Ladders to Literacy

Another resource I received from Brookes Publishing (thank you!) is called "Ladders to Literacy."  This book is jammed packed with activities; however, it is not as ready to go as Road to the Code .  (Don't forget, my readers get a 20% discount by using this code on their website:  KA1102 until August 15^{th).  But, because it doesn’t have all the printables in the appendix, there’s more room for activities.  I wouldn’t recommend this for parents, because it is definitely geared towards teachers.  Yet, I found some activities that you can do right at home:}

Call attention to words on books that indicate the title, author and illustrator.  Isn't that a good title?  It's the first one I could find with an author and illustrator, I promise!

Have your child flip the book around to begin reading.  Then have him/her turn the pages to learn concept of print.

Write your child a note on a larger sheet of construction paper.  This teaches your child that print is a tool to communicate.  Point to the words as you read them.  Can your child identify any letters, sounds or words?

Have your child keep a journal.  Now, don’t fret about spelling words correctly, or even making letters at all depending on your child’s stage of development.  Imaginative letters and inventive spelling is a great stepping stool towards literacy.  Do make sure that the “imaginative letters” or “inventive spellings” go in the right direction.  And hold your child accountable for letters or words you have discussed.  Also, have them illustrate writing to make it easier for you to help identify what is being said!  Make sure you get a fun, but small journal.  Large ones can be daunting!

Use meal time as a learning opportunity.  On index cards, write what your child is eating.  After your child finishes, have him/her illustrate the food on the index card.  Keep the cards around so that your child is repeatedly exposed to these words.  Maybe he/she will even be able to identify items on menus after some practice!

Use nursery rhymes to help your child become more aware of the sounds in words.  Have your child memorize one of his/her favorite rhymes.  Then, have him/her draw pictures on index cards of the rhyming words.  Make him/her scramble the picture cards and place them in order as he/she recites it.  If that’s too easy, write the rhyming words on the back of the index cards and see if your child can arrange those!

Teach your child to listen for words through songs.   Your child must mimic the actions of the words said in the song.  This book suggests using some songs by Red Grammer- “Can You Sound Just Like Me,” “Finger Play” and “Ready Set.”  You can easily use simple songs such as “The Hokey Pokey” or “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

Have any musical instruments in your home?  Play them for your child.  Can your child discriminate between high and low sounds?  Loud and soft?

Practice syllables through art.  Have your child draw pictures of multisyllabic words (candy, elephant, etc.).  Then, have him/her cut the pictures into however many syllable are in the word.  For example, PENCIL would be cut into 2 sections and CALENDAR into 3.  As you say the words aloud, model putting the pieces back together, making sure to enunciate the syllables.  When all the pieces are put back in place, it completes the puzzle, just like when all the syllables are put into place, it completes the word!

I could keep going on… and on… and on!  I’ll stop there to note that the book does include a Parent/Family Guide to Early Literacy Activities.  This section is perfect for the busy parent!  Here are a few examples:

When you have no hands free- sing nursery rhymes, ask for rhyming words or break a word into phonemes and have your child say it back fast (example: MAR… long pause… KER, and your child says MARKER)

When you’re sitting down- write messages to each other, or describe objects using adjectives

When your child’s friends are around- use magnetic letters in play, measure food for a recipe, scribble together or write secret messages

On rainy days- make books, read books in silly voices, act out books

At the store- have your child go on a letter hunt, searching for letters printed, or even words printed on signs, labels or tags

Bedtime- read aloud and model what fluent reading sounds like

PHEW.  Great resource for teachers and parents who are willing to take a little more time to plan for activities and apply group activities to individuals (which is very easily done)!

The Road...

I’m going to take another quick break from read-alouds to tell you about some exciting things going on with Brookes Publishing Company .  If you access their website HERE  and use the code KA1102 until August 15^th, you will receive 20% off your purchase.  There are some amazing resources out there, so at least go check them out.  You can’t pass up a SALE! 

Brookes has sent me several resources that I’ve been gobbling up.  I particularly enjoy Road to the Code for all the young learners out there.  Although it is intended for classroom teachers, why not give your child a head start?  Here are some sample lessons .  Don’t be afraid to try them even if you have no educational background!  There are a wealth of materials ready to be copied and used in the back section.  

Some ready to go materials:

Large or small alphabet cards you can copy onto cardstock and hang up around your child’s room, or even use as templates to paint on their walls!  These cards have pictures around them that begin with each letter and even a little jingle to accompany each one (“Big boy bouncing on a bed”).

Sound Categorization Cards- great for rhymes!  There are 4 pictures on each page that all rhyme.  They even give you the names of the pictures, which is important.  You don’t know how many times I’ve sat around with other teachers trying to figure out a picture’s name!  Throw in a picture from another group and see if your child can identify the non-rhyming card!

Initial Sound Categorization Cards- same thing, but pictures are grouped by the beginning sounds.  Once again, throw another group’s card in and see if your child can pick out the oddball!

Sound BINGO Cards- I love these!!  Who doesn’t like a little BINGO in their lives?  The cards are a mixture of pictures and letters.  This is an activity the whole family can do for Games Night!  There are almost 40 pages of different cards, so it will last you awhile!

Elkonin Cards - Remember all the times I’ve said to have your child push out an item for each time they hear a sound in a word?  Well these cards are made just for that.  Each one has a picture at the top and three boxes beneath.  The child can point to each box as they hear a sound, or even fill the boxes in with the letters they hear.  All the pictures are three letter words (map, net, fan, etc.).  Have your child write the alphabet on rectangles that will fit in each box in fun markers and have your child drag the letters over as he/she hears them!

I love resources that come ready to go.  None of us have time to make all the millions of activities I’ve been describing, so this is worth the investment, whether you’re a parent or teacher.  I would like to see more syllable activities, but you can use the ideas I’ve mentioned before and easily add them to this guide.  Just think, what better way to grow and learn with your child than taking 10 minutes a day to open up this book and literally GO!?

I will post about another one tomorrow.  Use your code and go browse Brookes!

Side By Side Reading

Exciting News…

I have received some teaching resources from Brookes Publishing .  I am currently plowing through them and hope to have some examples for you to use later this week.  I love getting this stuff (especially for free) so that I can see what great things are already out there.  If you have anything you’d like me to include on any of my posts PLEASE SEND THEM TO ME!  I will take them with open arms J

Today, I stumbled upon a series of books from Scholastic called Side By Side.  They are intended for adults and children to read together.  One page has very simple writing for children to read, while the other has read-aloud material for adults.  The one I found today was “Miss Moo Goes to the Zoo.”  Poor Miss Moo, the cow, is misplaced at a zoo.  You can read her journey together with your child’s help!

LISTENING -  Have your child on the lookout for whenever you say MISS MOO.  When he/she hears you say it, he/she must jump up, or hug you, or repeat her name, etc.

RHYMING -  Emphasize rhyming words when you hear them.  You will notice a pattern of rhyming words with each stanza on the read-aloud pages.  See if after a few pages your child can fill in the missing rhyming words.  At the end of the book, have your child create a cow out of construction paper.  On this cow, use markers to write down any rhyming words (real or nonsense) that your child can think of to rhyme with COW or MISS MOO.

WORDS/SENTENCES -  Use the child-friendly pages to show yours the different words.  At each page, point to the words as you read them.  Have your child do it on his/her own, after you model.  Use a pointer, such as a fly swatter, fancy pencil, decorated clothespin, etc. to point to the words.

SYLLABLES - Have your child make some small cows out of construction paper or toy farm animals.  Give your child words from the book and have them use the cows to illustrate how many syllables are in each word.  For example, your child would give you one cow for the word MOO.  Try these words: city, animal, strange, turning, around, elephants, giraffes, lions.

INITIAL/FINAL SOUNDS - Create an M box.  Grab a shoebox, empty juice/milk carton, etc. and have your child design it.  Place a large M somewhere on it.  Go around the house or search through magazines to find words that begin with M.  For a bonus, make another box to fill with words that end with M.

PHONEMES - Bring back out the cows from the syllable activity (or if you have farm animal toys, use those).  See if your child can name all the phonemes in the animals’ names by pushing an item forward with each phoneme.  For example, for LIONS, your child would push forward a farm animal for L, I, O, N and S (5 farm animals).  Try these words: COW (c-ow), HORSE (h-or-se), CHICKEN (ch-i-ck-en), SHEEP (sh-ee-p), etc.

LETTERS/SPELLING - Have your child read the child-friendly pages with you.  Grab a markerboard, shaving cream or construction paper with a fun writing utensil.  See if they can sound out and write some of those phrases after seeing them.  Don’t be picky with spelling, but help your child sound out words he/she may have really gotten wrong!

Ladybug’s Birthday is another Side by Side book from Scholastic.  I don’t have it personally, but it’s probably a great read for you and your child!

Happy Valentine's Day... Almost!

In honor of Valentine's Day, here are some activities to do with your little Valentine.

Check out these Valentine’s Day Rhymes. See if your child can guess the rhyming word (from  http://bogglesworldesl.com/valentines_day_worksheets.htm)

A Valentine’s color that rhymes with bed.

A Valentine’s color that rhymes with sink.

Something you give that rhymes with lift.

Something you give that rhymes with yard.

What cupid shoots that rhymes with go.

An emotion that rhymes with glove.

A long, long time that rhymes with clever.

A Valentine’s symbol that rhymes with art.

Something sweet that rhymes with dandy.

What couples do that rhymes with miss.

Do some of these songs with your child.

Here are some of my favorites to do with finger puppets.  Have fun making your own (using socks, clay or old gloves) and then saying these.  They are relatively easy to memorize for your child and would be good practice for tracking words.  Write them on a poster board or just print them straight from here!

Five Pretty Valentines

Five Pretty valentines waiting at the store.
(Your child's name) bought one and then there were four.
Four pretty valentines shaped like a "V"
(Your child's name) bought one and then there were three.
Three pretty valentines said "I love you"
(Your child's name) bought one then there were two.
Two pretty valentines, this was so much fun.
(Your child's name) bought one and then there was one.
One pretty valentine sitting on the shelf.
It was lonely, so I bought it for myself.

5 Little Valentines

Five little valentines were having a race
The first little valentine was frilly with lace.
The second little valentine had a funny face.
The third little valentine said, "I love you".
The fourth little valentine said, "I do too".
The fifth little valentine was sly as a fox.
He ran the fastest to the valentine box.

Make some Valentine’s Day cards together.  Depending on the age of your child, you can have them dictate and you write, or you can have them write with your help to sound out words.  These are some cute templates to make a Valentine’s Day box from DLTK!   I would even use these templates to make Valentine Letter Boxes.  Collect words in magazines, flyers or newspapers that begin with V!

Throw some math in!  Lay out conversation hearts or candy in certain groups of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.  Write the numbers 1-5 on sheets of paper.  See if your child can match up the numbers to the amount of hearts.

Make letters from conversation hearts.  Demonstrate arranging the hearts into the letter A.  Can your child arrange them into other letters?

Enjoy your Valentine's Weekend!

Love Is In the Air!

Valentine’s books are hard to find in my school’s library.  Anyone else experience the same thing?  But, I read this to my class today and they LOVED it.  Olive is quite the character!  Be sure to read this with your Valentine J

LISTENING - Tell your child to listen out for the word HEART.  Every time you say it in the book, have him/her do some sort of action (hug you, jump up and down, etc.).

RHYMING - Although not every line rhymes, there are several sentences with rhyming pairs: “One, TWO off she FLEW,” “Stop!  No!  Don’t go!” and “Just then, down the RUT rolled a NUT,” etc.  Cut a heart out of red or pink construction paper  Choose one of those sentences, and see how many other rhyming words your child can think of to match.  Write these for your child on the heart.  You can make several hearts using several rhyming pairs.

WORDS/SENTENCES -  Keep that red construction paper.  Write one word of a sentence on a smaller heart.  Use a sentence from the book, or one like “Happy Valentine’s Day my love,” “I love you ____” or “Be my Valentine ____.”  You can even use conversation hearts to think of a message.  Show your child how to mix up the words and arrange them back in order.  Have your child try this!

SYLLABLES -  Use conversation hearts for this activity.  Try to figure out how many syllables are in these words by pushing a heart out each time you hear a syllable: LOVE, VALENTINE, OLIVE, HEART, CHOCOLATE, etc.

INITIAL/FINAL SOUNDS -  How many objects in your house can your child find that start with the V sound for Valentine (vase, vacuum, etc.)?  Can your child find any that end with that sound (glove, stove, TV, etc.)?

PHONEMES - Back to those conversation hearts.  Use the word VALENTINE, which could be very tricky, push out a conversation heart for each phoneme you hear (V-A-L-EN-T-I-NE).  If this is too hard, try LOVE (l-o-ve) or CANDY (c-a-n-d-y).  Be sure to model it before you have your child do it!

LETTERS/SPELLING - Recycle and keep using those conversation hearts.  Help your child read the short messages.  Can he/she make a story using the hearts?  Glue them onto a paper and help your child add words in between to fill in the story.  Another activity- write VALENTINE on scraps of paper (or hearts).  One letter per sheet.  How many smaller words can your child make from it (van, in, eat, etc.).  This sheet  can help!

Other activities to do with conversation hearts: graph the colors, sort them by colors or make patterns with the colors.  I wouldn’t suggest eating all the conversation hearts in one sitting, but enjoy!

Hello Snow!

Running with the snow theme, this is a great find for young readers!  With tons of rhymes and lively pictures, your child is sure to be entertained!

LISTENING - Let your child do some acting.  Read the book through one time.  Then, without showing your child the pictures, have him/her act out what you read on the page.

RHYMING - Where to begin.  After you’ve read a few pages, have your child try to guess the last word in each stanza.  For example, say, “Hello, sock.  Goodbye, toe.  Hold on, piggies- In you ___.”

WORDS/SENTENCES - Can your child find the Hellos and Goodbyes on each page?

INITIAL/FINAL SOUNDS - Fix your child some cocoa.  Then, have them search for words that begin or end with that same “c” sound.  Write all of these on some shaving cream for an added snow effect!

SYLLABLES - Find any two syllable word in the story (HELLO, SUNSHINE, SNOWFLAKES, etc.).  Model saying each syllable in a different voice for your child.  Have your child try.  For example, with the word SUNSHINE, say SUN with a high-pitched voice, and SHINE with a low-pitched one.

PHONEMES - Since the children in the story drink hot cocoa, round up some marshmallows and practice Push and Say with small three, four or five letter words.  For HELLO, push a marshmallow out for H, E, LL and O (4 marshmallows).  Your child can only eat he/she if they identify all the phonemes in a word J

                Added BONUS- I love the BBC website.  Try this Whirly Words  game.

LETTERS/SPELLING - In that mug of hot cocoa, give your child a straw and have him/her practice writing 3, 4 or 5 letter words in their drink!  Choose words like PACK (the –ack family), HAT (-at family), ZIP (-ip family), etc.  Can he/she think of any other words that fall into those families?  Or, practice sight words such as ME, SEE HELLO, AND, IN, HERE, THE, WE, GO, IT, THIS, etc.

                Added BONUS- Try the Word Blender , also from the BBC Website!

Is your child even more advanced than this?  Have him/her write a new page for the book, seeing if he/she can following the rhyming pattern!

What Dreams are Made Of...

As some of us are wishing for snow, and others are wishing it would melt, Eric Carle’s “Snow Dreams” sounds fitting.  I know it talks about Christmas, but I think I’m just really hoping for a snowfall, so it seems fitting to me!  Your child will love the transparent pages that allow them to guess the animal.  Here are some suggestions:

LISTENING - Have your child make the noise of each animal as they become blanketed with snow.  The sentence “The snowflakes gently covered ____ with a white blanket.” is repeated several times.  After reading it through once, read it through again and change one of the words.  For example, say “The snowflakes gently caught ____ with a white blanket.”  Can your child guess the messed up word?  When you are reading the numbers in order, try saying a word that isn’t a number.  For example, say “One, Two, Fish, Four and Five.”  Can your child name the silly word?

RHYMING - How many words can your child come up with that rhyme with SNOW.  They can be nonsense words.  Can he/she make up a sentence using some rhyming words?  For example, “The SHOW stopped because of SNOW and I KNOW we have to GO.”

WORDS/SENTENCES - Give your child 9 blocks or 9 of any small item.  Read them the sentence “The snowflakes gently covered Three with a white blanket.”  Model pushing a block out for each word in the sentence.  Next, do it with your child as you guide his/her hands out for each word.  After several tries, can your child do it alone?

SYLLABLES - Have your child collect some nighttime things in a bad (toothbrush, teddy bear, blanket, etc.).  Pull the items out of the bag one by one and model the jaw activity to show that your mouth moves each time there’s a new syllable.  Can your child do that?

INITIAL/FINAL SOUNDS - How many words does your child hear that start with the same sound as SNOW?  Collect some items around the house that start with the same letter.  Try the same thing with snow’s last letter (W).

PHONEMES - Give your child several blocks for this activity.  Model pushing one out each time you hear a sound/phoneme in the story.  Or, have a jar of pretzels, peanuts, grapes, etc.  Have your child grab one each time they hear individual sounds.  Try some of these words: WITH (w-i-th), FELL (f-e-ll), ASLEEP (a-s-l-ee-p), SNOW (s-n-ow), MOON (m-oo-n), STAR (s-t-ar).

LETTERS/SPELLINGS - If you have snow, use it!  Don't you feel bad for the person above?!  If not, grab some shaving cream to create a pretend scene.  Help your child spell SNOW.  Underneath of it, drop the SN and put GR.  Drop the GR and add a THR.  Drop that beginning and add BL.  See if your child can think of anymore.  You can do the same for the word DREAM (steam, beam, treat, neat, beat, seat, etc.)

Hoping this brings a little snow my way J