Academic skill practice this summer

So I have been asked by a parent for suggestions with math facts this summer. Third grade teachers really want the facts memorized by august, but we don't really teach multiplication in 2nd other than with Arrays. So old fashioed memorization is the key. 

This is what I texted her...

"I think old fashioned flashcards work best. Explain the rules for 0 and 1... Start with them then work up. Maybe print out a hundreds chart and have him skip count by 3 and color the answers as he keeps adding 3 more. The do same for 4s and 5s, and up to 10s. On ixl he can start 3rd grade stuff on it"

While I know its summer break, remember that 3rd grade is about working independently and completing assignment in a timely fashion. You can help with that. Here are some ideas from you parents, the admins, and myself:

1. Improve penmanship- have kids copy a written passage. My mom always copied something from a book (usually the bible because that is what she had handy every morning) then the kids copy it. Any more than 3 mistakes and we had to re do the whole thing. There were many summer days that she and were not happy with each other!

2. Improve independence- chore chart or responsibility without you standing over them. They will either do it correctly the first time and be done, or they can redo it after you explain what is not correct. The point is completing something to correctness. (Again on most Saturday mornings, my mom and I didn't agree completly!)

3.) Writing Stamina- the copying passages helps with that, but so does writing letters, retelling events that you've done over the summer, writing a story about a pucture they were in... The kids should write first without erasing. Then they can cross off mistakes on it but a) you want to see what mistakes they are making and b) if the stop and erase, they stop the flow of their thoughts. 

4.) read, Read, READ- start a pile of books that they can have ready for AR quizzes. Not all of the 3rd grade teachers mandate AR but regardless of who your tracher is, AR is still a program that the kids can work toward awards on their own like before 7:50 and when the gi to the library.  Remember, you bought RAZ kids for the kids to use, so please ise it!