For students, summer is a time for fun and play. It is also the time when children’s learning slides. Research (Brace, 2002a) shows that during the summer students forget many of the reading and math skills learned during the school year. This "summer slide" requires schools and teachers to spend valuable time during the next school year helping students "re-learn" lost skills, and it greatly reduces the time available to master new skills and subjects.

A child’s ability to succeed in school takes a partnership—one that begins at home and continues in school. To increase learning and stop the summer learning decline, the Michigan Department of Education has developed summer literacy activities for preschool, prekindergarten, and early elementary students to practice at home.

These activities are being distributed on a pilot basis as part of our ongoing effort to help teachers teach and children learn.  Activities are aligned with the Michigan Curriculum Framework, Michigan Literacy Progress Profile and the No Child Left Behind Act.

Family FUNdamentals PDF Documents

• Executive Summary
• Introduction (Read First)
• PreKindergarten Literacy Activities
• Kindergarten Literacy Activities
• First Grade Literacy Activities
• 2nd Grade Literacy Activities
• Additional Learning Materials - Picture Cards, etc.
• Please tell us what you think about the activities mail-in
  

All information contained in this publication may be printed, copied and given to parents as you choose. For example, you could print and copy a full English Language Arts activities for each parent, or select specific skill activities based on student need.

Acknowledgements
The FAMILY FUNdamentals for Literacy activities were created with the help of teachers, parents, and reading specialists on the Michigan Department of Education's Early Literacy Committee.

Special thanks to Linda Wacyk, Jan Ellis, Steve Anderson, Bonnie Rockefellow, Annena McCleskey, Faith Stevens and Lindy Bush. Editorial Services and Publishing by Linda Wacyk, Partnership For Learning and Jon Mc Duffy.  Prepress Layout and Design by Marilyn ( Sam ) Nesbitt. Illustrations by Carrie Strom

Contributors include:

Julie Ankrum	Julie Fredrick	Madonna Nanasi	Marvelle Vannest
Linda Ayres	Margarita Frommert	Gretchen Nataro	Mary Vliek
Gloria Bennett	Betsy Hannah	Sally Perkins	Elaine Weber
Cari Bushinski	Barbara Jaszcz	Kathy Petlicke
Ana Cardona	Jeanne Klaes	Elisabeth Pick
Beth Conway	Sue Madro	Marilyn Ostrander
Sheara Ferguson	Molly McGlynn	Karen Sizemore
Jill Fleming	Cindy Merkel	Sharen Turnbull

Additional Resources
Today, there are literally thousands of web sites and resources that promote learning.  The resources listed below represent just a few of these sites.  Additional resources are available if you conduct a web search for "learning activities". 

More resources to follow. For additional information contact: Jan Ellis, ellisjan@michigan.gov, (517) 373-9391.