text: Teacher-designed projects can allow the students to grow their academic independence. During the school year, teachers are readily available in case students need to answer questions. However, during the summer it is not as easy as raising one's hand in class; students are almost entirely on their own. They will have to develop the skills needed to solve a novel problem independently. This ability is referred to by psychologists as fluid intelligence. One's fluid intelligence decreases with age, so it is important for students to strengthen it while they are young. Students may also find useful academic tools that help them to understand the material of the class. One of the more well known of these tools is Khan Academy. Students often go to these websites to understand what they could not in class. Finding these tools during the summer will prove useful, as they can still be used during the school year.