Things to Try With Your Parents

Try playing Scrabble with your parents today!! It is a great game where you earn points for the words that you are able to build! Have a great time!!!

Things to Try with Your Child

Our kids are definitely plugged in. Try playing a WII game with your child today!!  They love beating Mom and Dad!!

Websites for Parents

Website of the Week:

http://www.bookadventure.com

This week's new website is an wonderful way to motivate your students to read at home even after the Summer Library Program has ended.  This website allows you and your child to set goals and earn prizes.Your child takes a comprehension quiz online to earn points toward a prize!! Enjoy

http://www2.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/parents.htm

http://www.familyeducation.com/home/

Book of the Month

The featured book this month is Schools that Work by Patricia Cunningham. This book is an easy read that offers tips, strategies and real life examples of how Schools that Work ensure all children are reading and writing! I can not wait to hear your thoughts and comments!!

http://www.amazon.com/Schools-That-Work-Where-Children/dp/0205456359/ref=cm_lmf_tit_10

21st Century

Our students are Digital Natives. They come to us wanting, knowing and demanding that we use technology. Are you engaging them?  This short video gives some facts and information to helps us think about ourselves as 21st Century Teachers! 

Just the Right Library Books

Is your beginning reader wanting to always check out chapter books?  Those are good for the two of you to read together, but what books are just right for your child to read to you or to themselves?  The link below offers a comprehensive list of library books and their levels. This can act as a guide the next time you go on a book hunt! 

Leveled Book List

The Five Big Ideas of Literacy

What are you teaching my child and how do I help?  I get this question all of the time and what a great question it is.  Our teachers here at Cumberland base their literacy instruction on the Five Big Ideas of Literacy.  These five big ideas are agreed upon by top researchers all over the world.  The Five Big Ideas are:  Phonemic Awareness, Alphabetic Principal, Accuracy and Fluency with Text, Vocabulary and Comprehension.  Sounds great, right?   Now, really what does that mean?  The link below will provide you with a definition of each one as well as with examples and activities you can do at home to foster each skill. 

Phonemic Awareness

Alphabetic Principal

Accuracy and Fluency

Vocabulary

Comprehension

Strategies at Home

Read with Your Child. It's the Most Important 20 minutes of the day!

Reading with your child is so important. Here at school, we ask the children to read at least 20 minutes at night as part of their homework. This is one of the most important times for you to sit down with your child. Even if your child is an established reader, this is a great chance for them to read to you and share about the book they are reading. This allows them to deepen their comprehension and appreciation for the book. This video is a powerful video with some awesome quotes about the importance of reading with your child.