Summer Fun

SUMMER HOMEWORK?

While VIDA does not have a formal summer homework assignment, there are a number of activities that students can participate in that will help keep their academic skills sharp, and begin thinking like a designer. Our hope is that all students will read on a daily basis. This reading may be fiction, or nonfiction material.

SUMMER FUN

Possible Activities:

The listed activities have been pulled together or thought of by the VIDA Faculty:

  • Read for 30 minutes everyday. Students can journal about/reflect on what they read, or talk about what they have read to a family member or friend.
  • Got words? Discover the origins of the words that surround us. Find a word that is new to you, or a word that you use all the time and find out where it came from. Use this website by clicking HERE.
  • Watch FIFA Soccer, either a game, or a news story about a game. Find 10 facts about each the country that each team is from. Try using Google Earth to locate the capitol cities of each country. What observations can be made about the geography based on the zooming in of Google Earth?
  • Go on a nature walk at the Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad (click HERE). Students should work on their observation skills and capture their observations on a notepad, or document their findings through photography (cell phone/iPod cameras work great).
  • Repeat the activities listed above for any of San Diego's tide pools. (Click HERE).
  • Repeat the activities listed above for Torrey Pines State Reserve (enjoy a nice hike). (Click HERE).
  • Repeat the above activities in your neighborhood.
  • Learn a foreign language. You may access Duolingo for free (click HERE).
  • All students should be building skills in computer programming. Go to Code.org (click HERE) to setup an account and build your skills for free!
  • Writing is an important skill to make sure we actively work on regularly. Students can work on their writing by writing a poem, writing a story, or starting a blog. It is important for students to have an audience for their writing! A free blog place for students is EduBlogs (click HERE).
  • Be responsible to assemble furniture or other items that require assembly - please note that following the written directions is a plus for conceptual understanding.
  • Trying cooking - and baking! Experiment! Follow recipes, and don't follow recipes. Compare and contrast the experiences via a video blog (vlog), or keep a journal about the experiences and what you learned!
  • Utilize Khan Academy to keep up with your skills! Parent can setup an account HERE.
  • Start honing your skills when we got 1:1 with iPads. Apple stores offer Summer Kids Camps by reservation for free. (ClickHERE).
  • Students watch the VIDA Design Thinking video (click HERE), and find a problem of frustration that someone has. Can you use this process to start developing a possible solution? Remember - we will teach more about the process, but it is good to start becoming more familiar with the language of design!
  • One of the most important traits of a designer is to gather information about a users needs, or to gain empathy. One great way to do this is by interviewing people. This can be very informal. Students can begin practicing simple questioning techniques. Try using the following questions to learn more about something from someone: "Tell me more about..." - "Could you tell me a story about..." - "What would I find surprising about..." - "Why do you say that..." - "Tell me more..." - "How did you feel when ____ happened..." - "Why..." etc.

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