Kindergarten

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness (rhyme, alliteration, concept of a word) (TEKS K.2A) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics (identify and match letter sounds) (TEKS K.2B)
• Foundational Language Skills: Oral Language(develop vocabulary) (TEKS K.1A) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness (book holding skills, reading left to right and top to bottom, 1-1 matching in the word read and word printed) (TEKS K.2D) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Identifying uppercase and lowercase letters (TEKS K.2Dv)
• Story language and structure  (TEKS K.5, K.9 ) 
• Comprehension: Understand purposes for rereading (TEKS K.5I ) 

 

Writing 

• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics: matching sounds to letters (TEKS  K.2Bi) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness (book handling: cover to cover, top to bottom, left to right) (TEKS K.2 Viii) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness Recognize that sentences are comprised of words separated by spaces and recognize word boundaries (TEKS K.2Diii) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Develop handwriting by accurately forming letters (K.2E) 
• Composition: Plan a story through talk and drawing and develop a story (TEKS K.10A, 10B)

English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf

Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading and Writing)

• Can you show me the front/back of the book?
• Where do you start reading?
• Can you point to a word on the page?
• What sounds do you hear in your name? 
• What sounds do you hear in (common words, especially used in writing)?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Read to your child daily.
• Have them read to you the story by sharing the story. 
• Play with language by making rhymes, using alliteration, and singing songs. 
• Have your child play with sounds, sing the alphabet to different tunes, say the sounds in simple words. 

• Encourage your child to write their own books.
• Encourage your child to put familiar sounds on the paper to represent each word. 
• Ask for help with shopping lists.
• Have them practice writing their name.
• Support children’s use of environmental print.
• Have children label common sounds 

 

Math

Number Sense to 10

Representation of Whole Numbers

• Recognize, write, and represent a number up to 10 (TEKS K.1A)
• Draw or use objects to show different ways to make a number up to 10 (TEKS K.2I)
• Count a group of objects up to 10 (TEKS K.2C)
• Tell how many objects are in the group without recounting (TEKS K.2D)
•  Count by ones and tens starting at any number (TEKS K.5A)

Comparison of Whole Numbers

• Compare numbers up to 10 using the words more than, less than, or equal to (TEKS K.2H)
• Count to 10 forward and backward (TEKS K.2A)
• Identify and use objects to make a number that is greater than (more), less than (fewer), or equal to another number (TEKS K.2E, K.2F)
• Compare two groups and determine which has more or less than the other. (TEKS K.2G)

TEKS https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-111

Questions to ask your child (Math)

• Can you write the number _ and draw _ items to represent the number?
• Given a quantity, ask, how many do you see? How did you know there were that many?
• How many different ways can we make a set of _?
• What patterns do you notice?

• Looking at two or three sets of objects with different quantities ask, which group has more/less?
• What is one more/one less than _? What comes after _? What comes before _?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Representation of Whole Numbers

• Count out loud by ones, forward and backward
• Have your child count out a set objects, draw it, and write the numeral 
• Have your child identify numbers in their environment 

Comparison of Whole Numbers

• Have your child compare the quantity of toys they own by lining up (one to one) and stating which is more and which is less (cars to trucks/ stuffed animals to dolls)

 

Science

Environments

• Differentiate between living and nonliving things based on certain characteristics including the ability to satisfy basic needs and the ability to produce offspring (TEKS K.9A)

Questions to ask your child (Science)

• What is the difference between living and nonliving things?  

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Take a walk in your neighborhood with your child. As you walk, review the criteria for classifying something as living: a living thing has basic needs of food, water, and air. Also remind your child that a living thing must be able to grow, change, and reproduce. Point out different things as you are walking and ask your child to classify the items. Be sure to include some things that might be less obvious such as a tree or moving water.

 

Social Studies

What should my child be working on in the 1st nine weeks of school?

Community

• Understand the purpose of rules (TEKS K.7A)
• Understand the role of authority figures (TEKS K.8A)

• Experience the responsibilities of a citizen by following the rules and practicing safety (TEKS K.7B )
• Understand that authority figures keep us safe and that rules at home and at school provide safety for everyone (TEKS K.8B)

TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies)

• How do rules and routines help ensure safety?
• How do people best cooperate?
• Who makes the rules at school? At home? 

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Engage your child in conversations about authority figures at places you visit such as the park, museums, and stores.
• Celebrate with your child when they display characteristics of good citizenship and name the trait they displayed.
• Celebrate Freedom Week is in September and Constitution Day is September 17. Share with your student what freedom means to you and discuss why the Constitution is such an important document for our country.

 

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Student

Overview:

If this is the first time your child attends a Texas Public School, the first nine weeks will be the time your child becomes accustomed to the new environment as they learn.

How does the school know that my child is an English Learner/Emergent Bilingual student?

When you register your child in school for the first time, you are asked to fill out a home language survey that asks two specific questions: (1) What language is spoken in the child’s home most of the time? and (2) What language does the child speak most of the time? If the survey indicates that your child speaks a language other than English and/or the home language is other than English, he/she will then be tested at the Multilingual Department’s Welcome Center. If the assessment indicates that your child is not yet proficient in English, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will make a program recommendation for your child.

How will my child learn English?

Dual Language programs are designed to make grade-level academic content accessible to English learners through the development of literacy and academic skills in the child’s primary language and English. English as a Second Language program (ESL) targets English language development, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, through academic content instruction that is linguistically and culturally responsive.

Questions to ask your child-

• What was one interesting thing you did at school today?
• Who did you sit with during lunchtime?
• Who did you talk to the most today?
• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

• Encourage your child to use a bilingual dictionary.
• Encourage your child to read daily in his /her home language and/or English. In the primary grades, read to/with your child.
• Schedule time every day for your child to do homework.

Resources:

• Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf
• U.S. Department of Education - English Learner Tool Kit:  https://ncela.ed.gov/files/family_toolkit/EL-Family-Tool-Kit-All.pdf
• U.S. Department of Education - Especially for Parents:  https://www2.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml?src=pn
• Supporting English Learners in Texas: https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion about books (TEKS K.1A-E)
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness: identifying, blending, and segmenting syllables (TEKS K.2A)
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness: Book handling skills (TEKS K.2D)
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics recognizes that new words are created when letters are changed, added, or deleted such as ot ‐ pot ‐ top ‐ tap  and Identify and/or read at least 25 high‐frequency words from a research‐based list (TEKS K.2B)
• Response Skills: Describe personal connections (TEKS: K.6A)

 

Writing

• Composition: Plan a story through talk and drawing and develop a story (TEKS K.10A, 10B)
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness Understanding that books are written from cover to cover, left to right, top to bottom) (TEKS K.2D)
• Foundational Language Skills: Develop handwriting by accurately forming letters (K.2E)
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness Recognize that sentences are comprised of words separated by spaces and recognize word boundaries (TEKS K.2 Viii)
• Foundational Language Skills: Spelling words with grade‐appropriate orthographic patterns/rules and high‐frequency words (TEKS K.2C)

English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf

Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading and Writing)

• (Point at the cover and title, What do you think this story will be about?
• Where should I start reading the story?
• What are some words that you know?
• What did you enjoy in this story?
• Let’s tell what we remember in the story.

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Read to your child daily. Reread favorite storybooks.
• Have them read to you the story As they advance in reading, they will start to develop more story language. 
• Have your child play with sounds, sing the alphabet to different tunes, say the sounds in simple words.
• Encourage your child to write their own books and read them to you.
• Have your child label pictures in their stories with sounds they hear.
• Talk with your child and encourage him/her to add details to their drawings. 
• Ask for help with shopping lists.
• Have them practice writing their name.
• Practice correctly forming lowercase letters. Reach out to your child’s teacher for correct formation.
• Encourage oral storytelling.

 

Math

Geometry: Two- and Three-Dimensional Shapes

• Classify and sort regular and irregular two- and three- dimensional figures regardless of orientation or size (TEKS K.6E)
• Identify circles, triangles, rectangles, and squares as special rectangles and describe them by the number of sides and corners (vertices). (TEKS K.6A, K.6D)
• Identify a cylinder, a cone, a sphere, and a cube in the real world (TEKS K.6B)
• Identify 2D shapes in cylinders, cones, spheres, and cubes and sort them by their similar attributes (TEKS K.6C)
• Create triangles, rectangles, circles, and squares using materials and drawings (TEKS K.6F)

Measurement

• Compare the length, weight, and capacity of two objects (TEKS K.7B)
• Explain different ways that an object can be measured (TEKS K.7A)

TEKS https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-111

Questions to ask your child (Math)

Geometry

• What does a _ look like?
• How do you know that it is a _ and not a _?
• What is your favorite shape? Why? Tell me about your favorite shape.
• Looking at two objects of different lengths ask, which one is taller/ longer? Which is shorter?
• Looking at two objects of different weights, ask, which one is heavier? Which is lighter?
• Looking at two different sized glasses, ask, which holds more water? Which holds less?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Have your child create a shape using food/crafting materials/drawing and tell you about it.
• Play “I Spy” to locate shapes in their environment
• Baking! Children love to bake, and this presents many opportunities for them to explore measurement in real life.
• Compare objects around the house, neighborhood, or store using comparative language (taller/ shorter, longer/ shorter, heavier/lighter) and have your child explain.
• Using measuring cups or containers of different sizes, have your child explore/compare which holds more/less/the same amount

 

Science

Environments

• Explain that living organisms have basic needs that must be met in order to survive (TEKS K.9B)
• Explain that animals require air, food, and water, and some animals also require shelter (TEKS K.9B)
• Explain that plants require air, water, nutrients, sunlight, and space. (TEKS K.9B)

Organisms

• Sort plants and animals into groups based on physical characteristics such as color, size, body covering, or leaf shape (TEKS K.10A)
• Explain that animals have bodies made up of parts including the head, eyes, and limbs. Animals can also have different body coverings like skin, fur, scales, and shells. (TEKS K.10B)
• Observe changes that are part of a simple life cycle of a plant: seed, seedling, plant, flower, and fruit. (TEKS K.10D)
• Identify ways that young plants resemble the parent plant (TEKS K.10C)

Earth

• Observe and describe physical properties of natural sources of water, including color and clarity (TEKS K.7B)
• Observe, describe, and sort rocks by size, shape, color, and texture (TEKS K.7A)
• Give examples of ways rocks, soil, and water are useful (TEKS K.7C)

TEKS http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.11

Questions to ask your child (Science)

• What are the basic needs of animals? Plants?
• What are some physical characteristics of living things?
• How can we sort plants and animals into groups by their physical characteristics?
• What are the parts of plants and what are the parts of animals?
• What physical properties can we use to describe natural sources of water?
• What physical properties can we use to describe, compare, and sort rocks?
• How are rocks, soil, and water useful to us?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Go on a nature walk in your neighborhood and have your child write down or draw a picture of various organisms that you observe. Then, ask your child to name the things the organism needs to live.
• Have your child characterize plants and animals based on their physical characteristics
• Go on a nature walk and have your child describe the basic needs of plants and animals in their neighborhood
• After a rain event, observe and describe the physical properties of rainwater as well as its effects on the rocks and soil in your neighborhood

 

Social Studies

What should my child be working on in the 2nd nine weeks of school?

Government and Citizenship

• Identify the United States flag and the Texas state flag (TEKS K.9A)
• Recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag and the Pledge to the Texas Flag (TEKS K.9B)
• Identify patriotic holidays, the reason for the holidays, and explain how the holidays are celebrated (TEKS K.1A, K.1B (TEKS K.1A, K.1B)
• Identify contributions or historical figures (TEKS K.2A)

TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y  

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies)

• What makes a good citizen?
• What is a symbol of the United States of America that you know?  Can you say the Pledge of Allegiance?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• When driving around town, look for US Symbols and discuss them.
• When your child displays characteristics of a good citizen, acknowledge it and name it.

 

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

Overview:

Your child is becoming comfortable with Texas schools. The focus is now developing his/her English and supporting him/her to learn the core content.

How will my child learn English?

During this time, your child’s teacher is providing strategies in the classroom in order to help with Second Language Acquisition. Teachers report the strategies and linguistic accommodations they provide for the students in order to help the students be successful in acquiring the English language.

Questions to ask your child?

• What did you learn in your_____ class?
• How did you ask for help?
• Who did you talk to the most in your classes?
• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

• Check out books including audiobooks in English or in their home language from public libraries.
• Encourage your child to read and/or listen to audiobooks daily.
• Be sure to attend parent-teacher conferences scheduled by your child’s school.
• Schedule time every day for your child to do homework.

Resources

• Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf
• The 50 Best ESL Resources for Kids:   http://www.studentguide.org/the-50-best-esl-resources-for-kids/
• Colorín Colorado (bilingual website):  http://www.colorincolorado.org/
• PBS Kids http://pbskids.org/
• Unite for Literacy: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/
• Supporting English Learners in Texas: https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion about books (TEKS K.1A-E)
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness: blending onsets and rimes (TEKS K.2A)
• Foundational Language Skills: Print Awareness: Book handling skills (TEKS K.2D)
• Foundational Language Skills: Reads at least 25 high‐frequency words from a research‐based list (TEKS K.2B)
• Comprehension Skills: purpose for reading, ask questions, predict, create mental images, infer (TEKS K.5A-I)
• Response Skills: Retell (TEKS: K.6D)

 

Writing 

• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics - Spell words using sound‐spelling patterns (look, book, took, cook) (TEKS  K.2Cii)
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics -Spell high‐frequency words (TEKS K.2Ciii)
• Foundational Language Skills: Develop handwriting by accurately forming letters (K.2E)
• Composition: Writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and share writing (K.11A)
• Composition: compose informational texts and create drafts in oral, pictorial, or written form by organizing ideas, and able to share them with others (TEKS K.11B)

English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf

Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child

• What do you think this book is about?
• What are you excited to learn about in this book?
• What did the author teach you in this book?
• Point to a new vocabulary word, What do you think this means?
• What might happen next?
• Tell me about the character in this story. What are they like?
• What was your favorite part?
• Tell me your story (before writing).
• Let’s say your story as you touch the pages that each part goes on.
• Draw the picture for each part on the pages.
• Write the sentences that go with each part.

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Take time to sit and read. Let your child see you as a reader. Visit a library or bookstore.  The more they are around books, the more children want to read.
• Encourage your child to talk with you about favorite books.
• Read daily with your child. Have them read to you. You can always access books on myON.
• Ask your children what kinds of books they enjoy.
• Check in with your child to see how they are enjoying their reading. Read the book and be your child’s partner.
• Encourage your child to write for different reasons.
• Oral rehearsal (planning writing aloud) is a critical stage in the writing process. Share this with your child through saying what you are about to write before writing it and have them do the same.
• Celebrate published pieces. Copy them, put them up, send them to the family. Getting compliments from an audience they love helps writers want to keep writing.
• Look for more opportunities for children to write. You can always say, ‘We should make a book about that!”

 

Math

Addition & Subtraction of Whole Numbers

• Put groups of objects together to make a larger group (compose), and break a group of objects apart into smaller groups (decompose) (TEKS K.3A)
• Put objects together to show addition (join), and take objects away from a group to show subtraction (separate) (TEKS K.3A)
• Use objects to model, and draw representations, to solve addition and subtraction word problems (TEKS K.3B)
• Explain the strategies used to solve addition and subtraction problems (TEKS K.3C)

Number Sense to 20 : Representation of Whole Numbers

• Recognize, write, and represent a number up to 20 (TEKS K.2B)
• Draw or use objects to show different ways to make a number up to 10 (TEKS K.2I)
• Count a group of objects up to 20 (TEKS K.2C)
• Tell how many objects are in a group without recounting (TEKS K.2D)
• Count by ones and tens starting at any number (TEKS K.5A)

TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-111

Questions to ask your child (Math)

• How did you know whether to join or separate the two amounts?
• How did you solve that?
• Can you write the number _ and draw _ items to represent the number?
• Given a quantity, ask, how many do you see? How did you know there were that many?
• How many different ways can you make a set of _?
• What patterns do you notice?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Act out word problems from a book or song such as Five Little Monkeys or Five Little Speckled Frogs.
• Count out loud by ones and tens
• Have your child count out a set objects, draw it, and write the numeral
• Have your child identify numbers in their environment

 

Science

What should my child be working on in the 3rd nine weeks of school?

Earth

• Observe and describe physical properties of natural sources of water, including color and clarity (TEKS K.7B)
• Observe, describe, and sort rocks by size, shape, color, and texture (TEKS K.7A)
• Give examples of ways rocks, soil, and water are useful (TEKS K.7C)

Weather

• Observe and describe weather changes from day to day and over seasons (TEKS K.8A)

Objects in the Sky

• identify events that have repeating patterns, including seasons of the year and day and night (TEKS K.8B)
• observe, describe, and illustrate objects in the sky such as the clouds, Moon, and stars, including the Sun (TEKS K.8C)

Properties of Objects

• Observe and record properties of objects, including bigger or smaller, heavier or lighter, shape, color, and texture (TEKS K.5A)

TEKS http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.11

Questions to ask your child (Science)

• What physical properties can we use to describe natural sources of water?
• What physical properties can we use to describe, compare, and sort rocks?
• How are rocks, soil, and water useful to us?
• How does the weather change from day to day or minute to minute?
• How does the weather change from season to season?
• What is the pattern in the day and night cycle?
• What different objects can we see in the sky during the day or at night?
• What patterns repeat?
• What things are bigger or smaller?
• What things are heavier or lighter?
• What is the object’s shape

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Describe natural sources of water.
• Compare rocks outside.
• Talk about how rocks, soil, and water are used everyday.
• After a rain event, observe and describe the physical properties of rainwater as well as its effects on the rocks and soil in your neighborhood
• Illustrate and describe objects in the sky during the day and night
• Talk about color, size, shape, and texture of objects.

 

Social Studies

Geography

• Identify and understand the importance of how maps and globes reflect the community (TEKS K.3C)
• Understand the physical and human characteristics of a place including how to describe the location (using terms such as over, under, near, far, next to, left, right) (TEKS K.3A, K.3B)
• Examine how physical characteristics (such as location, landforms, bodies of water, and climate) are different, based upon a geographic location and how those characteristics influence how we live(TEKS K.4A, K.4B

Culture

• Understand and explain the importance of family and identify family traditions (TEKS K.11A)

TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies)

• How do maps and globes help us?
• How are other places different from where we live?
• Ask questions using the terms of place and location (over, under, near, far, next to, left, right).
• What are some of our family traditions?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Help your student use terms such as over, under, near, far, left, and right, to describe a relative location.
• Talk about how shelter, clothing, food, and activities in different places are based upon geographic location.
• Using key and labeling locations, have your student draw a map of your home or neighborhood.
• Have your student draw/write about a traditional family meal.
• Have your student draw a picture of what they do at home with their family.

 

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

How will I know when my child has learned academic English?

Every year, your child will take an assessment called the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) to assess his/her English proficiency level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. When your child meets the criteria for reclassification, he/she will not need to take the TELPAS any more.  However, the school will continue to monitor your child’s progress to make sure he/she is successful at school.

Questions to ask your child-

• What book are you reading at school?
• What did you do in your math class?
• Did you ask for help when you didn’t understand?
• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

TELPAS Parent Tips (English):

https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/TELPAS_Parent_Tips_English.APPROVED_FORWEB.pdf

TELPAS Parent Tips (Spanish): https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/TELPAS_Parent_Tips_Spanish.APPROVED_FORWEB.pdf

Resources:

• Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf
• Reading activities in English and Spanish: https://readconmigo.org/parents/activities
• Colorín Colorado (bilingual website):  http://www.colorincolorado.org/
• Unite for Literacy: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/
• Supporting English Learners in Texas
• https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion about books (TEKS K.1A-E)
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness: blending onsets and rimes (TEKS K.2A)
• Foundational Language Skills: Reads at least 25 high‐frequency words from a research‐based list (TEKS K.2B)
• Comprehension Skills: purpose for reading, ask questions, predict, create mental images, infer (TEKS K.5A-I)
• Response Skills: Describe connections to text (TEKS: K.6A)
• Response Skills: Retell (TEKS: K.6D)

 

Writing

• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics - Spell words using sound‐spelling patterns (look, book, took, cook) (TEKS  K.2Cii)
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics -Spell high‐frequency words from a research‐based list (TEKS K.2Ciii)
• Create drafts in oral, pictorial, or written form by organizing ideas, and able to share them with others. (TEKS K.11)
• Foundational Language Skills: Develop handwriting by accurately forming letters (K.2E)
• Composition: compose informational texts (TEKS K.11B)

English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf

Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading/Writing)

• What do you think this book is about? Looking at the title and the cover, what can you predict?
• What are you excited to learn about in this book?
• What did the author teach you in this book? What do you think we will learn about in this book/article/text?
• Point to a new vocabulary word, what do you think this means?
• Based on what we just read, What do you think might happen next?
• Tell me about the character in this story. What are they like? How do you think [the character] will solve the problem?
• What was your favorite part? How do you think this is going to end?
• What are you thinking about now? What in the story makes you think that?
• Were you right?
• Tell me your story (before writing).
• Let’s say your story as you touch the pages that each part goes on.
• Draw the picture for each part on the pages.
• Write the sentences that go with each part.

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Read with your child daily.
• Practice high frequency words (snap words) each day for automaticity.
• Have your child restate and follow oral directions that involve a short, related sequence of actions
• Encourage the development of social communication such as introducing himself/herself, using common greetings, and expressing needs and wants
• Ask often what your child is writing about.  Find out about the stories they are writing.
• When you ask children about what they’re writing, that’s an opportunity for children to rehearse.  Say, ‘Tell me that story.” Being a rehearsal partner can be a significant role for parents. Continue to encourage your child to tell their writing across pages, draw, and then write it.
• Celebrate published pieces.  Copy them, put them up, send them to the family.  Getting compliments from an audience they love helps writers want to keep writing.
• Look for more opportunities for children to write. You can always say, ‘We should make a book about that!”

 

Math

Number Sense to 20, representation of whole numbers, continues to develop from the 3rd nine weeks.

Number Sense to 20: Comparison of Whole Numbers

• Compare numbers up to 20 using the words more than, less than, or equal to (TEKS K.2H)
• Count to 20 forward and backward (TEKS K.2A)
• Identify and use objects to make a number that is greater than (more), less than (fewer), or equal to another number (TEKS K.2E, K.2F) 
• Compare two groups and determine which has more or less the other. (TEKS K.2G)

Data Analysis

• Collect, sort, and organize data into two or three categories/ groups (TEKS K.8A)
• Use the data collected to create real-object and picture graphs (TEKS K.8B)
• Can explain information from a graph(TEKS K.8C)

Personal Financial Literacy

• Identify a penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter (TEKS K.4A)
• Identify different ways you can earn money (TEKS K.9.A)
• Identify the difference between money earned as income and money received as a gift (TEKS K.9B)
• List simple skills that people would need for certain jobs (TEKS K.9C)
• Explain the difference between wants and needs (TEKS K.9D)

TEKS https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-111

Questions to ask your child (Math)

• Looking at two or three sets of objects with different quantities ask, which group has more/less?
• What is one more/ one less than _? What comes after _? What comes before _?
• Can you explain why that is more/less?
• Which _ has the most/greatest amount? Which _ has the least amount? Did you have any that were the same?
• What can you do to earn money?
• What is a want? What is a need? What is the difference between a want and a need?
• What is the name of this coin?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Have your child compare the quantity of toys they own by lining up (one to one) and stating which is more and which is less (cars to trucks/stuffed animals to dolls)
• Sort objects into two to three groups and then graph them (fruits vs. vegetables, crayons vs. markers).
• When out shopping, ask your child if what is being purchased is a want or a need. Have them explain their thinking.
• Put a group of coins in a bag. Have your child pick a coin from the group and name it.

 

Science

Properties of Objects

• Observe and record properties of objects, including bigger or smaller, heavier or lighter, shape, color, and texture (TEKS K.5A)

Changes from adding or subtracting Heat

• Observe, record, and discuss how materials can be changed by heating or cooling (TEKS K.5B)

Forms of Energy

• Use the senses to explore different forms of energy such as light, thermal, and sound (TEKS k.6A)

Forces

• Explore interactions between magnets and various materials (TEKS K.6B)

Motion

• Observe and describe the location of an object in relation to another such as above, below, behind, in front of, and beside (TEKS K.6C)
• Observe and describe the ways that objects can move such as in a straight line, zigzag, up and down, back and forth, round and round, and fast and slow (TEKS K.6D)

TEKS http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.11

Questions to ask your child (Science)

• What things are bigger or smaller?
• What things are heavier or lighter?
• What is the object’s shape, color, and texture?
• What happens to something if I add or subtract heat?
• What sense do you use when identifying light energy?
• What sense do you use when you identify thermal energy?
• What sense do you use when you identify sound energy?
• What happens when you put a magnet on a refrigerator?
• What happens when you put a magnet on a wood chair?
• What object is in front of you?
• What object is behind you?
• How would you describe how the car moved?
• How would you describe how a swing moves?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Talk about color, size, shape, and texture of objects.
• Talk about what happens when you cook food
• Talk about what happens when you put things in the freezer
• Talk about the uses of energy and what senses are used
• Talk about what happens when you use a magnet
• Talk about position of objects in relation to your child
• Talk about patterns of movement for different toys in the house

 

Social Studies

Economics

• Understand basic human needs and explain the difference between needs and wants (TEKS K.5A, K.5B)
• Understand how everyone has a job to do and why we have jobs at home, school, or work (TEKS K.6A, K.6B)

History

• Sequence and categorize information (TEKS K.13B)
• Use terminology before, after, next, first, last, yesterday, today, and tomorrow correctly (TEKS K.14B)

TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies)

• What is a want?
• What is a need?
• How do you know the difference between a want and a need?
• What happens if your needs are not met?
• What is your job at school? What is your job at home?
• Ask questions using the terms before, after, next, first, last, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

How can I help my child learn at home

• As you and your family purchase things over the next several weeks, discuss with your child if those things are a want or a need.
• Provide your student opportunities to use the terms before, after, next, first, last, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

 

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

When your child has met the reclassification criteria, they will no longer receive English language development support (although they will continue to learn English with other students). Teachers will continue to monitor your child’s progress. Please continue to ask the teacher how your child is doing. If your child did not meet the reclassification criteria, he/she will continue to receive English language development support.

Questions to ask your child (Emergent Bilingual Student)

• What book are you reading at school?
• What did you do in your _____ class?
• Did you ask for help when you didn’t understand? Who helped you?
• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

• Schedule an individual meeting with your child’s teacher to learn how you can continue to help your child succeed.
• Encourage your child to read and/or listen to audiobooks daily.

Resources:

• Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf
• Reading activities in English and Spanish: https://readconmigo.org/parents/activities
• Colorín Colorado (bilingual website):  http://www.colorincolorado.org/
• Unite for Literacy: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/
• Supporting English Learners in Texas:
• https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families