Octubre De 2020

November 2020 Gregory - Portland ISD

Conference time A parent-teacher confer- I’m an alphabet detective! ence, whether virtual or in person, Let your child play detective lets you share information about your and investigate the alphabet youngster and learn how you can with these fun “cases.” He’ll help her. Mention what she likes best practice recognizing letters about school and what’s challenging and their sounds—skills for her. And ask what you can do that that will help him learn will build on what she’s learning. to read. Note: Have your young- Dancing flashlight ster write each letter, A–Z, Here’s a fun way for your youngster to on a separate slip of paper explore the beat in music. Together, to use for these activities. take a flashlight into a dark room. Mysterious sounds Play a fast song—can he make the Put all the letters in a pillow- flashlight “dance” to the music? Now with tiny print (toothpaste tube, gift case. Secretly pull one out, and say a play a slower tune while he moves the card, coin). Can he use his magnifying word that starts with the letter, empha- beam. Idea: Have him make colorful glass to spot every letter of the alpha- sizing its sound. (“R-r-rainbow.”) beams of light by taping squares of col- bet? To keep track, as he finds each one Encourage your child to repeat the ored tissue paper over the end of the he can turn the slip of paper with the word and tell you the first letter. (“R-r- flashlight. matching letter upside down. rainbow, R!”) Now let him pull out a Prevent choking letter and make its sound for you to Vanishing letters Little ones don’t always chew their “investigate.” Ask your child to arrange the letters food completely, which can lead to Hidden clues in ABC order. Next, he should close his eyes while you take away a letter. His choking. Minimize the risk by mak- Help your youngster make a “magni- mission is to tell you which letter has ing sure your child always sits down fying glass”: Cut the center from a “disappeared.” If he needs help, he while she eats. Slice grapes, carrots, small paper plate, tape plastic wrap could sing the alphabet song as he and hot dogs in half lengthwise. over the hole, and attach a craft-stick touches each letter. Play again, and let Also, wait until she’s older for hard handle. Then, have him gather items candies and chewing gum. him make a letter “vanish.”♥ Worth quoting What we’re t hankful for “If you look the right way, you can see Noticing small things to be grateful for each day that the whole world is a garden.” helps ever yone in your family have a brighter outlook. Frances Hodgson Burnett Here’s how to start a daily thankfulness routine. Just for fun 1. Set aside time ever y day to share what you’re Q: What followed the piglet? grateful for. Perhaps you’ll chat at bedtime or during dinner. A: Its tail. 2. Have each family member name three things she’s thankful for that day—big and little. Your child might say she’s grateful for you and for takeout pizza, for instance. 3. Let your youngster make a gratitude notebook. Help her write down what ever yone is thankful for each day and illustrate it. Tip: Read over past entries together as a reminder of all the positives in your lives.♥

tokens.’ She hands me a token in Tame screen time exchange for 15 minutes of Electronic devices often keep screen time. When she’s out of little ones happily occupied, tokens, her screen time is up for which can make limiting screen the day.” time a challenge for busy par- Play games. “The car is the ents. We asked parents to share number one place where my their top tips for cutting back, child begs to play on my phone. and here’s what they told us. So we started playing screen-free Keep track. “I discovered this idea games instead. Our favorite is last year after taking my daughter where we act like storybook char- to an arcade. When we got home, acters and have to guess each other’s she got four checkers to use as ‘game identities. We might pretend to breathe fire like a dragon or talk in a squeaky voice like a mouse.” Redirect. “I found this strategy by accident. My daughter asked to use my tablet because she was bored. I cheerfully replied, ‘But it’s not tablet time, it’s coloring time.’ It worked! Now if she asks for too much screen time, I suggest it’s time for a different Following directions: activity. She usually shifts gears without complaint.”♥ A simple strategy My son Lucas sometimes struggles to Praise that builds self-confidence follow directions when he does school- Q: I usually just say “good job” when my daughter work or chores. I asked his teacher for does something well. Is there a better way to advice, and she said that before she gives praise her? instructions, she signals students to listen by touching her ear. A: Everyone wants to hear that they’re doing well, and your child is no different. While there’s nothing wrong with saying “good job,” a more specific compliment tells your daughter exactly what she did well. If she shows you her completed jigsaw puzzle, you might say, “That puzzle has a lot of pieces—you really stuck with it.” Or when she shares a toy with a sibling, you could tell her, “I So when Lucas left his Legos on the noticed you were generous by letting your brother play with your favorite train.” floor, I held my finger to my ear and said, She’ll feel good about herself—and be likely to find more ways to solve problems “Please put your Legos in the bin.” Lucas on her own or get along with others.♥ laughed and replied, “Mrs. Sanchez does the same thing!” And he promptly did exactly as I asked. Then recently, he had an assignment to draw healthy Thanks- Think outside—and inside— giving foods. I read the instructions the box aloud, tapping my ear for healthy and Thanksgiving. He listened, then drew Big cardboard boxes can inspire your Or perhaps he’ll create an undersea envi- foods like turkey and carrots—and no child to think creatively. Let him try ronment with colorful fish. pumpkin pie. these ideas: ● Suggest that your youngster decorate I like having a silent reminder to use, ● A box can become a cozy “classroom” the outside of a box. He might draw and Lucas is getting better at following for your youngster’s stuffed animals. He gumdrops and lollipops to turn it into a instructions.♥ could “teach” them by reading aloud or gingerbread house or add zigzags to OUR PURPOSE showing them how to count. make a race car, for instance. To provide busy parents with practical ways ● Encourage your child to Tip: No large box? to promote school readiness, parent climb inside a box and Have your child help involvement, and more effective parenting. Resources for Educators, draw on the “walls” you make one. Open a division of CCH Incorporated with crayons. Maybe several smaller 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 800-394-5052 • [email protected] he’ll design stars and boxes at the seams, www.rfeonline.com planets so it looks like and tape them ISSN 1540-5567 an outer space scene. together.♥ © 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated Home&School ® Working Together for School Success CONNECTION November 2020 Gregory - Portland ISD

Memory builder Strengthen your Learn to manage emotions youngster’s memory with this playful Is your youngster’s behavior idea. Have her look away while you sometimes a mystery to you? build a small block tower. Then, let Acting out can be a child’s her study it for 30 seconds and turn way of showing you he’s her back. Can she duplicate it from angry or upset. Use this memory, using the same shapes, col- advice to help him express ors, and positions for her tower? Now his feelings in more posi- let her build a structure for you to tive ways. copy—and test your memory! Make a chart Prepared for conferences Together, brainstorm You can make the most of parent- a list of emotions, such teacher conferences—whether yours is as happy, frustrated, virtual or in person—by listing ques- excited, and bored. For tions ahead of time that you’d like to each one, your child can ask. Here are three to include: “What draw and name a character does my child seem most interested (Happy Henry, Frustrated Fred). in?” “What is hardest for him?” “How If he misbehaves (say, he yells at his sis- will feel heard and cared about. As a can I support him at home?” ter for touching his toys), he could use result, he may be less apt to take out his A vote for good citizenship the characters to talk about his feelings. frustration on others. (“Uh-oh, I’m acting like Angry Andy!”) Good citizens take an active role in Find coping techniques selecting their leaders. Show your Ask “why?” Equip your youngster with strategies youngster how it’s done. Talk about Simply asking “Why do you think for handling negative emotions. You the candidates you prefer and what you feel that way?” and listening care- might mention things you do when you they stand for. Then, take her to the fully to your child’s answer helps in two feel the same way he does. (“If I’m wor- polls when you vote this month, or ways. First, it allows him to recognize ried about something, it helps me to put let her watch you fill out a mail-in and describe how he’s feeling. (“I’m it in writing. That might help you, ballot and put it in the mailbox. frustrated because my project isn’t turn- too.”) With time and patience, he’ll Worth quoting ing out the way I wanted.”) Second, he develop his own strategies for managing “The difference between winning and his feelings.♥ losing is most often not quitting.” Walt Disney Reviewing report cards Look at your youngster’s first report card of the school year as an opportunity to help her succeed going forward. Consider these tips: Q: If people count sheep to fall ● Start by reading the key that explains what the asleep, what do sheep count? marks or grades mean. Do they indicate how well A: Nothing. your child performed or how much progress she Sheep can’t made—or both? count! ● Ask your youngster to tell you about her report card. She’s a good judge of what’s behind the grades. Also, put any low marks in perspective. Your child has probably adjusted to a lot of changes in this unusual year. Let her know you understand and that she has time to finish the year strong.♥

(Judi Barrett), she might describe a Doorways to creative writing rainy afternoon spent making spa- Coming up with a good story idea ghetti and meatballs with her is the first step toward writing a good grandma. Or for Where the Wild story. Unleash your youngster’s Things Are (Maurice Sendak), imagination and boost her writing she could write about a hike in skills with these two ideas for get- the forest—what wild animals ting started. will her character see? 1. Book titles. Suggest that 2. Flashbacks. Instead of your child use the title of a writing the beginning of her favorite book as inspiration for story first, your youngster her own story. If she chooses can start at the end! She Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs might open with, “And that’s how we discovered that our cat was a secret agent.” Then she could write the rest of the tale as a flashback, with the cat disap- pearing unexpectedly and the family finding spy disguises Paper-cup phone like wigs and fake mustaches around the house.♥ This old-fashioned “phone” is a fun way for your child to explore sound waves. Materials: pencil, two paper cups, scis- Tag … you’re out! sors, string, two paper clips Our sons love our Have your youngster use the pencil to local playground, but because of the poke a hole in the bottom of each cup pandemic, we don’t go when it’s and cut a piece of string about 50 feet crowded. So we look for creative long. Now he should put opposite ends ways to stay active outside. Recently, of the string through the bottoms of the the boys started making up new ver- cups and tie each end to a paper clip sions of tag. inside the cup. Brody invented Pizza Tag. When “It” tags you, you have to call out a pizza topping before “It” counts to 3. If you can’t think of one, or you pick a topping another player already said, you’re out. Then Ben came up with Sticker Tag. “It” tags you by putting a sticker on your back. If a player gets three stickers, he’s out. In all of our games, the last person out becomes “It” and decides which version of tag we’ll play next—or invents a brand-new one. And all that running around means the boys get plenty of exercise!♥

Time for a phone call! Each person holds a cup. Walk apart until the string Develop stronger social skills is taut, and carry on a conversation, taking turns speaking into your cups. To Q: My daughter seems to have up to show she’s listening (“What songs listen, hold your cup to your ear. trouble making and keeping do you dance to?”). Friends also cele- Now talk at the same volume without friends. How can I help her learn better brate each others’ accomplishments and the phone. Your child will notice your social skills? strengths. Your child could tell a class- voice isn’t as loud. That’s because sound A: Strong social skills will help your child mate that he used awesome graphics in waves vibrate, and the vibrations travel become a good friend. Plus, knowing how his presentation, for instance. better through a solid (the string) than to interact with others can also improve Finally, encourage your daughter to through air.♥ her academic achievement and her atti- stay in touch with friends and set up get- OUR PURPOSE tude toward school. togethers to main- tain strong To provide busy parents with practical ideas Discuss ways to show that promote school success, parent involvement, she cares about a friend’s relationships. and more effective parenting. For example, Resources for Educators, opinions or interests. a division of CCH Incorporated Your daughter might they might have 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 dance parties or 800-394-5052 • [email protected] ask questions (“What www.rfeonline.com kind of dance class do sing-alongs via ISSN 1540-5621 you take?”) and follow video chat.♥ © 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated Building Understanding and Excitement for Children November 2020 Gregory - Portland ISD

Cookie symmetry Your youngster will enjoy Thanksgiving multiplication serving these symmetrical “cookies.” This month, your young- Let her flatten play dough and cut it ster can be thankful for into circles, stars, and hearts. How multiplication! Share these would she cut each cookie so each Thanksgiving-themed side is a mirror image of the other? ideas to let him learn (Down or across the middle.) If she multiplication facts in flips one half over the line of symmetry playful ways. (where she cut), it should match the other side exactly. Turkey facts Have your child draw a Teeth and soda dozen turkeys, each with Let your child see for himself the 12 tail feathers, on sepa- effects of soda on his teeth. He can use rate sheets of paper. He baby teeth you might have saved or use can number the turkeys eggshells 1–12 and write a matching (rinsed, multiplication fact on each dried), feather. For instance, on turkey since they number 8, his “feather facts” would be have calcium like teeth do. Have him 8 × 1 = 8, 8 × 2 = 16, and so on up to can draw the same number of stalks a soak one in water, one in orange juice, 8 × 12 = 96. You can quiz each other different way (4 rows of 5 stalks) and and one in cola. How do the teeth look (“What is 7 × 6?”) and use the “feath- give the problem (4 x 5 = 20). How after a week? A month? ers” to check the answer (42). else could he make 20? Book picks Cornﬁ eld arrays Mealtime equations Get a kick out of math with Riddle- While the corn pudding is in the Suggest that your child write and iculous Math (Joan Holub), a joke oven, your youngster can make corn- illustrate scrumptious word problems to book of riddles and equations. field arrays. Let him draw a cornfield share at Thanksgiving dinner. Example: with even rows and columns (perhaps “We used 2 12-oz. bags of cranberries to Through poetry, Leaf Litter Critters 5 rows of 4 cornstalks) and say the make the cranberry sauce. How many (Leslie Bulion) tells about earthworms, equation shown (5 x 4 = 20). Then he ounces of cranberries did we use?” He bacteria, and other creatures that live in can write the equation on the back: 2 × leaf piles. 12 = 24 oz. Be a bird-watcher “That bright red bird is a cardinal!” Q: What falls in autumn but never Your youngster can observe and iden- hits the ground? tify birds with this project. Let her make A: The temperature. a bird feeder by spreading peanut butter or shortening on a pinecone or an empty cardboard tube and rolling it in birdseed or dry oats. Then, she can hang it from a tree branch with yarn or string. When birds visit, have her take photos or draw pictures and identify her feathered friends. She might check out a field guide from the library, use a free app like Seek, or search the internet for “bird identification.”

number line (0.1, 0.2, 0.3). Now have Number sense with decimals her stand on any number and “hop” Let’s get straight to the point—the to math problems. If she’s on 0.2, you decimal point, that is! Here are ways might ask, “What is 0.2 + 0.3?” (She for your child to practice reading would hop three tenths to 0.5.) and comparing decimals. Place the decimal. Get a deck of Mark the number line. Using cards (no face cards, ace = 1), sidewalk chalk outside, have one marble per player, and a die. your youngster draw a long hori- For the die, cover 4, 5, and 6 zontal line and add 11 short verti- with squares of masking tape, and cal lines to divide it into 10 equal mark 1, 2, and 3 on them. Stack the parts. She should label the first mark 0 and the last mark 1. cards facedown. Each player draws three cards and lays them Then, counting each mark in between as 0.1, she can fill in her faceup in the order drawn (say, 9, 5, 3). Take turns rolling the die—roll 1 and put your marble (decimal point) before the first digit (0.953), roll 2 and place it before the second digit (9.53), or roll 3 and it goes before the third (95.3). Who Back to the made the biggest decimal? The smallest? drawing board Q: My son mentioned that he’s Watch the "moon" glow learning the engineering design process in school. How can he try it out at home? The moon isn’t a star— so why does it appear to shine? Your child A: The engineering design process is will find out with this demonstration. creative problem solving in five main You’ll need: washable marker, mirror, steps: ask/identify, imagine/brainstorm, flashlight, soccer ball or basketball plan, create, and compare/improve. Here’s how: Have your child draw a big round moon on a bathroom mirror, close the bathroom door, and turn off the light. Now shine a flashlight (the “sun”) at the moon. Then, let him use the ball (the “Earth”) to partially block the sun. Can he create a crescent moon and a half moon? What happens? Your youngster can’t see the moon when the sun isn’t shin- Get your son’s wheels turning by ing on it. When he points the sun at the moon, the moon appears to shine. And helping him identify an engineering the Earth casts a shadow on the moon. problem. Perhaps he wants to create a Why? The moon reflects sunlight. When the Earth blocks the sun, all or part paper airplane that will fly all the way of the moon is dark. across the room. He could brainstorm different designs, then choose one to make and test. Now how could he improve his design? Maybe he’ll try Choose the best unit different kinds of paper or folds. Or Your youngster buffalo—it would take too long to mea- perhaps he’ll add paper clips. wouldn’t use millimeters to measure an sure a huge animal with small units. After each “flight,” ask questions elephant—but she might for an ant. Household objects like “What worked well?” or “Why do Help her pick the best measurement unit Give your youngster a tape measure for the job with this idea. you think your plane nosedived?” and a ruler, and send her on a mission to You’ll encourage him to analyze his Animals find the length or height design and see any flaws as areas for Take turns naming animals of 10 items. She’ll dis- improvement. and choosing the unit that cover that either tool OUR PURPOSE makes sense for measuring works for smaller things To provide busy parents with practical ways to their length. Your child like a book or a remote promote their children’s math and science skills. might pick inches or centi- control. But a tape mea- Resources for Educators, meters for a chipmunk sure is better for a book- a division of CCH Incorporated because smaller units would 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 case or refrigerator so 800-394-5052 • [email protected] be more precise for tiny animals. she doesn’t have to keep www.rfeonline.com And she’d use feet or meters for a moving the ruler. © 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated November 2020 Gregory - Portland Independent School District

Book ■ Liberty Porter, First Picks Daughter (Julia DeVillers) Subject-area writing Liberty’s life changes when When your youngster answers her dad is elected president of the questions in her social studies United States. Follow along as she book, explains how she solved a gets used to living in math problem, or completes a sci- the White House, ence lab report, she needs strong attending a new writing skills. Encourage her to school, and fol- practice writing with these at- lowing all the rules that come with home activities for each subject. being the president’s child. Book 1 in the First Daughter series. Social studies Suggest that your child inter- ■ Ostriches (Rachel Poliquin) view a relative or family friend From the Superpower Field Guide about a historical event she studied series, this nonfiction book is filled with in class. A grandparent, an aunt, or fascinating facts about ostriches. Your an uncle might remember watching the thoughts in logical order. Plus, she’ll child will meet an ostrich named Eno first moon landing or the fall of the Ber- have a handy reference when she needs and learn how this grumpy two-toed lin Wall. Your youngster could write to solve similar math problems. animal survives in the African savanna, about the event through that person’s what special features he eyes and include details like names, Science has, and much more. dates, and places. Which brand of stain remover or lint Includes illustrations Math roller works best? Ask your youngster to and a glossary with sci- Hooray! Your child figured out the do a science experiment using household ence terms. math problem that had her stumped. products. She can write an explanation of Before she moves on to the next one, her procedure and record the results, just ■ Poetry for Young People: Langston have her write a step-by-step description like she does in science class. Tip: Let her Hughes (David Roessel and Arnold of how she did it. She’ll practice explain- post the write-up, complete with photos, Rampersad) ing her math thinking and putting her on the refrigerator so family members can Young readers are introduced to a learn which product “won.” famous African American poet in this illustrated collection. The compilation Hooked on classic fi ction contains Hughes’s poems about hopes Spark your child’s interest in fiction by and dreams, plus an introduction and steering him toward tales you enjoyed at a biography of his life. his age or ones he liked listening to when he was younger. Here are two ideas. ■ The Vanishing Coin (Kate Egan) 1. Read classics. Suggest books from When fourth-grader Mike your childhood. He might like Michael and his new friend Nora Ende’s The Neverending Story or Fred Gip- discover the local magic son’s Old Yeller, for instance. Perhaps he’ll be shop, owner Mr. Zerlin inspired to read more classics and find his own favorites. teaches Mike his first magic trick. 2. Rediscover fairy tales. Different cultures have their own versions of various From that point on, Mike is hooked! fairy tales. Have your youngster type a familiar title (Cinderella) into a library data- Find out how Mike’s life changes—and base. He may be surprised by the differences in Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from learn magic tricks—in this first book China by Ai-Ling Louie or The Rough-Face Girl, an Algonquin Indian version by in the Magic Shop series. Rafe Martin.

A reading checklist ❑ I reread parts that are confus- Good readers use many different strategies ing. If I’m still stuck, I ask a to help them understand books. Share this teacher or parent for help. checklist with your child. He can monitor ❑ I read between the lines his comprehension—and get back on to figure out events or track if things don’t make sense. information that the ❑ Before I begin reading, I ask myself author didn’t come right what I already know about the topic. I out and explain. use this knowledge to help me learn new ❑ I jot down questions information in the text. when I read nonfiction. I ❑ When I read difficult material, I stop and check to see whether my think after each paragraph or section to make questions are answered later sure I understand it. I might summarize it in my in the text. head or on paper. ❑ I predict what’s going to happen next in a novel. Then I read on to see whether my prediction was accurate. Mark it, flag it A bookmark that’s also a tracking tool? We have just the thing! Your youngster can make this simple book- Q& How to give—and get—feedback mark and use it to learn and get ideas A from what he reads. ●Q During “writing workshop,” my First, have him cut a bookmark-size daughter’s classmates give each other feedback strip from cardboard and decorate it on their stories. Nicole feels uncomfortable giv- with crayons or markers. Then he could ing and receiving criticism. How can I help? glue a small pad of sticky notes to the A Encourage your daughter to think of feed- top. As he reads, he can use the sticky ● back not as criticism but as making the writing notes to: the best it can be. It’s a good idea to start by saying something nice about her classmate’s story, such as, “I really like this plot twist.” Then, if she sees something that could be improved, she might try, “I got confused here” or “I’m not sure what you meant when you said …” Meanwhile, getting feedback will show your child how others view her writing. If a classmate says, “I don’t understand why your character would do that,” Nicole ● Write down unfamiliar words to look may decide to change the character’s action. With time, she’ll get more comfortable up later. giving and getting feedback—and see its value. And this experience will serve her ● Flag passages to share in class. well in the future, since giving and receiving criticism is often part of a job. ● Think of character names or details for a story of his own. Fun ● Mark names of cities or countries he’d with Don’t make a word! like to visit. Words Force your opponent to word (add a to m for match). On your ● Note a new sport or hobby to try. add the last letter to a word turn, think of a word that starts with ma ● Jot down a personal experience, a in this game that boosts spelling and and add the next letter (r for marble). movie, or another book that he’s vocabulary skills. Continue until a player is forced to reminded of. To start, think of a word (moment), complete a word that has four or more and write the first letter (m) on a sheet letters. For example, if your youngster OUR PURPOSE of paper. Your child should adds e to mar, she spells mare and loses. To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing, come up with a word that Note: A player must have a and language skills. begins with m (it will real word in mind when Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated probably be differ- adding a letter. If some- 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 ent from yours) one is challenged, she 800-394-5052 • [email protected] www.rfeonline.com and write the sec- has to say the word ISSN 1540-5583 ond letter of her she’s thinking. © 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated