| Always check the weekly newsletter for opportunities to reinforce your
child's learning. As we begin this new year, there are several
activities that your child can do to strengthen their academic skills at
home. Here is a list of suggested activities:
1. Spend time listening to your child read the leveled reader that they
bring home each day (Monday-Thursday). Ask him/her questions about what
they read to check their comprehension of the story.
2. Read library books to them and with them. Listening to a parent read
will help your child as you model expression and fluency.
3. Talk to your child about his/her day. Ask them questions that will
require more than a yes or no answer. For example, "Tell me about the
best part of your day besides recess" or "Tell me something you learned
today." I challenge them almost daily to share particular information
with you so that you can be impressed. I love when I hear that students
are actually doing that.
4. Look over your child's graded papers together. Be careful to be positive
and encouraging, but yet clear in your expectations. Young children are
so critical of their own work so we need to be careful about adding to
their need to be perfect.
5. My weekly newsletter gives you detailed lesson plans so that you can
reinforce classroom learning at home (or in the car, etc.). Relating
lessons to the real world makes a connection that won't be forgotten.
For example, if we are studying certain letter sounds that week and you
are in the car, ask your child to name things he/she sees that starts
with that letter.
6. Study with your child on this week's spelling words. Spelling lists are
posted on the website and updated every Tuesday.
7. Ask your child to identify the city, state, country, and continent that
he or she lives in. Be sure that your child knows his/her address.
This is an easy activity to do in the car.
8. Review math facts using purchased or home-made flashcards. See links to
math web sites to practice math facts.
9. Study Priority Spelling Lists that are listed on the website.
10. Count money with your child. They need lots of practice with this
skill.
11. Read over your list of Dolch sight words.
12. Practice telling time using clocks at your house.
13. Math Homework folders have been provided to individual students whose
parents have asked for extra math homework. Kids and parents have
mentioned that they enjoy these extra math problems. Let me know if
you would like me to send a math folder for your child.
Deer Creek Board policy states that first graders should not have more than
30 minutes of homework a day. Please let me know if your child is spending
more than 30 minutes a day reading his/her leveled reader and/or studying
spelling words.
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