Reading Strategy for Parents and Children: Retelling - Grades K-5
Connect through literature with the retelling strategy. This strategy helps readers remember and talk about what they’ve read. Here's how to guide your child through the strategy:
2. Watch the retelling strategy read-aloud modeled examples and practice along with your child. You’ll find examples for fiction and nonfiction.
Modeled Examples:
3. Select a book to read using the retelling strategy. Be sure to stop and retell using your retelling hand along the way.
4. Use the Retelling bookmark.
5. Add writing to your practice and help your child to fill out the K-3 Journal or 4-5 Journal pages.(Feel free to download and print or just make your own journal at home and use the journal here to help guide you.
6. Be sure to remind your child to use their writing non-negotiables (capitals and periods).
7. Repeat with a different genre. If your child chose a fiction book, information next.
8. Continue practicing the retelling strategy with your child using all types of text (books, movies, Twitter postings, news reports, etc.)
For more read-aloud fun, check out this collection of famous people reading various texts aloud or the Big List of Children’s Books: Read-Alouds.
Poetry: Why Students Should Write Poetry - Grades 6-12
April is National Poetry Month. The poem Valentine for Ernest Mann by Naomi Shahib Nye, describes places where poetry can be found. Look around. Use your writer’s notebook or journal to list places where poetry can be found in your life.
Finding Poems that Hide: Why Students Should Write Poetry
Encourage your student to generate a list of places where poems could hide for them. Have them share their list on this Padlet. Victoria Les has posted a list of places that poetry hides for her. Students can use this as a model for their own lists.
Poetry: Where You Come From - Grades 6-12
Encourage your child to write a poem about where they come from using the poem and the songs as models. Included with George Ella Lyons poem is a template to help your young poet get started. Have them write the poem in their writer’s notebooks, or journals.
Once your student has written their poem, encourage them to post it on this Padlet.
Basic Fact Fluency: Ten Frame - Grades K-2
- Go to the Ten Frame game
- Scroll down to find the video tutorial and game instructions
- Play the game
- Use the Questions for Students to extend your child's thinking
Place Value Order: Give the Dog a Bone (game requires Adobe Flash Player) - Grades K-2
Have fun learning about place value and number order with this fun interactive online math game. Here's how:
- View the informational video
- Go to Give the Dog a Bone to play (may need to download Adobe Flash Player)
Basic Fact Fluency: How Close to 100? - Grades 3-5
Science, Reading & Geometry: Sound Matters - Grades K-12
Sounds are all around us - from the obvious earbuds/earphones directly in our ears, to sounds of traffic going by, we are constantly exposed to sounds, many of which may cause permanent damage to our hearing. Learn more about the sounds around you and how you can protect your hearing from those expected - and not-so-expected damaging sounds.
- Find a Decibel Meter (sound meter) app on your phone and start exploring sound!
- Walk around (inside and out) your house and test out the decibel meter. Find a quiet place and note the decibel. Then find at least 4 other places that have louder sounds and record their levels.
- Now test your earbuds/headphones. Turn them on as normal and record the decibels. Are you at a safe range? How do you know?
- Start researching about safe levels, how to prevent hearing loss, and how your ears work. Here are some places to start:
- Listen Up! Protect Your Hearing (infographic) K-12
- Where is the Noise K-12
- Listen Up! Play It Safe With Your Ears K-5
- Say What? Play It Safe With Your Ears 6-8
- Making Listening Safe 6-12
Sound Around Town K-12
Be a part of a Citizen Science Project by clicking on Participate and all the directions are on the website.
Create Your Own Sound Experiment
Follow the directions to make Origami Poppers.
What kind of paper/size of paper... makes a louder sound. Measure it with your decibel meter.
Engineering: Robot Design Challenge - Grades 4-12
To get started, head to the challenge webpage, view the video, then read about the weekly challenge. Be sure to include answers to the questions in your image or video, especially if you are entering the contest to win a robot. Good luck!
College Preparation: Senior Checklist - Grade 12
Congratulations to the seniors and the families of the graduating Class of 2020! With seniors’ last days approaching, use this time to review important tasks that need to be completed over the next few weeks before graduation:
Review the Blue Water College Access Network Senior Checklist.
Identify items that need to be completed.
Make a timeline to complete the task prior to deadlines.
Contact your school’s college adviser or guidance counselor for assistance.
Transitions: Grades K-12
Change is something that is difficult for many of us. We depend on our routines to provide us with a sense of security and predictability about what is to come. Our routines help us feel safe and provide a sense of order to our lives. The current situation with COVID-19 has led to sudden and intense change in our daily routines, and it feels as if our lives have been turned upside down. In many ways, we are navigating in a whole new world, and this can be overwhelming. Change is challenging for both adults and children. During these times, it is important to focus on self care and healthy coping skills. It is also important to be kind to yourself and to remember that your feelings, whatever they may be, are valid. Throughout this situation, you may have noticed an increase in your child's irritability, acting out, or a regression to younger behaviors. All of these things are common during times of change, and some children are more impacted than others. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your child or teen's behaviors, help is available. Community Mental Health can link you to services that meet your child's needs during this challenging time.
Grades K-12
- Parenting with Love and Logic Online Course (Free through April 30
- Coronavirus Parenting: Managing Anger and Frustration
- Self-care in the time of the Coronavirus
Grades K-5
- Why do transitions and change trigger problem behaviors in kids?
- Seven healthy coping skills for school-age children
Grades 6-12
Community Mental Health
Website: https://www.scccmh.org/
Phone Number: (810) 985-8900
