Tag: academic enrichment

Reader

Get Reading!

January 23, 2020

For very young readers, reading books aloud inspires imaginative thought and understanding of the world.  For middle schoolers, especially those from 5th-8th grade, reading is important to develop language and vocabulary skills that are fundamental for high school standardized tests. For young adults, research suggests that intelligence and IQ are not fixed but rather can be strengthened through effort and activity – particularly reading! In between movie marathons and Netflix with the family, try out a few of these fun books recommended by Sage tutors. Let’s get reading!

Books for 2nd Graders

A Bad Case of Stripes Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne – For those who want to travel to different countries and places in time from the comfort of their own home.

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy and Herman Parish – For those children who take things just too literally.

A Bad Case of Stripesby David Shannon – For those who are afraid to be themselves.

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon – For the little one who loves nocturnal creatures!

Junie B. Jones Series by Barbara Park – For the mischievous ones.

Books for 3rd Graders

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales – A celebration of family and creating a home wherever you go. Especially good for people with immigrant family members.

Judy Moody Series by Megan McDonald – For the kids who like to march to the beat of their own drum.

The BFG by Roald Dahl – For those that need lots of practice reading out loud and making inferences (a great one to read with parents).

Frindle by Andrew Clements – For those who appreciate the power of words.

Ms. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald – A great book to teach problem solving.

Books for 4th and 5th Graders

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke – For people who like “Peter Pan,” but would rather be adults sooner instead of forever young.

I’m Deborah Sampson by Patricia Clapp – For readers who like history and count “Mulan” as one of their favorite Disney movies.

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop – For people who have a large imagination and love stories of knights in shining armor.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell – A tale of adventure, survival and self-discovery.

The Golden Hour by Maya Williams – For adventurers and thrill seekers.

Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls – For those who consider their dog their best friend.

The School Story by Andrew Clements – For the future authors.

Books for 6th and 7th Graders

Gilda Joyce Series by Jennifer Allison – For plucky young detectives and fans of Nancy Drew.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech – For the compassionate people that want to learn how to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – For those passionate about social justice (note to parents: some intense themes and language).

Refugee by Alan Gratz – A story of strength and unity among people looking for a place to call home.

Golden Compass Series by Phillip Pullman – For readers who love fantasy, mystery and sci-fi.

To Nightowl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer – A fun tale of friendship told in an unconventional way.

Books for 8th and 9th Graders

Turtles All the Way DownEsperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan – A story of picking yourself up when you fall – inspirational and moving.

MAUS by Art Spiegelman – A graphic novel depicting the author’s interviews with his father, who is a Holocaust survivor.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – A wonderful coming-of-age novel for everyone (note to parents: some sexual and drug content).

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon – A mystery novel with an autistic main character.

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green – A story about friendship, solving little mysteries, and coping with anxiety. Oh, and Star Wars fanfiction.

Books for 10th – 12th Graders

The House of SpiritsGood Girls Revolt by Lynn Povich – For future journalists.

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes – For the introverts who need inspiration.

House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende – A family story full of magical realism.

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien – For those who don’t always like to read about war, but like to read about what makes us human.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – For those who understand the need to get away and go on an adventure.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – A non-fiction World War II story about resilience.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert – For people who wish they could have been alive during the era of flappers.

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen – A memoir about life in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – For fans of dystopian societies that only live on paper and steadfast feminists.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – A story that encourages us to look at the world in new ways. For historical fiction fans.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett – Realistic, historic, hilarious and heartwarming – a must read!

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – For readers who crave a twisted mystery.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls – A memoir about a dysfunctional family full of free spirits and dreamers.

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado – A mix of psychological realism, science fiction, comedy, horror, and fantasy that explores the experience of living in a female body (note: some intense themes, including violence).

 

All of the books on this list are available at Marin County Libraries. For even more book suggestions, check our our expanded list on Pintrest.

 

sage educators summer enrichment

Stay Sharp: 5 Reasons to Add Academics to Your Summer Plans

May 8, 2018

It’s the first day of school and your student is sitting in math class feeling totally lost. He knows he learned this material last year, but he hasn’t practiced it in months, and the teacher’s brief review lesson isn’t enough to jog his memory. Nonetheless, the teacher moves on to the next lesson, and just like that, he’s behind. If this sounds like your student’s typical first day of school, you are not alone!

The conventional school calendar does not set students up for academic success. Many students spend hours and hours studying during the school year to ensure their understanding of classroom material. Subsequently, they celebrate the completion of that hard work during the summer by not ever seeing it again… until their first day back at school. Why let all of that time and knowledge go to waste? Here at Sage, we offer a variety of summer enrichment classes as well as one-on-one sessions to not only keep your student on track but also to help his or her knowledge grow with a fun approach that we tailor specifically to your student’s needs.

We’re not saying summer should be all work and no play. Phil Auckland, a cell biologist by day and mountain-bike racer by night, makes sure to find time away from the lab and on the race track. This is because according to Judy Willis, neurologist and full-time teacher, breaks from school allow newly learned information “the opportunity to move from working memory to relational memory.” In other words, breaks from the classroom are necessary for helping the brain with long-term memorization. With both work and play being important parts of the learning process, it is important to find the right balance between the two.

Here are five reasons why students should add academics to their summer to-do list:

1. The Domino Effect. Researchers of the RAND Corporation found that “Summer learning loss is cumulative.” If students come back to school with “summer brain,” they are likely to fall behind and stay behind their peers who regularly practiced academics in the summer.

2. Academics are a Competitive Climate.  Whether students are trying to get into private high schools or the college of their dreams, it is imperative to stand out amongst the competition. Reviewing academics over summer can help them stay ahead and set them apart from other classmates.

3. Summer Enrichment is a Catalyst to Lifelong Work Habits.  Although summer academics may not sound like the most exciting summer plans, they can offer lifelong benefits. The Model United Nations Institute states that attending summer programs allows students to “gain the skills and experiences that colleges and employers consistently look for in applicants.” By going the extra mile, students who practice summer academics begin to solidify eventual deep-rooted work ethic through their admirable discipline and commitment to success.

4. The Opportunity to Learn According to Individual Student’s Needs. In a classroom setting, it can be easy to get stuck in the mundane routine of jotting down notes while teachers read slides off a PowerPoint. One of the fun things about practicing academics in the summer is the ability to practice material in the way that best suits each individual student. Depending on what method best suits the student, certain classroom limitations are lifted. For example, students have the option to practice outdoors, discuss topics with friends, and receive direct help from tutors, all of which can make the learning experience more specialized and fun!

5. Boost Self-Confidence. By setting and achieving academic summer goals for themselves, students will return to school with remarkable confidence. This smooth transition from summer to school will show students that if they make the effort, their true potential can be reached. Experimental psychologist Alexander Spradlin states that “the more you believe that you are capable, the more you will be.” That is to say, if students believe that they can make scholastic improvements, those efforts will yield positive results, and those results will produce fearless self-assured learners.

Engaging your student’s mind over summer is the best way to ensure previous years’ material is retained while keeping confidence and preparedness for the year ahead intact. Sage Educators’ summer enrichment workshops are brief but dynamic, ranging from a few days to weeks. Our students walk away fulfilled and can take pride in having dedicated time to their own success over summer, while still having plenty of time to enjoy the remainder of the break, outside of academics.

Sage enrichment workshops offer students of all ages an academic head start and include bridge classes in math and writing, study tips and organization, boot camps for the SAT, ACT, and the SSAT, as well as dynamic college prep workshops.

Whether one-on-one or small group, we pride ourselves on our customized approach and our accomplished tutors can help you set and meet your unique summer goals.

To get started, explore our summer enrichment workshops here!