Each week this summer, we are pairing Lee & Low titles to your favorite summer destinations with fun activities!
Our motto this summer: Love Books + Keep Cool + Learn Something New
Your summer outing: the BEACH
Book recommendations:
Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku
Questions during reading:
- What is this person’s relationship to the ocean? How does this person’s relationship to the ocean change from the beginning to the end of the story?
- How does this person show appreciation for the ocean?
- How is the ocean/beach a part of this person’s identity?
- Look at a map of the world and locate the island this person is from. What is the capital? What ocean surrounds it? Infer what the climate is like based on the island’s location. What makes this island unique?
- How does this person demonstrate pride in his/her culture?
- How does this person remember home even when far away from home?
Activity:
Create a beach ball collage!
Materials: poster paper, pencil, markers, colored pencils or crayons, assortment of magazines
- Using a pencil, draw a large circle on the poster paper.
- Inside the circle, draw a small circle about the size of a quarter somewhere off center.
- Draw a curved line from the small circle to the large circle. Repeat drawing lines until you have six lines and six spaces. Each curved line should face the same direction in a pinwheel formation. The lines will be different lengths and can be varying widths apart from each other (this will give it a 3-D effect).
- With a black marker, trace over the pencil so the beach ball stands out on the poster paper.
- Optional: lightly fill in each segment a different color using colored pencils or crayons.
- Select and cut out pictures and words from the assortment of magazines to answer the question: What makes the beach special to you?
- In each of the six beach ball segments, draw or glue pictures. In one section, think about what foods you eat while at the beach. What animals have you seen at the beach? What do you always make sure to pack before you head out? What activities do you like to do at the beach? Who do you play with while there?
For further reading on book and activity suggestions to match your summer adventures:
- Zoos!
- Ballparks!
- National and state parks!
- Outdoor Concerts!
- Help Your Students & Families Find the Best Summer Learning Opportunities
Jill Eisenberg, our Resident Literacy Expert, began her career teaching English as a Foreign Language to second through sixth graders in Yilan, Taiwan as a Fulbright Fellow. She went on to become a literacy teacher for third grade in San Jose, CA as a Teach for America corps member. She is certified in Project Glad instruction to promote English language acquisition and academic achievement. In her column she offers teaching and literacy tips for educators.
