Incorporating Academics into Summer Activities

Summer is a time for a variety of outdoor activities- road trips, visiting friends and family, hiking, biking, and evening walks in your neighborhood. While your student may be taking a break from traditional academics, you can spark their curiosity in the world around them by encouraging learning about their personal interests. Build inquisitiveness in your local neighborhood or highlight key locations and topics during your summer travels. Below are guiding questions that can easily be incorporated into your summer activities and foster your student’s imagination and research skills. 

The better prepared a student is for a tutoring session, the more effective the session will be.

City Walks

  • What is the history of your city? Why did people choose to settle there? What were the main industries of the past, and how do they compare to the main employers today?

  • Notice the landscaping of your neighborhood- can you identify any plants? Are they native to the area? 

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Nature Walks

  • Can you identify any plants or animals? Are the trees evergreen, deciduous, or a mixture of both? What thrives in this environment and how is that impacted by the altitude, climate, soil, light, and/or temperature? How does this compare to other places you have visited?

  • Is this area being affected by drought? How can you tell? What steps can you take as an individual to minimize your impact on climate change? What larger changes can be made?

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Travel

  • Have your student help you plan! Explore a map of your travel route and destination. Help them balance your budget of flights, hotels, and meals. Ask your student to plan a day of the trip including the logistical tasks. 

  • Are you visiting a lake or river? This is a great opportunity for discussing natural and man made water resources. Work with your student to discover the water’s source. Is there a dam generating electricity nearby? Does this waterway connect to the California aqueduct system? Where does your city water come from?

  • Have your student create a travel vlog during your trip! Practice their cinematography skills while highlighting key attractions and preserving memories for future reflection. 

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Research Tips

  • Find a museum to help your student learn more about their curiosities. Are there any local museums you can visit? Are there virtual exhibits to explore?

  • Teach your student about credible sources of information- how do we know this information is accurate? Where do we find sources we can trust?

  • Have your student build a presentation about their discoveries. If your student is tech savvy, they can create an iMovie trailer, insert pictures on a slidedeck, or write an email to an extended family member. If your student is crafty, they can design a poster, write and illustrate a children’s book, build a 3D model, or design a brochure. 

If you are interested in live 1:1 tutoring support to help you on this journey of academic enrichment, please contact us!

Quality EducationKathy Tojaga (she/her/hers)