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Milestone #1

Thinking Deeply & Making Connections

Real World Connection: Relate to Daily Life – Ask kids how a story connects to their own experiences (e.g., “Have you ever felt like this character?”).

Real World Connection: Use Real-World Signs & Labels – Read menus, street signs, or grocery lists together and discuss their meaning.

Critical Thinking Activity: Pick a Real-World Topic – With your student, talk about and choose a current event, historical event, or everyday problem (e.g., "How can we reduce food waste at home?" or "Why do some countries have different laws about school attendance?").

Critical Thinking Activity: Brainstorm Connections – Discuss how different subjects relate to the topic. Example: If discussing food waste:

• Science: How does food decomposition work?
• Math: How much money is wasted on uneaten food each month?
• Social Studies: How do different cultures approach food waste?
• English: How could we persuade others to reduce food waste through a letter or speech?

Milestone #2

Managing Time & Responsibilities

Real World Connection: Teach time management by using planners, setting priorities, and breaking tasks into smaller steps.

Real World Connection: Model balancing responsibilities by sharing your own scheduling strategies and allowing your child to plan their own weekly schedule.

Critical Thinking Activity: "Plan a Family Day" that focuses on flexibility, creativity, and free or low-cost activities.

• Use Free or Low-Cost Activities: Encourage your child to plan a day using parks, libraries, community events, or at-home activities (movie night, game night, cooking together).
• Flexible Budgeting: Instead of focusing on money, emphasize time management (e.g., “How long should we spend at the park before heading home for lunch?”).
• Problem-Solving Discussions: Ask, “What if it rains? What if we run out of time? How can we adjust?” to help them think critically about planning.
• DIY Fun: Have them get creative! Instead of “going to a restaurant,” they could plan a picnic at home or a family cook-off using what’s already in the kitchen.

Milestone #3

Understanding Yourself

Real World Connection: Have regular, open conversations about values, personal interests, and decision-making.

Real World Connection: Help them navigate peer pressure by discussing real-life scenarios and brainstorming ways to handle difficult social situations.

Critical Thinking Activity: "Who Inspires You?" Reflection – Ask your child to choose a person they admire (real or fictional) and discuss what qualities they respect. How do those traits align with their own values and goals?

Milestone #4

Solving Math & Science Problems

Real World Connection: Connect math and science to real life—have your child help measure ingredients while cooking, analyze sports statistics, or track weather patterns.

Real World Connection: Encourage hands-on experiments at home, like testing which household objects sink or float or growing a small plant to observe changes over time.

Critical Thinking Activity: "Why Does This Happen?" Challenge – Encourage your child to ask "why" about everyday occurrences (e.g., "Why does ice melt?" or "Why do planes stay in the air?"). Research answers together and discuss.

Milestone #5

Becoming a Stronger Writer

Real World Connection: Read together and discuss books, news articles, or movies, focusing on themes, character choices, and messages.

Real World Connection: Encourage journaling or creative writing to help your child express thoughts and structure ideas clearly.

Critical Thinking Activity: "Defend Your Opinion" Debate – Pick a fun topic (e.g., "Are video games good for the brain?") and have your child write or verbally explain their stance with supporting evidence.