Mrs. R. McPherson - Kindergarten (Elementary Vice Principal)
Welcome
I am thrilled to begin our year together. I am looking forward to some exciting learning experiences. I feel it is important to inform you about my policies and classroom procedures. You are the expert on your child and I appreciate and respect your input and support, so please contact me with any concerns or comments.
Communication: This is an essential ingredient in our success together. Please feel free to call, or send a note to me with any concerns, comments, or suggestions regarding your child or classroom policies. I will communicate regularly through your child’s agenda planner, parent letters, phone calls, updates and conferences. I can be reached at the school at 403-783-4362.
Agenda Planner: Every child will be given an agenda planner. Please sign or initial your child’s agenda EVERY night. Homework will be written in the agenda daily. You will rarely see a school day that is blank. I will do my best to monitor the students and make sure that they fill it out accurately. There is a copy of the agenda in the classroom where information will be recorded and students will be able to check to make sure they have accurately entered information that is to be sent home. Please watch for notes from the teacher also. Please feel free to write me a note as well.
Absences: When your child is absent from school it is very important that you send a written excuse to the school on the day that he/she returns. Please keep in mind that much of what we do in class cannot be made up because of whole group activities, hands on lessons, and group discussions. It is very important that your child is in school regularly. Make up work will be assigned, but because of the nature of several lessons I may not directly reteach what the rest of the class may have learned while your child was absent. When your child returns from an absence there will be an “Absent Folder”. This will contain any handouts, assignments and letters to take home. Your child needs to check with me about any other work that he or she may have missed
Discipline: I have high behavior expectations for the students. We work together at the beginning of the school year to create our class agreements. I expect students to abide by our agreements at all times. If a student has repeated problems in the classroom I will contact the parents.
The TRIBES agreements used in my classroom are:
-Attentive Listening
-No Put Downs/ Appreciations
-Right to Pass
-Mutual Respect
The guidelines for promoting responsible citizenship are included in the five Lifelong Guidelines and supported by the following Life Skills.
The Lifelong Guidelines for our classroom are:
Trustworthiness |
Truthfulness |
Active Listening |
No Put-Downs |
Personal Best |
The lifeskills that promote our personal best and support behavioral expectations of positive citizenship include:
Caring
to feel and show concern for others
Common Sense
to use good judgment
Cooperation
to work together toward a common goal or purpose
Courage
to act according to one's beliefs despite fear of adverse consequences
Curiosity
a desire to investigate and seek understanding of one's world
Effort
to do your best
Flexibility
to be willing to alter plans when necessary
Friendship
to make and keep a friend through mutual trust and caring
Initiative
to do something, of one's own free will, because it needs to be done
Integrity
to act according to a sense of what's right and wrong
Organization
to plan, arrange and implement in an orderly way; to keep things orderly and ready to use
Patience
to wait calmly for someone or something
Perseverance
to keep at it
Pride
satisfaction from doing one's personal best
Problem Solving
to create solutions to difficult situations and everyday problems
Resourcefulness
to respond to challenges and opportunities in innovative and creative ways
Responsibility
to respond when appropriate; to be accountable for one's actions
Sense of Humor
to laugh and be playful without hurting others
These Lifeskills and Lifelong Guidelines guide our classroom and promote responsible citizenship both in and out of school.
In our classroom we will be using the Lifelong Guidelines and Life Skills throughout the day by pointing out students who are using them and how they are using them. We will also refer to characters in the students' reading who are and are not using them.
So students know what to expect, we will use daily agendas and written procedures.
ALPHABET
Alphabet Activities
All About the Alphabet
In Kindergarten this year your child will learn all about the alphabet. Each week we will study a different letter until all the letters have been covered. Below you will find home activities to do with your child while we are studying that letter.
A a
Letter Recognition:
Go on an "A a" letter hunt. Look for "A a" in a newspaper or magazine. Circle each one found or cut them out and glue them on a piece of paper.
Play a listening game:
Pronounce each word clearly and have your child listen for the short "a" sound you hear at the beginning of the word "apple."
astronaut, parrot, Adam, Abby, glove, candy, absent, absorb,
aster, atom, cardinal, atlas, avenue, tiger, average, ax, acrobat
Sing this song:
"The Letter Aa Song" Tune: London Bridge
I am learning letter Aa, letter Aa, letter Aa
I am learning letter Aa, a, a, a, a. (Make the short a sound)
Let your child help think of new verses to add:
Aa begins the alphabet...
Apple starts with letter Aa...
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "A a" this way.
A = Make 2 sliding boards from top to bottom and cross it from left to right
a = Make a circle and put a straight line on the right side of the circle
B b
Have a "B b" hunt around the house.
Encourage your child to see how many objects he can find with names beginning with the "B b" sound. If possible, let your child write the name on a card to hang on the object.
Which two words in each group begin with the "B b" sound?
ball, baby, cat coat, bump, bubble
Bobby, Mary, Betty balloon, apple, bat
red, boy, bicycle corn, bug, big
hand, book, bugle back, bunny, march
Which words in these sentences begin with the "B b" sound?
a. The boy has a red bicycle.
b. That bird has a long bill.
c. My book is about three bears.
d. Barry lost a button on his coat.
e. The boat bumped into the river bank.
Play a Listening game: All of your guesses should begin with the "B b" sound.
a. A little insect that buzzes, makes honey, and may sting you is called a ________. (bee)
b. The round thing we can roll and throw and catch is called a ______. (ball)
c. The animal that sings "chirp, chirp" and flies above the trees is a _____. (bird)
d. The round thing filled with air you have at a party is called a _____. (balloon)
e. At night the cows go to sleep in the ________. (barn)
C c
Letter Recognition:
Find words beginning with "C c" in a newspaper or a magazine. Have your child cut out and glue them on a piece of paper. Next, have your child look for and cut out pictures of objects with names beginning with the "C c" sound. He/She should glue them to the paper. If your child is interested, have him/her guess how to spell each picture’ name and write his/her letter guesses under each picture.
Listening: Which words in these sentences begin with the "C c" sound?
a. Cats can climb trees.
b. Color the camel brown.
c. Could you carry a car?
d. Do you like corn on the cob?
e. Too much candy can give you cavities.
Listen to the three words in these groups and tell which two begin with the same sound. Another day ask which word begins with a different sound.
cat, cook, tire Carol, Bob, Cathy dip, cover, cold cough, cut, wall
count, table, class nuts, cart, cake cab, catch, paper curl, gift, cap
Listening-Thinking Game:
I will read some words that begin with "C c" as in "Cathy Cook" Put your hand up when you hear something to eat. Then say the word.
corn cat cabbage cookie color cake candy cousin carrot cup cupcake calendar
Word-Guessing Game:
All the words that you will guess begin with the sound of "C c" at the beginning as in "coffee cup."
a. The animal that gives us milk is a _______. (cow)
b. Green, red, blue, purple and orange are _______. (colors)
c. What is orange and is a vegetable Bugs Bunny likes to eat? _____ (carrot)
d. You wear this when you go outside in winter _______. (coat)
e. The thing you drink from that has a handle is a ______. (cup)
Show your child how to make "C c" this way:
Start at the top and curve to the left and go to the bottom line.
D d
Letter Recognition:
Compare the letters "b and d." How are they the same? (Both have a line and a small circle at the bottom.) How are they different? (In the letter b, the circle is to the right of the line. In the letter d, the circle is to the left of the line.) We talk about this in class but continued reinforcement would be helpful at home as these two letters usually confuse young children.
Listening:
Listen to each sentence. Which words start like "Daisy Doll?"
- a. David did not like to dance.
b. I took a dip in the pool.
c. The dog ran after the duck.
d. The doctor said I could not eat dinner.
e. Does Diane have a new doll?
Listening-Thinking:
All the words you will guess should begin with the sound of "D d."
- a. The opposite of up is __________. (down)
b. What animal goes "quack-quack?" ___________ (duck)
c. When we are sick we must go to see the _________ (doctor)
d. A puddle is shallow, the ocean is ___________. (deep)
e. What animal wags its tail and barks? _________ (dog)
Look through magazines to find pictures of things beginning like "Daisy Doll." Glue them to a piece of paper and have your child label the pictures using "invented spelling." Your child should say the word a few times so he/she can listen to the sounds at the beginning, middle and end of the word. Your child should guess how the word is spelled and write his/her letter guesses under each picture. If your child is interested in the correct spelling you can tell him/her after he/she guesses the sounds.
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "D d" this way:
D: Make a straight line from top to bottom. Go back to the top and make a curved line on the right side of the line down to the bottom line.
d: Make a circle between the middle and bottom line. Then make a straight line from top to bottom to the right of the circle.
E e
Play a listening game:
"Touch your elbow" if the word begins the same as "echo." Your hands should remain in your lap if the word begins with a different sound.
ant, elf, dog, enjoy, enlarge, collar, elk, baby, exit,
lamp, elbow, banana, edge, empty, pencil, edge, elm, envelope
Which word begins with the short "E e" sound you hear at the beginning of "echo?" Can you hear the short "E e" sound in the middle of any of the words?
ant, egg, bell exit, tent, bed
enjoy, neck, dog coat, cap, elevator
gate, engine, boat Eskimo, net, pen
elephant, arm, bet nose, elf, boy
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "E e" this way:
E: Make a straight line from the top line to the bottom line. Make 3 lines from left to right starting at the top, then in the middle and at the bottom.
e: Make a "c" then draw a line from left to right.
F f
Play a Listening Game
Which words begin with the "F f" sound?
a. That fellow has found five pennies.
b. The farmer put a fence around his field.
c. Too much food will make you fat.
d. Felix had a fever for four days.
e. You will find fins on a fish.
Play a Word Guessing game
All of your answers should begin with the "F f" sound.
a. My eyes, nose, and mouth are a part of my ________. (face)
b. What number comes after four? ________ (five)
c. A cat has fur and a bird has __________. (feathers)
d. An animal that swims in water and is caught on a hook is a ______. (fish)
Handwriting
Show your child how to make "F f" like this:
F: Make a straight line from top to bottom. At the top, make a line from left to right. Make another line from left to right in the middle.
f: Make a "candy cane" then cross it in the middle from left to right.
G g
Play a Listening game:
"Gallop" when you hear a word that begins like "goat." If your child can hear many letter sounds then read the list again and have your child say if he/she hears the "G g" sound at the beginning, middle or end of each word or doesn't hear it at all.
goat, wiggle, pig, gate, ghost, goose, dog, snuggle, gopher, gumbo, begin, gas, stegosaurus, gobbler, big, gum, guppy, egg, giggle, gallery, guess, bag, gorilla, juggle, bug, game...
Play a Listening game
Which words in each sentence begin with the "G g" sound as in "gorilla"?
a. "Good morning, boys and girls," said Mrs. Jones.
b. Gordon got his guitar and sang for us.
c. We need gas to go for a ride in the car.
d. That goat can drink a gallon of water.
e. Let's play a guessing game.
Play a Word Guessing game
All your guesses should begin with the "G g" sound.
a. "Candyland" and "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" are good ________. (games)
b. I grow flowers and vegetables in my ________. (garden)
c. On your birthday you will be given a present.
Another word for present is _______. (gift)
d. In a treasure chest the coins may be silver or _______. (gold)
e. I am thinking of something you buy at the store. It is sweet and you can chew it for a long time. It is sticky chewing _________. (gum)
Handwriting
Show your child how to make "G g" this way:
G: Start at the top and make a curved line towards the left and to the bottom (like a C) and go back up halfway, then make a line to the left. g: Make a circle then make a straight line on the right side of the circle that curves to the left at the bottom.
H h
Letter Recognition
Trace your child's hand or your hand on a piece of paper. Go on an "H h" letter hunt in newspapers or magazines. Cut them out and glue them on the hand, making the hand hold all the Hh's.
Have an "H h" hunt around the house. How many objects can your child find beginning with the "H h" sound? If possible, allow your child to tag the object with a card bearing the letter "H h" or the word that begins with "H h."
Listening Games:
Which words in these sentences begin with the "H h" sound?
a. It is too hot to climb the hill.
b. Hand the hammer to the carpenter.
c. That horn has a happy sound.
d. Harry ate his hamburger before I ate mine.
Play a word guessing game: All answers should begin with the "H h " sound.
a. A rainy day makes me sad, a sunny day makes me _______. (happy)
b. I am thinking of an animal with four long legs and a mane.
Sometimes you saddle and ride him. He is a ________. (horse)
c. If I am pounding a nail, I will use a __________. (hammer)
d. When I am dressing, I always comb my __________. (hair)
Listen to the three words in these groups and tell which two begin with the same sound.
heel eye head
heat had ill
high add hive
eight hair hear
can hand hat
home pot happy
hold hall ear
ham all hill
half heart aim
Handwriting
Show your child how to make "H h" this way:
Start at the top and make a straight line to the bottom then make another line from top to bottom next to it. Cross the lines in the middle from left to right.
I i
Letter Recognition:
Go on an "I i" letter hunt in newspapers and magazines. Cut them out and glue them on paper. Then look through magazines to find pictures of things beginning like "Indian" and glue them on paper. Since these pictures may be hard to find, your child may draw them.
Listening Game:
Listen to the 3 words in each group.
Which word begins with the short "I i" sound as in "Indian?"
book, iguana, cat insect, ant, elf
initial, pig, boot cow, instrument, bee
soup, fork, ink boy, coat, inside
itch, car, door soap, it, bed
A word guessing game:
All the words you guess should begin with the "I i" sound.
a. The house made of blocks of snow that some Eskimos live in is called an ______. (igloo)
b. The opposite of out is ___________. (in)
c. There are 12 of these on a foot-long ruler. __________ (inches)
d. The members of the band play __________. (instruments)
e. When it is raining outside, we have to play __________. (inside)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "I i" this way:
I: Make a straight line from top to bottom. Make a line from left to right on the top and another line from left to right on the bottom.
i: Make a straight line from top to bottom then put a dot on top.
J j
Play a word guessing game:
All words your child guesses should begin with "J j."
a. Monkeys and parrots live in a warm place with many trees and bushes. It is called a ___________. (jungle)
b. What two children went up the hill to fetch a pail of water? (Jack and Jill)
c. I am thinking of something made with fruit that is very sweet and sticky. I can spread it on bread. What is it? (jam, jelly)
Which words begin with the "J j" sound in each sentence?
a. Jena likes jelly on bread.
b. Jack and Jerry play hockey.
c. Jay caught a jellyfish in his net.
d. I took a jar of jam to my aunt.
e. Joe's jacket is at the dry cleaners.
f. The jay bird flew away in a jiffy.
Play a listening-thinking game:
Tell what is wrong with these sentences.
a. Jim liked his jacket because it kept him cool on a cold day.
b. The cookie jar ate all the cookies and candy.
c. The cow jumped rope on the moon.
Listen to these words: Jump when you hear one that begins like "jump."
jacks, June, will, Jean, play, jolly, January, bike,
July, girl, jewelry, Tom, skate, jello, ...continue adding words
Handwriting
Show your child how to make "J j" like this:
Start at the top and make a straight line to the bottom then curve it to the left.
K k
Play a Listening game:
Blow a "kiss" when you hear a word that begins like "kiss." Then read the list again and have your child say if he/she hears the "K k" sound at the beginning, middle or end of each word or doesn't hear it at all.
kite, Kevin, chicken, hat, kilt, kaleidoscope, chalk,
Katie, pickle, kind, sink, egg, Mickey, sick, Nick, talk,
teach, kitchen, pencil, kindergarten, speak, key, monkey
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "K k" like this:
K: Make a straight line from top to bottom. Make a sliding board in to the middle of the line, pause, then make a sliding board back out.
k: Make a straight line from top to bottom. Go to the middle line and make a sliding board in to the line, pause, then make a sliding board back out.
L l
Listening:
Lift one leg when you hear a word that begins like "leg." Another day read the list again and have your child say if he/she hears the "L l" sound at the beginning, middle or end of each word or doesn't hear it at all.
laugh, umbrella, lake, family, doll, like, learn, tea, lettuce,
listen, alone, land, follow, Jill, ladder, red, live, penny,
tall, hollow, letter, lamp, color, lip, licorice, fill, fellow
Listening:
Which words in these sentences begin with the "L l" sound?
a. I lost my lovely little doll.
b. Go to the library and look for a book about "lions."
c. Larry lost the letter from his teacher.
d. Light the lantern if you get lost.
e. Lucy likes to lick lemons and limes.
Play a Word Guessing game
All of your guesses should begin with "L l" sound.
a. When mothers want to put their babies to sleep they sing a _____. (lullaby)
b. Something that is sweet, is on a stick, and you lick is a ______. (lollipop)
c. I am a wild animal. I roar and have a mane. I am a _____. (lion)
d. I am a part of your body that you have only when you are sitting. I disappear when you stand up. I am your _______. (lap)
e. These turn colors and fall off a tree in Autumn. They are _______. (leaves)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "L l" like this:
L: Start at the top and make a straight line to the bottom line then make a straight line from left to right at the bottom.
l: Make a straight line from top to bottom.
M m
Listening:
In each group, which words begin with the "M m" sound? Which word has a different sound at the beginning? What sound does it begin with?
mail, milk, book lemon, more, magnet music, baby, man
muscles, comb, mix bunny, money, mother mud, bud, made
mill, mice, bill meat, mitten, beat bug, map, mug
moth, bay, may moo, boo, middle my, make, by
Listening:
Which words in these sentences begin with the "M m" sound?
a. Matthew had a ride on the merry-go-round.
b. Miss Mooney saw me at the store.
c. I will miss Mickey when he moves.
d. Melissa put money in her piggy bank.
e. Maria and Mike are getting married.
Play a Word Guessing game
Your answers should begin with the "M m" sound.
a. What is white, good to drink, and comes from a cow? _______ (milk)
b. What does a cat say? _______ (meow)
c. What animal can swing by its tail and make funny faces? _____ (monkey)
d. What do some people wear over their faces on Halloween? ______ (masks)
e. What day comes after Sunday? ________ (Monday)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "M m" this way:
M: Make 2 straight lines from top to bottom. Put a dot in between the 2 lines at the bottom. Make a sliding board from each line at the top to the dot at the bottom.
m: Make a straight line from middle to bottom, pause, trace back up and around, pause, trace up and around again.
N n
Listening:
Which words in these sentences begin like the word "night?"
a. We need a new car.
b. A rabbit's nose wrinkles when he nibbles lettuce.
c. Ned is Mr. Newman's nephew.
d. Nick has a navy blue necktie.
e. My name is never in the newspaper.
f. Norman sent a note to Nancy.
Touch your "nose" when you hear a word that begins like "nuts."
nest, paint, noise, nap, napkin, brown, not, new, knife, next, nation, needle, corn, newt, noon, tennis, knob, jump, number, Niagara Falls, Navy, net, November, pin, nail, nice, box, neck, newspaper, none, lamp
Thinking:
Tell what is wrong with the following sentences.
a. Nora ate noodle soup with a fork.
b. Nellie was hammering a nail with a net.
c. Nan can knit with a knife.
d. Nonny Nanny Goat nibbles nickels growing on the bush.
e. No babies take naps.
Play a Word Guessing game:
All the words you will guess will begin like "not."
a. I can sniff with my _________. (nose)
b. The sun shines in the daytime and the moon shines at _______. (night)
c. A person who helps the doctor take care of people is called a ____. (nurse)
d. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are ________. (numbers)
e. What number comes after eight? _______ (nine)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "N n" this way:
N = Make a straight line from top to bottom then make another line from top to bottom next to it. Go to the top of the line on the left and make a "sliding board" to the bottom of the other line.
n = make a line from top to bottom trace back up the line and go around then to the bottom.
O o
Play "ON or IN."
Place a small box, with a lid that can be opened, on the table and place a small toy next to it. Tell your child you are going to pronounce some words that begin with "O" as in on or "I" as in in. If the word begins like "on," place the toy "on" the box; if like "in," it should go "in" the box.
omelets it ox onward olive itchy interesting if opposite itself opera ink October indoors insects oddly
A word guessing game:
All the words you guess should begin with the "O o" sound.
a. Halloween comes on the last day of the month of _____. (October)
b. The sales clerk said to be sure the sweater would fit you can try it____. (on)
c. An animal that has eight arms and lives in the ocean is an____. (octopus)
d. That three legged animal with green polka dots certainly looks ____. (odd)
Alphabet Recognition:
Look through magazines to find pictures of things beginning like "octopus." Glue them to a piece of paper and have your child label the pictures using invented spelling. Your child should try to guess how each word is spelled. It may help if an adult says each word clearly, so your child can listen to each of the sounds at the beginning, middle and end. Your child should write his/her letter guesses under each picture.
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "O o" this way:
Start at the top, curve down to the left and touch the botom line. Then come back up and close your Oo.
P p
Play a listening game:
"Which words begin with the "P p" sound in these sentences?"
a. Pick up the papers, please.
b. Polly, Peter, and Paul are playmates.
c. Peggy likes purple paint.
d. Pokey Puppy and Polly Parrot are at the pet store.
e. Patty bought PopPop some peanuts.
Play a word guessing game
All the words that your child will guess should have the "P p" sound at the beginning.
a. On my birthday I will invite my friends to come to my _______. (party)
b. A baby dog is called a __________. (puppy)
c. At music time your teacher plays the ______ (piano) while you sing.
d. A bird at the zoo that has long tail feathers which he can open to show beautiful colors is a ________. (peacock)
e. The color you make by mixing red and white is ________. (pink)
Alphabet Recognition:
Look through magazines to find pictures of objects that begin like pumpkin patch. Glue them to a piece of paper and have your child label the pictures using invented spelling or by guessing how each word is spelled. It may help if an adult says each word clearly, then has the child repeat the word. Say the word a few times so your child can listen to each of the sounds at the beginning, middle and end. Your child should guess how the word is spelled and write his/her letter guesses under each picture.
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "P p" like this:
Start at the top and make a straight line to the bottom. Go back to the top to go around.
Q q
Letter Recogniton:
"Q q" has many different forms. Help your child draw a patchwork quilt on a piece of paper. Then have your child find different forms of "Q q" in newspapers or magazines to glue all over it.
Auditory Perception:
"Which two words begin like queen?"
catnap, quack, quiet quarrel, rooster, quiver
question, candle, quiz quail, quintuplets, pig
quarter, ghost, quick quilt, kitchen, quaint
quart, quill, pudding snow, quit, quest
Listening-Thinking:
"I'm thinking of some words that begin like "quilt." Listen to the clue and tell me what word I am thinking of."
a. This word means fast. What is it? (quick)
b. This word means not noisy. What is it? (quiet)
c. This word means something people ask. What is it? (question)
d. This word means a coin that is more than a dime. What is it? (quarter)
e. This word means a woman who rules a country. What is it? (queen)
"Now I am going to tell you about some other words. Each word will begin with the sound of "Q q" in "quarter" and will rhyme with a word I say."
a. I'm thinking of a sound a farm animal makes. It rhymes with back. (quack)
b. I'm thinking of a blanket made out of material pieces.
It rhymes with built. (quilt)
c. I'm thinking of another word for stop. It rhymes with fit. (quit)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "Q q" like this:
Q: Make a big O then place a small straight line in the lower right.
q: Make a small o then make a staright line next to the right side of the o. At the bottom, curve the line to the right.
R r
Play a listening game
Which words in the sentence begin like "red robin?"
a. The rabbit ran down the road.
b. The rosebush has deep roots.
c. The rain will ruin my picnic.
d. The baby reached for the rattle.
e. Remember the rules of the game.
Which two words in each group begin with the "R r" sound
row, run, dream quack, rough, river
read, throw, roar right, really, pickle
more, rose, ride raspberries, sing, ripe
rest, pilot, room rock, referee, walrus
Play a Word Guessing game
All words your child guesses should begin with "R r."
a. I see dark clouds in the sky. I think it's going to ________. (rain)
b. A little animal with a cotton tail and long ears is called a ____. (rabbit)
c. The colors in the flag are blue, white and _______. (red)
d. A square and triangle have sharp corners, but a circle is ________. (round)
Rhyme Time:
I will tell you about some words I am thinking of.
Each word will begin with the same sound as "radio."
a. This is one of your hands. Its name rhymes with light. What is it? (right)
b. This is what people drive on. Its name rhymes with toad. What is it? (road)
c. This is a beautiful flower. Its name rhymes with nose. What is it? (rose)
d. This is something we eat. It rhymes with nice. What is it? (rice)
e. This gets shot into space. It rhymes with pocket. What is it? (rocket)
Alphabet Recognition:
Look through magazines to find pictures of things beginning like "red robin." Glue them to a piece of paper and have your child label the pictures using "invented spelling." Your child should say the word a few times so he/she can listen to the sounds at the beginning, middle and end of the word. Your child should guess how the word is spelled and write his/her letter guesses under each picture. If your child is interested in the correct spelling you can tell him/her after he/she guesses the sounds.
Handwriting:
Show your child how to write "R r" like this:
R: Make a straight line from top to bottom. Then go back to the top and make a curved line on the right of the line that goes to the middle line, pause, then make a slanted line toward the right to the bottom line.
r: Make a straight line from the middle to the bottom line, pause, trace back up then make a curved line to the right that stops halfway between the middle line and the bottom line.
S s
Which two words begin with the "S s" sound in each group?
seed, bean, sunflower mouse, suit, soapy
super, saddle, anchor soldier, pipe, sailor
cowboy, sew, simple safety, salad, moon
Which words in these sentences begin with the "S s" sound?
a. Sing a song of sixpence.
b. I like to sing silly songs.
c. In the summer I get sunburned if I stay in the sun too long.
d. Winter is the snowy season.
e. We had soup and salad for supper.
Play a Word Guessing game
All of your guesses should begin with the "S s" sound.
a. When I don't feel well, I am _________. (sick)
b. For lunch I had a peanut butter _________. (sandwich)
c. Before I put on my shoes, I put on my ________. (socks)
d. What number comes after five? After six? After fifteen? After sixteen?
e. What day comes after Friday? After Saturday?
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "S s" this way:
S: Start at the top and start forming the letter c to the middle line then make a backwards c to the bottom line.
s: Do the same for the lower case s except start at the middle line and end at the bottom line.
T t
Recognition:
Have your child look through a newspaper and circle all the different forms of "t" he/she can find.
Listening:
"Touch your toes" when you hear a word that begins like "tape." Then read the list again and have your child say if he/she hears the "T t" sound at the beginning, middle or end of each word or doesn't hear it at all.
tire, tomb, little, tub, bat, call, toy, football, butter, tar
winter, tip, beat, till, cook, tall, take, pot, white, tomato
tail, tough, turkey, doctor, eat, time, plant, twenty, tease
Guessing Game:
All the words you guess should begin with the "T t" sound.
a. What number comes after one? After nine? After eleven? (two, ten, twelve)
b. To get toothpaste on my toothbrush I must squeeze the ______. (tube)
c. We just got a pet with a shell. It's a ________. (turtle)
d. That big striped animal behind you is a _______. (tiger)
e. Twice a year I go to have the dentist check my _______. (teeth)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "T t" this way:
T: Make a straight line from top to bottom then cross it at the top from left to right.
t: Make a straight line from top to bottom and cross it from left to right about a third of the way from the top.
U u
Play "THUMBS UP."
I am going to say some words. Listen for the sound "U u" makes in the word "up." If you hear the same sound at the beginning of the word I say, point your thumbs up. If you hear any other sound at the beginning, then point your thumbs down.
up, ant, ugly, umbrella, uncle, elf, other, under,
pencil, umpire, anger, undershirt, us, engine, ugh,
unpack, lemon, untie, unlock, oval, until, upward
Play a word guessing game
All the words you guess should begin with the "U u" sound you hear at the beginning of the word "umbrella."
a. I am going on a trip to visit my aunt and ________. (uncle)
b. That pile of trash isn't pretty, it is _______. (ugly)
c. When it rains we put up our _______. (umbrella)
d. The opposite of over is ________. (under)
e. The person who calls the strikes in a baseball game is the ______. (umpire)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "U u" like this:
U: Start at the top line and make a smile. Make it touch the bottom line then go back up to the top line.
u: Start at the middle line and make a smile. Make it touch the bottom line then go back up to the middle line. Pause, then make a straight line to the bottom line.
V v
Which word in each group begins with the "V v" sound?
space, vitamins, have Vaseline, book, fish
boy, pie, vowel funny, vaccination, bed
vacant, kick, look parsley, done, vault
soon, very, egg victory, car, umbrella
Do you hear the "V v" sound at the beginning, middle or end of each word?
vest, save, lovable, value, jovial, favorite, solve, van, weave
valentine, have, invest, Victoria, David, hive, behave, valley
Play a Word Guessing game
All the words you guess should begin like "valentine."
a. I like ice cream. My favorite flavor is ________. (vanilla)
b. When we moved, our furniture went in a moving ________. (van)
c. Pumpkins grow on a _________. (vine)
d. Peas, carrots and corn are __________. (vegetables)
e. When mother cleans the rug she uses a _________. (vacuum cleaner)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "V v" this way:
V and v: Make a sliding board that slants down to the right then make a line that slants back up to the right.
W w
Play a listening game
Have your child "wave" his/her hand (or wink) when he/she hears a word beginning like "warm waffles."
wag, back, were, west, crate, wiggle, wax, house, waste, motor, side, wise, wart, wall, guard, wish, weed, middle, word, rabbit, way, pass, wolf, several, win, warm, bike, wool, war, lamp, water...
Which words in these sentences begin with the "W w" sound?
a. Willie the worm wiggled down his hole in the dirt.
b. The woman wore a wig.
c. We saw a wonderful wishing well.
d. The windmill turned fast on the windy day.
e. Walter and William have fun with their wagon.
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "W w" this way:
W: Make 4 sliding boards from the top to bottom line.
w: Make 4 sliding boards from the middle to the bottom line.
X x
Draw a box or use a real box then go on an "X x" letter hunt in a magazine. Cut out and glue on, or put in the box, the letter X x. Cut out or draw pictures of things that have an "X x" in the middle or at the end of its name to add to the box.
Auditory Perception:
Make an "X x" with your pointer fingers (or your arms or legs) each time you hear a word that has an "X x" sound in the middle or at the end.
as, taxi, save, Max, lox, white, flex, maximum, cheese,
queen, fix, flax, fruit, boxer, next, hex, saxophone, might,
will, flexible, oxen, chicken pox, juice, Lexington, tax...
Listening and Thinking:
"Which words in these sentences have the "X x" sound?" "Where do you hear the "X x" sound in each of the words (middle or end)?"
a. Sam waxes the kitchen floor.
b. Jack plays the saxophone and trombone.
c. Are there any letters in our mailbox?
d. Rex does not have a tuxedo.
e. Do you have an extra box?
f. Dixon likes Kix cereal.
g. A hexagon has six sides.
h. Please help Max fix the mixer.
i. Does Dexter live in Texas or New Mexico?
j. Which is more: six foxes or sixteen foxes?
Handwriting:
Show your child how to make "X x" this way:
Make 2 "sliding boards" that cross in the middle.
Y y
Auditory Perception:
Say "yes" each time you hear a word that begins like "yarn."
yellow, Yosemite, went, yarn, town, yet, yogi, game, yonder, job, you, yap, yesterday, ride, youth, yard, rind, jam, yield, yoke, cough, your, youth...
Listening:
Which words in these sentences begin with the "Y y" sound?
a. It's fun to yodel on a mountain.
b. I love my yellow lollipop. Yum, yum, yum!
c. Do you think yogurt is yummy?
d. Yeast makes bread rise.
e. Did you live in New York?
f. Jeff measured the yarn with a yardstick.
g. Sam had a sailboat but Yolanda had a yacht.
Play a Word Guessing game
All of the words guessed should begin with
the sound heard at the beginning of "yard."
a. The day before today was _______. (yesterday)
b. An animal with shaggy fur that likes to climb mountains is a ______. (yak)
c. Parents are older, children are ________. (younger)
d. The yellow part of the egg is the ________. (yolk)
e. A round toy that goes up and down on a string is a ______. (yo-yo)
f. When you are tired you sometimes open your mouth and _______. (yawn)
g. Twelve months make a __________. (year)
Handwriting:
Show your child how to print "Y y" like this:
Y: Make a small V then place a straight line from top to bottom under the v.
y: Make a short sliding board then make a long sliding board.
Z z
Listen for the "Z z" sound in these words. Tell if you hear it at the beginning, middle or the end of each word.
Ziggy, lazy, gauze, buzz, zany, zero, crazy, chimpanzee, zeal
magazine, fizz, gazette, Zanzibar, frozen, hazy, fuzz, hazard,
pizza, Zeus, gaze, zeppelin, gizzard, zither, zigzag, zucchini, zone
Which words in these sentences have the "Z z" sound? Say where you hear the "Z z" sound: at the beginning, middle or end of the word.
a. Zachary zoomed around the yard like a crazy rocket.
b. Azaleas and zinnias grow in my garden.
c. You might see zebras and gazelles grazing in Zambia.
d. Zita won a prize at the pet show for her lizard.
Handwriting:
Show your child how to write "Z z" like this:
Z: Make a line from left to right on the top line then make another line from left to right on the bottom line. Make a sliding board from the top right line to the bottom left line.
z: Same as above only use the middle line and bottom line.
Sight Words
Kindergarten Sight Words
High Frequency Word List
I |
am |
the |
little |
to |
a |
have |
is |
we |
my |
like |
he |
for |
me |
with |
she |
see |
look |
they |
you |
of |
are |
that |
do |
here |
go |
from |
what |
said |
was |
where |
come |
Color Words
red |
yellow |
blue |
green |
black |
orange |
purple |
white |
pink |
brown |
Number Words
one |
ten |
two |
six |
nine |
three |
four |
five |
seven |
eight |
Days of the Week
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Months of the Year
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
Computers
https://www.abcmouse.com/home#abc/parents/class_login
http://www.abcya.com/kindergarten_computers.htm
https://typetastic.com/