Reading Connection (Beginning Edition)

September 2020

Read-aloud favorites Adventures in reading ■ The New Small Person (Lauren Child) What’s between the pages Life as an only child is going well for of a book? An adventure Elmore, until a new little person comes that your youngster could along to interrupt go on—without leaving his TV shows home! These ideas will and knock show him all that he can over his toys. learn on his nonfiction But as his brother gets older, Elmore reading expeditions. realizes that a sibling can become a Take an animal safari friend—maybe even enough of one to Together, look for animals share his prized jelly beans with. outside, and help your child ■ The Word Collector (Sonja Wimmer) make a list of the ones you see. Luna loves to collect magnificent Then, read books or look online to words, but one day she notices words learn facts about each one. What does it disappearing from her collection. eat? What are its babies called? Does it Soon she discovers that they’re miss- sleep at night or during the day? Encour- or pretend) to the person that includes ing because people are too busy to age your youngster to write each fact questions he has. remember them. Can Luna bring (or dictate it to you) in a notebook to Visit new places carry on future walks. How many new love, friendship, and fun back into Let your child plan an imaginary trip animals can he “meet”? their lives through the power of to a book’s setting. After a story about a words? (Also available in Spanish.) Meet people rain forest, read a nonfiction book on ■ Even Superheroes Have Bad Days Scientists, artists, civil rights leaders … jungles. He can use facts he learns to (Shelly Becker) biographies are full of fascinating peo- make a packing list for his journey. He’ll Superheroes could use their ple. Suggest that your youngster make have to think about the climate (hot, powers to do naughty things, a trading card for each person he reads rainy) to decide what he needs (wide- like change the weather or about. He could write facts like the per- brimmed hat, lots of water, umbrella). cause chaos when they are son’s name, birthplace, and accomplish- He could also write a pretend postcard ♥ sad or mad—but do they? ments. Or he might write a letter (real from his destination. Readers will find out how even the mightiest superheroes work through their emotions to Fine-motor fun make a difference in the world. w Playing with tiny objects strengthens little hands—build- ■ How Did That Get in My ing the fine-motor skills your child needs for handwriting, Lunchbox? The Story of Food drawing, and more. Try these activities. (Chris Butterworth) ● Cotton-ball race. Give each player an empty bowl and a Where do common foods like bread, bowl containing 12 cotton balls or other small, soft items. cheese, and carrots come from? This Using tweezers or your thumb and forefinger, race each nonfiction book describes their jour- other to transfer them—one at a time—to the empty bowl. Who will win the race? neys from farm to lunchbox. ● Yarn wrapping. Your child will discover Let your youngster use safety scissors to cut long pieces of col- that it takes a lot of orful yarn. Then, have her tape one end of each to the outside of a cup, wrap the work to grow and pro- yarn around and around, and tape down the opposite end. Idea: She could use ♥ duce yummy foods. her creation as a pencil or crayon holder.

story: “Who is in your drawing?” Ready, set, write! “What are their names?” Tip: As your Drawing is the first way children youngster learns to write her name express their thoughts on paper. You in school, have her start printing it may also have noticed—or will on pictures she draws at home. soon notice—your youngster Scribbles. Is your child adding writing scribbles, letters, or words scribbles or letter-like shapes to on her pictures. Use these strate- her pictures? Combining drawing gies to support your little writer and writing is a big step toward at every stage. learning to write. Acknowledge her Drawings. Invite your child to tell efforts by asking, “Can you read you all about pictures she draws. Ask that to me?” questions that encourage her to tell a Writing. When your youngster begins writing actual letters or words, help her list words she uses frequently. Examples: the, like, Mommy, Daddy. She can label her list “Words I Know”—and Reading refer to it to help her write captions for her pictures.♥ aloud—together ●Q My son loves when I read to him. Any tips for using story time to help him learn to read himself? Plant an alphabet tree

Read an alphabet book with your child, ●A Sure! Start by asking your child to join in when you read. Try reading a then encourage him to build his own alphabet tree to book with a refrain, perhaps The Very identify and remember letters. Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle) or If You 1. Let your youngster plant a “tree trunk” (an Give a Mouse a Cookie (Laura Numer- empty cardboard paper-towel tube) in a cup filled off). After a few pages, pause before the with dirt or sand. Then, help him cut small slits repeating part—your son will feel into the trunk and insert craft stick “branches.” proud to finish the page himself (“But 2. Have your child draw 26 “alphabet leaves” on Tip: He could flip he was still hungry!”). green paper, cut them out, and write a letter on each leaf. through the alphabet book to remind himself what each letter looks like. 3. Together, recite the alphabet (or sing the alphabet song) while he tapes each leaf to any branch. ee?♥ 4. Read the book again—can your child find each letter on his tr

Your child will also learn from listen- Family show-and-tell ing to you read rhyming books. Stop before you say each rhyming word to let When my daugh- ask questions, such as, “What do you your youngster fill it in. ter Erica began kindergarten, she was like best about it?” or “Where did you Finally, develop his reading compre- hesitant to speak up during show-and- get it?” We’ve shared books, drawings, hension by talking about stories. Share tell. Her teacher suggested that we prac- souvenirs, and more. your reactions (“That part really tice at home, so we decided to hold a What began as a way to help Erica cracked me up!”), and listen while he weekly family show-and-tell night. practice speaking has turned out to be a tells you his response.♥ Every Friday, we gather great family conversation OUR PURPOSE in the living room and starter. Now Erica is take turns sharing in second grade— To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing, something that’s she’s speaking up and language skills. important to us. more in class, and Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated Each person we still look for- 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 explains why her ward to family 800-394-5052 • [email protected] www.rfeonline.com show-and-tell item show-and-tell ISSN 1540-5648 is special. Then we each week.♥

Read-aloud favorites Make time for reading ■ Doggy Defenders: Willow the Any time is a great time for Therapy Dog (Lisa M. Gerry) your child to read! Here’s Some dogs have incredible jobs help- how to fit more reading ing people, and into busy days. Willow is one of them. This Check the weather nonfiction Invite your youngster book follows a therapy dog named to be the family weather Willow through her day at work. She reporter. Each evening, spreads cheer in a hospital and a she can read tomorrow’s retired veterans’ home, and she even forecast in the newspa- “reads” with children at a library. Part per or on your phone’s of the Doggy Defenders series. weather app. Encourage her to use weather sym- ■ Hair Like Mine bols, such as raindrops or (LaTashia M. Perry) suns, if she needs a little help A little girl thinks her hair is too curly figuring out the words. Soon she’ll and frizzy, and she struggles to find recognize words like rainy and sunny math practice, she could read the num- someone with hair like hers. With right away. bers and fractions in the recipe, too. guidance from her mother, who insists that no two people have the Explore recipes Listen to audiobooks same hair, face, or toes, the girl learns When you cook, let your child read While you’re working from home or about the value of differences. the recipe with you. Make it easier by running errands, your youngster can having her get out the ingredients. Hear- enjoy books independently. Download ■ The One Day House ing you say potatoes or cheese, finding audiobooks and check out print ver- (Julia Durango) the item, and maybe seeing the word on sions of the same books from the This is the heart- the package will help her as she sounds library. She can follow along with the warming story of a out the words in the recipe. Tip: For story as she turns the pages and perhaps young boy named Wilson and his learn to recognize new words.♥ older neighbor, Gigi. When Gigi’s house desperately needs repairs, Wil- Write to keep in touch son wants to make it nicer for her. Thanks to caring friends and neigh- w “Will you be my pen pal?” With this bors, he gets his wish faster than he idea, your youngster can write friendly imagined. (Also available in Spanish.) letters and stay close to loved ones. Together, ask a relative to be your ■ Ronan the Librarian child’s pen pal. Explain that your (Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie) youngster is learning to write—and No legendary barbarian wants to read they can help! Then, let your child pick a book … right? That’s what Ronan out stationery or search online for “free sta- the Barbarian thinks until he finds a tionery printables kids.” book in his raided treasure. He loves Now help your youngster write a greeting (“Dear Aunt Lori”). Underneath, the book so much that he could write about or draw pictures of activities he’s been doing, like roller he teaches his fellow skating or caring for his new kitten. He should also ask his pen pal questions. barbarians to enjoy (“How is your job?”) When your relative writes back, you and your child can reading, too. read the letter—and write a reply.♥

What sounds do you hear? Blend the consonants. Have your youngster put these letter tiles or Sounds and syllables are like the nuts and magnetic letters into a bag: B, C, F, bolts of words. Call your youngster’s G, H, L, P, R, S, T, and W. He can attention to word parts with these activi- pull out two letters (perhaps S and ties that will help him grow into a P), then help him try to blend strong reader. them and say a word that includes Swap the sound. With your youngster, the blended sound (spider). If the think of a word family, or a group of sounds can’t be blended, like B words with the same “last name” (for and T, he should put them back example, -all). Now take turns saying and pull out new letters. a word with that ending (fall, wall). If Subtract a syllable. Say a familiar you say a nonsense word (zall), ask your word that has more than one syl- child to make up a silly definition. “Zall: A black- lable, such as pumpkin or television. Now encourage your and-white striped ball that zebras play with!” youngster to take away one or more of the syllables: “If you take pump out of pumpkin, what do you have left?” (Answer: kin.) What happens if he “subtracts” vision from television? Sensational (He’ll have tele.)♥ writing tools Put down your pencils! Your child can practice forming letters and Don’t forget the spaces! words with these fun-to-touch materials. ●Q When my daughter writes, a whole Sugar sentence sometimes looks like one long word. How can I get her to put spaces between words? Let your youngster spread a thin layer of sugar on a baking sheet. Then, ●A Ask her to read her writing out she could write each letter of the alpha- loud so she can “hear” the spaces. As bet with her finger. she reads, have her draw a vertical line where she thinks each space should be. You can also show her spaces in books. Pick a sentence, and ask her to count the words. She’ll need to pay attention to the spaces to figure out how many words there are. Finally, encourage her to use her finger as a “space bar” by laying it on her paper after she writes each word. It will show her how much space to leave before she begins the next word. Or let her decorate a craft stick with stickers and use that as Paint a space bar.♥ Have your child dip her finger in paint and write on construction paper. She might write the color word that matches each color of paint she uses, like yellow Play library—at home for yellow paint. My son Elijah and books for me, “scans” them at the Soil I missed our weekly visits when the checkout, and leads story hour. Other Your youngster will get fresh air and pandemic closed down our library. So times, we trade roles. After we finish enjoy nature by writing outside. Help her he came up with the idea to play playing, we put the books back find a stick and a patch of soil. She could library at home, which has on the shelf in alphabetical etch words in the dirt, perhaps to list given us a nice way to talk order, just like real librari- things she sees outdoors (birds, clouds).♥ about books. ans do. OUR PURPOSE First, Elijah made library We’re enjoying library To provide busy parents with practical ways cards for all of us. To play, time even when we’re to promote their children’s reading, writing, we place books around not at the actual library, and language skills. Resources for Educators, our living room and use and Elijah is learning to a division of CCH Incorporated the coffee table as the think critically about 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 800-394-5052 • [email protected] checkout counter. Some- books to give good www.rfeonline.com times Elijah is the librar- recommendations.♥ ISSN 1540-5648 ian. He recommends © 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated November 2020

Read-aloud favorites A growing vocabulary ■ Big Red Lollipop (Rukhsana Khan) Rubina is excited about going to a Hearing, learning, and using new birthday party. But then her words can make them a perma- mother insists that her little nent part of your youngster’s sister Sana tag along, and vocabulary. Try these strategies Sana eats Rubina’s party to increase the number of favor! Later, when Sana is words he knows. invited to a party, she makes Weave in words it up to Rubina. Based on a true story When you talk with your from the author’s childhood. child, try using a few words ■ The Secret Explorers and the Lost he may not know. If you’re gar- Whales (SJ King) dening together, you could say, A diverse group “These beets are a nice color. of young Can you think of anything else adventurers that’s magenta?” or “The sky is overcast must rescue a today. Look at all those clouds.” Hearing pod of humpback whales in this first new words on a regular basis will natu- together to make his own vocabulary book of the Secret Explorers series. rally expand his vocabulary. booklet. Your child will learn facts about whales Draw pictures Multiple meanings as marine-life expert Connor and his Illustrating new words will make it Pick an everyday word that has two fellow explorers try to successfully easier for your youngster to remember totally different meanings, such as pen complete their mission. them. When he hears one (say, parched), (a writing tool or a place for pigs). Say ■ How to Read a Book tell him what it means (very thirsty), or one definition, and ask your child to (Kwame Alexander) look it up in a dictionary together. come up with the other. Additional This vivid picture book presents read- Then, help him write the word on a ideas: ball (a round toy or a big dance), ing as an experience to savor. It begins sheet of paper and suggest that he draw star (a shining object in the sky or a with suggestions for finding a great a picture. For parched, he might draw celebrity), foot (a unit of measurement spot to read, compares opening a book himself reaching for a big glass of water. and a body part). How many can your ♥ to peeling a juicy clementine, and Idea: Suggest that he staple his drawings youngster think of? encourages readers to take their time and enjoy every word. Write an ode ■ Good Night, Mr. Panda/Buenos w Your child can show gratitude during the Noches, Sr. Panda (Steve Antony) Thanksgiving season—and enjoy writing Mr. Panda is ready for bed, but each of poetry at the same time—with this activity. his friends has forgotten to complete Explain that an ode is a poem that a task in their nighttime routine. As expresses emotion toward a person, place, or he reminds them what to do, he real- thing. Ask who or what she’s thankful for. She izes that he can make an occasional might choose a grandparent or a teacher, or per- mistake, too. This haps your home or dog. Have her think of what she bilingual English- appreciates about the person or object. Spanish book is Now help your youngster write the ode as if she’s addressing the person or part of the Mr. object—and include specific details she’s grateful for. Example: “Oh, Grandma / Panda series. How I love your silly jokes! / Your smile is always bright / Playing games with you makes my night.”♥

Explore plot patterns the refrain—“Sometimes it looked like”—and point to each cloud. Predictable books follow a pattern— Also try: Goodnight Moon (Marga- and noticing patterns can help your ret Wise Brown), The Little Red child follow the story. Here are popular Hen, and The Gingerbread Man. patterns along with craft projects that will boost your youngster’s Circular plot. These stories end the comprehension. same way they began. Read If You Give a Moose a Muffin (Laura Repetitive story. Read a book Numeroff), and help your child with a repeated refrain, such as make a paper chain. On separate It Looked Like Spilt Milk (Charles strips of paper, she can draw and G. Shaw). Afterward, your youngster label something the moose was could glue cotton balls on blue paper given. Have her tape the ends of each to show each cloud in the book. Have her repeat strip together, linking all the loops in a circle. Now she can use the chain to tell the story. Also try: The Mitten (Jan Brett), The Relatives Came (Cynthia Rylant), and Lowercase Stephanie’s Ponytail (Robert Munsch).♥ first? ●Q When I was in school, we learned to print capital letters first. Why is my son starting with lowercase letters? Reading diverse books My daughter Andrea recently ●A Lowercase letters appear more fre- found a library book about a little girl whose fam- quently in books than capital letters. ily came from Guatemala—just like ours. Andrea And since learning to write letters also seemed proud and excited to recognize Spanish teaches your child to recognize them, words sprinkled throughout the book and to knowing the more common ones first see pupusas on the family’s dinner table. will make reading easier. I asked the librarian for more books with Spanish-speaking characters. She was happy to help, and said children feel comforted and valued when characters remind them of themselves. The librarian also explained that kids learn to appreciate diver- sity when they read about characters whose lives are different from their own. Thanks to this advice, Andrea and I have also read books about families from Mexico, Peru, Nigeria, and Japan. My daughter is discovering that she has a lot in common with children who speak or eat differently than she does—from the The trickiest part of writing lower- games they play to the way their parents tuck them in at night.♥ case letters is remembering where to write different parts of each letter. Try this: Draw a “road” (with a dot- ted line between two solid lines) and add a line below it for the road’s “shoul- Terrific tongue twisters der.” Now your son can write letters Tongue twisters are 2. Together, brainstorm a list of words with each part in its own “lane.” For d, tricky-talking-tremendous teachers! They that start with the same sound, like pen- he would put the circle under the dot- help your child hear sounds in words guin, park, and purple. ted line and the stick extending to the and pronounce words more clearly. Here’s 3. Now your child can use the words to top solid line. And for p, the stick how he can say and create his own make up a tongue twister. (“The playful would go down to the shoulder.♥ tongue twisters. penguin went to the park to OUR PURPOSE 1. Recite familiar tongue twist- play on the purple play- To provide busy parents with practical ways ers such as “How much to promote their children’s reading, writing, ground.”) Have a silly and language skills. wood would a woodchuck time together saying his Resources for Educators, chuck if a woodchuck tongue twisters. What a division of CCH Incorporated 128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 could chuck wood?” Ask a fun way for him to 800-394-5052 • [email protected] your youngster to tell you hear and say the www.rfeonline.com what sounds are repeated ISSN 1540-5648 sounds!♥ (w and ch). © 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated