Parents,

None of this information or my posted homeschool lessons are district prescribed curriculum, just a teacher/mom trying to help my family, friends, and community!

First, you’re doing awesome! I know many of us are stressed about home schooling but in all reality, if you put in a couple well planned hours a day, your kids will be just fine!!! Plan lessons to include the biggest bang for the buck! Best of all, you don’t have to do all the work, there are endless resources on YouTube, TeachersPayTeachers, Pinterest, and all the real educational websites (ask your child’s teacher for more suggestions).

Technology is the perfect way to not only get your kids excited about reading, but offer them the opportunity to work on a variety of reading skills. Aside from the obvious use of reading on a kindle or other device, there are countless apps and programs out there that help build fluency and comprehension in engaging ways.

Try allowing your child to play around with one of these apps or websites:

*ABC Spy App: actively helps kids learn letters and pronunciations

*Bookster App: storytelling app that reads to kids and allows them to record their voice to the story as well

*Seuss’s ABC App: kids have the option to read the book or have it read to them; words are highlighted for easy follow along

*MeeGenius App: audio playback; personalization where child can substitute their name in the book; toddler to young teen

*readtomelv.com: celebrities reading books aloud; Common Core aligned activities and discussion questions accompany each book

*Pbskids.org has a wide variety of different reading based games with characters that kids know and love.

*roythezebra.com offers different interactive reading games that focus on rhyming, word stops, capital letters, and much more.

*suessville.com brings Dr. Suess books to life with fun and interactive games that kids can play after reading Dr. Suess books online.

*randomhousekids.com offers two reading games that focus on matching and drawing to bring a creative element to reading.

*http://www.thepixiepit.co.uk/games_menu.htm for slightly older kids, this website offers TONS of different word and letter games that help with a multitude of reading related skills.

What’s important for our kids to do each day? Read, Write, Listen, Speak

Reading: Independent (20 minutes per day): This is most powerful when students are reading at their level. If you have an emerging reader, read aloud (listening to a story) is just as valuable. Developing listening comprehension skills is critical. So, emergent readers can listen to stories. Readers should build their reading stamina each day until they can independently read a minimum of 20+ minutes. Older kids, 30+ minutes, novel studies are a great way to engage well developed readers.

Writing: There are three genres of writing we focus on and endless free resources for each genre on TeachersPayTeachers, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. Amazing tools, graphic organizers, and topics! Require your child to write every day. Emerging writers can listen to an informational story and draw pictures about what they learned. Developing writers can write 2-3 sentences. Writers, the sky’s the limit… paragraph(s).

Informational (or Expository) Writing: Read to learn

Find an article on ReadWorks (or another educational resource) on a topic that interests your child or show an engaging informational video.

30 of our most educational videos on Amazon Prime.

https://www.weareteachers.com/educational-shows-on-amazon-prime/

I recommend the use of a graphic organizer or some sort of note taking tool to help organize thoughts, facts, and information for writing.

Opinion or Persuasive Writing: Kids have lots of opinions, ask them to state their opinion on a topic and then provide reasons and evidence to support their opinion. There are many FREE graphic organizers on TeachersPayTeachers.

Narrative Writing: Keep a daily journal, write a story, and so much more!

Work on listening and speaking skills by having your child give an oral presentation sharing their writing or other daily learning. Record it and send to a family member or friend. It’s a great way to stay connected to our loved ones during this isolating time while working on presentation skills. Work on eye contact, speaking loudly and clearly, and telling information or stories in order.

I’ll be posting lessons and ideas on my blog. I’m here is you need help!!!