# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Mrs. Kimberlin. I have lived in Virginia all my life and I reside with my husband and our two children. I am a passionate first grade teacher here at Phoenix Elementary School. I graduated from the University of Phoenix with my Bachelor of Science in Education/Early Education degree. I have four years of previous experience in special education and pre-kindergarten. I have trained and been certified in emergency first aid, CPR, and AEDs. I have completed coursework in child abuse recognition and intervention. Please know that I am continually educating myself to ensure the best possible learning outcomes for your child. When we can collaborate as a team, we are setting your child on the path for success.

You may wonder what my personal educational philosophy is. I believe that all students deserve the right to obtain a high-quality education. Every student should be celebrated for the unique qualities that they bring into the classroom. To be a good teacher means that I understand how students develop and learn. Tapping into students’ prior knowledge, interests, and abilities allows me to plan instructions accordingly. There is no “one size fits all” in education. To meet the needs of all students, I must differentiate instruction to tailor all various learning styles of students. Additionally, teachers should be positive role models to students. Therefore, I treat all my students with dignity and respect, I show them kindness and empathy, and I appreciate their values and beliefs. Finally, the classroom environment should be warm, welcoming, safe, and accepting. It is my duty to let students know that I am committed to providing a learning environment where mistakes are celebrated. After all, practice makes progress!

Thank you for visiting our class website!

# data[].attributes.headline
Weekly First Grade Activities for September

# data[].attributes.subject
Weekly First Grade Activities for September

# data[].attributes.body
SplashLearn supports cognitive and motor skills through English language games for reading and writing and through mathematics (SplashLearn, n.d.). These interactive games make learning fun, which engages students in their education. Join in on the fun!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Education shouldn't be restricted to just textbooks and classrooms. Every second is a learning experience for your child. With ELA games for 1st graders, you can help your kids practice new concepts with ease.

The right splash of fun and entertainment will help your kids retain their knowledge for a long time. It is a perfect way to improve the quality of learning and the grades on their sheets. You won't have to nag them to study anymore! When they love what they do, they will end up giving their best!

ELA Skills For 1st Grader

ELA skills encompass all that a child reads and writes in a particular grade. A little kid is expected to move forward in the first grade and expand their reading and writing skills. Here are the skills that a 1st grader is likely to be at par with by the end of first grade in elementary school.

1. Recognize digraphs and diphthongs such as sh, ph, th, oi, oy, ou, ow, etc.

2. Count the number of syllables in a word and create many rhyming words such as cat, bat, rat, and mat.

3. Learn how to spell three and four-letter words.

4. Spell and vocalize specific words.

5. Read from left to right and top to bottom of a given sheet.

6. Be able to recite a poem or story.

7. Form letters and understand the basic structure of a sentence.

8. Edit a given sentence for better understanding.

Activities To Help Build ELA Skills In Your 1st Grader.

A 1st grader is expected to get acquainted with reading and writing skills and know-how to share information with peers and teachers. These skills include drawing, writing letters and words, communicating with others, etc. To help your child in building these ELA skills, here are a few activities that you can initiate.

Practice reading and writing of letters: Give your child a thorough practice of reading and writing letters, both in uppercase and lowercase. Games such as matching letters to sounds, recognizing sight words, practicing them, etc., are a few games available on SplashLearn that can be used to teach the skills to your little one.

Verbal expressions: Communicate with your child freely and help them in building their confidence. Ask them to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas comfortably. Discuss with them all their day-to-day activities and significant events of the school day.

Picture games: Play picture games with your 1st grader. Show them a visually appealing drawing or picture and ask them to write all their thoughts about the picture on a sheet of paper. Also, ask them to verbally express their views regarding the scene displayed in the picture.

The ELA Journey

Ensuring that your children receive the best education is nothing short of challenging. But when they are young, their minds readily absorb new information. They look at everything around them with keen interest and learn new things quickly. That is why ELA games for 1st graders are the best games to engage your kids in to increase their interest in the English language.

Kids understand the hints and tricks of language better during this age. They are ready to fail and learn again. Games always prove to be the best way to teach these young minds. They will love the virtual atmosphere, enjoy the rewards they get in return for the correct answers, and learn basic concepts.

Words, their use, how to structure sentences, identifying types of words, sight words, vowel words, nouns and adjectives, simple verbs - these are some of the concepts that your child can learn. With the right steps, your kids will learn quickly and remember them too.

Extra Care for 1st Graders

More and more parents want their children to excel in their education - be it English or Math. But most of them don't realize that they play an integral role in their child's learning journey. This is what you can do to support your 1st graders:

Sit with them while they play the ELA games for 1st graders. Be their cheerleaders, and they'll want to excel more and learn more.

Introduce them to simple games that will help them distinguish between different words and learn how to use them in sentences.

Teach them to play the Letter Quest games to understand the pronunciation and use of vowels and consonants.

Talk to them in the language while you are at home - their brilliant minds will pick up things quickly. This + the games = Perfect learning!

The word hopper games will help them quickly identify the comments and will improve their familiarity with them.

Keep track of their progress, appreciate them, and discuss with them what they are learning.

Introduce them to parts of speech and help them play the games on their own. If they are stuck, help them but do not lose your patience if they go wrong.

Conclusion

SplashLearn believes in providing the best educational experiences to kids. They deserve to learn everything that's out there, and SplashLearn does the same through interactive virtual games. They can play a game or two in the morning before they go to sleep or in the car when you are dropping them at school.

Is there something we missed out? Write to us at help@splashlearn.com with your feedback and comments. We love to hear from you and improve the learning experience for your kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1st Grade ELA Games Online - Fun & Educational | SplashLearn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Browse ELA games for 1st graders, making learning fun. Enhance reading comprehension, writing fluency, and language skills. Start the educational adventure for free!

# data[].attributes.body
Education.com offers printable worksheets, games, and activities (science experiments, writing prompts, art projects, etc.). This website has options for fine arts, math, reading and writing, science, social and emotional, social studies, and typing (also aligned with (CCSS) (Education.com, n.d.). Work with your child to challenge their abilities. With your support, your child can gain confidence in his or her academics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Educational Games, Worksheets, and More for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download, print, or work on activities interactively today!

# data[].attributes.body
Math Games allows for students to practice mathematics through interactive games. These games are aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Students can practice by different skill levels or by CCSS (Math Games, n.d.). Often, children do not realize how much they can truly learning when "playing games".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Math Games, Math Worksheets and Practice Quizzes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Math games online that practice math skills using fun interactive content. Over 1000 free skill testing apps and games - tablet and chromebook friendly.

# data[].attributes.body
[Family Journal]  Have each member of your family write about something that occurred during their day. Have each person read aloud what they wrote down. Talk about the importance of capitalization, punctuation, spaces between words, nouns, and verbs. Pick out a specific word from each entry and find words that can rhyme with it. Sound out words that children have a hard time spelling. Mix it up! Choose a “challenge” word or words to include into your journal. See who comes up with the most interesting sentence.

[Dice Roll] You will need two dice, a piece of paper, and a pencil. Write down each person’s initials. Allow that person to roll both dice and add up the number from the roll. Record the number by your initials, roll both dice again, and record the number underneath the number of your first roll. Add them up! The person with the highest number wins! Challenge yourself by rolling three times and adding up the numbers. Switch the game around and the person with the lowest number wins. Discuss if the numbers are greater than, less than, or equal.

[Nature Walk] No matter the season, it is always interesting to go outside to see what you can find. Write down a specific list of things to hunt for on your walk (specific-colored leaves, flowers, rocks, birds, trees, ants, dirt, bodies of water, butterflies, ladybugs, etc.). Talk about what you see, feel, hear, and smell. See what different letters, shapes, colors, textures, and sizes you can spot in nature. Design a “walking stick” before heading out on your adventure.

# data[].attributes.body
ABCYa also aligns with CCSS and has educational games for English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and life science. Students can enhance their overall skills in informational text, literature, speaking and listening, writing, geometry, measurement and data, numbers and operations, and algebraic thinking (ABCYa, n.d.). Why not sit down with your child and let them "teach" you a few things?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ABCya! * First Grade Learning Games, Ages 6 - 7

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids LOVE our free online games! Fly dragons, build dream houses, and explore while practicing addition, reading, and more 1st grade skills. Play now!

# data[].attributes.body
Parent to Parent USA- This organization lends emotional support to families of individuals who have disabilities and/or special health care needs, which promotes home and community partnerships. Parents serve as advocates, provide mentoring opportunities, work with service providers, and partner with funders. They focus on building resiliency within families, instilling hope and inspiration to others. They create an inclusive environment, where all are welcome (Parent to Parent USA, 2021).

Parent Resource Center- This resource center is geared towards special education and the special education process for children and their families. These members consult with parents/caregivers on rights and responsibilities and information on disabilities in special education. Members can make referrals for families to the appropriate agencies and/or organizations, offer workshops, and a lending library (2-1-1 VIRGINIA, 2020). The Parent Resource Center promotes home, school, and community partnerships by sharing responsibilities. The family (home partnership) works with the school partnership to receive proper services for their child. The community partnership conveys which services and resources are available.

2-1-1 Virginia- According to The Planning Council (2020), "2-1-1 VIRGINIA provides access to services in your community and statewide, with referrals for: utilities, food, housing, clothing, legal aid, emergency shelter, disability services, medical and dental care, literacy, childcare, mental health services, parenting services, employment services, volunteer opportunities, and more" (2-1-1 VIRGINIA, 2020). This resource promotes partnerships within the home, school, and the community. Schools and community members can partner together to ensure that home partnerships (families) receive services they need. This resource extends beyond education. It also allows for families to receive emergency care and aid.

Family Voices- This national organization partners with families and communities to improve health care services (and policies) for children with special health care needs and disabilities. They partner in making decisions about the child's care, empower children to be self-advocates, and strive for professional partnerships (at the local, state, and national level). Family Voices aims to eliminate health disparities and help children to reach their full potential (Family Voices, 2021). These strong partnerships allow for lasting changes for children and their families.

YMCA of the Alleghany Highlands- This organization partners with families and community members to advocate for all phases of children's development. They promote essential social skills and values through early learning and child development programs. These attributions lay the foundation for future successes. This YMCA promotes a safe and healthy lifestyle through sports. They also offer swimming lessons, which not only saves lives but builds self-confidence (Alleghany Highalnds YMCA, 2020). These partnerships thrive off of each other, continuously learning.

*You may access the links to these resources by clicking the yellow highlighted areas.*

# data[].attributes.body
The National Geographic Kids website allows for students to explore educational games and videos. Students can also learn more about animals, history, science, space, interesting facts, U.S. States, and different countries (National Geographic Kids, n.d.). Join the adventure! Sit down with your child and explore the world! This website provides opportunities to talk about diversity.