If you are like me, school is out, your kids have been to and returned from camp, and â€Å"I don’t know what to do† syndrome has set in. Our county 4-H fair isn’t for another six weeks, so how to fill those long, sunny hours? Don’t get me wrong. I am all for a lazy, bored summer. We live in Michigan, and summer is what makes the long, dark, and cold winter bearable. However, sometimes I do offer my kids a little extra challenge in the summer, just to keep their brains from completely atrophying in the sun. IEW has several products that work well as a short summer course.    Student Writing Intensive You may know of the student DVD course as a year-long introduction to the IEW methods in writing with structure and style. However, the Student Writing Intensive is often used over the summer as a way to prepare students for writing at the next level. Originally recorded over a four-day period, it was, in fact, an intensive writing seminar, as the name still reminds us. If you are looking for a way to prepare your student for a challenging writing class in the fall, this is an excellent place to start. We have a four-day schedule as well as a six-week schedule. You can tweak these to fit your vacation plans or, like us, your 4-H fair schedule. Story Quest Many people like the idea of their children writing stories, but they don’t know how to teach this skill to them, nor do they see how they can fit it into a busy school year. This course grew out of a summer story club and multiple story-writing workshops that the author headed up over the years. It is designed to be used either as a creative writing unit during the school year  or as a summer school course or club. Available as a printed spiral book or a PDF download for printing multiple copies of handouts, this can be a perfect summer activity. Maybe your older teen could organize a neighborhood writing club or speak to your branch librarian about having a summer writing club to go along with their reading theme.    Teaching the Classics Recently a friend from church asked me for a list of quality books boys would enjoy. She and some of her friends are planning a summer book discussion club for their sixth-grade reluctant readers. She needed some ideas for choosing books and leading the discussion. Teaching the Classics was at the top of my list of parent resources. What better time than summer to strengthen your skills of literary analysis and Socratic discussion? This six-hour seminar takes you through the structure of literature using children’s picture books, short stories, and poems. You’ll easily understand theme, plot structure, and characterization. Speech Boot Camp Finally, who doesn’t get a little anxious when they have to speak to an  audience? Speech Boot Camp, which is best completed in a group, prepares students from grades 6–12 to speak in front of others. With instructional time, peer evaluation of speeches, and tips for writing speeches, the variety of activities trains students on what to do and what not to do. Your students may not ever lose their stage fright, but this course will give them more confidence to tackle a task that some would consider worse than death. While summer is already underway, it isn’t too late to plan a little extra instruction. Perhaps a â€Å"pre-fall† course during the dog days of July. Or a little early school preparation when the August doldrums set in. Whatever your situation, IEW has the materials to help you make the most of your summer vacation. Danielle Olander, an IEW ® Accomplished Instructor, is the author of  Rockets, Radar, and Robotics. Married to her college sweetheart, Ray, and a homeschooling mom of five amazing children, she coaches writing via email for students from Michigan to Papua New Guinea. After graduating from her parents’ homeschool in the pioneer days of homeschooling, Danielle graduated  summa cum laude  with her B.A. in English/History Education from Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI. Log in or register to post commentsDanielle Olanders blog Log in or register to post comments