Summer Homework & Supply Lists
- Content
| Please review the summer homework and supply lists for your child's age level. If you have questions, please contact your child's classroom teacher. See you this fall! |
Primary (3-6)
Lower Elementary (6-9)
2021-22 Lower Elementary Supply List & Summer Homework
(For students entering first through third grades)
Summer Reading
The summer homework packet sent home with progress reports also includes tips for supporting literacy, suggested sight word activities and a 25 Day Reading Challenge. All of these are optional. If you have any questions, please ask your child’s teacher.
Math Review
All incoming 6-9 students will benefit from continuing to practice addition and subtraction. Incoming third-years may also practice multiplication facts. Students with existing Prodigy accounts may continue to use it throughout the summer. The Summer Math Skills Sharpener series is a good screen free option for multi-skill math practice. This can be ordered online at www.summerskills.com. The book publishers recommend that parents/guardians purchase workbooks at the grade level the student just completed. If your child encounters a math problem or skill they do not know, please skip it.
Summer Box Project
In addition to maintaining reading and math skills, another part of your child’s homework is a project inspired by Bobbi Katz’s “What Shall I Pack in the Box Marked Summer?” The poem highlights the fleeting joys of the season. Begin by sharing the poem with your child.
Over the next few months, have your child collect artifacts that represent their summertime experiences. All of the items should fit neatly in the suitcase style white box sent home. Feel free to have them decorate the outside, if they have not already done so. 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, your child's teacher will let you know when your child may bring the box back to school to share with the class. This is a wonderful way for the children (and teachers) to catch-up and get to know one another.
Supply List
Below is a list of items that 6-9 students are expected to bring to school on the first day. Please put your student’s name on each of the items below.
- Four folders (with pocket bottoms)
- Plastic clipboard with flat clip (found on Amazon or something similar)
- 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.
- Additional sketchbook for art (Spiral is preferred. Last year's can be used if there is space.)
- Backpack (small - lockers are 6" wide and 11" deep)
- $6 for a recorder for music class (If your child already has a recorder for WMS music class, please send it with your child in lieu of the $6.)
Outdoor Learning Supplies:
- A complete change of clothing (including underwear, pants, shirt, socks) as well as an extra sweater or sweatshirt
- Raincoat or poncho to leave at school
- Mud boots or outdoor shoes for the playground
- Lap desk (similar to this or this on Amazon)
- Beach towel
Lunch:
Reusable lunch items are strongly encouraged in order to reduce our impact on the environment.
- Reusable lunchbox
- Washable cloth placemat
- Reusable silverware (available on Amazon)
Upper Elementary (9-12)
2021-22 Summer Homework & Supply List
(For students entering fourth through sixth grades)
If you have questions, please contact your child’s teacher for further information.
Room 9 teacher: Allie Colflesh
Summer Reading
Required: Masterpiece by Elise Broach - this 2009 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year is the tale of a beetle and boy who join forces to help recover stolen artwork. This book is in preparation for our cultural studies centered around this year's essential question: “What does it mean to be human?” It is found on Amazon, ThriftBooks (online) as well as the public library.
In addition, each student must select three additional books to read from three different genres. The criteria are listed below:
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
- Basic plot including the main problem and the most interesting parts
- Do not spoil the ending!
These books will be presented through book talks, which 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
- Informational
- Memoir
- Mystery
- Mythology
- Poetry anthology
- Poetry collection
- Realistic fiction
- Science fiction
- Short-story collection
- Sports novel
- Graphic 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 audiobooks, 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.
Practicing Math Facts
- Make and use flash cards to practice math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).
- Play a game of War. You will need two decks of cards. Remove the face cards. When two cards are put down in play, the first one to compute (add, subtract, or multiply) them correctly takes the cards.
- Use dice. Roll and compute your answer. Make an addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division chart with all the fact families.
- Play Math Baseball or other math fact games here.
- Use dominoes to practice. You can use real ones or make them from paper. Each time a domino is placed down, compute.
- Create 20 or more number cards with one number (1-10) on each card. Create 20 more cards with an equation sign ( + - x ) on each card. Place cards in 2 piles face down, one pile of number cards and one pile of equation sign cards. One sign card is flipped over. Each player chooses a number card off the top of the deck and players see who can figure out the problem first.
Montessori Model U.N. for Rising Sixth-Graders
The following are the directions for your sixth grade and middle school project. Please make sure you are working throughout the summer on this project. Make a timeline to support a completion date prior to the first day of school. This project is designed to give you a foundation of knowledge about the United Nations.
Section of the Charter Lesson
You are going to become an expert of one of the following areas:
(Your teacher will notify you as to which section you are assigned to.)
- The General Assembly
- The Security Council
- The Economic and Social Council
- The International Court of Justice
- The Secretariat
You will design a lesson to teach your classmates about your section of the charter. Please refer to the pages included in this packet you received with your progress report for specific directions on this part of your project. You may decide to work together or individually. Group lessons need to be 30 minutes (with all participants having an active role) in length, and individual lessons need to be 15 minutes. Your United Nations summer project needs to be complete by the first day of school. We will be working on this and you will be teaching your part within the first few days/weeks of school.
Please contact Mandy Balanetsky, Lead Middle School Teacher, with any questions.
Supply List
Middle School
2021-22 Middle School Summer Homework & Supply List
(For students entering seventh and eighth grades)
If you have questions, please contact your child’s teacher for further information.
Room 10 teacher: Mandy Balanetsky
Summer Reading Project
- Pragmatic Mom Blog: My Son's 7th Grade Recommended Reading List
- Scholastic Middle School Summer Reading Recommendations
- Understood.org: 7 Fun Summer Books for Reluctant Readers in Grades 6–8
Soundtrack
Create an eight-song soundtrack for your book. For each song, write a 3-5 sentence explanation of why you chose the song and how it connects to the book.
Movie Trailer
If your book was going to be turned into a movie, what would the movie trailer look like? Create and record a movie trailer that is 1-2 minutes in length, and write a two-paragraph explanation of how your trailer represents the movie. Watch a few movie trailer examples on Youtube prior to creating your own.
Current Events
Select five current news stories that you think a character or characters from your book would be interested in. Write a paragraph explaining how your character would respond to each of the stories and the opinions your character would have about what was happening in the story.
Children’s Book
Rewrite your book into a children’s book that includes the main characters and key events in a way that a young child would be able to understand. Your book should also be illustrated.
Characters Come to Life
Create portraits of two of the characters in your book. The portraits should also include a three-paragraph written piece that tells about the character. The piece might also include information about events, traits or conflicts in the book that involve that character.
Script It
Write a movie or play script for a favorite scene in your book. At the top of the script, assign real-life actors and actresses to play each role.
Letter to the Author
Write a letter to the book’s author. Your letter should include your feelings about the characters, plot, and ending of the book. It should also include feedback on things you loved about the book, feedback on things you would change about the book, and questions that you may still have about the book.
Sing It
Write and record your own theme song for the book. The song should represent the overall theme of the book and make mention of the main characters, setting, etc.
Build It
Build a scene from the book using any materials that you wish. The scene should be important to the book. You should also include a three-paragraph explanation of the scene and why it is important to the book.
Scene It
Draw or paint 3 significant scenes from the book. You should also include a two-paragraph explanation of each scene and why you feel it is significant to the book.
Epilogue/Prologue
Add to your book by writing an epilogue or prologue or both! If you choose to write one, it should be at least six paragraphs. If you choose to do both, each one should be at least three paragraphs.
Scrapbook
Create a scrapbook for your book using photos and explanations. You should have at least 10 photos in your scrapbook with a three to five-sentence paragraph explaining how each photo connects to the book.
Compare and Contrast
Option 1: Read a book that has been made into a movie (it must have been a book FIRST). Write a five-paragraph essay comparing the movie version with the book.
Option 2: Read two books by the same author. Write a five-paragraph essay comparing and contrasting the two books.
Game It
Create a game that represents your book. This can be in the form of a board game, Jeopardy-style game, or any other creative method you can think of. Be sure to include instructions for the game and a two-paragraph summary of the book!
Cover It
Design a new cover for your book complete with an illustration, a summary of the book, and book reviews. Also include a two-paragraph explanation of how your illustration represents the book.
Literary Elements Poster
Design a poster that is broken into 12 sections (be creative with your shape). In one section, write a summary of your book. In another section, include the title and author of your book. In the remaining 10 sections, identify 10 different literary elements found in your book. These can be from the following categories:
- Dialect Tone &/or Mood
- Meaningful Quote
- Metaphor
- Point of View (1st, 2nd, Omniscient)
- Allusion
- Anecdote
- Hyperbole
- Imagery
- Foreshadowing
- Irony (Verbal, Situational, Dramatic)
- Flashback
- Personification
- Simile
- Symbolism
Passage Picker
Break your book into five sections that are as equal in length as possible. Choose a passage from each section that you like or feel is important. Write a three to five-sentence paragraph about each chosen passage that starts with one of the following prompts:
- This passage is important because...
- This passage reveals the character's...
- This passage fits with the book as a whole since...
- This excerpt makes me feel (angry/sympathetic/confused, etc.) because...
- This character reminds me of...
- This character exhibits the quality of courage (honesty, etc.)...
- The point the author wants to make here is...
- I have felt the same emotions as this character when...
- The author uses the literary device of (imagery/symbolism/theme, etc.)...
- I agree/disagree with this character's decision because...
Pitch It!
Have your own idea for a project? E-mail Mandy_Balanetsky@wmsde.org your idea and explain why you think it would make a great project!
Montessori Model United Nations
The following are the directions for your sixth grade and middle school project. Please make sure you are working throughout the summer on this project. Make a timeline to support a completion date prior to the first day of school. This project is designed to give you a foundation of knowledge about the United Nations.
Section of the Charter Lesson
You are going to become an expert of one of the following areas:
(Your teacher will notify you as to which section you are assigned to.)
- The General Assembly
- The Security Council
- The Economic and Social Council
- The International Court of Justice
- The Secretariat
You will design a lesson to teach your classmates about your section of the charter. Please refer to the pages included in this packet you received with your progress report for specific directions on this part of your project. You may decide to work together or individually. Group lessons need to be 30 minutes (with all participants having an active role) in length, and individual lessons need to be 15 minutes. Your United Nations summer project needs to be complete by the first day of school. We will be working on this and you will be teaching your part within the first few days/weeks of school.
Please contact Mandy Balanetsky, Lead Middle School Teacher, with any questions.