December 31, 2012

November 18, 2012

Kids Activities Blog

Learning for everyone from the age of toddlers to elementary school youngsters.  You can follow this blog via Facebook, Email, and Twitter.  With Thanksgiving this week, they share ideas for games to enjoy with young ones.

http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/thanksgiving-games/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TipsForMomsActivitiesForKidsByQuirkyMommas+%28Tips+for+Moms
%2C+Activities+for+kids+by+Quirky+Mommas%29

November 11, 2012

Perfect Reading Site- LOVE It!

http://teachers.cr.k12.de.us/~galgano/dibel2.htm

This is our recommended URL for every PreK & Kindergartener, with games youngsters  play to help them build and practice essential reading skills.  We thank 4th grade educator Mrs. Cara Atteberry for sharing it with the Parkside staff!

That Important Start for Kindergarten Readers

Knowing letters and their sounds is an essential skill that enables kids to become fluent readers.

http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/52965/

November 4, 2012

Look Us Up at "The Reading Room!"

You can follow "Let's Go" PreK & Kindergarten blog on Pinterst.
We're now a part of "The Reading Room," at Parkside Elementary.
Please tell a friend.....we are ALL about nurturing young learners!
"Let's Go" is on the Finds for KINDERGARTEN board.

October 29, 2012

Excellent Resources from Illinois Parents

How can we improve learning at Parkside?  The series from Illinois Parents has
ideas and solutions that help families and schools continue to reach new heights together.

http://www.illinoisparents.org/Toolbox.htm

October 8, 2012

Skip Counting with Counting Collections

THE TEACHING CHANNEL:  Kindergartners practice and master different ways to account for objects. We can differentiate for children; watch the video to see how Ms. Latimer helps her students account for their discoveries.  

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/skip-counting-with-kindergarteners/?utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=post10081202&utm_campaign=twt%2F

October 6, 2012

Playing With Words 365

This site helps us expand speech and language skills for youngsters.  You can follow "Playing With Words" on Facebook, Pinterest,and get information via Email.  Don't forget to check out the free downloads.

http://www.playingwithwords365.com/

September 30, 2012

Excellent Instructional Practice

From the Minnesota Public Schools, recommendations and examples of instruction that "beats the odds" while creating learning success for youngsters.   Movies include lessons on phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, oral comprehension & vocabulary development, writing, and resources.

 http://rea.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/teachers_who_beat_the_odds.pdf

50 Ways to Learn the ABC's

"Too much of a good thing is wonderful."  ~Mae West

http://handsonaswegrow.com/2012/08/50-ways-for-preschoolers-to-learn-their-abcs/

Websites for Youngsters

There's a little bit of something out there for everyone.

http://www.readingresource.net/websitesforkids.html

Practice Makes Perfect

You can't go wrong when encouraging learners to practice new words in different, sensory-rich ways!

http://www.readingresource.net/support-files/spellingpractice.pdf

September 24, 2012

September 22, 2012

GAME: "Rhyme Time"

Fun for one-to-six B-I-N-G-O players who will identify rhyming words and establish essential pre-reading skills.  Why?  Phonemic awareness skills are crucial for reading success.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/readingresourcekatieuploads/rhymetimebingo.pdf

GAME: "Hickety Pickey Bumblebee"

Help young readers by using this easy-to-remember rhyming game.  Let's play "Hickety Pickety Bumblebee" & emphasize the phonemes (sounds) in words.....familiar ones like student names!
Once they master them, the possibilities are endless.

http://www.readingresource.net/support-files/hicketypickety.pdf

GAME: Let's Play "Sound Boxes"

Young readers need to be able to recognize the distinct sounds that make up a word. 
This colorful game will give them the chance to distinguish from two to five sounds
in different words. 

https://s3.amazonaws.com/readingresourcekatieuploads/soundboxes.pdf

Phonemic Awareness Activities

Activities & games galore for learners who are developing phonemic awareness  skills- right here!

http://www.readingresource.net/phonemicawarenessactivities.html

All About Fall

Look no further for ideas and books that help young children celebrate fall!

http://site.lotstolearn.com/blog/?p=2590&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

September 20, 2012

September 16, 2012

The Child Entering Kindergarten


What K-students should know
First and last name and parent's first and last name.
Follow instructions from teachers and parents.
Recognize letters (both lowercase and uppercase) and numbers (up to 10).
Communicate wants and needs (like hunger, pain, happiness) through words.
Know basic colors and shapes.
Be able to be apart from parents during the day.
Use the bathroom independently, dress and undress, and wash hands.
Sit quietly for short periods of time.
Solve problems without hitting, biting or yelling.
Show curiosity and enthusiasm for activities like story or art time.

Maturity Matters the Most

The debate of "when" to enroll a child in Kindergarten is faced continually.  Hold them back, or enroll them?  The research is clear:  AGE does not matter as much as DEVELOPMENT.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/28/maturity-key-for-kindergarten/

September 15, 2012

Make Reading Fun for Everyone!



Between the Lions


GAME
DIFFICULTY
SKILL
NOTES
“The Quiet Machine”
Matching letters to pictures
*beginning sounds
Phonemic awareness
Leona’s
Coloring Pages
Reading and writing
*beginning reader activity
Printable
book
“The Messy Attic”
Picture identification
*listen, then follow directions
Pre- reading skill
“Arty’s Smarty Doors”
Rhymes
*rhyming words
Pre-reading skill
“Dub Cubs”
Rhyming words
*word families
Reading skill
“Hopposites”
Opposites
*words with opposite meanings
Reading skill
“Sky Writing”
Letter recognition
*varying styles of the same letter
Reading skill
“Monkey Match”
Match
*letters, sounds, rhymes
Reading skill
“Theo’s Puzzles”
Letter recognition
*consonant puzzles
Puzzles & a video
“Trampolini Game”
Word meanings
*inflectional endings ‘er, ‘est
Reading skill

“Blending Bowl”
Match blends
with endings
*-ack, -an, -ap, -ar, -est, -ick,
-ig, -ip, -it, -ock, -op, -up, -uck
matched up with beginning blends
good for partners
“Synonym
Sam’s Lab”
Choose
synonyms
*this game is self-checking
good for partners
“ABCD
Watermelon”
identify missing letters
*alphabet
recognition

Pre-reading skill
“Alphabet
Soup”
unscramble letters
*reader uses given
letters to find a solution

101 riddles
“Chicken
Stacker”
phonemic awareness
*listen and read words with the
same short vowel sound

Five sets words
“Flood”
categories
*listen and read book titles
Hints given
“Fuzzy Lion
Ears”
phonemic awareness
*letter sounds
beginning/middle/ending

Six rounds

“Word Play”

good for partners
*read words and then
 “click” to see the action
25 words:
three sets

“Talking Gizmo”
recognize parts
of a sentence
*readers experiment
with sentences and word order
J good for partners
“Pounce”
word matching
*listen, then choose a word
Reading skill
More
Literature
Pre-K through
fifth graders
Kids can listen and read along with stories.

Kindergarten Common Core Resources

Teaching Common Core Standards for Kindergarten pupils just got a whole lot easier.  Teachers will find activities, worksheets, and step-by-step research based instructional help to improve learning opportunities for their young learners.


http://corecommonstandards.com/core-curriculum/kindergarten-common-core-workbook/

September 8, 2012

Teaching and Learning Sight Words

Welcome to "Cando Flashcards," where finding and assessing a child's knowledge of Fry Sight Words just got a whole lot easier.  Why is this important?  Individual reading fluency and comprehension are greatly enhanced when a youngster can automatically recognize these words.

http://w4.nkcsd.k12.mo.us/~kcofer/fry_words_pg.htm#Frys_Lists_Flashcard_with_Graded_Response

September 3, 2012

Productive Parenting

This site has activities for newborns to children who are five-years-old.  Membership
is free and we can follow Productive Parenting on Facebook. 

http://www.productiveparenting.com/aspx/ActivityLibrary.aspx

September 2, 2012

2012-13 DIBELS Reading Goals

All Parkside pupils are evaluated using goals from the University of Oregon.  There have been recent increases in state and federal standards calling for stronger literacy skills that yield higher-level comprehension processes.  Goals for Kindergarten through grade six are below:

https://dibels.uoregon.edu/docs/DIBELSNextRecommendedBenchmarkGoals.pdf

July 28, 2012

July 16, 2012

"Listen and Read" Stories

These 54 free stories will be the perfect start to develop vocabulary while building interest in learning and reading.  Older children will find something that interests them because the collection is divided into eight categories: social studies, science, plants and flowers, environmental stories, civics and government, animals, American history, and community.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/index.htm

June 22, 2012

Early Learning Areas

A Place of Our Own shares ways for us all to help children acquire cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills, as well as nurture language and literacy development.  It's a TV show and web site all-in-one and their index is a great place to start!

http://aplaceofourown.org/topic.php?id=3#sub30

June 15, 2012

HE Suggests Great "Read-alouds"

 In honor of Father's day I share what Alex Smith emphatically claims are perfect to read-aloud to young children........what a smart dad!  In honor of my father who was an author, I share the list.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47819132/ns/today-fathers_day_guide/#.T9vCL_nmU41

June 6, 2012

PBS Kids Lab

Visit for all-things related to PreK and early learning; it's ideal for parents, caregivers, and educators.  The latest information & research from Public Broadcasting related to social-emotional and academic success is a click away.

http://pbskids.org/lab

June 1, 2012

Book Look

Children's Books Guide is a complete resource for anyone interested in
children's literature.  An excellent site, it's also on Face Book.  

http://childrensbooksguide.com/

May 28, 2012

No Time for Flashcards

This is a fantastic site that had dubbed itself as the place for "Learning and play for babies,  toddlers, and kids."  You CAN quote me....just don't miss the opportunity to visit and learn!

http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2012/05/25-alphabet-activities-for-kids.html

May 26, 2012

Crafts for Kids

"Messy art and crafts for kids..." is how this blogger describes her site.  The ideas found
on this site are perfect for preschool aged youngsters, so enjoy!

http://www.filthwizardry.com/2010/06/tissue-paper-and-glue-window-collage.html

May 19, 2012

Do You Tweet?

Find out how social networking can improve educational opportunities.  Please join me on TWITTER @rosenelsonwest and see what can happen in your school, for children.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/twitter-education-parents-joe-mazza

May 1, 2012

Talk, Read, Sing, Play, and Write!


It is a fact:  Important interactions with children from birth to when they enter Kindergarten can influence the success ratio for learning to read.
  
http://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/article_dc69b727-39fe-5622-b974-c41cf75ebac7.html

April 22, 2012

"Ready to Learn" at PBS Kids

Raising Readers is a wonderful PBS resource.  After all, teaching reading skills shouldn't be a chore.

http://pbskids.org/island/activities/stories.html

April 13, 2012

Sight Word Games

Readers developing sight word recognition can gain additional practice with these activities.  


http://www.familylearning.org.uk/sight_word_games.html

April 7, 2012

Free PreK Math Resources

Familiarize yourself with the Sesame Workshop's "Grow Up Great" program.  The April focus is on math; don't miss the excellent teaching tips and downloadable materials. 

http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com/index.html

April 4, 2012

April 3, 2012

Rhyming Made Fun and Inviting

Scholastic.com introduces a friendly character, in Reggie the Rhyming Rhino.  Discover the adventures he has in store and at the same time help develop phonemic awareness that's essential for early readers.   

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bll/reggie/index.htm

Puzzles? "Yes, please!"

It's creative creating "jigsaw" joy!  Choose a picture, the number of pieces, and it's possible to  create your own from a favorite photograph.  Have fun while building those thinking skills @ JigZone. 

http://www.jigzone.com/  

April 2, 2012

Starfall

The perfect spot to entice an early reader is just a click away!  Bookmark Starfall.com for many "happy" returns. 

http://www.starfall.com/


March 29, 2012

Fun Ways to Prep for Reading Success

These tips and activities are perfect for youngsters heading down the road to exploring language.  It's never too late to help young readers recognize letters, sounds, reread stories, and develop fluency.  Congratulations on preparing your favorite boy or girl for adventures with books!

http://www.education.com/video/reading-tips/

March 25, 2012

Connecting with Books is a Wise Move

I enjoyed seeing this entry on a blog from a parent who'd heard some stats on CNN, about the importance of reading to preschool aged children.  She's got the right idea!

http://blogs.ajc.com/momania/2012/03/22/did-your-child-have-1000-hours-of-one-on-one-reading-by-first-grade/?cxntfid=blogs_momania

Social-Emotional Learning

Promoting social and emotional development of children is so important.   The essential tools parents and educators need, along with valuable information for us all is found at CSEFEL.

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/