Welcome!
This web site is the home of Mansfield Public Schools Summer Skills Online 2012. This is a 6 week summer program for Mansfield students who are leaving Grade 3 and entering Grade 4 and students who are leaving Grade 4 and entering Grade 5 in September. The program starts on Sunday July 1 and assignments are posted through the week, ending Saturday August 12. It is a place for students and their families to have fun while keeping their academic skills fresh over the summer vacation. The program is free of charge. It is an online program and you will need a computer connected to the Internet to participate. Each week after students complete the assignments they will take a short online quiz that will let the coodinators know how sucessful students were.To participate in the program:
1) Fill out and return the registration form that came home with the student (or download the PDF version by clicking on the link in the menu, filling it out and returning it to school) or register online using the online link in the menu.
2) Be sure on the form to include a working Parent/Guardian email address. It is important that the program coordinators be able to communicate with students participating in the program. The most appropriate way to do this is through an adult email address.
3) Check out the SAMPLE WEEK activities before the program starts. The Sample Week has a typical set of activities. You will be able to see for yourself how the program will work and make sure your computer works well with the online activities. You will see the link to the SAMPLE Week on the top menu bar.
4) Families can come to one of three sessions that will be held in the early evenings of June 5-7. It is NOT required to come to a session, but if you have questions or want to meet the coordinators or get some coaching on how the activities work, we will be there. You do not have to come to a session at your child's school, any one of three will allow you to get answers to your questions. The dates and times are:
- Tuesday June 5 - Southeast School Computer Lab 6-7PM
- Wednesday June 6 - Goodwin School Computer Lab 6-7 PM
- Thursday June 7 - Vinton School Computer Lab 6-7 PM
6) This is NOT a contest. This is NOT a race. This is NOT an extra credit activity where you get a grade. It is just a way for students to keep a little piece of their brain working and thinking about school skills over the summer, in fun ways involving their families.
7) Do you have to get everything done during the week that it is posted? No, we realize that summer is a busy time when families travel, or kids go to camp and connecting to the Internet is impossible. The weekly activities are a nice way for students do do a little bit each week but if you need to skip a week and catch up, that is just summer. However, if you need to catch up, work honestly. Don't peek ahead because some of the answers will be posted as we move to the next week. Also, the site will have to close the last week of August as we need to move users back to their fall teachers classes.
8) The Rules for Internet Safety - Some activities in Summer Skills Online ask students to search the Internet to complete assignments. The best practice for students and families is to have students ALWAYS inform an adult family member when they are going online. The coordinators have provided links to kid oriented search engines, and have worked hard to provide links that have minimal commercial or no advertising. However, there is no way to be 100% sure that objectionable content will not get through as part of an activity, or as the result of an Internet search. Students should follow the same rules as they do in school. If they see something that is inappropriate, or makes them feel uncomfortable, tell an adult, right away. And never provide any information about yourself, your family or friends on the Internet unless there is an adult right at your side helping you.
The best advice for parents is to always be aware when your child is using the Internet, and how they are using it. For Summer Skills Online, make it a family affair! Have fun working with your child as they do the weekly assignments!
How To's and Help Videos
Working With Study Island
All Students in Summer Sklls Online will use the username and password they used during the school year. Before the program starts a reminder email will be sent to all parents with the student's username and password (in case the student has forgotten).
One important thing about Study Island is that to earn a Blue Ribbon on a skill you have to answer 70% of the test questions. On a typical 10 question test you have to get 7 questions correct. However, lets say you only get 5 of the 10 questions correct. If you want to try again for a Blue Ribbon you still have to get a total of 70% correct. The second ten question test adds in the first test so the total is now 20 questions and you need a total of 14 correct to earn a Blue Ribbon. Can you do the math? If you only got 5 on the first test and need 14 you need to get at least 9 correct on the second test to get to 70% and earn a Blue Ribbon.
We will try to make that clear in the video below, but the bottom line is that sometimes when you try for a Blue Ribbon and you are just not great at that particular skills, the program makes it very hard to earn one if you mess up your first test. This can be very frustrating, and we do not want you to be frustrated. It is not something the coordinators can change, it is how Study Island is set up.
Please work very carefully the first time you take the test. If you try the test two or three times and don't get a blue ribbon, stop and move onto the next skill. Drop a note to the coordinators about it. While we can't change the program there are a couple of things we can do with the settings.
Here is a video tutorial on the program:
Here is a video tutorial on the program:
Taking The Weekly Quiz
Here is a video tutorial on how to take the Weekly Quiz:
Working With Spelling City
Here is a video tutorial on how to use Spelling City:
Working With Discovery Education Science
Here is a video tutorial on how to use Discovery Education Science:
Working With Spanish Word Clouds
Here is a tutorial on how to work with the Spanish Vocabulary Word Clouds: