Activities to Observe and Assess Students' Current Reading Skills

Directed Activities to observe and assess students’ current levels of understanding.  Colorful, fun practices pages for whole class activities using the ELMO.  Activities review:

*Concept of a word

* CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant)

*Concepts About Print – Reading from left to right and from top to bottom

*Concept of a sentence

*High Frequency words: the, and, like, to, are, have

*Genre – Fiction/Non-fiction

Together say each picture, locate and circle each word that is represented by a picture.  Word support is used to help students identify, locate and circle words represented by  pictures.

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Same expectations as in the first activity using fewer words to lessen guided support and build stronger student independence

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Fewer word support, more independence and teacher observation of students' current skill knowledge. 

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Together read the sentence replacing pictures with words: fox, dog, hen, cat.  As you read the sentence run your finger along the red arrow demonstrating CAP (concepts about print).  Also, review sight words: the, and, are and high frequency word - friends.  As in the examples above, have students locate and circle all words and words represented by pictures: The, fox, dog, hen, and, cat, are, friends.

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Repeat the steps of previous activity

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As you read the sentences with students, run your finger along the red arrow.  Next, discuss when to use capital letters, commas and periods in a sentences.  Next, review the type of genre (fiction or non-fiction) and why - these animals are not friends.

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Student/Parent Share

Additional Resource

 

 

First Grade Whole Class Concept Development, Word Knowledge and Sight Word Activities

During the first few days of school, I complete whole class activities with the students.  I focus on concept development, word knowledge (beginning sounds, word families and vowel sounds) and sight words  These are fun activities that focus on these  skills  In this first activity, I start with the title, two blank circles.  At this time there are no pictures or  categories at the bottom.

I begin with the words  - First Grade (since everyone is now a first grader).  Next, I explain that everything that is placed in the first circle is in my category.  Everything in the second circle is not. 

I begin with the paintbrushes.  I tell students that the paintbrushes are in my category  Next, I put the puppy in the second circle and tell the students that the puppy is not in my category.

Next, I add the  paint in the first circle and then the tractor in the second circle following the example above.  I continue the routine until all pictures are placed.  At that time the category is determined - In the classroom

 

Next, we sort the picture/word cards of the above activity according to beginning letter/sounds.

Additional  Name My Category  Practice Pages (Pictures and then Words)
My Category - Things that Fly - bird, helicopter, Eagle, air balloon, kite and bee. 
The following activities are great to place on the ELMO to project for everyone to see.

Name My Category - Fruits/Vegetables that are Juices -  pineapple, grape, carrot,

lemonade, tomato, orange, apple and grapefruit plus blender (use as a hint) 

     

My Category - words that end in at.

My category - sight words

Templates for First Activity

Templates for Second Activity

Templates for Third Activity

Welcome to First Grade Bulletin Board

Creating Our First Bulletin Board together on the First Day of School! Students will complete the oval by drawing their faces.  Templates, Examples, Center Piece and Lettering included in this post.

Center Piece

Student Template that will be placed on the bulletin board once the drawing is complete

Examples

Lettering

 

Keyboarding Practice

Keyboarding in the classroom is important.  Children are expected to use computers to complete assessments and to engage in learning activities and projects in the first grade.
I place this first practice page on the Elmo to familiarize children with the placement of letters.  I talk about hand placement.  The left hand fingers are used on the orange keys and the right hand fingers are used on the green keys.  Thumbs are used on the space bar.  Correct placement is a skill that takes time,  When I first introduce the page I just want children to be aware of key placement. 

Have each child fill  in the correct colors orange, green and  yellow to show hand placement and letter arrangement.

Have children fill in  the correct numbers and letters on the orange and green keys

Have children color the white  keys orange or green

Example of hand placement

 

Creativity - Using a WAFF Play Mat, stickers and a pen, children used one of the practice pages as a model to create a keyboard on the play mat (with the help of their older buddies).  They used stickers when they didn't have the correct letters.   They were aware that the alignment of the keys were not totally accurate due to the layout of the mat.  However, completing  the keyboard gave them a greater understanding of the placement of keys and features.  Great Fun!

Video we created in October.

 



First Grade Advantage

Sight Word Booklet, Activities and Demonstration Video - I used these booklets in class and provided them for parents to use at home.  Sight words are irregularly spelled words that can't be sounded out and/or words that occur frequently in text and need to be recognized on sight.

Children are expected to know lists 1-6 by the end of first grade.  If they master these lists early, have them continue with lists 7-11.  Learning sight words with automaticity will improve reading fluency and reading comprehension.

(1) Print the 6 pages (2) Fold each page on the folded line (right side fold) (3) place pages in order starting with the cover and staple them together on the left  side, (4) place decorative tape over the staples

Sight Word Booklet For Practice and Assessment
As children master each list check the yes box on the cover.
Cover Page and List 1

Lists 2 and 3

Lists 4 and 5

Lists 6 and  7

Lists 8 and 9

Lists 10 and 11

Fun Activities to practice sight words: Flashcards and Concentration

Words in Content and Dictation

Sight Word Bingo

Word Scramble and Crossword Puzzle

Sight Word Certificate

Sight Word Practice Using Flashcards - Example uses sight word list 4

Practice with all sight word lists