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November 2024
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Pre-k - 8th Grade
Literacy & Tutorial Centers
Fun Phonemic Awareness Activities at Home Letter-Sound Bags for Learning
Helping your child develop strong phonemic awareness doesn’t have to mean sitting down with flashcards or worksheets. Instead, make learning letters and their sounds engaging by using everyday items from your home! One fantastic way to do this is by creating a “Letter-Sound Bag,” where your child learns to associate sounds with familiar objects. It’s a fun, hands-on activity that keeps your child curious. BAG WITH LETTERS AND SOUNDS A Letter-Sound Bag is a simple collection of items that start with the same letter sound or blend. By collecting and exploring objects that match specific sounds, your child builds the critical skill of associating letters with their corresponding sounds, laying a solid foundation for reading and language development. GETTING STARTED Gather materials: Find a large bag or container to hold your items. You’ll also want to grab paper and a marker to label your bag with the letter or sound you’re working on. Now, let’s dive into gathering some everyday items! LETTER SOUND EXAMPLES FROM A-Z Pick a letter and hunt around the house for items that start with that sound. For example: • B: Barbie, ball, book, banana, or brush. • D: Doll, dog toy, dice, duck, or dish. • M: Marker, magnet, map, mug, or muffin tin.
each object out, emphasize the sound: “Buh-buh-buh, B for ball!” Encourage your child to repeat the sound with you and practice making the sound in a fun, exaggerated way. DIGGING DEEPER WITH LETTER BLENDS Once your child feels comfortable with individual letter sounds, you can step up the challenge with blends. Blends are two or more letters that work together to create a combined sound, like “bl,” “cl,” “gl,” and more. Here’s how to make a blend sound bag. EXAMPLES OF BLENDS: • Bl: Blue crayon, block, blanket, or blueberry. • Cl: Clock, clip, cloth, or clown toy. • Gl: Glove, glass, glitter, or globe. • Sl: Slipper, slide toy, slime, or sled. HOW TO PLAY Label your bag with the blend and fill it with matching items. Practice saying the blend sound clearly: “Bluh- bluh-bluh, blue crayon.” Let your child touch, hold, and play with each object while repeating the sound. This multisensory experience helps reinforce phonemic awareness. MAKE IT A GAME 1. Sound Scavenger Hunt: Once your child understands the concept, go on a sound scavenger hunt around the house. Choose a sound or blend and race to see how many objects you can find that match. 2. Mystery Bag: Put an item in the bag without showing your child. Give them clues about the sound: “It starts with ‘gluh,’ and you wear
it on your hand when it’s cold.” Let them guess what’s inside! 3. Sound Sorting: Gather multiple items for different sounds and have your child sort them into separate bags. For example, separate “B” items from “D” items. This encourages sound discrimination. TIPS FOR SUCCESS • Keep It Fun: Phonemic awareness activities should be playful. Use a silly voice, clap your hands, or make a game of the sounds. • Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: Repetition helps solidify learning. Encourage your child to practice the sounds often, and don’t be afraid to revisit familiar items. • Mix It Up: Rotate the items in your bags to keep the activity fresh. As your child masters more sounds, introduce new objects and blends to explore. WHY THIS ACTIVITY WORKS By using familiar household items, your child learns to connect the sounds they hear to objects they already know and love. This hands-on approach engages multiple senses, making the learning experience memorable and enjoyable. Plus, it’s a fantastic way for parents and children to bond while building essential early reading skills. Try the Letter-Sound Bag activity, and watch your child’s phonemic awareness soar! Happy exploring! —Dr. Kim Southwell 1
Label your bag with the letter and let your child explore the items. As you pull
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Building Little Bookworms
Easy Ways to Help Your Child Fall in Love With Reading
Reading can unlock exciting worlds of imagination, creativity, and learning, making it one of the most valuable gifts we can share with our children. But, for struggling young readers, the joy of books is often overshadowed by frustration. Turning reading into a fun, family activity can help build a love for reading that encourages your child to continue exploring books.
a lifelong love of literacy. Setting aside 15 minutes a day to take turns reading aloud can change your child’s attitude on reading from frustrated to curious. Make it something they will look forward to by using encouraging facial expressions and asking them questions. CREATE A BOOK NOOK Create an inviting and comfortable spot in your home dedicated to reading. Make sure to include some bookshelves you can fill with quality literature that speaks to your child’s passions and interests. Set up a cozy place to sit and snuggle up with a blanket and a good read. Setting up a special area filled with comforts alongside their books will encourage them to spend more time there reading. You can make it even more interactive by adding a
notebook where they can write or draw about what they have read and adding new books for them to discover. PLAY WORD GAMES Playing word games at home or when you are out and about will bring reading outside the pages of books. You can easily play “I Spy” and ask your children to find an item in the house or the park that starts with a specific letter. You can also write notes for them to read in their lunch box or have them read signs they come across when you are out in the world. With a few creative ideas and a comfy nook, you can help turn story time into an experience that brings you closer together and builds a love of reading for years to come.
READING TOGETHER Reading aloud with your children is a
wonderful way to get young people excited about reading and build their confidence. Not only does this give your little reader practice, but it also helps them develop their vocabulary, improve their academic success, strengthen family relationships, and nurture
Educational Adventures Await Discover the Hidden Benefits of Visiting Museums With Your Kids
With the weather cooling down as we approach winter, our opportunities to get out of the house and have fun with the family become more limited. Going to the zoo or visiting a local park isn’t the same when you have to layer up with coats, sweatshirts, and fuzzy hats. We must find indoor alternatives to keep our kids entertained and excited, which can be a bit more challenging, especially if you’re looking for an educational excursion. While you could go to the movies or visit your local library, consider visiting a museum if you want something unique and fun. You can find museums dedicated to all topics, from natural history to modern art and everything in between. You simply have to find one in your area that appeals to your children’s interests. Your kids will benefit greatly
by exploring and learning about a museum’s exhibits, and you may walk away with additional knowledge, too! Here are three benefits you’ll experience by visiting a museum. ENHANCED CURIOSITY Museums are full of mysteries and discoveries that will be entirely new to you and your children. You’ll love exploring the meaning behind beautiful works of art or determining the historical significance of unique artifacts. This curiosity may inspire your child to learn more about a specific period or explore a future career path when they’re older. STRONGER CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS Whether you’re looking at dinosaur fossils in a Natural History Museum or military artifacts in
an American History Museum, there’s always something new to learn or discover. Your kids will love pondering what happened to the dinosaurs or what caused some of history’s most significant conflicts. FAMILY BONDING One of the main goals of a family outing is to spend time with and learn more about your loved ones. Your kids will share their interests as they explore different exhibits, and you can ask questions to encourage their curiosity and love for specific topics. It’s a great way to learn about your kid’s likes and dislikes without asking them directly!
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The Gift That Keeps Giving Books for Young Readers This Holiday Season
Everything-Seasoned Dinner Rolls
Are you trying to find the perfect holiday gift for the kids in your life? Books make incredible presents and are especially great options for young readers. When you give someone a book, you are giving the gift of adventure and learning — in its pages is the ticket to entertainment and a confidence booster for children still learning
Inspired by RealSimple.com
No need to make rolls from scratch this season. Instead, dress up store-bought rolls with delicious everything bagel seasoning!
INGREDIENTS • Cooking spray
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1 tbsp honey
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20 frozen dinner rolls
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2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
reading skills. From helping to encourage a spark for reading to providing educational entertainment, everyone enjoys volumes of benefits when you or Santa leave literature for the little ones this holiday season. THE GIFT OF GROWTH Books can open up children’s minds and help them grow academically and in their own lives. Reading can help the kids develop cognitive skills and stimulate their imaginations. Giving a book can help a child build emotional intelligence, learn about the world, prompt discussions, and witness life skills in action. Making a book a special present is another way to encourage children to be excited about reading. LASTING LITERATURE Unlike toys or even clothes, which a child can quickly grow out of, a book can stand the test of time. Rereading books is a positive thing. When kids take another whirl with a book, they can better understand the content and begin to think more comprehensively about the material. They may take away new lessons or information on a second or third read. Every time your child opens a book, it will be a new experience. UNIQUELY YOU Books can be truly personal gifts and a reflection of what makes the child in your life special. Everyone can find a book. Think about what hobbies and activities your child loves most and pick a title based on their unique attributes. When children read about subjects that interest them, they are more interested in reading. You can choose books that pertain to a milestone or event in a young person’s life, like feeling nervous about going to a new school. Giving a child a book for the holidays opens the door to new ideas and a deeper love of reading. Check out next month’s edition for a list of book ideas for kids of every age and reading level in your family!
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2 tbsp unsalted butter
Take A Break rolls thaw, brush butter mixture over the rolls and sprinkle seasoning on top. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden, and serve these tasty rolls straight out of the oven! DIRECTIONS 1. Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and arrange frozen rolls in the pan to thaw according to package instructions. 2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Then, melt butter and honey together in the microwave or on the stove. Once the
Apple Basketball Black Friday
Fireplace Gratitude Leaves Nap Parade Pie Stuffing Turkey Veteran
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6991 Pecan St, Suite 200, Frisco, TX 75034
469.817.9809
Pre-k - 8th Grade
Literacy & Tutorial Centers
ReadingRanch.com
Inside 1 2 Playful Phonics
Fun and Simple Reading Activities for Kids Why Museums Are the Perfect Indoor Family Adventure
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Why Books Make Perfect Presents Everything-Seasoned Dinner Rolls
How to Turn Your Backyard Into a Touchdown Zone
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Score Big With Family-Friendly Touch Football Get in the Game
Ready to tackle some family fun? Nothing beats a good old-fashioned game of touch football when the weather outside cools. It’s the perfect way to get everyone running, laughing, and scoring a few points — without needing to be a pro quarterback. So, grab some comfortable shoes, and let’s dive into the playbook for the MVP of family games! MAKE BALANCED TEAMS To get started, create two teams among your family, with at least two players on each team. While letting kids choose their teams is fine in most cases, remember that the more balanced the teams are, the more fun everyone will have. If you have an uneven number of players, you can follow an old playground rule and have one of the older players be the quarterback for both teams, ensuring everyone gets to play while the game remains balanced. Once you form teams, create the playing field
by setting up small cones or beanbags to mark boundaries and end zones.
FOLLOW THE RULES Before you start playing, ensure both teams agree on the rules. There are obvious ones, like where the end zones are, how many points a touchdown is worth, and how many downs each team has — either to get a touchdown or, space permitting, a first down. You also must determine what constitutes a player as “down” — when one or two hands touch the player with the ball, whether they need to be touched on the torso or anywhere, etc. You also have to decide if a team doesn’t score, whether the opposing team takes over from where the ball ended up, or whether each team has a set starting point for each drive.
gets the ball first with a game of rock-paper- scissors and play until one team reaches a predetermined score … or it’s time to go inside and enjoy a family meal. Remember, the best part of family touch football isn’t just the touchdowns — the laughter, teamwork, and fun make every play memorable.
Once you prepare everything, it’s time to hit the field. You can determine which team
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