Homework is a very important part of first grade. Not only does it reinforce what your child has been doing in school, it also encourages responsibility and independence. We encourage you to HELP your child with his/her homework, but do not do it for them. Below is a list of ideas for your child. These are additional ideas that might make homework time less stressful for you and your child.

Math:

*While riding in the car, practice addition and subtraction facts to 10.  Have your child set the table and instead of telling him/her to "put out 4 plates", tell him/her to set out "as many as we will need".  Let your child help you cook dinner. 

*While cooking, discuss measurement: 1/2 a cup, 1/4 a cup, etc. At the end of the day, empty all the change out of your pockets and let your child help you count it. 

*When your child asks you what time it is, help him/her figure it out using the analog clock (not digital!)

These are a few of the math games your child will learn throughout the year.  The games can be played at home to reinforce skills that have been introduced in math.

*PENNY/DICE GAME
Partners pool their pennies to make 20. Take turns rolling the die and picking up as many pennies as the number on the die.  To pick up the last pennies, the number on the die must match the number of pennies remaining.

*TWO-FISTED PENNIES GAME
Children count out ten pennies and split them between their two hands.  Help your youngster identify his/her left or right hand.  For example: my left hand has 1 and my right hand has 9; left hand has 3 and right hand has 7.  Repeat with other numbers of pennies.

*PENNY GRAB GAME
Partners combine their pennies.  Each grab a handful, counts, and records the amount using cent and dollar notation.  For example, 13 pennies would be recorded as both 13(cent sign) and $.13.

*PENNY/NICKEL EXCHANGE GAME
Partners make a pile of 40 pennies and 8 nickels. This pile is the bank.  Players take turns rolling a die and collecting pennies from the bank. As players acquire 5 or more pennies, they say "exchange" and turn in 5 pennies for a nickel.  The game ends when the bank is empty.

*DOMINO TOP-IT
Place all the dominoes face down between partners. Each player chooses a domino and finds the total number of dots. The player with the larger total gets both dominoes. Play until the dominoes are gone!

Writing:

When your child reads a book, have him/her write a new ending for the story.  Have your child write letters to friends or relatives.  When writing with your child, look for appropriate spacing, capitals, and punctuation.  Always have your child proofread his/her stories to make sure that all word wall words are spelled correctly.  Encourage your child to add details to their stories.  Stories should always have a beginning, middle, and end. Children should write a topic sentence, three supporting details, and ending (feeling) sentence.  Encourage the use of characters!

Reading:

BEFORE READING

How to choose a "Just Right" book

Ask yourself these questions.  If you answer YES, this book is probably a "Just Right" book for you.

1.  Is this book new to you?

2.  Do you understand some of the book?

3.  Are there just a few words (3-5) that you don't know?

4.  When you read are some places smooth and some choppy?

5.  Can someone help you with this book? Who?

Also, take the "Five-Finger Test" to choose a book.

1.  Choose a book

2.  Open to the middle of the book.

3.  Start reading.

4.  When you come to a word you don't know, put one finger down (pinky first).  Put a new finger down for each word you don't know.

5.  If you put your thumb down (5 words you aren't sure about) then this book is too hard. Choose another book.

WHILE READING

Use the ACTIVE READING STRATEGIES to help you become a better reader.

1.  VISUALIZE: Make a movie in your head.

2.  QUESTION: Ask yourself who, what, when, where, and why.

3.  CLARIFY: Not sure about a word? Reread the words you just read.  Look at the pictures.  CLARIFY new words.

4.  PREDICT: Ask yourself "What will happen next?"

5.  CONNECT: Make connections! Text to Self - Connect a book to a personal event or feeling. Text to Text - Connect 2 books together. Text to World - Connect a book to an outside event not directly connected to you.

6.  REACT: "This book makes me feel_________!"

7.  SUMMARIZE: State the most important things about the text.

What do you do when you come to a word you don't know? Use the GUESS THE COVERED WORD STRATEGY to figure out Tricky Words.

1.  STOP: Where is the word? Cover the word to keep your place.

2.  THINK: What would make sense?

3.  LOOK: How long is the word? Is the word I guessed too big or too small?

4.  LISTEN: How does the word begin? What are the other letters in the word?  Check your guess.  Did you guess the covered word?

Or try one of these great ideas:

1.  Skip a word and read the rest of the sentence: Use clues within the sentence to try and figure out the word (must use a word that makes sense).

2.  Substitute with another word that makes sense.

3.  Use picture clues.

4.  Use text clues (boldface, type, italics, roman numerals, etc.)

5.  Look at the beginning letters of the unknown word and try to sound it out.

6.  Look for smaller words inside larger words.

7.  Ask someone for help.

The ABCs Of Reading To And With Your Child

A sk questions while reading together. "What do you think will happen next?"

B uy books as gifts for birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, or other holidays.

C hat about what is happening in the book and how it relates to everyday life.

D rop everything and read. Set aside 20 minutes a day during which the whole family reads.

E xamine book illustrations in detail. Select books that have large, bright pictures.

F ind books that interest your child. Make suggestions, but don't turn reading into work.

G ive hints when your child gets stuck on a word.

H ave fun. Smile and enjoy the story. Read with a slow, relaxed voice and be expressive.

I nvite your child to the bookstore. Take time to lounge in the chairs and browse the books.

J oin in your child's reading successes. Celebrate every small step with sincere praise.

K ids love to receive mail. Send your child a magazine subscription in an area that interests him or her.

L earn to read with, and not just to, your child daily. Read aloud, share ideas, and answer questions.

M odel reading. Share with your child, whether you're reading for information or for entertainment.

N ever force your child to read. If you're both too tired or discouraged to read, take a break.

O ffer your child a variety of reading materials, such as books, magazines, cereal boxes, comics, and newspapers.

P redict story elements, draw conclusions, and retell the story with your child.

Q uiz your child at the end of a story. Informally, of course!

R eread books to familiarize your child with words and to build self-confidence.

S ing songs, recite poetry, and do fingerplays to help develop language and listening skills.

T ry to help your child understand that it's okay to make mistakes.

U nderstand that reading is developmental and that it takes time and practice to become fluent.

V isit your local library on a regular basis. Sign your child up for his or her own library card.

W elcome wordless picture books into your collections. They generate conversation and allow the nonreader to create his or her own stories.

"X hibit" patience when your child is selecting books. Your support is empowering.

Y ou are the most important person in helping your child develop a lifelong love of reading.

Z ealous readers are the result of supportive and nurturing role models!

 ABC's of Reading With Your Child - from The MAILBOX Bookbag • Dec/Jan 1998-99