Sailing into FIRST GRADE!

First grade is a fun year full of transitions and excitement!  Here are some activities you can do with your child to keep their skills sharpened throughout the summer:
 
Reading**Go to the grocery store and point out items that begin with the same letter sounds.  Have your child look for other items that begin with the same sound.
**Play word phonics words games.  For example, if your in the car you could say, "I am thinking of a word that rhymes with rat but begins with an s."  Have your child guess the word.
**Read to your child every day for 10 to 15 minutes.  Children learn to model their reading when listening to others.
**Let your child have their own library card.  Let them check out books that interest them  This way, they will develop a love and passion for reading!  Give yourself some quiet and let them enjoy story time.  Most libraries have a story time at least once a week.

Math
**Let  your child sort toys by color, shape and size.
**Practice counting by letting your child count M&M’s, paper clips, etc.
**Simple addition and subtraction problems using numbers less than six can be done in a enjoyable manner.  For example, give your child three cookies and ask him or her how many would be left if he or she ate one of the cookies. Then have your child act out the problem (eat the cookie) to find out.

Writing
**The students should know how to hold a pencil correctly and how to write their first and last name using capital and lower case letters.
**Spread shaving cream across a flat surface and let your child write letters with their fingers amongst the lather.  Extra bonus: gets surfaces really clean!
**Have children write notes each day or label pictures they have drawn.
**While on vacation have students keep a journal or mail a post card to themselves.  The journal can even be sequenced pictures of their day.
**Create a matching game with upper and lower case letters.
 
 
Some great websites:
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_1st.htm- has a variety of games in all subjects
 
http://www.starfall.com/- fantastic literacy/reading site
 
http://www.funbrain.com/- fun games to play!
 
http://www.aaamath.com/grade1.html- math games
 
http://www.alfy.com/- kid games and puzzles
 
http://www.magickeys.com/books/ - children can listen to stories here
 
http://pbskids.org/- all around great site with games and activities