"Glue" words

These are "high frequency"/"sight words" words students see in their books and write on their stories on a daily basis. Students practice writing (in the air, on their leg, on a friend's back, on whiteboards, etc.), reading and finding these words all week.

On Friday's we add the new words to our word ring that we keep in our kit box. We use our word ring as a tool to help us when we are writing and we also use it to play the "flash" game with a friend. It is expected that students can read and write these words.

We call them glue words because they need to get "glued" into our head. We even have a song we sing about them each week:

Teacher says the line and students repeat it back:

"I don't know but have you heard?

_____(look) is our new glue word.

It needs to get stuck in our head,

Even when we go to bed.

L-O-O-K spells look!

Here is a list, that will grow each week, of the glue words we are focusing on:



Sept. 10-14: I / can / like

Home Reading Program

Reading at home should be a positive activity where students can show what they know. Reading does not always have to look the same. It might be playing ‘I Spy’ looking for letters and/or words, counting the words on each page, or making up a story to match the pictures etc. It is suggested that your child spend 10 minutes a night working on word work (reading and/or writing).


Some suggestions for nightly reading with your child:

  • Students choose 5 books each week that they want to read. This bag of books is what we work with each day during Reader's Workshop.
  • Students will pick one book that they want to bring home each day from Monday- Thursday. It should be a different book each night (unless they want to have more time with one to practice it). Please return the book the next day so that we can work with it in the classroom and so a new book can go home.
  • Sit next to each other (shoulder to shoulder), so you can both see the words and pictures.
  • Ask your child if they would like you to read first. It will give you the opportunity to model for them.
  • Discuss the title and pictures in the book. Ask your child what they expect to find in this book.
  • As you read to them point underneath the first letter of each word- don’t glide (not needed after level C books).
  • Let your child read the book to you.
  • After reading, talk about the book (for example: Does it remind them of a birthday party?, Something they did on the weekend/at school?, Is it something they have done or seen before?, etc.)
  • Fill in your child’s “Daily Reading Log” and leave it in the mailbag.

Things to consider when reading with your child:

  • Read poems, jokes, stories, how-to, fiction/non-fiction
  • Have them read different things (ex: newspaper for news/events, labels, recipes, lists, entertainment, websites, games, etc.)
  • Help your child to predict what they think will happen next or discuss “What will happen if…?”, “What do you think about…?”
  • Books with audio are great!
  • Encourage your child to retell the story in his/her own words to a friend/family member.
  • Look for opportunities to read when you are around the house and in the community (ex: food labels, cards, lists, restaurants, signs, license plates, etc.).

At this age students benefit from quick interactive actives that involve the environment around them. If you are working with your child at home try to keep it to 10-15 minutes at a time so they do not lose focus or get overwhelmed. Here is a list of activities/ideas you can do with your child to promote literacy and math skills:

  • ask them to find letters or letter sounds in the environment around them (flyers, signs, license plates, texts, notices, etc.)
  • use a flyer/magazine to help them write a list of foods they would like to get at the grocery store/have for supper/lunches
  • use the flyers to search for numbers ( "I spy a 12, can you find it?")
  • roll out playdough into "snakes" and then use them to form letters/numbers
  • write a note to a family member
  • get a small whiteboard from the Dollarstore to practice writing letters and numbers
  • make up silly words and talk about how you would spell it