The Reading Railroad is a free newsletter for parents, caregiver's and teachers.
Fun reading ideas & activities for preshool and primary grade children
Learn to Ride a Bike How to teach your child to ride a bike in less then two hours
without getting hurt!
1.Word Recognition Game - Preschool Activity
2. Make a Sentence Game - Primary Grades
3. What is Mamasource?
4. Site of the Month for Kids
5. Book of the Month
6. When Your Children Enters 4th Grade
7. January & February Winners of the Car Train Drawing
WORD RECOGNITION GAME
{!name}, it is important for parents to not have expectations of their children's success. Sometimes as parents we get emotionally involved when teaching our children. When children experience these expectations it causes them stress. You don't have to even say anything, it is in your attitude.
Kids have the most extraordinary antennas of anyone I know. So what is most important is to have fun and not care whether or not your child succeeds in a task. What is most important is the love in your eyes, the smile on your face, and the fun and laughs you share together. Your positive relationship is what will be the foundation of your child's success in life!
So let's begin and have fun. Remember, the journey is more important than the destiniation.
Supplies Index cards
Pen or marker
Old magazines
Photographs (optional)
Scissors
Glue
How to Make the Game After your child recognizes the letters of the alphabet, it is time to create an easy word recognition game.
On each index card write easy to read words that are nouns. Be sure that you will be able to find pictures of these words. Examples: cat, dog, bird. Print the words in small letters with your pen or marker.
With your child's help find pictures in old magazines that illustrate the words you wrote on the index cards.
Paste or glue one picture on a blank index card... not on the card with the printed word.
How to Play the Game
Lay all the cards on the table, face up, and have your child match each word to the corresponding picture.
At first your child probably will not be able to match most of the words with the pictures. The best way to learn word recognition is for you to play a game within this game.
I am thinking of an animal that begins with the same sound a cow and it says meow!
Emphasize the sound of c for cow. Don't say the name of the letter. Kah - cow.
Wait for you child to match the picture of the cat with the word card.
Another fun version of this game is to use photographs of your child, relatives, siblings, children's classmates, and friends.
Write the first name of each person on an index card and have your child match the photo to the respective name.
If you child does not get the answer within a couple times of doing the exercise, then put the game away and take it out in a month or two. It just means that his / her natural maturation is not there yet.
Eric Erickson, a great educator of the 1900's believed that children developed in stages and that there was optimal time for a child to learn. Each child has their own internal clock. For instance, there are children who teach themselves to read at 3yrs old and others at eight. Eventually they all catch up to each other.
MAKE A SENTENCE GAME - Primary Grades
Supplies Index cards or paper
Writing/drawing supplies
This is such a fun game. You can make up the most hilarious sentences.
Ten pink monkeys ate 100 pounds of ice cream on Sunday. When they woke up on Monday they were pink!
How to Play the Game Version One: Each person makes up a sentence and the sentence stands on its own.
Version Two: One person starts a sentence and the next person finishes it.
Version Three: Each person makes up a sentence and the next person's sentence continues the story line.
How to Make Your Cards
Put together 5-sets of blank index cards, with 10-cards in each set. (You don't have to purchase index cards. If you have thin cardboard you can also cut your own cards.)
One one set write one number on each card.
On the 2nd set of cards, draw different shapes on each card - only one shape per card.
On the 3rd set of cards, put a different color on each card.
On the 4th set of cards, write the name of animals - one name per card.
And on the last set of cards put the names of whatever you choose: trees, flowers, buildings, cars.
Each person playing takes one card from each set. S/he creates a sentence. You must use one card from each set to form your sentence. As your children increase their ability to make sentences you can add more sets.
WHAT IS MAMSOURCE?
Mamasource is a new site for mothers who would like to connect to
other mothers in their area for resources and to ask questions to the Mamasource members at large.
Mamasource is Free. When you join they will plant a tree in your honor! What a great Global Warming contribution to our planet. Here is your link to
Mamasource, which is a free invitation to join. I have been on this site for 1 week and have thoroughly enjoyed the information and resources.
If you have a home based business you are welcome to list it for free.
KIDS SITE OF THE MONTH
exZOOberance celebrates the animal kingdom.
This site has a virtual zoo with loads of pictures that includes a directory of zoos and
aquariums, Animal News, and a directory of animal webcams.
BOOK OF THE MONTH
With inky and exquisite hand-colored woodcuts and lyrical poems, When the Moon is Full is a lunar guide that portrays the twelve full moons of the year.
Tradiional Native American names, from January's Wolf Moon to the Long Night Moon of December, follow the monthly path and all its wonder in the natural world.
A question and answer section includes information about the moon's surface, an explanation of a lunar eclipse, and the true meaning of a blue moon. 4 - 8 years old. Author - Wyandotte Indian descendant, Penny Pollock. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Mary Azarian's imagery.
WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ENTER 4nd GRADE
When your children enter 2nd grade you are ready for your other website: All Science Fair Projects.
Detective ThinkMore walk's your child, step by step through the intricacies of doing a science fair project. And we have a Teachers and Parents Resource page. Twice or three times a year we have a fun International online science fair contest where all kids fromo all over the world are awarded a certificate plus we give away prizes.
DECEMBER'S WINNER OF THE CAR TRAIN DRAWING
I had been sick with a virus that has taken me 6-1/2 weeks to feel like a person again, and am still coughing and having brochial challenges. So after Christmas up until yesterday, I was unable to work... infact these past few weeks are a blur of a nightmare. So we are announcing 2 winners, one for January and one for February.
1. Charlene signed up on 10/6/06 at 4:35pm. Lucky #70
2. Albert signed up on 8/8/05 at 6:37 PM Lucky # 169
It pays to confirm your subscription.
Congratulations Charlene and Albert!
