Homework Information
Why we do it:
In kindergarten, students are required to read and write sight words. We focus on one sight word each week to read and write. However, I believe that we can help close the gap in reading by having rigorous work and high expectations for our students. One way to do this is to expand their sight word recognition starting in kindergarten. I will introduce one new sight word a day. We will practice reading, syllables, segmenting sounds, beginning-middle-ending sounds, writing sentences and so much more with just a word a day. If the homework is done correctly, by the end of the school year your child should know 100-150 sight words.
Parent Expectations:
Fluency homework comes home every night in the B.E.E. folder, including Friday night. Have your child point and read the words on the page to you. Sometimes there are nonsense words or just random letters. These are there to see if your child recognizes that they are not words and do not need to be read. You simply skip over these random letters. If your child does not know a word, read it to them and then have them read it again. If your child makes a mistake, correct them and have them read it again.
Remember, these are words that should be recognized by sight. Some of them can be sounded out (like, red), but not all of them (said, was). Kindergarteners are not expected to know the rules for spelling or vowel teams. When reading and writing they are taught to sound out a word, unless they have learned it as a sight word. So the word "said" would be written as sed, until the word is introduced and taught.
Student Expectations:
To remind parents that they have reading homework.
To point and read the words.
Write the word on the signature page.
Homework Page:
The homework page will signify what the new word of the day is with lines like this:
---- horse-----
The word is repeated to help with retention. You will also see previous words repeated to help with retention.
Make sure your child points to the word as it is being read, this helps with muscle memory.
The homework page should be returned every day, and a new one will be sent home every day.
It can be done at night, while your cooking dinner, in the morning, etc. Whenever is best for you and your child. It should only take a few minutes.
Signature Page:
After your child reads to you and writes the word, you should sign the signature page to show the reading has been completed. Only sign one time next to the number that corresponds to the number on the homework page. Even if it is Friday and your child reads to you each day over the weekend, you still only sign one time. If an E.A. signs on the number, then you continue on to the next number.
What if I forget to Sign?
I feel that this homework is so important, that if the signature page is not signed, then I am assuming that the reading did not get done. I will have an Educational Assistant listen to your child read the page. The EA will then sign her initials on the signature page.
What if my child is absent?
If a student is absent, I will send home all the homework pages that were missed. For example; if your child misses school on Monday, then on Tuesday he/she will get two pages, one for Monday and one for Tuesday.
Accountability and Rewards:
If a student has done their homework every night for the week, then on Friday he/she will earn five extra points. Also, each week I will assess your child to see how he/she is progressing with the words. For every 10 words read correctly the student will earn a sticker. Once all the stickers have been earned, the student will earn a trip to the treasure box.
Challenge:
If your child can read the words, then you can have them practice writing sentences with the words. *Using a white board from the dollar store is a great way to do this. Remember to let them sound out words to spell them when writing a sentence, unless it is a sight word that has been introduced.
List of words:
Sometimes parents will ask for a list of sight words that have been in the homework. I do not have a list nor do I give out a list because these sight words should be learned in context with other words, not just simply as flash card drill. The sight words that I give you each week in the newsletter are the words you should focus on first. Those words are the ones that kindergarteners are expected to read and write. The homework words are for going above and beyond to help close the reading gap.
Why we do it:
In kindergarten, students are required to read and write sight words. We focus on one sight word each week to read and write. However, I believe that we can help close the gap in reading by having rigorous work and high expectations for our students. One way to do this is to expand their sight word recognition starting in kindergarten. I will introduce one new sight word a day. We will practice reading, syllables, segmenting sounds, beginning-middle-ending sounds, writing sentences and so much more with just a word a day. If the homework is done correctly, by the end of the school year your child should know 100-150 sight words.
Parent Expectations:
Fluency homework comes home every night in the B.E.E. folder, including Friday night. Have your child point and read the words on the page to you. Sometimes there are nonsense words or just random letters. These are there to see if your child recognizes that they are not words and do not need to be read. You simply skip over these random letters. If your child does not know a word, read it to them and then have them read it again. If your child makes a mistake, correct them and have them read it again.
Remember, these are words that should be recognized by sight. Some of them can be sounded out (like, red), but not all of them (said, was). Kindergarteners are not expected to know the rules for spelling or vowel teams. When reading and writing they are taught to sound out a word, unless they have learned it as a sight word. So the word "said" would be written as sed, until the word is introduced and taught.
Student Expectations:
To remind parents that they have reading homework.
To point and read the words.
Write the word on the signature page.
Homework Page:
The homework page will signify what the new word of the day is with lines like this:
---- horse-----
The word is repeated to help with retention. You will also see previous words repeated to help with retention.
Make sure your child points to the word as it is being read, this helps with muscle memory.
The homework page should be returned every day, and a new one will be sent home every day.
It can be done at night, while your cooking dinner, in the morning, etc. Whenever is best for you and your child. It should only take a few minutes.
Signature Page:
After your child reads to you and writes the word, you should sign the signature page to show the reading has been completed. Only sign one time next to the number that corresponds to the number on the homework page. Even if it is Friday and your child reads to you each day over the weekend, you still only sign one time. If an E.A. signs on the number, then you continue on to the next number.
What if I forget to Sign?
I feel that this homework is so important, that if the signature page is not signed, then I am assuming that the reading did not get done. I will have an Educational Assistant listen to your child read the page. The EA will then sign her initials on the signature page.
What if my child is absent?
If a student is absent, I will send home all the homework pages that were missed. For example; if your child misses school on Monday, then on Tuesday he/she will get two pages, one for Monday and one for Tuesday.
Accountability and Rewards:
If a student has done their homework every night for the week, then on Friday he/she will earn five extra points. Also, each week I will assess your child to see how he/she is progressing with the words. For every 10 words read correctly the student will earn a sticker. Once all the stickers have been earned, the student will earn a trip to the treasure box.
Challenge:
If your child can read the words, then you can have them practice writing sentences with the words. *Using a white board from the dollar store is a great way to do this. Remember to let them sound out words to spell them when writing a sentence, unless it is a sight word that has been introduced.
List of words:
Sometimes parents will ask for a list of sight words that have been in the homework. I do not have a list nor do I give out a list because these sight words should be learned in context with other words, not just simply as flash card drill. The sight words that I give you each week in the newsletter are the words you should focus on first. Those words are the ones that kindergarteners are expected to read and write. The homework words are for going above and beyond to help close the reading gap.
Here is a video that shows you how to do the nightly sight word homework.