Assignments for Aspen Country Day students
Summer 2015


Make your summer a learning experience!
Have lots of adventures, take time to "wander and ponder," and play outside as much as possible. That's the advice from teachers at Aspen Country Day School. 

It's also important to keep academic skills fresh. That way we can dive right in to learning when school begins September 8. 

Teachers will collect any packets at the first week of school. Math assessments will take place during the first weeks of school, so please practice your math skills throughout the summer. 

Questions on material: In any of the Foreign Language or math packets, please circle anything you don't know. If you are struggling with a lot of of the material, please contact the school. 
Middle School 
Here are summer assignments for new and returning students entering:
 

 

 

 

HUMANITIES

Read at least four books of your own choosing, using this list as a starting point: Eighth Grade reading list. One of your books must be grounded in American history. Suggested books are highlighted in yellow on the reading list. You will make a presentation about your chosen book in the first full week of school. Your presentation must include a visual interpretation of a theme, a character analysis, or an insight from the book. Read, read, read!

 

MATH

Please follow directions on the Eighth Grade Math blog. Various topics are covered here, and you should be competent in each topic in September.  If you are unsure of any topics, you can look at videos on Khan Academy for  review.

 

FRENCH

Complete the summer packet posted here

 

SPANISH

There are two packets to complete this summer; you must do both parts.

Click here for Part 1

Click here for Part 2

Click here for Part 3 (culture)

 

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Work in Khan Academy (6th Grade Skills). Students have received an invitation to join a class. It was sent to the student's school email. Please check it, log in, join the class, and begin working steadily through the summer. 

New students: Once formally enrolled, parents will receive an invitation to Khan Academy, if you are having trouble accessing please contact the school.

 

ENGLISH

Read at least three books of your choice. Click here for the list of suggested titles. Read at least 20 minutes every day!

 

FRENCH

Complete the summer packet posted here. Practice vocabulary: click here for grade-by-grade vocabulary topics covered in French.

 

SPANISH

Complete the summer packet posted here. Please note, the packet has instructions on specific subjects to study (rivers, cities, and oceans), plus a project you create over the summer about a Spanish civilization with a timeline and photos.

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Work in iReady at least 20 minutes three times per week, using their existing passwords. New students should join the Khan Academy class and work on the Fifth Grade skills to ensure you are ready for our Middle School program.

New students: Once formally enrolled, parents will receive an invitation to Khan Academy, if you are having trouble accessing please contact the school.

 

ENGLISH

Read at least three books of your choice. Click here for the list of suggested titles. Read at least 20 minutes each day!

 

FRENCH

complete the summer packet posted here. Also, practice your vocabulary for family and friends. Click here for a list of vocabulary topics by grade.

 

SPANISH

complete the summer packet posted here. Please note, the packet has instructions about a project you must complete over the summer - - creating your dream house and labeling all the rooms in Spanish: "construir la casa ideal." See the first page of the packet for complete instructions.

Lower School
Here are summer assignments for students entering . . . 

New parents: Please note, new students are not required to do the iReady math program. iReady is an adaptive diagnostic math assessment which we introduce in school. Please complete either the packet or work on the basic skill requirements for Lower School Math.

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Work in iReady three times per week for 20 minutes a time AND / OR complete the math packet posted here.

New students: Complete the math packet posted here

 

Students will take an iReady assessment within the first two weeks of school. 

Please continue to practice and learn your multiplication tables.  We recommend Khan Academy for additional practice and help. 

 

ENGLISH

Read There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar (best to save this until August so it is fresh in your mind for our discussions).  PLUS, read at least two additional books of your choice. Keep a reading log where you record the title of each book you're read and the date you finished it. Click here for the list of suggested titles. Read at least 20 minutes each day!

 

FRENCH

complete the summer packet posted here. Also, practice your vocabulary for family and friends. Click here for a list of vocab topics grade by grade.

 

SPANISH

complete the summer packet posted here. Optional project: create a pinata!

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Practice in iReady three times per week for 20 minutes per time AND/OR complete a math packet posted here

New students: Complete the math packet posted here

Students will take an iReady assessment within the first two weeks of school. Parents, please practice multiplication tables with your child.

 

ENGLISH

Read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (best to save this until August so it is fresh in your mind for our discussions). PLUS, read at least two additional titles of your choosing. Keep a reading log with the title and date you finished each book. Click here for the list of suggested titles. Read at least 20 minutes each day!

 

WRITING

Keep a journal, writing in it two to three times  a week. Topics can be anything you like -- creative stories or poems, adventures, travel reports, stories about your daily activities or books you are reading. Also, consider writing a letter to a teacher; you'll get a reply and maybe even a little surprise back in the mail. Letter instructions for returning students are here. Letter instructions for new students are here

 

FRENCH

Practice your vocabulary with family and friends. Click here for a list of topics you'll be expected to be familiar with in Fourth Grade French (along with other grades).

 

SPANISH

Complete the summer packet posted here. Look up any words you don't know in your Spanish is Fun book or a Spanish-English dictionary.

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Work in iReady for twenty minutes three times per week.  Students should also use everyday activities to apply mathematical understandings: running a lemonade stand, counting coins, adding up groceries, etc.  Students entering Third Grade should know all addition/subtraction facts within twenty, add and subtract within 100, understand place value up to 1000s, skip count by 2s, 5s, and tens, know coins and their value, and tell time within five-minute increments. 

New students: Please complete the math packets listed below.

 

Students will take an iReady assessment within the first two weeks of school. Over the summer, students should work in iReady AND/OR print and complete the following packets: 

ENGLISH
  • Read 20 mintues each day! Read at least three books of your choice. Click here for the list of suggested titles. Optional, but encouraged: keep a reading log. 
  • If you missed the ending of Tale of Despereaux, that's one good suggestion for reading aloud with your family.
  • Complete your Explode the Code and Handwriting without Tears books.
  • Optional, but encouraged: keep a journal of your summer adventures, writing about travels, daily activities, creative ideas, or anything else you like.

Click here for a letter from last year's teacher, Alexandra, explaining details.

 

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Practice in iReady for 20 minutes three times per week AND/OR use the packet posted here.  

New students: Complete the packet to maintain mathematical understanding.  

 

Incoming Second Graders should be comfortable with math facts within 30 and write all numbers 1-100.  Students will take an iReady assessment within the first two weeks of school.

 

READING AND WRITING

Read at least 20 minutes every day! Click here for suggested titles and some other language arts activities.

 

Click here for a letter from last year's teachers, Cathy and Courtney, explaining details.

 

 

 

 

 

MATH

Returning students: Practice math skills in iReady. Login link is below. There are math AND language arts activities to practice with in iReady; the children should already be familiar with the format. Students will take an iReady assessment within the first two weeks of school.

New students: Practice addition/subtraction within ten and play any games that use number sense. 

 

READING

Read at least 20 minutes every day. Keep writing in your journal, adding stories, poems, drawings, and whatever sparks your imagination. 

 

 

 

 

 

READING, WRITING, MATH

Read every day, at least 20 minutes. 

Practice writing, drawing, and keeping a journal.

Try some grade-appropriate workbooks, or click here for a letter with some info about good iPad apps for Kindergarteners and more.

CLICK HERE TO LOG IN TO . . .


 
Returning students in First Grade and above, your iReady login is: firstnamelastname (no caps, no spaces). Password is 
acds1234

NEW PARENTS, please note, iReady is a program that we prefer to introduce at school, so it is not required for new students. 


Pitkin County Library: located in the old Power Plant building this summer with kids'  programs and the full children's collection in a cool new location (while the main library is under construction)

SEE ALSO

Kids' website at Carbondale Public Library, where, in addition to finding great books, you can even check out a fishing rod for the afternoon.