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

  1. What is the “summer slide”? The “summer slide” is when students who have a long summer vacation forget what they learned in school the previous year.
  2. What are some productive ways that Zaid believes students can spend a long summer vacation? List at least two activities or job types he mentions. Students who have a longer summer break can (accept any two): complete an internship, get a job as a babysitter and/or lifeguard, or go to summer camp.
  3. In what ways is being creative good for your health? Describe at least one benefit of creativity mentioned in the article. Accept any of the following: Creativity reduces anxiety, depression, and/or stress; creativity helps focus your mind.

 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. Imagine you know nothing about this debate topic and you are witnessing Grey and Zaid debate this question so that you can form an opinion. Who do you think made a more convincing argument, Grey or Zaid? Explain your reasoning, referencing specific information from the article. Possible answers: Grey makes a more convincing argument because she cites compelling facts and statistics to support her opinion, including one research study; Zaid makes a more convincing argument because he cites his own personal experience, which makes him seem more knowledgeable on the topic.
  2. Is your school year-round or do you have summers off? Do you approve of your school’s calendar? Explain why or why not. Answers will vary.
  3. If you attend a school with a traditional calendar: Does your school have any programs or camps to help students fight the “summer slide”? Describe at least one such program you have heard about. If you are not sure, ask a teacher or administrator to help you answer this question. Possible answers: band camps; STEM camps; reading challenges
  4. If you attend a school with a year-round calendar: Is Zaid right when he says your opportunities for summer enrichment are limited, or do you feel you are still able to engage in a variety of activities during the summer? Explain your answer. Answers will vary.

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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