Homework
Homework:
Every child will be given a homework folder. This folder needs to come to school every Friday and will be taken home every Monday. Homework will consist of nightly reading, including Words Their Way (spelling) and sight word recognition. Math problems will also be sent home for those desiring extra practice. We recommend reading to and/or with your child for 20 minutes per night; however, please do NOT spend more than 25 minutes on homework! It is more important for children to run, move around, play, and spend time with their family after school.
Home Reading
Students will bring home a Reading Calendar each month. On the back of the calendar are the sight words (high frequency words) that should be practiced each week. Please aim for 20 minutes total of reading practice (including sight words and spelling time) each night. If you have misplaced your reading calendar, please let me know and I can send home a replacement.
We will use the Raz Kids program for reading at home. You can download the Raz Kids app or follow the link below; enter my teacher name (ahatch8), and then your student will click on his/her name and our password, which is the picture of the duck. I will set each child's reading level within the program.
www.raz-plus.com
Raz Kids website
You can also use the I-Ready program for at-home reading practice. We will be using this in class each day Monday-Thursday. I will send home your child's user name and password for this program after we start using it at school.
login.i-ready.com
I-Ready website
Thank you for your support of our home reading program!
Words their Way (Spelling Program)
Our First Grade Team uses the Words Their Way spelling program. Its purpose is to target a child’s developmental spelling level and build from there. Some parents may think the words are too easy. The purpose of the program is to “over-learn” words so that they carry over into long-term memory and writing, rather than the “memorize-for-a-test-and-then-forget” results of traditional programs. (Though words do get pretty tough as kids get to upper levels!)
You may be wondering why they study by sorting and playing games? Isn’t it a waste of time? Can’t I just have them practice by spelling the words out loud or writing them over and over?
Sorting is based on how the brain works. The human brain loves order and patterns. Spelling primarily uses our visual memory. So if we can recognize a pattern in a new concept, we remember it much longer. Sorting enhances the pattern recognition. Visual patterns are far more easily remembered than spelling rules, which at best only apply half of the time.
Then, why the games? Studies have shown that when we are playing games, our brains are actually at their peak of attention and learning. So, how can you make the home study most effective for your child? First, encourage him/her to sort their words every night, and to write the sort at least a couple times each week. Second, play the games with your child and have fun with it. His/her sense of competition with you will heighten the learning and the fun.
Words their Way (Spelling Homework)
Every week your child will bring home a collection of picture and/or word sorts that have been introduced in class. These sorts/words are based on his/her developmental word knowledge level. This word sort will change each week and is a copy to keep at home to practice. Each night of the week, your child can do a different activity to ensure these words and spelling patterns are mastered. These activities will be modeled and practiced at school so your child can teach them to you. No work will need to be turned in for spelling. These activities are suggestions.
Monday: Say & Sort. Have your child cut out each word/picture and then sort them into the correct columns/categories. Your child should read each word/picture aloud during this activity.
Tuesday: Play memory. Lay cards face down. Turn two cards over if the sounds/word and or picture are the same, it is a match. The object is to recognize the different features of the header. Many sorts will match picture to word. Others may be all words and if the two sorts belong under the same header it is a match.
Wednesday: Write sorts in a creative way. Rainbow writing (each sort a different color), in salt/sugar, around the paper rather than straight down, write words in different shapes.
Thursday: No Peeky. Lay down a word/picture from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes and write it down without seeing it. Lay it down and let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
Friday: Assessment will be given in class.
We appreciate your work in helping your child become a successful speller. If you have any questions or comments, please call or email me!
Every child will be given a homework folder. This folder needs to come to school every Friday and will be taken home every Monday. Homework will consist of nightly reading, including Words Their Way (spelling) and sight word recognition. Math problems will also be sent home for those desiring extra practice. We recommend reading to and/or with your child for 20 minutes per night; however, please do NOT spend more than 25 minutes on homework! It is more important for children to run, move around, play, and spend time with their family after school.
Home Reading
Students will bring home a Reading Calendar each month. On the back of the calendar are the sight words (high frequency words) that should be practiced each week. Please aim for 20 minutes total of reading practice (including sight words and spelling time) each night. If you have misplaced your reading calendar, please let me know and I can send home a replacement.
We will use the Raz Kids program for reading at home. You can download the Raz Kids app or follow the link below; enter my teacher name (ahatch8), and then your student will click on his/her name and our password, which is the picture of the duck. I will set each child's reading level within the program.
www.raz-plus.com
Raz Kids website
You can also use the I-Ready program for at-home reading practice. We will be using this in class each day Monday-Thursday. I will send home your child's user name and password for this program after we start using it at school.
login.i-ready.com
I-Ready website
Thank you for your support of our home reading program!
Words their Way (Spelling Program)
Our First Grade Team uses the Words Their Way spelling program. Its purpose is to target a child’s developmental spelling level and build from there. Some parents may think the words are too easy. The purpose of the program is to “over-learn” words so that they carry over into long-term memory and writing, rather than the “memorize-for-a-test-and-then-forget” results of traditional programs. (Though words do get pretty tough as kids get to upper levels!)
You may be wondering why they study by sorting and playing games? Isn’t it a waste of time? Can’t I just have them practice by spelling the words out loud or writing them over and over?
Sorting is based on how the brain works. The human brain loves order and patterns. Spelling primarily uses our visual memory. So if we can recognize a pattern in a new concept, we remember it much longer. Sorting enhances the pattern recognition. Visual patterns are far more easily remembered than spelling rules, which at best only apply half of the time.
Then, why the games? Studies have shown that when we are playing games, our brains are actually at their peak of attention and learning. So, how can you make the home study most effective for your child? First, encourage him/her to sort their words every night, and to write the sort at least a couple times each week. Second, play the games with your child and have fun with it. His/her sense of competition with you will heighten the learning and the fun.
Words their Way (Spelling Homework)
Every week your child will bring home a collection of picture and/or word sorts that have been introduced in class. These sorts/words are based on his/her developmental word knowledge level. This word sort will change each week and is a copy to keep at home to practice. Each night of the week, your child can do a different activity to ensure these words and spelling patterns are mastered. These activities will be modeled and practiced at school so your child can teach them to you. No work will need to be turned in for spelling. These activities are suggestions.
Monday: Say & Sort. Have your child cut out each word/picture and then sort them into the correct columns/categories. Your child should read each word/picture aloud during this activity.
Tuesday: Play memory. Lay cards face down. Turn two cards over if the sounds/word and or picture are the same, it is a match. The object is to recognize the different features of the header. Many sorts will match picture to word. Others may be all words and if the two sorts belong under the same header it is a match.
Wednesday: Write sorts in a creative way. Rainbow writing (each sort a different color), in salt/sugar, around the paper rather than straight down, write words in different shapes.
Thursday: No Peeky. Lay down a word/picture from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes and write it down without seeing it. Lay it down and let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
Friday: Assessment will be given in class.
We appreciate your work in helping your child become a successful speller. If you have any questions or comments, please call or email me!