Summer Homework & Supply Lists

• Lapdesk to be used when working outside - Example
• One-inch binder
• Earbuds or headphones (Note: Headphones must be compatible with iPad Air. Chunky plug-ins can be difficult with protective case.) - Recommended List 
• Markers (Crayola washable 10-color pack or similar)
• Colored pencils - 12 pack (or similar)
• Pencils - 12 pack
• Pencil sharpener
• Crayons - box of 24
• Two erasers (white erasers work better than pink ones)
• Scissors - Fiskars 7-inch student scissors or similar - Example
• Glue sticks
• One 9"x12" sketchbook for classroom - If you have the sketchbooks your child used last year and there are plenty of blank pages, feel free to send them back to school this year.
• Four folders
• Three highlighters
• 100 3"x5" index cards
• Backpack
• Lunch box (no heat-ups, so consider purchasing a thermos as well).
• Set of reusable silverware as part of lunchbox
• Water bottle (filled at home)
• Towel to use outside as a work rug
• Extra clothes/shoes
• Mud boots
• Sweatshirt to leave at school
• Raincoat or poncho to leave at school

• Set of drawing pencils (HB, B, 2B, 4B) - Example 1 or Example 2 
• Erasers (plastic and kneaded)
• Sketch book (Spiral is preferred. Last year's can be used if there is space.) 
• Watercolor paint set
• Bottle of white glue
• Pencil sharpener like this 

Summer Reading

Each 6-9 student is expected to read or be read to for 20 minutes at least five times per week. While children may choose any books that spark their interest, consider this list of suggested books from the New Castle County Library. The public library is a wonderful place to find a great selection of books (for free!) and to participate in their summer reading programs. You can also borrow downloaded books for your Kindle or iPad. If you have any questions, please ask your child’s teacher.

Math Review

One option for summer review for math is to have your child work through a mathematics workbook such as the Summer Math Skills Sharpener series. This can be ordered online at www.summerskills.com.

Please choose the grade level your child has just completed. Children can also practice using grade level math game apps or other possible websites:

• www.fun4thebrain.com – math fact games
• www.Aplusmath.com – online math games and printable worksheets
• www.education.com – online math games

Summer Box Project

In addition to maintaining reading and math skills over the summer, another part of your child’s summer homework is a project called “The Box Marked Summer.” In the interest of recycling, the students may use their “summer box” from a previous school year or find a shoebox/other small cardboard box to hold their vacation artifacts. Feel free to have them decorate the outside as well. In September, the children will share their “summer boxes” with the class. This is a wonderful way for the children (and teachers) to get to know one another. Ideally this is work the children would do over the course of the summer rather than in one day. All the items should fit neatly in the box. Here is a list of suggested items for your child to collect:

• Brochures or maps from a trip
• Trip itinerary
• Rocks, shells or pressed flowers
• Family photographs
• Journal entry
• List of stories/books read during the summer

In September, the teacher will let you know when your child may bring the box back to school.

• Two one-inch binders with dividers and tabs: one for math and one for writing (required for fourth-graders and only if needed for fifth- and sixth-graders)
• Writer’s notebook (required for fourth-graders and only if needed for fifth- and sixth-graders). This notebook is used to collect ideas. It can be any type of notebook your child likes. Sometimes it looks more like a journal and other times it is simply a composition book. This is your child’s choice.
• One composition book, graph ruled, for math (required for fourth-graders and only if needed for fifth- and sixth-graders)
• Manual pencil sharpener
• Two two-pocket folders 
• Packet of lined paper
• Pencils for personal use (labeled with your child’s name)
• Pack of markers
• Pack of colored pencils
• Pack of crayons
• Pack of multi-colored highlighters
• Permanent markers
• Post-its
• One cloth place mat (labeled with your child’s name)
• Lap table - Example
• Plastic container with lid for supplies - Example
• Backpack (Please note that backpacks need to fit in lockers. The dimensions of our lockers are 59 inches high, 9 ¾ inches wide and 10 inches deep.)
• Complete set of extra clothes
• Boots
• Beach towel
• Optional - Many children also prefer to have a personal binder (Case It) to organize their papers and materials. This is not required but may be preferred by your child.
• Suggested but not required - Students will want to sit on something when working outdoors - an old beach towel blanket or folding chair can serve this purpose. It is really up to you and your child to determine what they might prefer. Camping Chair - Example

Birthday Celebrations: We are collecting money for the birthday coordinator. $5 is needed for birthday celebrations that are held throughout the year. Please pay this in cash so money can be given directly to the coordinator.

Supplies for art class:

• Set of drawing pencils (HB, B, 2B, 4B) - Example 1 or Example 2 
• Color pencils
• Erasers (plastic and kneaded)
• Watercolor paint set
  Sketch book (Spiral is preferred. Last year's can be used if there is space.) 
• Bottle of white glue
  Crayons (eight-pack)
• Pencil sharpener like this (This is a really fantastic pencil/color pencil sharpener.  You can even purchase replacement blades for it!)

Required: The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777 (Dear America) by Kristiana Gregory.

This book is in preparation for our study of “How does the world work?” It is found on Amazon, ThriftBooks (online) as well as the public library.

Each student must select three additional books to read. The criteria for these books is listed below:

Three books from three different genres:

Students may choose the genres and the titles.

For all books*, students need to fill out an index card with the following information:

• Title
• Author
• Genre
• Main characters
• Interesting parts/facts

Each student should be prepared to share about one of their three choice books at book talks in September. Book talks are short, direct and mostly enthusiastic endorsements of particular titles. In one or two minutes, students will tell the story of a book they loved: who the main character is, what his or her problem is, a bit of the plot, its genre, and what made the reader love it. We want students to be inspired to read this book, not learn about exactly what happened. Think about a book review as an example. It will be helpful to have the book available for others to see or a picture of the cover. 

Possible Genres:

• Autobiography
• Biography
• Classic
• Fantasy
• Historical fiction
• Memoir
• Mystery
• Mythology
• Poetry anthology
• Poetry collection
• Realistic fiction
• Science fiction
• Short-story collection
• Sports novel

*Books may be found at the local library. Please do not feel that you need to purchase any of them. We encourage reading in any capacity, whether students read alone, with parents or siblings, with an audiotape or have books read to them. 

Note: We will be discussing these books in September. Completing summer reading in June may interfere with remembering details. Hot August days are great days for curling up with a book.

• Pens and pencils
• Erasers (both plastic and kneaded)
• Sharpies
• Markers
• Ruler
• Glue sticks
• Six-pocket file organizer - Example
• Two five-subject notebooks - Example 
• Case for individual supplies - Example 
• Water bottle with straw (filled at home each morning)
• Headphones or ear buds
• Lap desk to be used when outside working - Example

Supplies for art class:

• Spiral sketch book (if they have one from last year, they are free to use that for this year)
• Watercolor paint set
• Pencil sharpener - Example 
• Fiskars Scissors 
• X-acto Knife
• Drawing Pencils - Example 
• Drawing Pens - Example

The following are suggested but not required:

• Shoes to be left at school (can be an extra pair of sneakers, slippers, sandals, etc.) to be worn when indoors
• Collapsible camping chair - Example (Students will want to sit on something when working outdoors - an old beach towel, blanket, or folding chair can serve this purpose. It is really up to you and your child to determine what they might prefer.)

Reading
For summer reading, please select two books to read. For one of your books, you will create and present a book talk. Instructions for the book talk are included the below. If you would like to do a project instead of a book talk, please email Mandy to discuss options. For your second book, you will complete the worksheet included in your mailing.

Here are some links for suggested books:
ALA Summer Reading List (PDF)
Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge for Grades 6-8
Barnes & Noble Summer Books for Teens

Math
Please see specific assignments from Mandy.

Montessori Model United Nations
Topics have been assigned by Mandy. You will design a lesson to teach your classmates about your section of the charter. You may decide to work together or individually. If you want to work together, you will need to contact your group members to decide how to do this. Please refer to the pages included in your mailing for specific information about your assigned organization. You should also use other resources.

Each group or individual will be tasked with teaching the class the purpose of their organization, how it functions, and the work and services it performs. Group lessons need to be 30 minutes (with all participants having an active role), and individual lessons need to be 15 minutes. You should be creative in how you teach your lesson. Please be prepared to give this lesson during the first week of school as we will start preparing for MMUN early!