Teacher Tip Tuesday--Fun with Sight Words

After meeting with families over the last few weeks, one "grow" that was mentioned time and again was sight word fluency.  Being able to recognize common sight words quickly and accurately will help your reader confidently and successfully read increasingly difficult texts and free up some brain power for thinking more deeply about what they are reading.  When readers spend less time and energy calling words, they can spend more time thinking about what those words mean and why the author chose them.  

One practical way to support sight word acquisition and fluency is to simply read.  Using Raz-Kids and readers sent home in your child's PIRATE Notebook are great places to start.  

While reading is a great way to practice sight vocabulary, sometimes it is necessary to practice words out of context.  Here are a few fun ideas to help your child practice at home.

                                       

1.)  Use a game board--Pull out your favorite board game and add a stack of sight words.  CandyLand is a perfect choice.  Pull a color card and sight word card.  You can only move to your designated color if you can correctly read your sight word.  We also like to use Hi! Ho! Cherry-o!  Spin and read to move your cherries--one word per cherry.

2.)  Play hop-scotch--Create a hop-scotch board with side walk chalk.  Write a tricky word in each square.  You have to read every word that you hop on.  

3.)  BANG--Write the word BANG on two-three index cards and add them to a stack of sight words.  Show each player a word from the stack.  If the reader correctly reads the word, they can keep it.  Players continue to accumulate cards until they are shown a BANG card.  If you get BANG you must give back all of your cards.  The person with the most words at the end of the game is the winner.

Happy Practicing!  

Teacher Tip Tuesday (or Wednesday)--Google Classrom

In order to keep up with some of our favorite web-sites and web-based assessments, I have created a Google Classroom for your child to use at school and at home.  By logging in at home, you will have direct access to the web-sites, assignments, and other resources we are using in the classroom.

At school, we are able to log-in to Google with a QR code.  At home, you will need your child's gmail address and password.  If  you need your child's login information, just let me know.  I will be happy to send it to you!  If you have an upcoming conference, I will be happy to share it with you then!

Once you have logged into Google, click the waffle, look for your classroom, and get to work!  If you're not sure exactly what to do, don't worry!  Chances are you have a Kindergarten expert ready to show you how it's done!  

Happy exploring! 

Happy Fall Y'all

We have been having lots of Fall fun in Kindergarten!  

After learning about the sights and sounds of the season, we created some great fall art using leaves and snacks!  Check out our fall trees made out of pretzels and M&M's. 

Then we used pattern blocks and some our favorite shapes to build some of our favorite fall things like pumpkins and apples and leaves. 

We even read about a little old lady who swallowed some Fall things in There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves and made our own little old lady who swallowed some pretty crazy stuff!

Then we explored one of my favorite Fall things--APPLES!  I grew up in apple country, so nothing says home--or fall--to me like apples!  

We had a great time learning about how apples grow and how apple trees change over time and seasons.  

We read about Johnny Appleseed and how he helped spread apple trees across our new nation--but our favorite part was the pot on his head!

Johnny even inspired an apple robot! 

After lots of reading about apples, it was time to touch, taste, and feel!  We taste tested three different types of apples--Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith.  

Then just like scientists we recorded what we saw and felt and tasted.

We also learned how apples get from the orchard to our table and about lots of yummy apple products. 

Then came my favorite part--the applesauce!  

We were too busy eating to take pictures!  

Be on the look out for more fall fun with pumpkins.