High Frequency Words
Please write these words on index cards for your child to review at home
everyday. We have introduced these words so far.
A
a
am
an
and
are
as
at
away
be
big
but
can
come
do
down
for
get
gets
go
had
has
have
his
he
help
helps
her
here
I
in
into
is
it
like
likes
little
me
not
on
said
says
see
she
to
the
The
up
us
want
was
we
will
with
you
Handwriting
Kindergartners benefit from experiences that support the development of fine
motor skills in their hands and fingers. Children should have strength and
dexterity in their hands and fingers before being asked to manipulate a
pencil on paper. Working on dexterity and strength first can eliminate the
development of an inappropriate pencil grasp, which is becoming more
commonplace as young children are engaged in writing experiences before
their
hands are ready. The following activities involve the use of manipulatives
which will support young children's fine motor development, and will help to
build the strength and dexterity necessary to hold a pencil appropriately.
Fine Motor Activities
*Molding and rolling play dough into balls - using the palms of the
hands
facing each other and with fingers curled slightly towards the palm.
*Rolling play dough into tiny balls (peas) using only the finger tips.
*Using pegs or toothpicks to make designs in play dough.
*Cutting play dough with a plastic knife or with a pizza wheel by holding
the
implement in a diagonal volar grasp. (see attached diagram)
*Tearing newspaper into strips and then crumpling them into balls. Use to
stuff scarecrow or other art creation.
*Scrunching up 1 sheet of newspaper in one hand. This is a super strength
builder.
*Using a plant sprayer to spray plants, (indoors, outdoors), or
melt "monsters". (Draw monster pictures with markers and the colors will run
when sprayed.)
*Picking up objects using large tweezers such as those found in
the "Bedbugs"
game. This can be adapted by picking up Cheerios, small cubes, small
marshmallows, pennies, etc., in counting games.
*Shaking dice by cupping the hands together, forming an empty air space
between the palms.
*Using small-sized screwdrivers like those found in an erector set.
*Lacing and sewing activities such as stringing beads, Cheerios, macaroni,
etc.
*Using eye droppers to "pick up" colored water for color mixing or to make
artistic designs on paper.
*Rolling small balls out of tissue paper, then gluing the balls onto
construction paper to form pictures or designs.
*Turning over cards, coins, checkers, or buttons, without bringing them to
the edge of the table.
*Making pictures using stickers or self-sticking paper reinforcements.
*Playing games with the "puppet fingers" -the thumb, index, and middle
fingers.