Reading Helps

When lower-case "b" and lower-case "d" are often confused,
have your child "make his/her bed."

Make a "thumbs up" sign with both the left and right hands; put your knuckles together with the thumbs serving as the headboard and footboard. The left end (hand) of the bed looks like a lower-case "b" while the right end (hand) of the bed looks like a lower-case "d" (think b-e-d).

When 2 vowels go walking, the first one does the talking.
Song with video animation

Use the PB & J analogy:
· First you need the two pieces of bread--those are the consonants.
· Next you add the crunchy peanut butter--that is your first vowel.
· Finally, you add the jelly, which is the second vowel.

Now, when you bite into the sandwich, you don't hear the jelly, only the crunchy peanut butter, or the first vowel.
Example: G O A T
G and T are the pieces of bread
O is the crunchy peanut butter
A is the jelly.

There are exceptions to this rule, but this rhyme helps with this double-vowel concept.

Silent e helps a vowel say its name.

This means that when a word ends with a vowel followed by a consonant and then silent e, the vowel has a long sound. That's the difference between rate and rat, hide and hid, and cube and cub.

An "e" at the end of a word, jumps over, hits the previous vowel on the head and says, "Say your name in the alphabet!" (Teach with "tap" and "tape.")

Bossy R

• When "Bossy R " follows a vowel, "Bossy R " snatches away the vowel sound. When a vowel in a word is followed by an "r", the "r" often influences the sound in words like shark, stork, and fur.
• The character in this rule is Bossy R. (Bossy R is the foreman on a ranch, and all his workers have to do what he says.)
• "Bossy R" bosses the vowels and controls the sound, but he's polite and let's the vowel be first (ar, er, ir, or, ur). That means that  if "r" follows a vowel in these words the "r" will take of the sound of the vowels. In the list below "Bossy R" follows the vowels.

Bonus Word: aardvark

100 Ideas for Sharing Books

Dear Parent:
During a past Governor’s conference on literacy, Nancy Livingston shared 100 ideas for Sharing Books to celebrate the New Year. Listed below are the 100 ideas. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to READ and SHARE books to your children EVERY DAY!

1. Appreciate the books your child selects, even those that look too easy or don’t interest you.
2. Arrange for older children to read to younger children and switch.
3. Assign boys to read a “girls” book and girls to read a “boys” book.
4. At Halloween ,dress as a character from a book.
5. Bedtime is 8:00 unless, you’re reading then it’s 8:30.
6. Call a friend. Tell him or her about the latest book you’ve read.
7. Celebrate an author’s birthday.
8. Create a reading graffiti bulletin board for comments regarding books.
9. Create bibliographies for various interest or curriculum areas. Include easy to read fiction and non-fiction on all lists, if appropriate and possible.
10. Donate a book you’ve read to your child’s classroom library.
11. Encourage your child to share stories with you.
12. Establish a time for reading in your home. Everyone in the family reads at the same time.
13. Establish an author file, including biographies, pictures, book jackets, and anything you can find.
14. Find out what Dad and Mom read at work.
15. Give an award to the student who has checked out the most books in a year or term.
16. Give your child a flashlight to read under the covers.
17. Give your father a book for Father’s Day.
18. Give your mother a book for Mother’s Day.
19. Have hot chocolate while reading a in front of the fireplace.
20. Have children create a radio, television, billboard, or newspaper ad for a book they’ve read.
21. Have children create dioramas of a favorite book.
22. Have children write a letter to a character from a book. Have someone else who has read the book answer the letter for that character.
23. Help your child to set a challenging but realistic reading goal.
24. Hold a lunch hour book club once a month.
25. Hold a family readathon—for one hour, NO TV, just reading.
26. Home Improvement time—paint your house READ.
27. Join a book club. If you can’t find one, start one.
28. Keep a reading log. You may be surprised at how much and what you read.
29. Learn something new. Read non-fiction with your family.
30. Learn to use the internet. You can get book lists, author biographies, lots of good stuff—FREE.
31. Let the tooth fairy become the book fairy—Lose a tooth, get a book.
32. Let your child choose the books he or she wants to read.
33. Make a bulletin board where coworkers, students, and family members recommend books.
34. Make a reading passport, read your way around the world.
35. Make history come alive—read historical fiction.
36. Make a merit badge, how-to, and comic books available to entice reluctant readers.
37. Offer to share stories at bedtime or after a meal.
38. Pick up a reading list at your library.
39. Point out directional and other signs to your preschool children and read what they say.
40. Put up a bulletin board featuring the favorite childhood books of employees.
41. “DEAR” family time—Drop Everything And Read.
42. Read a biography about someone you’ve never heard of.
43. Read a book about the place you will visit on vacation.
44. Read a book outside under a tree during the summer.
45. Read a book set in a country you’ve always wanted to visit.
46. Read a book set in a particular state.
47. Read a book. Watch a video based on the book. Compare the two.
48. Read a crafts book and try a project from it. How about a kite this spring?
49. Read a French tale or a book about France in July for Bastille Day.
50. Read a Mexican tale or a book about Mexico in May for Cinco de Mayo.
51. Read a seasonal or holiday book.
52. Read a scary story in the dark for Halloween.
53. Read a story about a one room school. Compare then and now.
54. Read a story about a winter activity.
55. Read a story about friends.
56. Read a story about the pilgrims for Thanksgiving.
57. Read an award winning adult book.
58. Read an award winning children’s book.
59. Read an Irish tale or a book about Ireland during March.
60. Read! Make sure the children in your life know you enjoy reading.
61. Read one of your child’s books and discuss it with him or her.
62. Read picture books to older children or adults.
63. Read some romantic poetry for Valentine’s Day.
64. Read the back of your cereal box at breakfast.
65. Read the billboards with your children as you walk or drive.
66. Read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for Independence Day.
67. Read the newspaper.
68. Read to your children, no matter how old they are or how well they read.
69. Read twelve books for Christmas, or eight books for Hanukkah, or seven for Kwanzaa.
70. Read aloud while fixing dinner.
Remember the children you love, love books.
71. Reread a favorite book from your childhood.
72. Reward children who have read the most hours during a term, semester, or year.
73. “RIBIT” (Read In Bed, It’s Terrific!).
74. Set up a “Parent’s Shelf” for books on parenting skills.
75. Share the book you read with coworkers, start a lending library at work.
76. Sign your preschooler up for story time at your local library.
77. Sponsor a contest for reading 100 hours or any challenging amount of time within your family, extended family, or neighborhood.
78. Sponsor an after-school book club. Everyone reads the same book for discussion.
79. Spotlight a different genre of books each month.
80. Spotlight a Utah author at home.
81. Start a family library.
82. Start an IRA. (Individual Reading Account).
83. Start a neighborhood reading club.
84. Make a book along to read together while waiting at the airport.
85. Take a good book along to read together while waiting at the doctor’s or dentist’s office.
86. Take a book to school instead of birthday treats.
87. Take an interest in the books that interest your children.
88. Take turns reading aloud during a driving vacation or listen to a book on tape.
89. Teach someone to read and give that person a book.
90. Trade books you’ve read with a neighbor.
91. Visit garage sales and thrift shops to find best sellers at bargain prices.
92. Visit your child’s school library.
93. Visit your local public library with someone you care about.
94. Volunteer to read stories or share books at your child’s school.
95. While grocery shopping, have older children read nutrition labels.
96. Read books about a subject that you want to learn more about.
97. Trade books with your friends.
98. Write to an author, via E-mail or regular mail.
99. Submit a magazine article to be published.
100. Divide a book by chapters and each read a different part of the book, then discuss the book.
These are just a few ideas for sharing books. Anyone who wonders if it is necessary to read books to young children should look at their faces as they respond to stories. Reading with a child on a daily basis is a MUST! This time will open a door to the entire world of adventure and knowledge—a door your child can pass through anytime they wish to go anywhere in the world. What a legacy to leave them! Build some memories with your children and resolve to read with them every day.

Images from www.graphicgarden.com