Parent & Child Activities
This page is full of fun, interactive activities to do with your child! Each of these activities integrate mathematics and literacy. Take some time during the evenings, weekends or summer to do these activities with your child. They will enhance your child's skills as a learner. The activities are aligned with the standards.
Reader's Journal
This is a simple activity that can be done in a few minutes once a day. The child writes about a book, thought or event that happened that in his or her life. The journal entries could also be illustrated. First grade is the perfect age to start making journaling a life-long habit. Click here for a long list of prompts to encourage your child to write about. All of the child's thoughts and ideas should be validated and made important. The pressure is off when a child journals so they are free to practice and make mistakes without fear of judgement. This will assist with your child meeting many of the writing standards.
You could also keep a family journal. This would be a good time to sit down as a family to discuss things that are important to each other. If this is not a possibility, modeling journaling every evening to your child would be a good place to start.
This is a simple activity that can be done in a few minutes once a day. The child writes about a book, thought or event that happened that in his or her life. The journal entries could also be illustrated. First grade is the perfect age to start making journaling a life-long habit. Click here for a long list of prompts to encourage your child to write about. All of the child's thoughts and ideas should be validated and made important. The pressure is off when a child journals so they are free to practice and make mistakes without fear of judgement. This will assist with your child meeting many of the writing standards.
You could also keep a family journal. This would be a good time to sit down as a family to discuss things that are important to each other. If this is not a possibility, modeling journaling every evening to your child would be a good place to start.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are a very fun activity that incorporate mathematics and literacy. This activity will assist with learning unit vocabulary words and solving word problems. They are also highly adaptable and can be used anytime, at any place.
A few good places to host a scavenger hunt are at home, parties or even at the grocery store. Here is a generic scavenger hunt that can be conducted anywhere, but they can be customized to your child's needs. Have the child read what he or she is supposed to find and then explain what it is and why they chose it.
2.3.1.A: Demonstrate that a single object has attributes that can be measured.
Scavenger hunts are a very fun activity that incorporate mathematics and literacy. This activity will assist with learning unit vocabulary words and solving word problems. They are also highly adaptable and can be used anytime, at any place.
A few good places to host a scavenger hunt are at home, parties or even at the grocery store. Here is a generic scavenger hunt that can be conducted anywhere, but they can be customized to your child's needs. Have the child read what he or she is supposed to find and then explain what it is and why they chose it.
2.3.1.A: Demonstrate that a single object has attributes that can be measured.
Language Experience Approach (LEA)
LEA is a whole language approach to reading, writing, speaking and listening instruction. During an LEA, the child dictates a reflection of an experience. The experiences can be field trips, good stories or experiments like the one below. The measurement scavenger hunt would also be a great experience to write an LEA about.
During an LEA the student decides what to write about and forms the sentences while the parent writes on a large chart or piece of paper. The finished product is a student made passage or sentence that the student can read back. This encourages an early literacy concept that what the student thinks, he can write and what the student writes, he can read.
In order to conduct an LEA, the parent should ask the child to reflect on the experience and decide what to write about. Then, the child's words are written down on paper. The passage should be relatively short so the child can read it easily and repeatedly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
LEA is a whole language approach to reading, writing, speaking and listening instruction. During an LEA, the child dictates a reflection of an experience. The experiences can be field trips, good stories or experiments like the one below. The measurement scavenger hunt would also be a great experience to write an LEA about.
During an LEA the student decides what to write about and forms the sentences while the parent writes on a large chart or piece of paper. The finished product is a student made passage or sentence that the student can read back. This encourages an early literacy concept that what the student thinks, he can write and what the student writes, he can read.
In order to conduct an LEA, the parent should ask the child to reflect on the experience and decide what to write about. Then, the child's words are written down on paper. The passage should be relatively short so the child can read it easily and repeatedly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Sketch-to-Stretch
The first activity you can do at home with your children is a sketch-to-stretch. Select one or more of the unit's current vocabulary words or a picture book incorporating mathematics. Measurement vocabulary is a great way to introduce sketch-to-stretch as the concepts are easy to draw.
Aligned Standard: 1.4.1.B: Write informational pieces using illustrations when relevant (e.g., descriptions, letters, instructions).
The first activity you can do at home with your children is a sketch-to-stretch. Select one or more of the unit's current vocabulary words or a picture book incorporating mathematics. Measurement vocabulary is a great way to introduce sketch-to-stretch as the concepts are easy to draw.
- Ask your child to imagine in their head what the words looks like. Forming an image in his or her mind will help them understand the vocabulary words or story.
- Then, have your child draw a picture of the image. Encourage your child to be creative, colorful and make a unique product that demonstrates the word. You can also draw a picture of the word or story.
- When your child is finished with the product make time to reflect on it. Ask him or her to explain the drawing and then display the image on the refrigerator or other location.
Aligned Standard: 1.4.1.B: Write informational pieces using illustrations when relevant (e.g., descriptions, letters, instructions).
The information on the website is fictious and created as a course requirement for Millersville University.