West Springfield Elementary Schools
Suggested Summer Reading Activities

Grades K – 2   June 2008

§        Draw a picture of your favorite (or most exciting, surprising, interesting, confusing) part of the story. Then, dictate or write a sentence or sentences explaining the picture.

§        Fold a paper into thirds and label the sections “Beginning, Middle and End”.  Draw a picture in each section.  Students and/or parents can write about each section.

§        Stop in the middle of a book and predict what the ending of the story will be.  Draw a picture of your prediction and dictate or write sentences explaining your prediction.

§        Dictate or write how the story reminds you of a situation or event in your own life.

§        Draw a picture of one of the characters in the story.  Dictate or write a description of that character or make a talking bubble and have the character describe him/herself.

§        Make puppets from paper bags or popsicle sticks to act out the story.

§        Come up with a different ending for the story and write it.

§        Find a new or interesting vocabulary word.  Use it in a sentence.  Keep a log of the new words you learned this summer while you read.  Share your log with your teacher.

§        Write a recommendation for a book to share with a friend.  Tell about the characters, the problem in the story, or some interesting information.  Don’t give away the ending!

§        Make a connection between the story you read and any other story/stories you’ve read or heard. Tell or write how they are similar.

 
Grades 3 – 5    June 2008

§        Summarize one of your fiction books by creating a picture or cartoon strip.

§        Write a paragraph about what you think the author’s purpose was for writing the book.

§        Pretend you are one of the characters in the story and create a diary or journal. Write at least five entries that might have been written by that character.

§        Record yourself reading a book and replay it so that you can listen to yourself read.  Repeat this activity so that you can listen to yourself improve.

§        Choose a character in your book and name one thing you admire about that character.  Write to tell why you admire him or her.

§        Divide a paper into thirds and label the sections “Beginning, Middle and End”. Write one sentence for each part of the story.

§        Create a bookmark or book jacket illustrating a scene from the book using your own artwork. Be sure to put the title and author on your work.

§        If you read a non-fiction book, write five facts you learned from your reading.

§        If you read historical fiction, tell or write about three things that were different in this book from life today.

§        Write a recommendation for a book to share with a friend.  Tell about the characters, the problem in the story, or some interesting information.  Don’t give away the ending!