How To Help At Home

We are learning how to add.  Ask your son/daughter to show you how to add items around the house. You may choose to copy the template above. We have begun using this, along with many others, in class. 

We are learning how to graph! Your son/daughter is an expert in sorting. Have them sort objects around the house. Then, encourage them to graph them using a blank graph template. We are reminding students to include numbers and a title on their graph. 

We are working on writing in our journals. All writers are encouraged to draw their picture first. This helps the student to formulate ideas for their story. Once their drawing is complete, focus turns to being able to verbally relay the story that they will write. Next, the student is encouraged to write "magic lines" for each word. Students are asked to place their finger between words to leave "finger spaces". After magic lines are complete, students are to select the appropriate puncation mark. Students are familiar with periods, exclamation marks and question marks. Next students begin to sound out their story. Students are encouraged to write their words phonetically. (For example, it would be appropriate for students to write "play" as "pla", or "phone" as "fon". This fosters confidence in their abilities to associate letter sounds to letters and greatly assists them in the reading process.)

 Any practice with reading, writing and sounding out letters is greatly beneficial. Thank you for your support!

We are working on letter names and letter sounds. Upper and lowercase letters will soon be coming home to JK's and SK's are working on these through reading their rainbow words.  Please play games, practice and test your child on their knowledge of letter names and sounds. For guaranteed understanding, practice letters by mixing them up! Some games you may play hide-and-go-seek letters, or memory letter matching (upper to lower).

We are learning about shapes! Many of the above shapes we have discussed in class and have practiced drawing. Please encourage your son/daughter to find these shapes in their every day lives and identify them using the correct term. Shapes that we have been focusing on include circle, square, triangle, rectangle, rhombus (diamond), star, heart, crescent, trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon and octagon. 

We are learning how to make patterns! Students are demonstrating an understanding of patterning using a variety of manipulatives. We have been talking about how patterns repeat themselves.  We have investigated, replicated and created patterns using colours, words, sounds, and stories. Encourage your son/daughter to find patterns in their everyday lives!

Students will soon be receiving their Reading Rainbow words! Please review these words starting with the first level (red words). Please practice the Reading Rainbow words as often as possible with your son/daughter. Students will be tested periodically on their ability to read all of the words in the Reading Rainbow level that they are working on. Once a student is able to read all of the words in their level, their name will move up to the next coloured level on our classroom rainbow.

We are learning about the number 50 because Maple Grove is turning 50 this October. Help your son/daughter learn different ways that we can represent, express and count to 50. We have been talking lately about creating 5 groups of 10. We have been counting students, steps, and our friends fingers and toes to reach the number 50!