Reading and Writing Activities During Summer Break

I prefer most of the tried and true "old school" traditions because they can be adapted to today's technology and still will be a fundamental in learning and positive reinforcement. Having a few choices makes it more fun because each student will be inclined to choose whatever fits their personality best. Some students would absolutely self destruct if asked to actually read a book over the summer; but they would love to do a video journal and you can ask them to report on how they made it and how it affected them.

Book Reports:

Depending on the age of the students this can be a great adventure read for the summer or they may look at it as a chore. So I would prefer if the teacher comes up with a very detailed and precise list of many options to read on the summer break.

Journals and Collages:

Writing down either their feelings about what the summer was like for the student or writing down their experiences often helps define our lives. It doesn't have to be all written down; you could also suggest some pictures and even video or audio input. Usually the simpler the better; that way if you have students that have no intention of putting too much effort into learning on summer break; they have an out, but are still doing a valuable assignment.

Autobiography:

It can be a fun assignment to only have to write about yourself and your own experiences. Being on summer break can help the students shape what they are writing and keeping track of in a first person accounting. It can also help students who are learning about writing structures on how to phrase and set up some of the chapters and formats.

My Summer Vacation:

This is usually the favorite because there is usually competition involved on who had the best or the worst vacation. It also is usually the most creative because people tend to get very involved when describe in pictures, videos, etc. what went on and where they were.

These methods can still be a great way to "get back into" the learning and discipline side of school to let the students vent and express the views from the summer break and in order to start a new.