic music theory concepts necessary to perform at a beginner level and basic concepts for playing instruments offered in our program. Upon completion of the program, these musicians will be prepared to perform with their school’s concert ensemble. (Students will not need an instrument for this program and will not be choosing an instrument for study until the Fall.)

FOLLOW VPA ALL SUMMER LONG!

PLYMOUTH YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATIVE The Plymouth Youth Development Collaborative (PYDC) is coordinated through Plymouth Public Schools and aims to reduce and prevent youth substance use, as well as increase protective factors that promote a healthy community.

Visit our website to learn more about the resources we provide at pydcplymouth.org.

SAVE THE DATE! Stay connected & help make a difference. Join us at one of our upcoming summer events.

A community coalition motivated around enhancing the lives of youth in our community.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018 Strike out the Stigma: Plymouth Pilgrims 6:30 pm | Forges Field Wednesday, August 1, 2018 PYDC Community Meeting 6:30 pm | Location: TBD

outreach. inform. educate. prevent. www.pydcplymouth.org

PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY Plymouth's Not-So-Secret-Gardens Summer Library Program 2018 will offer weekly and monthly programs, activities, and performances for patrons of all ages.

Sign up if you would like to earn tickets for our end of the summer prize drawing. Click for more information and to register.

Whether you are a gardener and have already taken advantage of our Seed Catalog or just want to watch with us as our garden grows here, this summer we are celebrating the season! We are giving away copies of three great titles we've picked to reflect upon with book talks and programs. Read along with us, drop by for some free movies, and check out our jam-packed summer calendar.

SUMMER AT THE LIBRARY

Movie nights, yoga club, pajama stories, nature crafts, science adventures, car shows, lawn concerts and more.

The calendar is full of exciting events for all ages.

See you at the library!

CALENDER OF EVENTS

For more summer fun, visit their website at plymouthpubliclibrary.org.

@plymouthlibrary

@plymouthlibrary

PLYMOUTH FAMILY NETWORK

PFN invites Plymouth families with children under five to join them for summer playgroup time in their air conditioned playroom! Children can play, learn, explore, and make new friends in our family-centered play space.

DROP-IN PLAYGROUPS 10:00 - 11:30 AM

TUESDAYS July 10, 17, 24

WEDNESDAYS July 11, 18, 25

Plymouth Family Network is located at PCIS/Plymouth Early Childhood Center 117 Long Pond Road, Plymouth

PFN SUMMER NEWSLETTER

It’s time to get outside and enjoy the weather and all of the great activities that will be happening in our community. The PFN staff has put together a newsletter full of free activities, recreational sites and adventures for families to explore during the less structured days of summer. Check out their newsletter for the fun opportunities this Summer including...

FREE LUNCH AT HEDGE STORY TIME ● BARN BABIES DRUMS ALIVE The Plymouth Family Network (PFN) provides parent outreach, education and community support services designed to make parenting less stressful, to build on family strengths and enhance school readiness. PFN welcomes all families residing in Plymouth who are expecting or have a young child. There are no income requirements and all services are free of charge.

HEALTHY PLYMOUTH Healthy Plymouth and Terra Cura, Inc. have partnered to provide organic, edible gardens to the Plymouth Public Schools and the community. The organic, edible gardens are going strong at Plymouth schools but help is needed to maintain these gardens this summer! Sign up and learn more at healthyplymouth.org.

SCHOOL GARDEN SUMMER WORKSHOP Terra Cura Inc., Healthy Plymouth and UMass Extension are partnering to present an outreach event to provide skills to the Plymouth community on how to grow their own fruits and vegetables at home, using organic principles, promoting nutrition and physical activity through planting and maintaining a home or school garden.

Tuesday, July 17 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Hedge Elementary School 258 Standish Ave, Plymouth

A special garden craft activity and delicious recipe demonstration and tasting

by Carole Guerin, BS, MA Nutrition Educator II, UMass Extension

Learn the health benefits of growing and eating organic fruits and vegetables, how to plant and maintain herbs, & much more. With a Healthy Kitchen Garden Box raffle filled with fresh, delicious herbs. All families welcome!

MORE ABOUT

HEALTHY PLYMOUTH

Did you know Healthy Plymouth provides even more than edible garden opportunities? Healthy Plymouth takes a look at our community from a number of perspectives with a single goal – enriching the quality of our lives through better health. From our homes to places of work to our schools and ultimately, ourselves, Healthy Plymouth is a resource. Explore more of these resources below!

Parks & Playgrounds Healthy Shopping & Farmers' Markets

Walking Trails

Recipes

Job/Volunteer Opportunities & Job Advice

www.healthyplymouth.org

Visit OldColonyYMCA.com for more summer programs!

COVER UP AND WEAR SUNSCREEN!

PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS HEALTH SERVICES For more great summer health & wellness resources, follow PPS Health Services on social media!!

STAY CONNECTED DR. LISA WHITE, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS COORDINATOR

@PlymouthAcCoord KELLY BITINAS, MATHEMATICS COORDINATOR

@PlyMathK12 ALISON RIORDAN, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY/ ENGINEERING CURRICULUM COORDINATOR

@PPS_Science @plymouthpublicschoolsSTE

ROBERT POWERS SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM COORDINATOR

@Rob__Powers

MIKE CAPLE, VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS COORDINATOR

@PPS_Presents @plymouthvpa

JULIA ZANGL COLBY, EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

#PPSEDTECH

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

@plymouthpublicschoolsma @plymouthsch @plymouthpublicschools +plymouthpublicschoolsma Plymouth Public Schools

www.plymouth.k12.ma.us

VIEW THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL CALENDAR!