Book Reviews

The 4th and 5th graders have been writing book reviews for titles in their favorite genres. Check out their work on the Harambee Library Wiki

Online Reading Practice

Starfall is a primary student site where students can practice reading.

Spelling

Word Safari Game This is a great game for working with spelling words. It allows you to put in your own words for practice or the game will choose words for you. You can also choose to play at an easy, medium, or hard level.

Poetry

This Magnet Poetry site allows you to create your own sentences and poems with magnetic words.

Ideas to use at home for literacy practice:

• Adult makes a sentence and child can choose one word to change, however it has to sound right. It might be very silly but it needs to follow English grammar. Take turns making and changing sentences.
• Do word sorts based on characteristics; nouns, describing words, positive descriptors, negative descriptors, verbs etc. See if one player can figure out the sorting rule of the other player.

Online Kids Books

Children's books, in every language, from around the world available to view and read online at International Children's Digital Library.

Folktales

Familiar Folktales in English and Gullah.

**Ms. Eckman's Pick for BEST SITE**

As a kid who grew up as a Sesame Street fan, I shouldn't have been surprised when the PBS kids website turned out to be a goldmine for learning games online. This is one of the best and most comprehensive places I've found. The games and activities all have very clear educational purposes but most importantly, they are motivating and engaging for kids. When we go on computers for literacy support time, these are the games that the kids ask to go back to again and again. All of the show sites have a parents and teachers section that gives you detailed information about the games and activities and what specific skills are focused on. You could spend HOURS exploring this site and finding great things for your child.

Link to PBS Kids: http://pbskids.org/

I have chosen 4 show sites in particular that are exellent for literacy development and a couple of good picks for games on that site. I also listed a "best for" age group range but many can be adapted for a wider age group.

Word Girl

Best for grades 2-5. This site aims to promote a love of language and words and it is a fantastic way to boost vocabulary.

Good Picks on this page:

• Power Words - Players have to choose the right word to help the main character, Word Girl, and her sidekick, Captain Huggy Face, solve a problem. The multiple choice format is great for helping kids learn about process of elimination!
• Maze Mania - Help Word Girl fly through a cloud maze by finding synonyms

Between the Lions

Best for K-3 in the games but the videos and stories are great for K-5. The games focus on letter/sound recognition and phonics but also some vocabulary. The videos and stories are great for comprehension, vocabulary, and reading motivation.

Good picks on this page:

• Blending Bowl - This is a great game for helping kids understand how beginning and ending sounds come together to make words
• ABCD Watermelon - Good game for letter recognition and alphabet knowledge
• Homophones Video - A great way to learn about homophones sung in American Idol Style -- you'll be singing this all day

Super Why

Best for K-2. The site focuses on beginning reading skills and phonics.

Good picks on this page:

• Princess Presto's Spelling Bee - As the player matches letters and sounds to spell words, he/she earns jewels for a crown. The crown can be printed out and colored in at the end!
• Super Readers Challenge - Practice alphabet, spelling, rhyming and reading in order to gain stars and earn a printable Super Reader certificate.

Martha Speaks

Good for K-5. Based on a delightful children's book with lots of vocabulary development and comprehension games.

Good picks on this page:

• Videos - Clips from the Martha Speaks tv show with closed captions so you can read along.
• Skits Cooks - Skits, the dog, is dreaming about taking over the pizza parlor and players help him make treats for himself and his friends.