Over the summer, Sierra Canyon proudly offered a range of academic courses. From Kinder Camp to Algebra Bootcamps to Study Skills, students had the chance to get a head start on the year and stay sharp, avoiding the summer slide.
Kinder Camp is a one-week summer program led by our Kindergarten teachers. The program is designed to help new students become comfortable with the daily routines and procedures of the Kindergarten classroom, ensuring a seamless transition into the new school year. Throughout the week, students engaged in various activities that touched upon art, science, math, reading, and social-emotional learning to foster a well-rounded educational experience.
Katherine Cantwell, Associate Director of the Dyne Academic Resource Center, and Alice Kessler, Chair of Academic Support and Director of the Dyne Academic Resource Center, both focused on strengthening students' learning strategies and overall academic preparedness across Grades 6-9. The programs welcomed a group of students, many new to Sierra Canyon, offering opportunities to connect with peers, familiarize themselves with the Upper Campus, and improve their academic skills.
Ms. Cantwell taught the 6th Grade Study Skills class, using A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen, the required summer reading and a break-out room activity to dynamically teach note-taking, reading comprehension, and executive function skills. She also taught the Reading and Writing Intensive class for 7th-9th Grade students, emphasizing crafting strong claims with textual evidence as students read and analyzed dystopian short stories like "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and "All Summer in A Day" by Ray Bradbury.
Mrs. Kessler led the 7th and 9th Grade Study Skills classes, reinforcing similar skills while focusing on time and materials management through interactive games and activities. She taught close reading, annotation, and comprehension skills using the students' summer reading texts. Both grades learned about point of view and how it shapes and impacts the reader's experience. The 7th Grade students explored The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, discussing themes of belonging and relationships. In contrast, students in 9th Grade analyzed "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce and "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, examining themes like empathy, reality vs perception, heritage, racism, and sacrifice.
Veronica Bryan, Upper Campus Math Department Chair, and Cristhy Valdez, Upper Campus Math Teacher, led two Algebra I and Algebra II Bootcamp sessions. Using a combination of direct instruction and collaborative activities, they guided students through the material, ensuring that each student fully understood the concepts before moving on to more complex topics. The Algebra I Bootcamp focused on fundamentals and motivating reasons to study the subject, and the Algebra II Bootcamp had a similar aim but incorporated more real-world applications.
Sierra Canyon's academic summer program is dedicated to elevating student success. From the youngest learners on the Lower Campus to those tackling new challenges on the Upper Campus, these programs built a strong foundation, ensuring a confident and successful start to the school year.
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