Partner Reading is SO Much Fun in Mrs. Updike's Class!

Tanya and Gracie reading Stripes

Emma coaches as Katie reads.

Levi and Aaliyah really like David Shannon's books!

Eli waits for his turn.

Kauzen and Landon love to read!

Nolen and Shayla found a cozy spot to read.

Emilee and Carys like David Shannon's books too!

Maris shares a good part with Nathan!

Jazmin and Victoria help each other with words.

Owen and Ryan like to read non-fiction books.

Need some ideas for fun ways to practice the Fry sight words?  Check out the Cando Helper Page located on the Helpful Links.  There are many different interactive activities that will keep your child engaged and practicing!

The 1st ever First Grade Parent Night!

You are invited to the very 1st, First Grade Parent Night!

When:  Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Irene Reither Primary School
Who should attend:  Any parent or guardian of a IRPS 1st
                                   grader

This special evening will be filled with information to support your child's learning!

We're practicing our Fry sight words!

FRY Sight Words

Sight words are words that usually can't be sounded out.  Memorize these words to become a better reader!

Practice your sight words daily!  Here are 1 -  25:
the    of   and   a   to   in   is  you  that   it   he   for   was   on   are   as  
with   his   they   at   be   this   from   I   have

Here are 26 - 50 Fry Words.   Once you get these your half way there!
or   by   one    had    not    but    what    all    were    when    we  there   
can   an   your   which   their   said   if   do   will   each   about   how   up

Here are 51 - 75 Fry Words.  Keep on practicing!
out   them   then   she   many   some   so   these   would   other   into   has   more   her   two   like   him   see   time   could   no   make   than   first   been

Here are 76 - 100 Fry Words.  You're almost there!
it's   who   now   people   my   made   over   did   down   only   way   find   use   may   water   long   little   very   after   words   called   just    where   most   know

Once you know them all - see how fast you can read your words!  

December Crafts

Glue and beads.... what's more fun than that?

Help with Spelling

Spell words with alphabet macaroni (can be glued to paper) or alphabets cereal (yummy to eat!).

Spell words with magnetic letters on cookie sheets.

Use alphabet stamps and let them stamp out their words on paper.

Squirt a bit of shaving cream on their desks and allow them to write their words.

Cut letters from magazines or newspaper to spell the words.

Write words as "stairsteps"
s
sp
spe
spel
spell
spelli
spellin
spelling
It is fun to do on graph paper.

Use Wikki Sticks to bend the sticks into the desired letters to form each spelling word. After forming the Wicki Sticks, do a crayon rubbing of each word ona piece of paper.

Sparkle is where everyone sits on their desks, each person says a letter of the word you said to spell until the word is over then the last person says "Sparkle" and the person next up is out of the game.
Example:
Teacher: The word is "spelling"
Katie: S
Laura: P
Jim: E
Cassy: L
Hannah: I (Hannah is out, the real letter is L so she is out)
Josh: L
Mark: I
Jesse: N
Lindsey: G
Ricky: Sparkle
Tim: Tim is out because he got "sparkled"

Sand dig: Bury the magnetic letters in the sand table. The kids have to dig them up and spell out their words on an easel by the sand table.

Paint Bags: Fill a ziploc bag (freezer bags work best - they are heavier) about 1/3 of the way full with tempera paint. Squeeze out the air and seal it. Tape the top with duct tape just in case there is someone who might want to make a mess. The students lay the bag on the desk and write their spelling words on it.

Sandpaper rubbings: Cut each letter out of sandpaper and glue it to an index card. The class spells out their word and puts a piece of paper over it and does a crayon rubbing.

Window spelling: Buy a couple packs of Crayola window markers ($3 each at Wal-mart) and the kids can write their words on the windows.

Make a wordsearch or crossword puzzle at Puzzlemaker.com with the spelling words.

Fun Pens: students copy the words in "fun pens". You can find them at the Dollar Store or Walgreens. They light up, or are wiggly, or gooey, etc.

30 Second Words: Students fold paper in quarters. Write the spelling word in one corner of the corner. The teacher gives the students 30 seconds to write the word as many times as they can.

Rainbow Words: Students write each spelling word with their pencil. They then go back and trace each word with a crayon. They do this two more times with two different crayons.

Telephone Writing: The teacher prepares a paper with the spelling words written according the key pad of a telephone. For example, c-a-t would be 2-2-8 (C is on the 2 button, A is on the 2 button, and t is on the 8 button of a telephone key pad). Students will look at a telephone key pad to figure out the spelling word. They will write the spelling word on the paper the teacher has prepared.

Sign Language: Students will practice spelling the words with sign language.

Give each letter of the alphabet a value. The students must find the value of each spelling word. For example: A=1, B=2, C=3.. and so on.

Sorry! Write the spelling words on wooden sticks along with two saying SORRY! Put the sticks in a cup. Students team up and play. When they choose a stick, they must spell the word without looking to keep the stick. If they mispell the word they must put it back. If they get a SORRY! stick, they must put all their sticks back. The one with the most sticks at the end wins. You can keep adding new spelling words to old spelling words as a review through the year as well.

Use empty film containers. Put lima beans with each spelling word letter on individual beans in the container. It is a "hands on" word scramble.

Make two "telephones" out of PVC pipes and elbow joints. One student flashes the word and the other WHISPERS the word and then orally spells the word into the phone. The PVC pipe works as a megaphone and the whiospering is greatly magnified. This is great for students who learn best using auditory activities.

Disappearing words: Write a word on the chalkboard with a wet sponge. Aim a small fan at it to speed drying. The children write the words as many times as they can CORRECTLY AND NEATLY before the word "disappears". It's a nice twist to writing each word multiple times and they LOVE it! Whoever has the most correct (and neat) words gets to write the next word on the board with the sponge!

Write spelling words in white crayon -or any light colored crayon, then paint over them with watercolor paint. The white crayon acts as a resist and the words "magically" appear.

Guess the word: One partner "writes" a spelling word with his/her finger on his/her partner' back.

Musical spelling: Place a piece of paper with a different spelling word and a pencil on each desk. Students stand by their desk. When the music starts they stary walking...when the music stops, they sit in the desk they are by. They write whatever word is on the desk. They are not supposed to sit in the same desk twice!