Marking the first day of summer in your classroom can be a fun and engaging way to celebrate the changing seasons. Whether you’re teaching younger students who get excited about beach days and ice cream or working with secondary students who are looking forward to summer vacations, there are plenty of ways to bring summer-themed activities into your lessons. The first day of summer is the perfect opportunity to incorporate creativity, reflection, and a bit of fun into your classroom.
Celebrating the first day of summer can also help build classroom community, spark curiosity, and connect learning to real-world experiences. No matter the grade level, summer-themed activities can provide a refreshing break from routine while still reinforcing important skills. From using technology to create summer-themed visuals to engaging in student-led discussions, there are countless ways to make the first day of summer a memorable learning experience.
Fun First Day of Summer Ideas
Recognizing the first day of summer in the classroom ties into multiple subject areas. In science, students can explore the summer solstice and how the Earth’s tilt affects daylight hours. In social studies, they can research how different cultures celebrate the start of summer worldwide. Math lessons can incorporate real-world data, such as tracking temperature changes or calculating travel distances for summer trips. In ELA, students can practice writing skills by crafting summer-themed poetry or short stories. These activities not only make learning more engaging but also encourage students to see connections between their studies and everyday life.
Play Summertime Songs and Vote for a Favorite
Start the first day of summer by playing a selection of summertime songs and having students vote for their favorite using a polling tool like Mentimeter. This activity sparks discussion about musical preferences, cultural connections to summer songs, and even lyrical analysis. Students can explore themes in summer music and discuss what makes certain songs feel like the perfect soundtrack for warm weather and relaxation.
Share Summer Goals
Encourage students to think about what they want to accomplish over the summer by sharing one goal on Padlet. They can upload a video, write a short reflection, or add a link to something they plan to explore over the break. This activity helps students practice digital communication while also setting personal or academic goals that they can reflect on later.
Generate AI-Created Summer-Themed Images
Have students create an AI-generated image of a summer theme using a tool like Adobe Firefly, Canva’s Magic Media, or another favorite AI design platform. They can design a dream summer destination, illustrate a summer activity, or create a futuristic beach scene. This creative exercise introduces students to AI-powered design tools while allowing them to express their ideas visually.
Design Summer-Themed Coloring Pages with AI
Use AI to create summer-themed coloring book pages for students to enjoy. These pages can serve as a relaxing brain break on the first day or during the first week of summer. Teachers can generate custom images that reflect summer elements like ocean waves, sunshine, and outdoor adventures. AI tools make it easy to personalize these resources for different age groups.
Record a Summer Goal Podcast
Students can record a short podcast sharing a goal they have for summertime and interview a classmate about theirs. Using a tool like GarageBand or Adobe Podcast, they can practice speaking skills, active listening, and storytelling. This activity integrates technology with personal reflection, creating a meaningful keepsake for students to look back on.
Explore Virtual Summer Destinations
Take students on a virtual trip to iconic summer destinations using Google Arts & Culture. They can explore national parks, famous beaches, or historical landmarks from around the world. This activity encourages curiosity and can lead to research projects on summer traditions and activities in different regions.
Create Summer-Themed Emoji Stories
Have students create a short summer story and add emojis to signal important moments. They can display the emojis to a partner and point to each one as they move through their story in sequence. Alternatively, they can just share the emojis and ask a classmate to try to figure out what their story is about by using the emojis as clues. This is a fun and engaging way to practice storytelling and digital communication skills.
Make a Summer Reflection Video
Earlier this year, I spent time with ScreenPal at their booth at TCEA. You might also remember the webinar I hosted for them in December with tips for using videos with students. One of the tips was making video reflections. You can have students use ScreenPal to record a short video reflecting on their past school year and what they’re looking forward to in the summer. This activity encourages self-expression and provides a great keepsake for students to look back on when they return to school in the fall.
Organize a Digital Summer Reading List
Create a collaborative summer reading list using a tool like Hāpara to organize and share recommendations. Students can contribute books they want to read and provide short descriptions. This digital approach encourages literacy and gives students a head start on summer reading. It also gives you a collection of resources to look back on when making recommendations to students in the future.
Summer-Themed Activities into the Classroom
Bringing summer-themed activities into the classroom makes learning fun, engaging, and meaningful. Whether students are exploring digital tools, setting goals, or getting creative with AI and multimedia, these ideas help mark the first day of summer in an exciting way. By incorporating EdTech tools, teachers can provide students with innovative ways to reflect, collaborate, and explore new concepts.
For more creative ways to use EdTech all year long, check out my membership, the Easy EdTech Club. With dozens of masterclass videos and on-demand resources, educators can join today and access everything at once. It’s the perfect way to stay inspired and bring fresh ideas to the classroom!
