JK/SK Review

Here is what we did today in JK/SKB 

Ideas for Home

My son Ryan is in Grade 1,  so I am always looking for ideas to keep him motivated to practice sounds and sight words. Here are a few I do at home with my kids:

• Two years ago when he started JK,  I used the PALS words and put them on little cut-out stars I made. I laminated them so I could change the words once he mastered the ones that were up. I used a dry erase marker which comes off easily when wiped. Then I taped them to the ceiling and we read them at night before he went to bed. You can do this in the dark with a flash light or with the lights on. 

                                         

I wrote the sight words on little circles and made a word caterpillar. I let my son hold a pointer and we practice sight words this way. 

                                           

• I bought a set of foam letters (from Toys R Us...I'm pretty sure I saw the same ones at the Dollarama too) and we practice the sounds in the bath tub. My daughter (who is now three) likes this too. I try to make a game of it and ask them the sounds, if they get it right, then they get to stick the letter to the wall. You can also show the letter and ask if he/she can tell you a word that starts with the same letter. 

• Bought some small paper cups from Dollarama. My son and I wrote sight words on them and we built some "castles." He was pretty excited to "play" this game. 

• I also have a large book shelf in both my kids rooms with seasonal books (Right now I have Winter and Easter-themed books). I order most books through the Scholastic Book Club or I get some from the Public Library. 

• Here is a summer inspired little game I made to play on this rainy day.
• I had a beach ball at home that I picked up from Dollarama. I wrote the sight words all around it (my son helped me with this). 
• My son and I took turns throwing the ball to each other and whatever word we saw first, we read. We both had fun! Definitely going to do this with my students this week!

..."playing" aka practicing sight words at 7:00am, yes please :)

Grade 3 Shared Reading

At the beginning of every PALS class, I like to take some time and do shared reading with the students. We are currently reading, "The Mouse and the Motorcycle." 

Here are some comprehension questions that are on the foam dice that we use.

Before reading:

• Predict what will happen in the story
• What background do you bring to the story?
• What does the title tell you about the story?
• Is the story fiction or nonfiction?

During:

• How does the story relate to your life?
• Choose a problem in the story. How could this problem have been avoided?
• What questions do you have about the story?
• Who are the main characters?

After:

• Summarize the story
• What is the main idea of the story?
• Identify a paragraph that used descriptive writing. 
• How are you and the main character alike?

Student are encouraged to read at home nightly to help them become better readers.