Dec.  2011

DEAR FAMILIES,

Reading: We continue to review the Jolly Phonics Digraphs, letters, sounds and words.   

The sight words we have introduced so far are:   

 see  look  for  on  I  the  he  she  me  we  be  was  to  do are  all you  your.  Next week we will add come and some.

The next week will be said and here.

Math:  We are working on recognizing, counting, sequencing and writing numbers to 100. We are also learning about graphs, sorting items by different attributes, and making AB, AABB, ABC and ABCD patterns.

Writing:  We are writing sentences using the sight words we have learned so far. We work hard to remember to leave spaces and a period at the end of our sentences. Ask your child to sing the Sentence Song for you! :) Our goal is to write 3 sentences about the same topic and to make our picture go along with what we write.  

Thank you for reviewing these skills at home!  

~Mrs. Schulte

Jolly Phonics Actions

*In Jolly Phonics the 42 main sounds of English are taught, not just the alphabet. The sounds are in seven groups. Some sounds are written with two letters, such as ee and or. These are called digraphs. Note that oo and th can each make two different sounds, as in book and moon, that and three.

a Wiggle fingers above elbow as if ants crawling on you and say a, a, a.

b Pretend to hit a ball with a bat and say b, b, b.

c Raise hands and snap fingers as if playing castanets and say ck, ck, ck.

d Beat hands up and down as if playing a drum and say d, d, d.

e Pretend to tap an egg on the side of a pan and crack it into the pan, saying eh, eh, eh.

f Let hands gently come together as if toy fish deflating, and say f f f f f f.

g Spiral hand down, as if water going down the drain, and say g, g, g.

h Hold hand in front of mouth panting as if you are out of breath and say h, h, h.

i Pretend to be a mouse by wriggling fingers at end of nose and squeak i, i, i.

j Pretend to wobble on a plate and say j, j, j.

k Raise hands and snap fingers as if playing castanets and say ck, ck, ck.

l Pretend to lick a lollipop and say l l l l l l.

m Rub tummy as if seeing tasty food and say mmmmmm.

n Make a noise, as if you are a plane - hold arms out and say nnnnnn.

o Pretend to turn light switch on and off and say o, o; o, o.

p Pretend to puff out candles and say p, p, p.

q Make a duck's beak with your hands and say qu, qu, qu.

r Pretend to be a puppy holding a piece of rag, shaking head from side to side, and say rrrrrr.

s Weave hand in an s shape, like a snake, and say ssssss.

t Turn head from side to side as if watching tennis and say t, t, t.

u Pretend to be putting up an umbrella and say u, u, u.

v Pretend to be holding the steering wheel of a van and say vvvvvv.

w Blow on to open hand, as if you are the wind, and say wh, wh, wh.

x Pretend to take an x-ray of someone with an x-ray gun and say ks, ks, ks.

y Pretend to be eating a yogurt and say y, y, y.

z Put arms out at sides and pretend to be a bee, saying zzzzzz.

Digraphs

ai  Cup hand over ear and say ai, ai, ai.

oa Bring hand over mouth as if you have done something wrong and say oh!

ie Stand to attention and salute, saying ie ie.

ee   or Put hands on head as if ears on a donkey and say eeyore, eeyore.

ng Imagine you are a weightlifter, and pretend to lift a heavy weight above your head, saying ng...

oo oo Move head back and forth as if it is the cuckoo in a cuckoo clock, saying u, oo; u, oo. (Little and long oo.)

ch Move arms at sides as if you are a train and say ch, ch, ch.

sh Place index finger over lips and say shshsh.

th th Pretend to be naughty clowns and stick out tongue a little for the th, and further for the th sound (this and thumb).

ou Pretend your finger is a needle and prick thumb saying ou, ou, ou.

oi Cup hands around mouth and shout to another boat saying oi! ship ahoy!

ue Point to people around you and say you, you, you.

er Roll hands over each other like a mixer and say ererer.

ar Flap hands as if a seal, and say ar, ar, ar.