Classroom Activities:

1. Sound Sorting Games- Students sort picture cards by their beginning sounds.

   • Differentiation: Provide fewer cards for students with exceptionalities or allow the use of real objects for tactile learners.

2. Phoneme Substitution- Students change the beginning sound of words (ex, "cat to bat").

   • Differentiation: Provide visual support to start with simpler sound changes (only beginning sounds).

At-Home Activity: Play "I Spy" using beginning sounds. (ex. "I spy something that starts with /b/").

• Supports sound recognition at home in a fun, family-centered way. Children with exceptionalities can use pictures instead of verbal responses.

Family Website: Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness

Classroom Activities:

1. Word Buildiing with Letter Tiles- Students use tiles to build CVC (consonant-vowel-constant) words.

   • Differentaiation: Use color-coded tiles or magnetic letters for students needing extra support.

2. Interactive Phonics Readers- Short decodable books focused on target phonic skills.

   • Differentiation: Provide enlarged print, audiobooks, or peer buddy reading.

Home Activity: Create a "Word Hunt" in magazines or around the house to find words with target sounds.

• Builds connection between print and sounds in everday environments. Families can adjust difficulity (ex. single letters vs. blends).

Family Website: Starfall-Learn to Read https://www.starfall.com/h/ltr-classic/

• Interactive, engaging phonics-based activities accessible to all learners.

Classroom Activities:

1. Word of the Day- Introduce a new word daily with visuals, examples, and student-created sentences.

   • Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or allow drawing instead of writing.

2. Interactive Word Walls- Students add words with pictures to a wall and use them in writing.

   • Use tactile word cards with Velcro or technology-based word walls.

At Home Activity: Read aloud a story and stop to talk about new words.

• Helps children learn that meaning is context, with or without exceptionalities. Parents can act out or draw words to increase understanding.

Family Website: Scholastic W.O.R.D. https://teacher.scholastic.com/products/WordsOpenReadingDoors/index.html

• Provides parents with fun, easy strategies for everyday vocabulary practice.

Classroom Activities:

1. Readers Theater- Students perform scripts, practicing smooth reading with expression.

• Differentiation: Shorter scripts, paired reading, or highlighted key words for support.

2. Repeated Reading- Students read the same passage multiple times to build confidence.

• Differentiaiton: Provide audio recording to model fluent reading.

At-Home Activity: Echo reading (parent read a sentence, child repeats).

• Build confidence and models fluent reading. Children with exceptionalities benefits form hearing strong models and having sentence frames.

Family Website: PBS Kids Reading Games https://pbskids.org/games/reading

• Provides interactive reading practice that encourages fluency.

Classroom Activities:

1. Story Maps- Students draw or complete graphic organizers of story elements (character, setting, problem, solution).

   • Differentiation: Use visual templates with icons for students who struggle with writing.

2. Think- Pair- Share- Students answer comprehension questions after reading, then share with a partner.

   • Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or oral response options.

At-Home Activity: After reading a bedtime story, ask "who, what, when, where, why" questions. This will help children think about the story and recall important details.

Family Website: Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/comprehension/articles/seven-strategies-teach-students-text-comprehension

• Provides strategies for families to help children retell and understand stories.