Summer Classroom Fun in Huntington

The Huntington UFSD’s elementary grade level summer program kicked off on July 6 with dozens of hardworking and enthusiastic young learners turning out to strengthen their skills as budding writers, inquisitive researchers and persevering mathematicians.

Housed at Jefferson Primary School on Oakwood road, the program runs for three hours per day from Monday through Thursday. It will conclude on August 8.

“There are 14 classrooms led by some of Huntington’s finest teachers,” said Angela Berner, Huntington’s English language arts coordinator and a National Board certified teacher herself. “The children are fortunate to have the additional support of two caring ENL faculty members and two bilingual aides that keep everything running smoothly.”

In addition to rich learning experiences and opportunities to make new friends from all six district primary and intermediate schools, children are offered a free nutritious breakfast and lunch. “This is a welcomed extra as they work up an appetite doing so much in their jam packed morning,” Mrs. Berner said.

The K-6 grade students gather at 9 a.m. with smiles and eager chatter ready to build on skills they developed during the recently completed school year. “In the primary grades, our dedicated faculty prepare daily lessons in phonics, reading, and writing. Our youngest readers and writers are busy learning about ocean animals, reading in small groups to gather facts and information and then using what they are learning to write an ‘All About Book,’” Mrs. Berner said.

Development of researching skills continues into the intermediate grades where teachers are guiding the more sophisticated techniques needed to write informational reports and presentations about aquatic life.

In addition to a research report, intermediate students are also building skills in the social sciences as they analyze historical documents and learn to write a document based essay.

“Reading so much informational text, organizing new ideas, and writing about what is being researched provides an integrated approach to learning that builds skills, knowledge and vocabulary that prepares them for the next grade level; all while having fun,” Mrs. Berner said.

During math lessons, students engage in problem solving with their friends which helps to develop their logical thinking abilities needed to analyze word problems. Every day learners create new models of representation for number concepts and practice essential mathematical facts, skills and concepts. Whether completing a fact fluency drill, designing a coordinate graphing problem for friends to solve, or playing a game to strengthen conceptual understandings, these young learners participate in activities that are so much fun, it hardly seems like work.

“Each classroom teacher also selects and shares a special read aloud story with students each day,” Mrs. Berner said. “Favorite stories read by the teacher are discussed to find deeper meaning and insight. This work also ensures that each of the students will complete much of the district’s summer reading challenge. Their reading log will be complete by the start of the new school year.”

The goal of the program is simple: Prepare participants to be fully ready to meet the demands of their respective grade level when classes resume in September.