The Good News
January 22, 2017 - St. John XXIII School
Building Strong and Confident Readers and Writers
Rhyme Time!
As we already know, learning sounds and being able to play with those sounds is an important skill needed for children to be successful in their reading and writing development. One way children love to do this is through rhyme. Many a giggle has come out of our kindergarten classrooms during silly rhyme time and grade ones are sure to enthusiastically point out the rhymes they hear during story time! Kids love playing with sounds through rhyme!
Rhyming activities help children in hearing the similarities and differences in words and helps them learn how to break down words into parts; a necessary skill for reading and writing! For our pre-readers and early readers, this skill should be completely auditory. It should be practiced and played with using their sense of hearing and their ability to verbalize their rhymes.
Children who are already reading and writing learn through rhyme that some words share common letter combinations (i.e. walk, talk both end with “alk”) and this is extremely helpful as they read and write. Children who are already reading and writing can examine the letter make up of these words to assist in furthering their reading and writing development.
As parents and educators, it is important for us to provide opportunities for rhyming at all levels. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
- · Sing and recite nursery rhymes! For example, you can check out the appuseries on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1H6iODKUsY as one way to do this.
- · Read books that rhyme and every now and then stop in amazement and notice that there was a rhyme. With older children, stop and look at how the two words are similar or different in how they are spelled.
- · Play the silly name game! How many rhymes can you make with your name? Be prepared for some giggles! (Cindy, Bindy, Tindy, Zindy….) Can you play this came with relatives and friends when they come to visit? What a great way for kids and adults to connect with each other!
- · Rhyming Freeze Dance. Call out two words, sometimes rhyming, sometimes not. Children stop and freeze when they hear a rhyme. You could also play this in the car as thumbs up or thumbs down.
- · Ask children to produce a rhyme. Make it fun and a part of your routine. For example, include a rhyme as you say good-bye to them each morning. Coat on, backpack on, give me a rhyme that matches “cat”, high five for the answer, kisses and hugs and on their way! So fast and easy!!!!
- · For older children who are reading and writing, ask them to build rhyming words. For example, how many rhyming words can they create using the magnetic letters on the fridge?
Face to Face Ministries
Kindergarten Registration is Now Open!
Mr. Berg's Counsellor's Corner
Secure Attachment for Parents
The Primary Care Network and St. John XXIII School are happy to be hosting an evening on Secure Attachment for Parents this Wednesday at 6:30 pm. If you are interested in attending please call the school at 780-998-7777 to register - childcare will be provided.
First Holy Eucharist
Registration for First Eucharist closes on Tuesday, January 24th. Please see our school webpage for more information, or contact Sandra Van Hecke at: sandra@trifectaconcrete.com with any questions. The first class for the First Eucharist program is this Saturday, January 28th 10:00 am at OLA Church.
Report Cards - Online
Report cards will be available online through your Powerschool portal on Wednesday, February 8th.
https://powerschool.eics.ab.ca/public
Printed copies will not be sent home. If you require assistance in setting up your Powerschool account please contact Mrs. Wilson in the school office and she will be happy to assist you.
Your child’s report card, along with ongoing communication with your child’s teacher, will give you a better understanding of their growth as a learner to this point in the school year. We hope this document allows you to see your child’s strengths, areas in which they can grow and direction to the next steps to help them on their learning journey as they work towards the learner outcomes determined by Alberta Education.
Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you require clarification regarding your child’s progress.
Early Years Play Session
Parent School Council Apple Program
Looking Ahead . . .
January 24 Deadline to register for First Eucharist for 2017
January 25 Parent Workshop on Secure Attachment 6:30 pm
January 25 PSC Meeting 7:00 pm
January 26 & 27 Grade 3 T-Pet Presentations on Hearing & Sound
January 27 Grade 1 Winter Fun Day!
January 27 Grade 4Mo & 4V Skating 1:00 pm at the Sportsplex
January 28 First class for First Eucharist preparation 10:00 am at OLA Church
January 31 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Professional Development Day
February 1 NO KINDERGARTEN/BB CLASSES
February 1 Early Dismissal at 2:14 pm
February 1 School Spirit Day - Dress as an Animal!
February 8 Report Cards Available in Powerschool
February 9 & 10 Teachers' Convention - No School
February 22 Alpha Course begins at Our Lady of the Angels Parish
9526 - 89 St. Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Email: stj@eics.ab.ca
Website: stj.eics.ab.ca
Phone: 780-998-7777
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stjohnXXIII/
Twitter: @St_JohnXXIII