First Grade

Early Elementary Language Arts

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For initial reading success, first grade students need to be able to recite the alphabet and to identify both upper and lower case letters by name. Repetition is the best way to reinforce the order of letters. Games that provide practice in remembering the order of the letters include:

1) (in the classroom) As students to stand in a circle. Point to one student and ask them to start by saying the first letter of the alphabet. The next student should say the next letter and so on until each student has had several turns saying the letter that falls on their turn. A more complicated step is to have the student say the letter and then say a word that starts with that letter. Students who aren't successful in this exercise could go to a smaller group and practice "chanting" or singing the alphabet while lightly tapping their hands together (kinesthetic activity).

2) (at home) Take turns with your child with each of you saying a letter in turn. Speed this activity up until the child can say the letters fluently. To extend this activity, play "I'll give you a letter, you give me a word." A parent says a letter and the child thinks of a word that begins with that letter. It also helps to provide visual forms of the letters so that students can readily recognize the shapes of the different capital and lower-case letters.

The following are Internet sites that provide practice and enrichment for learning the alphabet.

Alphabet Practice Online

These are the Letters of the Alphabet
This site features large colorful capital letters with a key word that starts with each letter. The word is used in context and a colorful graphic appears that is animated.

Alphabet Fun!
This site provides a game that matches letters of the alphabet with corresponding pictures. It has levels of difficulty. A bit slow to load, but worth the wait.

Emmi's CRITTER ABCs
Pictures of animals matched to letters of the alphabet. Nice graphics, short sentences that illustrate the use of the letters and tell something about the animals.

Surfing the ABC's Published Project
Classes of kindergarteners and first graders publish their "ABC Project" on this site. Students used search engines to search the Internet and find sites for each letter of the alphabet. Great idea. Lots of links. Adults will have to read quite a bit of the text, but it is worth the trouble.

On-Line Resources for Parents

The World Fact Book
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Statistical Abstract of the United States
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/

World Wide Webster Dictionary
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary

World Wide Web Virtual Library
http://vlib.org/

WebMuseum - Artwork from all over the world. Highly acclaimed site.
http://metalab.unc.edu/wm/

San Diego Zoo - Visit the world famous San Diego Zoo. See the "live cam" of the new baby panda. Wonderful.
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/

THE HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES WEB SITE FOR K-12 TEACHERS has been named one of the "Top Ten Teaching Sites for the 21st Century," by The Education Source... because it is on the forefront of education, providing innovative, informative, and interactive tools that help educators and parents prepare children for success in the 21st century.
http://www.execpc.com/~dboals/boals.html

A LINK TO STORIES (K-4)
Hiyah.com Fairy Tales: Read classics like The Ugly Duckling, and new stories. Each story has pictures and audio so your child can listen to the stories.
http://www.hiyah.com/library.html

A LINK TO FUN (K-6)
Kidscom.com: A communication playground for kids offering a way
to make friends. Kids can also participate in fun and games and
more learning activities.
http://www.kidscom.com/

KINDERGARTEN ACTIVITY SHEETS:
http://www.sbgschool.com/teacher_activities/teacher_tools/teach_grk.html
This online collection of 10 teacher and student activitysheets explores diverse topics of kindergarten mathematics (patterns, numbers, over/under, etc.) and utilizes online resources for the theme of each topic. For example, for activities involving measurement, the class will explore online resources about buildings. Answer sheets are included.

Parents' Custom Report Card Kit
Whether it's got A's or D's -- what's the best way to react to your child's report card? Click on your situation for a custom list of tips, along with ideas to help your child improve.
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.1.265319

Grading Glossary
It's report card season again, but grading is no longer as simple as ABC. Get the facts, and find out how to
keep the methods straight.
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.2.265319

Are Letter Grades on Their Way Out?
What grade will your child receive this year? With more schools using alternative grading methods, it may not be an A, B, or C. Here are some tips and alternatives to letter grades.
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.3.265319

When was the last time you gave your child a ice-cream treat for taking her nap? Whether it worked or not, this expert says that rewards are NOT the answer and that they can actually be harmful. Find out why.
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.5.265319

Fun with Sharks and Science
Has your child ever asked what sharks feel like? With these great worksheets and activities you can give them the answer! And, in the midst of all the shark infested fun, he'll strengthen his reading, writing, and problem-solving skills.
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.6.265319

Looking for advice? Have some ideas to share? Click below to connect with other first-grade parents
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.7.265319

For a variety of age-specific activities, advice, downloads, and checklists -- click on the link below:
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.8.265319

Sign up for Community Update -- a FREE email newsletter -- and find out what's new on FamilyEducation.com!
http://send.familyeducation.com:9956/T/A2.13.345.9.265319

Web readable chore chart for young child
http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/homeschoolforms/page20.html

Munsch, Robert - contains stories, poems, pictures and previously unpublished work
http://www.robertmunsch.com/

Helping Your Young Child to Read: U.S. Department of Education helps guide your child to a lifelong love of reading. Some great tips and ideas. Also suggestions for older readers.
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Reading/index.html

Phonics activities for grades K-3.
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/Phonics_Link/classroom.html

A LINK TO FUN & LEARNING (K-6)
Houghton Mifflin's Kid's Place: Activities to reinforce math, reading, social studies and science. Games, brain teasers and a reading room.
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/index.html

This is Familyeducation.com 's page of "printable" activities for parents and children to do at home. Most of these activities are curriculum related and will be of high interest to young children. Enjoy!
http://familyeducation.com/printables/index/0,2081,22,00.html

Follow along with our classroom themes by visiting the following sites:

Click HERE to see: Pam Petty's Pig Page (recent addition)

New BEAR Site

Jan Brett's Web Site
Click above to visit Jan Brett's Homepage
or see below for direct access to pages relating to The Mitten.

http://www.janbrett.com/mitten_coloring_page_animals.htm
The Animals of the Mitten coloring page.

http://www.janbrett.com/mitten_masks_main.htm
You can print these masks and use them for a Mitten play. Print out a full-color mask for each character. Beautiful!!

http://www.janbrett.com/mitten_coloring_page_bear.htm
Color the Bear from The Mitten.

http://www.janbrett.com/mitten_coloring_page_rabbit.htm
Color the Rabbit from The Mitten.

http://www.janbrett.com/2000_calendar/january_2000_grid.htm
Print out a calendar to use at home featuring Jan Brett's artwork. Have children mark special events on the calendar.

http://www.janbrett.com/newsnotes/mitten_newsnotes2.htm
Read interesting information about The Mitten. These are in the form of newsletters and contain messages from Jan Brett about the folktale and how she came to retell it.

http://www.janbrett.com/piggybacks/Jan%20Brett%20Author%20Study.htm
Visit here to find an on-line author study of Jan Brett. Other books used in class will be featured on this page.

Visit GLOWBIRD on-line at the LITTLE PLANET TIMES.
Here you can read about new adventures with Glowbird and her friends. There are also games to play and places for you to write letters to all your Glowbird friends. Click here for Volume 2 of the Little Planet Times.

Parents and Teachers Link for Using LITTLE PLANET TIMES. Ideas for getting the most from the children's site for Little Planet Times. Suggestions and resources included.

Read about the history and the educational research performed at Vanderbilt University that lead to The Little Planet Series.

The Challenge Zone. This is a great site that provides challenges and allows students to read, do activities, and learn. I really like this site!

Email Pam Petty

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