SUMMER READING CHALLENGES AND WRITING COMPETITIONS We are at that summer midway point. Which also means finding new ways to keep your child engaged and active in their minds. There are many summer camps out there, but there are also plenty of resources at your finger tips. Summer reading and writing prevents learning loss while maintaining a sense of play and imagination. As it may be difficult to be self-motivated without deadlines or a social group, I have included some wonderful online Reading Challenges and Writing Competitions for your child to enter. After an exhaustive search, I have compiled some of the best and recent (2024) sources that will link you directly to the challenge and competition sites. Of course any of our tutors can help guide your child through any of the summer reading and writing challenges they choose, or we can personalize a plan for them. ******* READING CHALLENGES: Scholastic offers a summer challenge for children ages 3-13. There are 10 downloadable badges for goal completions as well as book lists according to age. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/reading-challenges-kids.html PBS Kids for Parents Summer Adventure has reading charts, and activity ideas It also has math activities and out door adventure ideas. https://www.pbs.org/parents/summer The New York Times challenge has students read any 2024 article published in their paper and kids can write in, or even video their response. They publicly list the winners-The New York Times! The National Education Society has an amazing source of information to help you raise your readers. Amongst many, their list of summer reading challenges includes Barnes and Noble summer reading program where you can receive a free book, and Pizza Hut’s ‘Camp Book It’. https://www.nea.org/resource-library/get-serious-about-summer-reading Don’t forget to check your local libraries, many have summer reading challenges of their own! ******** WRITING COMPETITIONS: Writing competitions deliver a fun angle to writing. They deliver prompts, deadlines, the feeling of being linked into other’s writing and do you need an extra motivator?! Many come attached with cash prizes! We Are Teachers is a personal favorite site offering some of the best writing competitions for students up to age 18. https://www.weareteachers.com/student-writing-contests/ The National Youth Foundation is geared towards diversity and empowerment and has 4 competitions: “I Matter” poetry and art, Amazing Women’s Edition, Youth Writing Workshop and Student Book Scholars Contest. The site also offers a library of the past winners works to read. A very positive site! https://www.nationalyouthfoundation.org/our-programs If you love the idea of having your child published you can go to Young Writers USA. https://www.youngwritersusa.com/contests And two other helpful sites with informative lists of competitions: Aralia -Top 9 Writing Competitions: New Pages: https://www.newpages.com/young-writers-guide/young-writers-guide-to-contests/#July
Did you know that 84% of Americans will celebrate the 4th of July and that 150 million hot dogs will be eaten?! The 4th of July is not just a day of BBQ’s, Beaches and Books with a BANG, but a day to spend quality time with friends and family. So to help you and your family get into the Spirit of 1776, we’ve put together some fun facts so you can show off your Independence Day smarts with our Stars and Stripes Trivia. A little warm up. Did you know… America actually declared independence on July 2, 1776 . That was the day delegates from the Thirteen Colonies met (The Second Continental Congress) to approve a resolution for independence from Britian……that’s right, the Declaration of Independence. It was officially approved on the 4th. 2 of the signers of the Declaration of Independence became President, and in a strange twist of fun fact history, Thomas Jefferson, 82 and John Adams, 90 both passed away on July 4th, 1826 within five hours of each other on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. STARS AND STRIPES TRIVIA (answers at the bottom of page) 1. How many people signed the Declaration of Independence? 2. What year were fireworks first used to celebrate Independence Day? 3.How much money do Americans spend on fireworks every year? 4. How many stars and stripes does the US flag have? 5. Who designed the 50 star flag? 6. In Philadelphia, Pa. The Liberty Bell is rung how many times on the 4th of July? 7. Can you name the Thirteen Colonies? 8. What is the USA’s national animal? 9. **Bonus Question: Guess which company just got on the 2024 Best Service list on Newsweek? We did! (Cue Fireworks!) So If you need help with some of that American History or helping your Summer Scholars with their Independent learning, Flag up an award winning company. We are here and look forward to hearing from you! ANSWER KEY 1) 56 2)1777 – the very first year the 4th of July was celebrated. 3) Americans spend more than 1 billion on fireworks each year! 4) 50 stars for States and 13 stripes for Colonies. 5) Though there are contending stories on who designed the original flag, the 50 stars (changed for Hawaii and Alaska) was designed by 16 year old Robert G. Heft of Ohio, as a history class assignment…for which he got a B-. Don’t worry when his design was accepted by the White House his grade was changed to an A! 6) 13 times-One ring for each Colony 7)Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia. 8) American bison. The bald eagle is the national bird.
