May Newsletter

DENNIS-YARMOUTH TITLE I FROM THE TITLE I connections between their Volume I Issue ix general knowledge about a Remember to vote COORDINATOR: MAY 2017 subject and the story’s in your local town Continuing from last month: content. They are aware if elections! Voting HOW DO CHILDREN they do not understand a Special points of LEARN TO READ? passage they have just is a responsibility, interest: read. May 2—Dennis Town This month we will discuss not a privilege! Mtg. Text Comprehension. It is recommended that adults support children’s For children comprehension May 6—Yarmouth Town development of is so much more than just Mtg. comprehension skills long decoding written words—it before they can decode May 9—Dennis Elections involves understanding and words. Ways to do this May 16 Yarmouth Town creating meaning from text. include reading aloud to Election It is at the heart of what children, then encouraging reading is all about and it is May 30—No School— them to respond to the a necessary skill for Memorial Day story. Adults might ask children to learn. It is the children to retell the story, foundation of all future to sequence the main Many of our libraries run IMPORTANT learning. Children with events, to predict what will summer programs for strong reading NOTICE: happen part-way through children. Check it out. comprehension skills the book, or to discuss the You might want to sign understand story structure, story and their feelings your child up for the We are planning our can identify the story’s about it. Providing summer programs now main idea, ask themselves Title I program for interesting literature for before all spaces are questions about what they next year. If you children to read will likely filled. are reading, and make have any comments help them develop a love of Children who read over connections between their or suggestions for us reading– one of the most the summer do not slide general knowledge about a important things we can do back. to make our program subject and the story’s if we want children to better please content. They are aware if continue to read as they contact me at your they do not understand a grow!! passage they have just earliest convenience. read. ************************ My phone number is It is recommended that Now is the time to start 508-778-7955 ext adults support children’s thinking about summer. 6204 and my e-mail What is your child going to development of address is: comprehension skills long do over the summer? stewartv@dy- before they can decode Does your child have a words. Ways to do this library card? If not, now is regional.k12.ma.us include reading aloud to the time to sign up for one. children, then encouraging Home&School ® Working Together for School Success CONNECTION May 2017 Dennis Yarmouth Title I Program SHORT NOTES Thank you, teacher Explore the outdoors Encourage your youngster to decide From sunny mornings when how she wants to thank her teacher for dew sparkles on the grass a great year. Maybe she’ll make a card to dark nights when stars that tells what she liked best. (“The appear in the sky, the great engineering projects were cool. I really outdoors is the perfect had fun building a bridge.”) She can summer “classroom” for hand-deliver the card along with a your child. Enjoy these homemade gift, perhaps a bird feeder activities together to help or a pencil jar. him appreciate nature and Middle school ahead learn more about it. Do you have a child moving on to Observe nature middle school? He will feel more Have your youngster confident if he knows what to expect. put together an outdoor Make sure he attends orientation, exploration kit. He could fill where he’ll meet staff and begin to a shoebox or a reusable grocery bag with learn his way around. He might also a magnifying glass for examining bugs, discoveries in nature guides and display ask older kids for advice about get- binoculars for gazing at constellations, his collection with facts on index cards. ting from one class to another on and a sketch pad and colored pencils for (“A sweetgum ball is the fruit of a sweet- time or finding a seat in the cafeteria. drawing and labeling what he sees. Let gum tree.”) him use his kit all summer long in your Happy parent, happy child backyard, at the park, or on hikes. Take poetry walks A happy parent equals a happier Go on poetry walks. Your youngster household. To increase your family’s Count collections can jot down notes on what he sees, overall happiness, try to find time Encourage your child to gather leaves, hears, feels, and smells. Perhaps he’ll every day to do something that pleases nuts, seeds, and other objects from the walk barefoot across damp grass, sniff a you. Examples: enjoy a hobby, spend ground. He’ll practice math skills as he patch of honeysuckle, or run his hand time with a friend, read a book. counts, sorts, and graphs his “finds.” He over the bark of a tree. Then, he could might make a pictograph to compare the use his notes to write a poem, such as: Worth quoting number of seeds, nuts, and leaves he col- Dew is cool under my bare feet “Good actions give strength to our- lected. Idea: Suggest that he research his The honeysuckle smells so sweet.♥ selves and inspire good actions in others.” Plato Celebrate learning JUST FOR FUN Let your child know how proud you are of her efforts this school year by holding a learn- Q: Why do fluores- ing celebration. Here are suggestions: cent light bulbs ● Be your youngster’s audience as she reads always hum? aloud stories or reports she wrote. Asking A: Because they questions will show you’re interested. don’t know the words. ● Help your child make a hallway gallery of her artwork. Hang up favorite pieces, and invite family members to take a tour. ● Show her all the progress she has made! Pull out samples of her homework or projects from early in the year. She will enjoy seeing how much she has learned and improved.♥ © 2017 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated Home & School CONNECTION® May 2017 • Page 2 the window on a rainy Expressing empathy day. She could say, “He feels disappointed that How can you help your young- he can’t go out and ster develop empathy? Encourage play.” Continue until her to be aware of how others feel you’ve used up all the and to take action with these ideas. pictures. 1. Recognize. This activity lets 2. Act. Now explain your child see the world from vari- that it’s time to put this ous points of view. First, have her knowledge into action. cut out magazine photos of a dozen Ask your youngster faces. Take turns choosing one and to imagine how people making up a story about how the feel in real life and then person feels. Say your youngster express empathy for them. picks a frowning child gazing out As she goes about her day, she should keep an eye out for people’s feelings. Perhaps she will spot a girl on the play- ground who looks anxious for a turn on the swings and offer to let her go first.♥ Routines that work ACTIVITY Sticking to routines in the summer CORNER My book trailer makes it easier for your child to adjust to school routines in the fall. Try these tips: “You’re going to love this book! Here’s why.” Let your child introduce friends or family to books he reads by creating his ● Have your youngster get up and go to own “book trailers”—videos that give sneak peeks into books the way movie bed at around the same time each day. trailers do for movies. That way, early school mornings won’t He’ll need to think about a book’s details, how the plot be such a big change. unfolds, who the main characters are, and what facts are pre- ● Assign house- sented. Remind him to give clues about the book’s contents— hold chores so but not give away the ending or any plot your child twists. He could practice speaking while stays in the holding up the book to show pictures. habit of When he’s ready, record him with a having camera or cell phone. He can watch the regular video and re-record until he’s pleased. Then, responsibilities, just like he does in the have him share his trailer with others. Any- classroom. He could vacuum, sweep, or time he reads a book he thinks friends would ♥ dust, for example. like, suggest that he make a new trailer. ● Eat regular meals together when pos- sible. You might enjoy an early breakfast before work and reconnect with a family Q Prevent summer math slide dinner in the evening. & Q: I’m concerned that my daugh- Also, give her opportunities to esti- ● Play outdoors every day. Your young- A ter’s math skills will get rusty while mate. Cut open a watermelon, and ask ster will stay active and burn off energy— school is out. What should I do? how many seeds she thinks it contains. and work toward the 60 minutes of daily Or have her estimate how many people ♥ A: Keeping math “muscles” strong is fun! recommended physical activity. are in the deep end of the Look for ways to add math to outdoor swimming pool or in OUR PURPOSE games.

Load more