Week of  August, 2012:    Homework this week is to read with your child at least 15 minutes per night. Have your child point our various letters or words in the stories. Ask your child about the day with a specific question such as, "What new song did you learn today? What story did your hear? Who did you play with at recess?" Encourage your child to try to make a new friend this week. Review the letters "A,a," and "M,m" and words beginning with these letters. Let your student point out these letters on cans and packages of food, road signs, or anywhere else you might see words. Review the high frequency words: "I" and "can," as well as color and number words by writing them on paper or even outside in the dirt or sand, and by finding them in books, magazines, or newspapers. These are the high frequency words we are covering. Ask your child if the tv show they are watching is factual or fiction, or if the story you read with them at night is fiction. Ask your child what are the opposites of "off, day, in, city, small," and "above." Practice positional wording with your child such as, "Place your hands behind your back." "Put a hand below your chin." "Put your hands above your head." Can your student recognize the number words through ten or the eight basic color words? Please practice your telephone number and address with your child. If this has changed, please send me a note as to the new number in case of a school emergency.
           As a reminder, please do not let your child bring toys including stuffed animals to school. Pillows are not allowed either as we have no storage space. Students may bring a beach towel or small blanket such as a baby blanket for nap time. These will go hom on Fridays or the end of a week to be washed. Please do not let your child wear a watch or other jewelry that is special. They enoy taking them off to show others and let others wear, and then there is a conflict over whose watch it actually belongs. Please discourage your child from wearing watches and necklaces to school, or if they must, remind them not to take it off. Necklaces, watches, and bracelets do break at times which understandably causes the child distress. Thank you.