Reading Practice

The primary children are thrilled when they first realize they can look at a group of letter symbols, attach sounds to the symbols, blend them together, and understand the meaning of what they have decoded. They are happy to sound out phonetic words, practice with sound blends, and learn to recognize puzzle (sight) words as they explore the mechanics of reading. However, decoding is not the only goal! We aim to help children become fluent and active readers who understand the context and meaning of the words they encounter each day. We offer the children many opportunities for reading practice to help them along this path.

We are careful not to offer sentences or books too quickly; Often, children become overwhelmed by the number of words on a book page and are discouraged if they are struggling to read one word at a time. Instead, we begin by reading words and phrases that are familiar from spoken language and writing activities to help build the child’s abilities. As their fluency and speed increase and their confidence in reading grows, we introduce sentences, books, and activities that help them understand syntax, grammar, and word function.

Classified Reading Activities

Labeling the Home Environment ages 4 ½ and up

Directions: Print and cut out the labels. Choose a number 1-10. Place that number of labels around your home. When you have finished, collect all the slips and try again! When you have used all of the printed slips, print and cut out the blank slips to create your own labels for the house! There are two sets of labels: one for inside and one for outside.

Labeling Specific Areas in your Home ages 5 and up

Directions: Print and cut out the labels. Choose a number 1-5. Place that number of labels around a specific room in your home. When you have finished, collect all the slips and try again! When you have used all of the printed slips, print and cut out the blank slips to create your own labels for the various rooms in your home! There are two sets of labels: one for inside and one for outside.

Labeling your Place Setting ages 4 ½ and up

Directions: Print and cut out the labels. Use them to label the items used when we set the table for lunch and dinner. Add labels if needed to reflect the place setting used at your home.

Labeling Attributes ages 4 ½ and up

Directions: Print and cut out the labels. Use them to label the items to label the qualities of the objects listed. For example, use the labels tall/short to label the people in your home.

Three-Part Cards ages 5 and up

Directions: Print and cut the three-part cards. Each set will have a classified card, a printed slip, and a control card (depicting the classified card and its associated slip). Mix up the classified cards and slips. Read the slip and match it to the appropriate classified card. Check your work with the control card.

Advanced Command Cards ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read the commands and complete the associated tasks. Use paper and pencil as needed.

Poetry Activities

Poem Cards ages 5 and up

Directions: Read each poem card. Admire the artistic masterpiece that accompanies each poem. If you enjoy a poem, consider learning it by heart.

Tongue Twisters ages 5 and up

Directions: Tongue twisters are poems that are fun poems that are designed to be hard to say. Each word in the sentence of the poem begins with the same initial sound. Read the poems aloud and try to say them as quickly as you can. Does your tongue get twisted?

Alliteration ages 5 and up

Directions: Read each of the sentences that use alliteration, or the term used to describe the fact that each word in the sentence begins with the same initial sound. Alliteration is the same style of writing used when making tongue twisters. On the lines below, write your own sentences that use the same initial sound.

Rainbow Poem ages 5 and up

Directions: Write a poem about a rainbow. Think of the colors of the rainbow and what things you associate with each color. Use these objects to complete the sentences to create your rainbow poem. For example, for the line, “as red as,” you may choose to write “racecar” or “strawberry.” Try to think of words that add interesting description to your poem, such as “as red as a fast racecar” or “as red as a juicy, delicious strawberry.” Color the rainbow to add an illustration to your poem.

Acrostic Poem ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read the first page of the PDF to learn more about Acrostic poems. Then, write an acrostic poem of your own. You may write a poem about summer or create an acrostic using your name, or another favorite word that inspires you. Decorate your poem if desired.

Grammar Activities

Logical Adjective Game ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Print out the cards. Mix the black cards and place them in one stack. Mix up the blue cards and put them in a separate stack. Pick one card from each pile and read them together. Do they make sense? If yes (beautiful + flower), keep them together. If no (hot + ice cream), put them back in the pile and try again. This game can be played with two or more people if desired.

Adjective Commands ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read the adjective commands and complete the associated tasks. Use paper and pencil as needed.

Preposition Game ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Print out the words and phrases to explore words that tell you where or the position.

Verb Game ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read each word that tells you what to do and perform the action. Symbolize each word using the associated grammar symbol. If desired, write your own action words using pencil and paper.

Adverb Game ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read each phrase and perform the action, with emphasis on how the action should be performed. Symbolize the words using the grammar symbols.

Grammar Symbols ages 5 ½ and up

These symbols are to be used with the Functions of Words activities introduced by your child’s teacher.

Grammar Symbol Review ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Print and cut out each of the sentences. Select one slip. Read and act out the sentence. Use the Grammar Symbols to symbolize the sentence. Make sure to have fun!

Reading Analysis Symbols ages 5 ½ and up

These symbols are to be used with the Reading Analysis/Sentence Analysis activities introduced by your child’s teacher.

Word Study Activities

Positives, Comparatives, and Superlatives ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Print and cut out the labels. Use the labels that say, “positive,” “comparative,” and “superlative” as headings for three columns. Mix the other cards. Then, sort the remaining cards below these headings and group descriptive words that go together—for example, thin, thinner, and thinnest. Read the chart on the last page to learn other positives, comparatives, and superlatives.

Antonyms ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Print and cut out the cards. Place all of the light blue cards in a column on the left. Read each card and place its antonym (or the word that has the opposite meaning) next to it. For example, match thick with thin. Read the chart on the last page to learn other antonyms. When you are ready, make your own list of antonyms on a separate piece of paper.

Alphabetization ages 5 ½ and up

Directions: Read each list of words. Write the list in alphabetical order. Refer to a dictionary if needed.

Homophones ages 6 and up

Directions: Print and cut out the cards. Place all of the light orange cards in a column on the left. Place all of the dark orange cards into a pile. Read each dark orange card and place it next to its corresponding homophone (the word that sounds the same but has a different meaning. For example, match flower with flour. Read the chart on the last page to learn other homophones. When ready, make your own list of homophones on a separate piece of paper.

Past Tense ages 6 and up

Directions: Print and cut out the cards. Place all of the light pink cards in a column on the left. Place all of the dark pink cards into a pile. Match the light pink card with the card that lists the corresponding past tense (or the word that tells you the action has already happened). For example, match trace with traced. Read the chart on the last page to learn other examples of actions and their past tense. When ready, make your own list of words and their past tenses on a separate piece of paper.

Singular and Plural ages 6 and up

Directions: Print and cut out the cards. Place all of the light purple cards in a column on the left. Read each card and place its plural (or the word describes more than one) next to it. For example, match bag with bags. Read the chart on the last page to read more words that illustrate singular and plural. When you are ready, make your own list of singular and plural words on a separate piece of paper.

Synonyms ages 6 and up

Directions: Print and cut out the cards. Place all of the light green cards in a column on the left. Read each card and place its synonym (or the word that has a similar meaning) next to it. For example, match couch with sofa. Read the chart on the last page to learn other synonyms. When you are ready, make your own list of synonyms on a separate piece of paper.