Is year-round school the solution for the “summer slide”? Two Choices advisers weigh in.
Read opposing viewpoints and take a side; evaluate how different school calendars may impact academic learning and personal growth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Read opposing viewpoints and take a side; evaluate how different school calendars may impact academic learning and personal growth
HEALTH ED STANDARDS
NHES 2: Evaluate how school can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
CASEL COMPETENCY: Social awareness
KEY VOCAB
norm, extracurricular, logistics
Lesson Plan: Should School Be Year-Round?
Is year-round school the solution for the “summer slide”? Two Choices advisers weigh in.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What are the benefits and drawbacks of year-round school vs. a traditional school calendar?
CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS
CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
DIGGING DEEPER
NHES 2
CASEL Competency: Social awareness
Use this article from Mental Floss to have your students research THE HISTORY OF SUMMER VACATION, including popular myths associated with the creation of the modern school calendar. Also have them consider whether the historical reasons for a long summer vacation still exist—and take a final position in the debate. (Click here to find this Skill Builder.)
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
NHES 2
CASEL Competency: Social awareness; relationship skills
Arrange a FOUR CORNERS DEBATE with your class such as the one described in this resource from LinkedIn. Hang four signs in each corner of your classroom: “Strongly Agree,” “Somewhat Agree,” “Somewhat Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.” Project this month’s debate question on the board and have students pick a corner to stand in. Then, call on individual students from each corner to explain their reasoning. For socially distanced classrooms, consider having the students create signs to hold up with their debate position written on it while staying at their seats. For virtual classes, consider using Google or Microsoft Forms to poll the class and then call on individual students to explain their thinking. (Click here to find this Skill Builder.)
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