Hooper, Jamie - 7th Grade Civics/Economics

Here are some ideas beyond just learning standards that will help tremendously:

1. Set aside time to turn off tech and the tv to eat dinner together.
2. Involve kids in preparing meals. There are math and science skills of measurement, following steps, sequencing, etc.  that are involved in meal preparation.
3. Teach them how to set and clean the table. This can provide valuable training for future jobs in restaurants.  (Think of transition plan activities)
4. Teach them how to perform chores, such as laundry, sweeping, mopping, mowing, pruning, planting, etc. The benefits here are many – life skills for independent living, responsibility, work ethic, and respect for a clean and nice environment.
5. Set aside time to play games together as a family, be it board games, card games, etc. This reinforces math skills and social skills, such as taking turns, etc.
6. Most comic book companies now stream nearly entire libraries of their content going back to the 1940’s on apps. That means there is a nearly endless stock of fun and engaging reading material.
7. To add to #6, have students recreate by drawing their favorite panel from a comic, or create an alternate ending complete with new words, or create new characters or their own original story.
8. If there are any old musical instruments in the home, anyone, kids included, can now learn to play with videos on YouTube. (I do it myself, so I know it can be done.)
9. Exercise – a healthy body leads to, or supports, a healthy mind. Set aside at least 15 minutes a day for exercise.  This can include push ups, crunches, jumping jacks, biking, walking or running around the house, playing basketball, whiffle ball, or other games.
10. Create a book club. Have the family read a novel together and discuss the events in each chapter. For those involved in church and worship, hold a short bible study each night.  This encourages reading fluency and comprehension.

• Read to your child or have your child read to you, pointing at each word as your child watches and set aside a time period, 30 minutes for example, that they have to read silently, be it books magazines, etc.
• Have your child practice writing his/her name in cursive (they have learned how to write in cursive this semester), emphasizing legibility
• Practice counting cents or dollars in different amounts, or use them to practice counting by 2's, 5's, 10's, 20's, 25's, and 50's
• Let your child help measure and mix ingredients used in recipes and cooking directions
• Practice reciting and writing their home address and phone number
• Practice counting money – this can be saved coins from a jar, play money, etc.
• Let your child learn from you how to do laundry
• Let your child help you perform maintenance around the house; such as how to clean, how to use a hammer, screwdriver, etc.
• Let your child go with you to the grocery store (if it is available) and teach them how to shop for groceries within a budget
• sheppardsoftware.com has lots of educational games for all levels and all contents