Summer Slide
“Summer Slide” may sound like a fun park activity, but it actually is a term that describes the tendency for students to lose some of the previous academic achievements that were made in the previous school year. Experts suggest that one of the best ways to combat the Summer Slide is to engage students in diverse, fun and educational activities throughout the summer.
While the kids are home from school and have a break from daily assignments, now is the perfect time to introduce at-home STEM learning activities. According to research done by the National Summer Learning Association, “STEM summer programs in particular offer a unique and multi-faceted opportunity to maintain and build core skills in math and literacy during the high-risk summer months. They do so by engaging young people in hands-on, inquiry-based learning that motivates students by immersing them in activities with real-world application.”
The key to integrating at-home STEM learning is regularly engaging your students in fun activities that challenge their minds. Help your students try different types of projects and games to find out which areas in STEM peak their interests.
Resources preventing summer slide
IT-oLogy works to help equip parents and students with the tools and resources needed to promote STEM education and prevent Summer Slide. IT-oLogy has shared several resources and at-home activities for K-12 students on our website (under IT Resources) and on our Facebook page. Many of these resources are free or require few materials such as:
Tech-in-a-Box
In addition to posting resources for you to use at home, IT-oLogy has recently partnered with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a free virtual summer enrichment program called “Tech-in-a-Box” for middle school students. To learn more about this program or register, check out the program details here.