Dear Parents,

It’s summer time! That means it’s time to keep the skills your child learned in Pre-K 4 in “tip-top” shape for smooth sailing into kindergarten. Attached you will find activities to do with your child. Any written work should be brought to school during your child’s first week of kindergarten.

1. Have your child trace the attached upper and lower case letters several times a week. 2. Trace and review numbers to 20 several times a week. . Count by 1’s and 10’s to 100.3. Read every day with your child. Attached is a suggested reading list.

If you don’t already have one, get a library card from your local library for you and your child. Some libraries in our area include:-Oak Lane Library6614 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19126(215) 685-2848-Greater Olney BranchLibraryAddress: 5501 N 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19120Phone:(215) 685-2846-Free Library of Philadelphia Lawncrest Branch6098 Rising Sun Avenue19111-6009 Philadelphia , PA (215) 685-0549- Fox Chase Library Address: 501 Rhawn St, Philadelphia, PA 19111Phone:(215) 685-0547- Northeast Regional LibraryAddress: 2228 Cottman Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19149Phone:(215) 685-0500

4. Review the attached list of “Snap Words” (high frequency words) If your child masters list one, move on to list two. Make it fun for them! Create a matching game using several words at a time.

5. Complete the attached writing activities. Use sound stretching (invented spelling) for any word your child cannot spell.

6. Complete the attached math activities.

It is so hard to believe how quickly this year has flown! Your children were a great gift to us and we thank you so much for sharing them with us. During the summer, if your child would like to email us about his/her adventures, we would LOVE to hear from them. We will also email your child just to see how they are doing! Love, Ms. Boneck and Mrs. HanaganMs Boneck- eboneck@sthelenaphila.orgMrs. Hanagan- ahanagan@sthelenaphila.org

to kindergarten. Attached you will find activities to do with your child

.

Kindergarten Suggested Summer Reading List

Research has shown that the single greatest factor in predicting reading success is whether a child is

read to when young. Here are some titles to get you started!

(The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add any books that are appropriate for your reader.)

Books About Me

• I Like Me! by Nancy L. Carlson

• I Like to Be Little by Charlotte Zolotow

• The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle

• My Five Senses by Aliki

• Owen by Kevin Henkes

• When I Get Bigger by Mercer Mayer

Family Stories

• Just Me Books by Mercer Mayer

• Mama Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse

Predictable Books

(Stories with a pattern using rhyme or rhythm.)

• Curious George by H. A. Rey

• Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

• The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone

• Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

• Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág

• What’s in Fox’s Sack? by Paul Galdone

Beginning, Middle, and End Concept

• Bony-Legs by Joanna Cole

• A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen

• Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

• Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

• The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

Color and Counting Books

• Each Orange Had Eight Slices: A Counting Book by

Paul Giganti Jr.

• Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert

• Frog Counts to Ten by John Liebler

• Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

• Is it Red? Is it Yellow? Is it Blue? by Tana Hoban

• Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

• Ten Bears in My Bed: A Goodnight Countdown by

Stanley Mack

• Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood

• 26 Letters and 99 Cents by Tana Hoban

Caldecott Winners and Honor Books

• Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert

• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

• More, More, More Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams

• Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman

• Swimmy by Leo Lionni

• Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes

• James Marshall’s Mother Goose by James Marshall

• My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie and Rosemary

Wells

• Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose by Tomie dePaola

Folktales and Fairy Tales

• Chicken Little by Steven Kellogg

• Cinderella by Marcia Brown

• The Hare and the Tortoise by Brian Wildsmith

• Henny Penny by H. Werner Zimmermann

• The Little Red Hen by Margot Zemach

• The Three Bears by Paul Galdone

• The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Peter Christen Asbjornsen

• Three Little Pigs by James Marshall

• The Three Little Pigs by Rodney Peppé

• The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen

Stories in Rhyme

• All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka

• Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema

• Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk

Friends

• Benjamin and Tulip by Rosemary Wells

• We Are Best Friends by Aliki

• Who Will Be My Friends? by Syd Hoff

Fabulous Science Books

• Cars and How they Go by Joanna Cole

• Eyewitness Juniors Amazing Frogs and Toads by

Barry Clarke

Magic School Bus On the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole

Questions to ask before reading

What is the title of the book? What does the cover tell you about the book? What do you think the book is about? What are you curious to find out about this book? What do you already know about this book? What do you want to learn? Why are you reading this book?

Questions to ask during reading: What do you think will happen next? What is the problem in the book? Why do you think the character did that? When you were reading this part, what were you

picturing in your head?

Questions to ask after reading: Describe the setting of the story. Describe how a character changed throughout the

book. Which of the characters did you like best?  Why? What were some of the problems or situations the

characters encountered? Tell about a part that you liked or disliked and tell

why?

Snap Words-1 Snap Words-2

aand

awaybigbluecan

comedownfindfor

funnygo

helphere

Iinisit

jumplittlelook

makememynotoneplayredrunsaidseethe

threeto

twoupwe

whereyellow

you

allamareatatebe

blackbrown

butcamediddoeatfourget

goodhavehe

intolike

mustnewno

nowonourout

pleasepretty

ranridesawsaysheso

soonthat

theretheythistoo

underwantwaswellwentwhatwhitewhowillwithyes

Writing Activity

List of things to take on vacation.

Writing Activity

List of things to do at the park

Write a story about what you think is happening in the picture. Remember to sound stretch any word you cannot spell.

Addition stories

Draw circles to show and then write your addition sentence.

Ms. Boneck’s class has 3 soccer balls. Mrs. Hanagan’s class has two soccer balls. How many soccer balls are there in all?

Kaden found 2 frogs. Tate found 2 frogs. How many frogs did they find in all?

Madison picked 1 flower. Nouri picked 4 flowers. How many flowers were picked in all?

Subtraction stories

Draw circles to show and then cross out what you are taking away. Write your subtraction sentence.

Lennox had 4 tadpoles. 2 of his tadpoles grew legs and turned into froglets. How many tadpoles does he have left?

Justin had 5 munchkins. Tyler came along and ate 4 of the munchkins. How many munchkins does Justin have left?

Zoe found 5 fireflies. 3 of the fireflies flew away. How many fireflies does Zoe have left?

Math Tips and Ideas

Kindergartners are avid math learners! They may easily compare sets of objects to know which is more, but may have difficulty figuring out how many they actually have. When they count they know how many? But may not know that the last number counted means the total quantity. At this age, kids are learning which set is more and may be able to sequence quantities from smallest to largest. But the question how much more can be difficult. Many children are also fascinated with collecting and sorting objects.

GIVE YOUR CHILD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO COUNT

Play number games during everyday activities, such as counting the number of steps, the number of trucks you see while driving, or counting the number of items going in the laundry.Read the calendar, and determine the number of days until an upcoming event.Young children can count the number of items that you bought at the store. If you buy multiples of 1 item (such as 10 cans of cat food), practice counting by 2’s, 3’s, or higher numbersHave your child count the change needed to pay for an item.Watch your child play to understand her mathematical knowledge. When your child counts, does she touch each object once? Is his voice in sync with his tag?Have your child distribute cookies or toys to family members, with each person getting an equal numberHELP YOUR CHILD RECOGNIZE SHAPES AND SIZE RELATIONSHIPS

At the grocery store, ask your child to find items that are triangles, circles, rectangles, and other shapes.Ask your child to recognize or stack the groceries you bought by container shape or organize by size.Organize a scavenger hunt where your child has to find objects of different shapesMake snowflakes using symmetry. Fold a square piece of paper in half diagonally to make a triangle, then fold in half 2 more times. Cut out small diamond or circular shapes from the edges, and then unfold it. Experiment with different numbers of folds and shapes.FIND WAYS TO COLLECT AND ORGANIZE INFORMATION

Look around the house to find groups of 2 objects, like pairs of gloves or socks. Look for groups of 3’s, 4’s, and on up to 10’s.Have your child help sort the laundry by various categories — by color, or by whom an item belongs to.Take measurements for a project around the house.Using paper of different colors, make a paper chain with paper strips and tape. Encourage your child to create patterns by repeating colors and numbers of rings in a regular order. This can be done in connection with reading the calendar and counting down days to a special event.Collect objects in nature— leaves, rocks, shells and the like. When you get home, sort them by color, size, or type. How many different categories can you find? How many objects are in more than 1 category?HELP YOUR CHILD DEVELOP REASONING SKILLSHelp your child think about the permanence of a set. Put 6 pennies in a row, and then change the arrangement. Ask “did the quantity change?”Kindergartners love repetition and patterning, which fosters mathematical thinking. Clapping patterns help your child discover sequences and predict what comes next.

SOME FAMILY GAMES THAT USE KINDERGARTEN MATH SKILLS:

Many card games require counting and score keeping.Dice games and dominos help kids learn to quickly recognize groups of dots from 2 to 12.Play board games that involve counting squares, such as Chutes and Ladders.Tic Tac Toe and Connect Four build recognition of rows of 3 and 4 counters.

Reading Tips and ideasSpend 15 minutes every day reading with your child. Depending on your child, you could taketurns reading a page at a time, have your child read to you, or echo-read by having your childrepeat each sentence as you read it.Before you begin a new book, read the title and look at the cover and pictures and/or chaptertitles inside. Ask your child to make a prediction about what he/she thinks the book may beabout. After reading the book, review his/her prediction by asking, “Was your prediction right?”If not, ask “What happened instead?” Also, at the end of the story/book, have your child talkabout what happened at the beginning, the middle, and the end (retelling).Play rhyming games and take turns thinking of words that begin with the same sound and thenwords that end with the same sound.Play the "say it fast" game. Say a word, one sound at a time, and then have your child say theword at a normal rate. For example, pronounce each sound in the word cat, "/c/ /a/ /t/." Thenyour child says the word at the normal speed, "cat." Play the "say the word slowly" game. Say aword at normal rate and then have your child say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Forexample, say the word, "mat." Then your child will say the word slowly, one sound at a time,"/m/ /a/ /t/."To increase your child’s vocabulary, you can point to things and ask the child to tell you whatthey are, or you can stop and explain the meaning of any words in your reading that the childmay not understand. Pick out a new vocabulary word from one of the books you are readingwith your child or have your child tell you a new word that he/she learned in school. Talk aboutwhat the word means then have your child use the word in a new sentence. You can also haveyour child tell you a new word he/she has learned every single day. You can add the words to a"my new vocabulary word list" and post it on the refrigerator.Encourage reading fluency by having your child read and reread familiar books. It can also behelpful to have your child read a short passage over several times while you record the time ittakes. Children often enjoy seeing if they can improve their time from one reading to the next,and the repeated reading helps to establish a habit of fluent reading.Have your child highlight or underline words that he/she can read from the day's junk mail, magazines, and newspapers.