Summer Learning: Bridging the Gap to 4th Grade Reading
Summer slide is real — but it doesn't have to happen to your reader.
Starts Tue, Jun 23
5:00 PM UTC · 45m
4 sessions
Alyssa
4.5
Outcomes, not lecture notes.
Use context clues (definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and examples) to decode unfamiliar words without stopping to look everything up
Apply common prefixes like *re-*, *un-*, *mis-*, and *pre-* to unlock the meaning of new words
Break down complex words using root word analysis and suffix recognition
Identify key characteristics of literary genres including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama
Distinguish between literal and figurative language in real texts
Recognize and interpret similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms — including expressions like "stealing your thunder"
Use active reading strategies — annotation, summarizing, and questioning — to find main ideas and key details
Build an independent vocabulary toolkit using word families, context, and reference resources
Meet Alyssa.
Alyssa
An experienced and versatile educator, Alyssa Elswick brings ten years of teaching expertise to both classroom and online settings. Specializing in elementary education, she designs engaging, standards‑aligned curricula that integrate technology and innovative teaching strategies. Alyssa’s commitment to personalized learning and continuous professional development ensures that every student is supported and inspired to achieve their full potential. A Reading Olympics coach and Beginning Teacher of the Year award-winner, Alyssa teaches for Varsity Tutors and Virtual Virginia.
Summer slide is real — but it doesn't have to happen to your reader. This course is designed for students finishing 3rd grade and stepping into 4th, keeping their reading skills sharp and building the advanced tools they'll need from day one of the new school year. Students will tackle vocabulary strategies like context clues, prefixes, suffixes, and root word analysis, then move into the exciting world of figurative language — similes, metaphors, personification, idioms, and more. Every session is interactive and skill-focused, so students aren't just reviewing — they're leveling up. Walk into 4th grade confident, prepared, and ready to read anything.
Live Q&A
Cameras / mics optional
Recordings
Available within 1 hour, kept 90 days
Materials
No special materials required
Similar classes
free with a Varsity Tutors membership
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Summer Learning: Bridging the Gap to 4th Grade Reading