Hello Families,
Knowing that we will not be able to hold school next week, I am going to share with you some ideas you could use should you find yourself able to school at home with your child. This work is NOT required at all. I hope it is helpful and that you have some fun doing it. I am going to miss your children VERY much!
There are some great websites to check out at the bottom of this post.
Reading/Writing:
1) Find a book your child loves to read with you and spend 20 minutes reading with each other in ways you find successful. You read to them, they read to you, shared reading, even listening to an audio version of the book can be fun. After you read the book, talk about what happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story. Have your child create a few note cards with some of the details. Your child will then try out summarizing the story. You can do it, too. This could be a fun chapter book that you read part of each day!
2) Find one of your favorite poems and share it with your child. It could even be the lyrics from one of your favorite songs. Read the poem or song at least 3 times. Recite it, sing it, own it! Have your child draw or write about what the song or poem made them feel.
3) Have your child grab a book and find 10 different words that jump out to them. Have them write the words in a list. Now, work with your child to put those words into alphabetical order. It might help to cut out each of the words so they can be moved around. Write out the ABCs for your child to use as a resource. Finally, the kids can write a sentence for each word or write a silly song or story using them.
4) Have your child create their own ABC book. They can dedicate one page to each letter. Have them write the upper and lower case of each letter, a word that starts with that letter, a picture of that word, and finally one sentence that links to that word. Start with pencil and then make the book juicy with color after it's the way they want.
5) Have your child write some thank you cards or cards of their choice to someone special. Talk to them about the importance of sharing thoughts and feelings of gratitude, thanks, and appreciation. Talk about how good it feels to get a special letter from someone. Talk to them about saying something they really feel and organizing their thoughts and writing in a way that makes it easy for the person to read.
6) Have your child write a letter Ms. Christie telling me what they are up to. I will miss them VERY much! Here is a letter from me that you can share. Maybe they could respond to it!
Dear Amazing Students,
I want you to know that I absolutely love being your teacher! Each and every day that I walk into the classroom and see your bright and shiny faces my heart explodes with joy and excitement. I am the luckiest person alive to get to spend my days connecting and learning with you. I am disappointed that we will not be together next week in class BUT I know we will be back together VERY soon. I am going to be home with my 3 daughters. We are going to do school together each day and get creative with the work we do. We are going to read, write, do math, paint, do science experiments, and enjoy other ways of learning that we invent along the way. It will be a great time to get creative. I cannot wait to hear what you have been up to! Feel free to write a letter telling me all about what you did. Please be safe, be kind, and remember that I think you are amazing! Wash your hands!
Love,
Ms. Christie
Math:
1)
Roll and Record - A Math Game
Take 2-3 dot or number dice
depending on what is best for you.
Take a + or – die ( you can make this yourself by placing tape over each side of a die and writing a + or - on the sides)
Roll all of the dice and
create an equation to solve using the numbers on the dice you role.
Write the equation and solve the equation using evidence.
The +/- die will tell you
whether it’s an addition or subtraction problem.
Challenge yourself at the level that is best for you!
See how many equations you
can set up and solve.
Be sure your information it
clearly organized so it’s easy for someone else to understand.
2) Measurement
Grab a ruler or measuring tape and decide on ten different items to measure and record. Make a graph or chart that shows how long each item is. Have your child work to clearly organize the data so it's easy to read. Organize the items from smallest to biggest.
3) Money, Money, Money
Grab a handful of mixed coins ( quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies). Have your child sort and organize them. Let them get creative. Once they are organized, have your child use their most effective strategy to add up the amount they have. Have your child record the amount they have in a way that is clear.
4) Word Problems
You and your child could make up your own word problem and the solve it. Here is an example of one that I made up.
3 children and 4 adults are sitting in a movie theatre. They are watching the new Lego movie. One of the children, while waiting for the movie to start, begins to wonder something. See if you can help him figure out the answer to the question. How many fingers and toes are there if I added up everyone sitting here? Create an equation to solve this answer, show evidence of how you got the answer, and then answer in a complete sentence.
5) Math Games online
Kids love math games online! Here is a fun one we have been playing in class. It's called Fruit Smash. It has seven levels and can be timed or can be in relaxed mode. It's a fun way to practice addition and subtraction.
Science
This site offers some rich and engaging ideas and activities for science. Have fun!
Social Emotional
Here are some discussion topics I had hoped to cover next week:
1) What are some signs your body sends you when you are beginning to feel sick? Is it important to always listen to your body? Why or why not?
2) Who is your trusted adult? Who can you go to if you are having a hard time with something/someone or something is wrong?
3) Do you always want to do the things that you are asked to do? How do you handle it when you have to do something you don't want to do? What kinds of things can you say or do to motivate yourself? What does it mean to be motivated?
4) What does it mean to be flexible? Is it helpful to be flexible in life when things don't go the way we planned it? Is it easy to be flexible? When were some times when you were flexible?
5) Is it easy to say sorry to someone when you have hurt them or done something wrong? How do you feel after to apologize? How do others feel when you do it? How does it feel when you don't apologize?
Music, Art, and Exercise!
1) Have fun, create, listen to music and DANCE!
2) Get on the floor and stretch!
3) Make something creative with ANY materials you are allowed to use! Take pictures of the process and when you are all done, go back and see what it took to make it!
4) Make a movie, act out a skit, write a song or a poem and perform it!
5) Get out and PLAY!
6) Be YOU and express it in ways that bring you JOY!
7) Get out and explore nature!
Websites
Reading/Writing/Language Arts
https://www.getepic.com/students
https://www.starfall.com/h/
https://www.education.com/games/early-literacy-concepts/
https://pbskids.org/games/reading/
https://www.abcya.com/
www.seussville.com/seussville/
puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/
Social Studies
www.arf.ab.ca/happy/index.sht
www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
Math
https://www.education.com/games/math/?referral_url=kidsnumbers.com
https://www.coolmathgames.com/
https://www.khanacademy.org/
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/
www.nctm.org.
Science
www.planetary.org
www.nwf.org
www.kidsplanet.org
http://www.planetpals.com/earthday.html
https://fastplants.org/
http://4hgarden.msu.edu/
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/gpe/index.cfm
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/kindergarden/kinder
https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/how-to/
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/misc/ef006.htm
Hello from home!
