Sight Words

Last year, your child learned 25 high-frequency or "sight" words. These words make up about 33% of the words an adult American would encounter in printed texts. This year we will be studying 82 more sight words which together with those your child has learned make up about 50% of all words one would encounter when reading most English texts. This means that by the endo the year, your child should be able to effortlessly read at least one out of every two words he or she encounters which is of course very exciting.

We are going to be working with two to three new sight words per day and will have assessments at the end of each week. While this seems like a fairly rapid rate, it is based on the law of 10/20 which states that rapid pacing with frequent reviews leads to long term memories. We will have covered all of the 82 new words in the first 7 weeks of class and will then begin to review them again over the next 7 weeks. At the end of the year we will have reviewed these words 5 times. Studies have shown that this meathod is much more effective than studing only a few words each week with fewer reviews.

Especially in our first 7 week cycle, it would be beneficial for your child to work on sight words at home. I am posting a sight words study strategy in the side bar for you to reference throughout the year. Research has found this to be much more effective than simply using flashcards to memorize these words. If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to talk to me. I am excitied about the progress your child will make this year and look forward to working with you!

Is Your Home a High Print Environment?

Studies show that children learn to read best when they live in high print environments. A high print environment has multiple forms of text available for children and adults including books and magazines and encourages reading and writing. The concept is simple: the more children have access to reading and writing, the more they will read and write, and the better they will be at it.

One great way to enhance the sources of print in your home is to order and collect magazines for them. Children love getting mail, and magazines targeted at children often have interesting articles that will get them reading as well as help them understand the purpose of print. Several editorials for children offer free samples and trial subscriptions to allow you to see what will be interesting to your child. I'll provide a list of magazines I've used bellow.

I have found that re-purposed cereal boxes make wonderful magazine organizers and take up very little space on shelves and tables. To make them I make a mark about four inches from the bottom corner and then draw a diagnal line connecting that and the top opposite corner. I then do the same on the other side of the box and cut the marked section off with scissors or a craft knife. You can use boxes with cartoon characters on them, cover them with wrapping paper or collages, or paint them.

• Xplor is from the Missouri Department of Conservation and is free for Missouri residents http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/xplor/get-xplor-magazine
  


• Highlights http://highlightskids.com/



• Spider Magazine http://www.spidermagkids.com/



• Ranger Rick's from the National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/kids.aspx



• National Geographic for Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

Make a Writing Station!

This year we are going to be working hard to further our reading and writing abilities. One of the best ways to do this is to practice these skills. A great way to encourage writing is to create a designated writing station in your home.

When setting up your writing station, put it in place where your child feels comfortable to be creative. Provide different types of paper that can be used for different writing purposes such as writing and illustrating stories, making cards, writing lists, and writing post cards. It is also important to provide varied writing utensils including crayons, markers, pencils, and pens in different colors.

When your child works at his or her writing center, allow opportunities for sharing what he or she has created. Though you will often notice several errors in spelling and punctuation, find the positive elements you can applaud. The point of this station is to create a place where children feel free to write and create.

Welcome to First Grade!

Welcome parents and students!

I am excited to start the year and feel this blog will be a valuable tool for keeping you informed about the exciting activities and lessons taking place in our classroom as well as for you to share any interesting information or resources you have found with the class.

My expectations for this blog are that all members will:

• Be respectful at all times
  
• Keep personal information such as last names, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses private as this blog is accessible to the public
  
• Keep school names or personal links private
  
• Share class-related links and information

Only parents, students, and administrators of this class will be permitted to post.

I am looking forward to a great year!