Welcome to Literacy Adventure A literacy home pack series created for the enjoyment of you and your child Ms. Bethann Fischer

The Importance of Reading at Home The most important benefit of reading at home is the time you get to spend one on one with your child. Language is a form of communication Reading is one way children learn language The more you read, the more you know; and the more you know, the smarter you grow From Jim Trelease’s The Read-Aloud Handbook

Why a Literacy Home Pack Creates a partnership between classroom instruction and the home environment. Fosters reading as a shared family activity Provides families with a thematic, content related, collection of fiction and non-fiction books, with accompanying activities.

The Home Pack This is meant to be fun and engaging time between you and your child. Read the stories at your own pace Engage in the theme related provided activities.

The Home Pack Home packs will be sent home with your child on Thursdays, and should be returned the following Tuesday Your child will be allowed to bring home a literacy pack about twice a month Read as many books, and complete as many activities as you care to Completing one book and activity will take approximately 20 minutes

What’s Inside The Bag Non Fiction and Fiction books about colors Individually packaged activities Directions for the activities Materials checklist Parent Letter

Dear Parents, It is my pleasure to extend to you a literacy program that allows your child to bring home and share with you what they are learning in school. Each bag has a specific theme. It is my hope that your child will bring home a different theme bag every other week. Each theme bag includes everything you need to engage in reading and related activates with your child. Inside each bag is a folder. In this folder you will find an instruction sheet for each activity along with a materials check sheet, and evaluation. Bags will travel home with your child on Thursday, and are to be returned the following Tuesday. When you receive a bag I encourage you and your child to read as many books as you can, and to complete as many activities as you can. Before you return the bag to school, please go through the materials check off list, and include your child’s completed activity sheets to share with me. In addition please complete the evaluation sheet. I appreciate your feedback and input into this program. Most of all………ENJOY this time with your child.

TIPS TO GET YOU ON YOUR WAY Read as often, and as much, as you and your child have time for When you find the time, then find a comfortable place to read Introduce the book to your child by looking and discussing the cover Allow your child to help by turning the pages

Guidelines and Sample Questions Begin by discussing the cover of the book. What might the book be about? Read at a slow enough pace so your child has time to look at the pictures and ask questions. When you are done reading, talk with your child about what was their favorite part of the story.

Colors Wouldn't it be terrible? Wouldn't it be sad? If just one single color was the color that we had? If everything was purple? Or red? Or blue? Or green? If yellow, pink, or orange was all that could be seen? Can you just imagine how dull the world would be If just one single color was all we got to see?

Books Included If crayons could talk, what would they say? This delightful book, in rhyming fashion lets you know. This book is sure to tickle your funny bone

Books Included Pour out the candies. Get ready. Get Set. This yummy little counting book teaches the numbers

Books Included Three mice mix primary colors to create secondary colors.

Books Included This is a story about a kitten in search of its favorite color. The kitten looks at nine different colors before it chooses its favorite, and when it does I do not think you will be surprised as to why the kitten picked that color. This is a story about a kitten in search of its favorite color. The kitten looks at nine different colors before it chooses its favorite, and when it does I do not think you will be surprised as to why the kitten picked that color.

Books Included A little white rabbit learns the meaning of mixing colors

Activities Finger Painting The Color Songs audio CD Mixing primary colors of food coloring to create secondary colors Journal writing and drawing M & M graphing

Activity #1: Finger Painting Objective: Fine motor skills Objective: Fine motor skills Manipulate paint with your fingers all over the paper. Can you make straight lines? Swirls? Write your name? Manipulate paint with your fingers all over the paper. Can you make straight lines? Swirls? Write your name? What happens when you mix colors? What happens when you mix colors?

Activity #2 Audio CD The Colors Song Objective: Language through music, and physical movement to music Objective: Language through music, and physical movement to music Going somewhere? Grab the CD to play in your car. Going somewhere? Grab the CD to play in your car. Bored and need something to do, pop in this CD and enjoy moving to the beat. Bored and need something to do, pop in this CD and enjoy moving to the beat.

Activity #3 Mixing Food Colors Objective: Mix primary colors, to create secondary colors Objective: Mix primary colors, to create secondary colors What color can you create by mixing red and blue? What color can you create by mixing red and blue? What color can you create on your own? What color can you create on your own?

Activity #4 M&M Graphing Objective: Sort M&M’s by color, count the different color groups, graph each color. Objective: Sort M&M’s by color, count the different color groups, graph each color. Sort M&M’s by color Sort M&M’s by color Count each pile of M&M’s and chart that amount on the graph. Count each pile of M&M’s and chart that amount on the graph.

Activity #5 Journal Writing and Drawing Objective: Identify your favorite color and describe through drawing why it is your favorite color. Objective: Identify your favorite color and describe through drawing why it is your favorite color. What is your favorite color? What is your favorite color? Draw your favorite color to share with me. Draw your favorite color to share with me.

THEME COLORS MUSIC CD Movement Singing SCIENCE Mixing colors Literacy Journal Writing Reading Art Drawing Finger Painting Math Graphing M&M’s

Related Books

Resources Used Resources: Baker, A., White Rabbit’s Color Book, Kingfisher, Boston (1995) Cabrera, J., Cat’s Colors, Scholastic Inc. New York, (1997) Hubbard, P., My Crayons Talk, Henry Holt and Company, New York (1996) McGrath, B.B., The M&M’s Counting Book, Charlesbridge, Mass (1994) Trelease,J., The Read-Aloud Handbook, Penguin Books (1982) Walsh, E. S., Mouse Paint, Harcourt, Inc. (1989) Web sites:

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING I hope you found this evening enjoyable I look forward to hearing your comments after completing a thematic unit with your child. Join us for refreshments Please drive home safely