There is a growing body of research that indicates that traditional homework is generally not effective for young students. Thus, your student’s only nightly homework is to read for 15 minutes. They can read independently, listen to someone else read, “read” the pictures in a book, read or listen to reading using an online reading app such as Epic!, practice reading our chants and songs from the classroom, the list goes on! Really as long as your child is engaging with some type of text or story nightly, they are meeting this requirement. The best way to become a better reader is to read and be read to, so this nightly practice is crucial!
Sight words (will begin in late September):
Your child will be tested each week on sight words. Testing will occur in class and will only occur once a week. The day that they are tested may change week to week as it is dependent on when I have time to test them. Students will be asked to read each sight word one at a time and will be tested cumulatively. This means that first they will be tested on the red level. Once they pass the red level, they will be tested the following week on both the red and orange levels, and so on. If your child passes all six levels, they will go back to the beginning (red level) and will take a written spelling test with each level's words.
A sight word list was sent home at the beginning of the year. It can also be found here and on the class handouts page.
Your child should be practicing their current level of sight words daily. Ideas for sight word practice:
"Heart word" style flashcards (with embedded explanation videos)
Practice writing each sight word with unusual materials (bright markers, sand, sprinkles, a Ziploc bag full of hair gel and glitter)
Play games with sight words (memory, Go Fish, etc.)
Make up songs or movements to go with sight words
Student of the week
If your child is student of the week, a student of the week survey will be emailed to you. Please complete as soon as possible. I will use your survey responses to create a student of the week poster for your student, which we will use the following week for in-class activities.
Your child should also be practicing letter names and sounds at home. Here are some helpful videos: