Thinking About What We Read
Dolch Sight Word
The 220 most frequently sounded oout words for emergent readers.
11 Printable Dolch Word Lists that are beautifully illustrated from famed children’s author & illustrator Jan Brett.
Goal: To help your children think about what they read.
What You Will Need:
-Book or story
– Paper
– Drawing tools
– Pencil or pen
Let’’s Go!
1. Read a story or book with your children.
2. Discuss what the story was about.
3. Discuss where and when the story took place.
4. Discuss who the story was about.
5. Discuss the problems and solutions in the story.
6. Discuss the events in the story. What happened at the beginning, middle and end?
Let’’s Go On!
7. Draw three pictures that show what happened in the beginning, middle and end.
Play 10 Questions
Goal: Help children rmemeber the deatils of the story and reinforces memory skills.
1. Play ““10 Questions”” with your child after reading favorite stories to help her ler learn
to ask questions about characters when she reads.
2. Read a book or story with your child. Think of a character in the story. Invite your child
to ask you questions that can only be answered with a yes or no. When s/he has enough
clues, s/he may guess the character. If s/he can’’t guess by the tenth question, give the answer
and start again. This time, switch places and let your child think of the character.
Timeline
Goal: To help your child understand the sequence of events in a story
What You Will Need:
-Book or story
– Paper, pencil and drawing tools
– Clear tape
Let’’s Go!
1. Read a book or story with your child.
2. Have your child draw pictures that show the main events in the book.
3. Write captions for each picture.
4. Tape them together in the order they happened in the story.
5. Ask your child to explain the story to a friend or family member.
Viewpoint
Help your child see the story from the character’’s point of view. After reading a story or book
with your child, just ask a few simple questions:
1. Which character is most like you? How?
2. Which character is least like you? How?
3. What happens in the story that you wish could happen to you?
4. Why?
If your child can write, ask her/him to write the answers.
Childrens’ Phone Book
Goal: To help your child learn that printed letters and numbers carry information and to help your
child learn to read text from left to right.
What You Will Need:
-Photographs of family members or friends
-Blank book or chart paper
-Markers or pencils
Let’’s Go!
1. Reading telephone numbers and then dialing can be pretty hard for young
children. This activity can help.
2. Create a personal telephone book with your child by placing photographs in
a blank book. Write names and telephone numbers next to photos.
3. Practice ““reading”” and dialing the telephone numbers with a play telephone first. Let your
child dial the number on a real phone when you feel that s/he is ready.
(Caution: Be sure that your child knows your rules for using the telephone. Do this activity with
supervision.)
Encouraging Litereracy
1. Post a family message center: write notes, share ideas and log memories of special events.
2. Read with your children every chance you get——even if it’’s just part of a newspaper article at the
breakfast table, and turn off the TV when you do it.