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My Child Can Packets
Click the link below to the ALSDE website under Family Resources for Grades K-3 "My Child Can!" Packets
Available in English and Spanish
Alabama Reading Initiative - Alabama State Department of Education (alabamaachieves.org)
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Resource Spotlight
Make a "First Day of School" Photo Book
The first days and weeks of school can bring a lot of mixed emotions to parents, children, and teachers alike. Along with excitement and relief, there can be the fear of the unknown, sadness over the end of summer, and a sense of anxiety about starting the year off right. This crafty project can help address and alleviate some of these concerns, support early literacy skills, and create some lasting memories, too.
What You Need:
- Camera (digital is especially handy)
- Cardstock paper
- Glue Stick
- Tape
- Markers
- To assemble the book, print your pictures and invite your child to help you lay them out in order on a table.
- Cut your cardstock paper in half to make a stack of pages 5½ by 8½ inches. On the first page, place a picture of your child and write a title. On each of the following pages, place a photograph and one or two descriptive words, such as “waking up,” or “my school.” You can have your child write the words or ask them to dictate.
- Use a glue stick to attach the pictures.
David Goes to School by David Shannon
The Way to School by Rosemary McCarney
If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
Goals for the New Year
Decorate a Homework Clipboard!
You’ve probably noticed, after sitting in a desk all day, sometimes kids just want to flop onto a cozy chair or comfy corner and do their work there. Without a table to lean on, however, pen-and-paper work can be a little difficult. That’s why teachers often keep a box of clipboards in the classroom, and why a nice one is a great idea for home as well. Here’s a decorative idea to help your kid create a personalized clipboard that he/she will want to use every time there’s homework to do.
What You Need:
- Plain clipboard in your child’s favorite color—just make sure it has a solid metal clip on top
- 2 wide craft sticks (“tongue depressor” size)
- Craft glue
- 1 foam sheet in your child’s favorite color
- Scissors
- Stick-on foam letters and shapes
- Squeezable paint (make sure you get the kind that sticks to plastic)
What You Do:
- The goal is to help your child design a cool clipboard that he/she take pride in using again and again, especially when it’s homework. To start, place two wide craft sticks horizontally across the top of the clip of your clipboard, and glue them down.
- Have your child cut a rectangular piece of foam and glue it down on top of the craft sticks. The piece of foam should be big enough just to cover the craft sticks.
- Then have your child spell out his/her name using stick-on foam letters.
- Now have your child surround his/her name with shapes that represent their interests or favorite colors—a sports lover, for example, might use ball and bat shapes, while another kid might create flowers or stars!
- As a final touch, use the squeezable paint to add any decorative touches.
- Give everything several hours to dry, and then enjoy it for the rest of the school year and beyond!
