Grade 1 Homework

Dear Gr.1M Parents/Guardians:

Homework in grade 1 isn't really homework. It's more like a suggested routine to reinforce the skills they learned at school. It's good to practise a little reading and spelling every night. Just 10 minutes max. 

Every week the kids will get spelling words (unless it is a short week, then I give them a break). Practise a couple spelling words each night. You can use play dough to make the words, white board markers or chalk, or anything that makes it fun. Some parents use flour on the table to print the words in the dust. I find the kids retain the info better if the activity is more creative and hands-on. You can also use the computer, we use a website called Spelling City at school (http://www.spellingcity.com/1mason/). This link goes directly to my page, (or you can search for my name Kim Mason). I have typed in all the word lists that they will be using throughout the year. This week we are on list LN11. The word lists follow a program called "Words Their Way", which identifies each child’s spelling stage and tailors activities to each individual. Not everyone will have the same words or same number of words. The program allows me to differentiate each child's instruction. Here is a link to check out the program, https://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/series/Words-Their-Way-Series/10888.page. 

Another thing to routinely practise each night is reading. We will start with reading "sight words", then move onto levelled books in a month. Next week I will be sending home a "ring of words". On each "ring" will be 10 words which are sight words, which means the words shouldn't need to be sounded out, rather be recognised by sight. Some sight words don't follow the rules for sounding out so are best to be known by sight (such as "the, was, are"). Every Tuesday I have a volunteer who goes over the word rings with each child. If your child knows the word the volunteer puts a hole punch in the card. After 3 holes are punched in the card (3 separate days tested on the word) a new word will be put on and the old one taken off. If anyone would like to volunteer to help with word rings please let me know, the more frequent we do word rings with the children the faster they learn to recognise the sight words. 

Sight Words Video

A few parents have asked for the order of letters for the show and share days. Remember this year I am trying something new with Show & Share. For years, I have tried to think of a way that makes sense for six year olds to connect immediately with the sounds that we are working with. I finally found something that both the students and I love! As each letter is introduced I ask the children to bring in something that STARTS with that letter. I tell them they can bring a show & share item any day or every day if they like. As we start our phonics lesson, I let students "Show and Share" about the item they brought. They put it on our counter and I add the word to the word wall. This should help students with initial sound concepts as well as making real connections with the phonics concepts and the items. The letters follow this order: p, u, o, m (we have finished these 4), x, short "a", d, t, s, r, h, "ar" pair, j, k, f, b, g, c, l, short "e", "th" pair, n, long "oo", short "oo", short "i", "ch" pair, long "o", long "e", w, long "i", "ou" & "ow", lond "a", "sh", "ur" & "ir" & "er", v, y, "or", q, "oi" & "oy", "wh", z, long "u", "ng".