20 Best Tips

Spring Theme Vocabulary Read, Build, Write Cards

Since spring has sprung in our area, I pulled together some spring-themed word cards to go along with the Read! Build! Write! Mats.

Spring Theme Read, Build, Write cards

To download the set of cards, just visit the Read! Build! Write! Mats page and click on the ‘Spring’ text link in the center column. You’ll also want to download a set of the Read! Build! Write! Mats and laminate them before using.

More Spring-themed Printables for Preschool and Kindergarten

 

If you are looking for a few more spring-themed printables and learning fun, be sure to check out the following links:

~ Garden Printable Pack for preschool and kindergarten {this is a HUGE bunch of printables!!}.

Garden Printable Pack

 

~ Bird Theme Printable Pack for preschool and kindergarten

Bird Theme printable pack

 

~ Pond Life Printables for preschool and kindergarten

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~ Pond Life Tot Pack from 1+1+1=1

 

All About Reading Program Level 1 Review

We received this product at no cost in exchange for our honest review. All opinions expressed are solely mine.
You all ~ the wait for All About Reading Level 1 program has been so amazingly worth it.  We loved the All About Reading Level Pre-1 program and this is a wonderful next step in the reading process with Kaleb!

All About Reading Level 1 Kit     Deluxe Reading Interactive Kit
 

Program Basics

All About Reading Level 1 is a program for beginning readers. It picks up where the Pre-1 reading program ends ~ when children know their uppercase and lowercase letters as well as letter sounds and are ready to put the sounds together to make words. If you aren’t sure where to start your child, you can use the Reading Readiness Checklist to help you decide.

All About Reading focuses on phonological awareness, decoding skills, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and lots and lots of reading practice. Similar to the other programs from All About Learning Press, the Teacher’s Manual includes step-by-step directions, so there is no guesswork in what you need for each lesson or how to teach the concepts covered.

Each of the 49 lessons include hands-on practice using letter tiles, word cards, fun games, and activity sheets to go along with the day’s lesson. Lessons can be tailored to meet the needs of your child ~ review concepts as often as you need to in order to know that they are being retained.

All About Reading Review-1    All About Reading Review-2

{playing letter sound bingo}

Each lesson takes about 20 minutes to work through and then another 20 minutes of reading to your child is recommended. We usually divide up our time and read at different points during the day, instead of doing it all in one block of time.

All About Reading Review-4

Sight words are incorporated in to the program {so far Kaleb has learned ‘the’ and ‘a’}. They are treated as ‘Rule Breakers’ and given special treatment. :) Kaleb has loved this part of the program, to the point that he came running into my bedroom early one morning and woke me up when he found ‘the’ on something that he was playing with ~ ‘It’s a rule breaker!!!’

All About Reading Review-6

And the moment you want to do a happy dance {and actually do??}. When your child picks up a book, sits down with you and reads a real, honest-to-goodness story to you for the very first time. It just makes a mommy’s heart happy and there is much rejoicing to do!

All About Reading Review-5

I have also been using the reading program with Zachary {2nd grade} to help increase his reading fluency. Reading has never been a favorite part of his day, but his fluency has already greatly improved in the weeks that we’ve used it and it’s also built up his confidence in his reading abilities. He’s on the ‘fast track’ through the program, but part of his motivation has been seeing his younger brother start doing things that he was more recently complaining about {grins}.

Quick tip: Not sure if you should start out with All About Reading or All About Spelling? While the two programs go hand-in-hand, children generally move ahead more quickly in reading, so I recommend starting with All About Reading first.

 
The All About Reading Level 1 Kit comes with the following items: {Regularly $107.70, currently on sale now for $99.95}

  • All About Reading Level 1 KitTeacher’s Manual
  • Student Packet {includes word cards and an Activity Book}
  • Run, Bug, Run! reader
  • The Runt Pig reader
  • Cobweb the Cat reader

imageYou will also need a Reading Interactive Kit to complete the program. Choose between the Deluxe Reading Interactive Kit {$48.95} or the Basic Reading Interactive Kit {$28.95} ~ or buy the pieces individually. The reading kits are a one-time purchase and will be used in all levels of the program.

Quick Tip: If you currently use any of the All About Spelling programs, the letter tiles are the same, so you may only need a few additional components to complete the kit.

A Few More Thoughts…

One thing that we all look at is the initial price of this children’s reading program, and while it is a bit more, it truly is worth it. Here are a few of my thoughts on it:

  • The bulk of the components are non-consumable {only the Activity Book and the smiling star stickers cannot be used again}. This means that you can use the program with children coming up through the ranks or eventually re-sell it to another mom.
  • The program is completely laid out and lessons are scripted, so you can just relax and not worry about planning!
  • Minimal prep-work. The word cards are perforated, but need to be torn apart and the letter tiles need to be assembled with magnets. Once that is done, you can grab your manual and go.
  • The Go Ahead and Use It One-Year Guarantee’. You and your child have a full year to try out the program! If you find that the curriculum does not meet your needs, simply return the materials at any time within one year of purchase for a full refund of your purchase price.

I can honestly tell you all that we have all of the products from All About Reading and All About Spelling, use them daily, and love them tremendously. Their curriculum is one of the first that really got me excited about teaching and I KNOW that they are getting solid teaching using the programs!

Book Report Form and Reading Log Printables

With Laurianna reading like a fiend, keeping up with all of the books that she is devouring can be a bit exhausting. Usually she will tell me {in extensive detail} what the books are about, so to help with book summaries and also have her gather a little more info, I put together a book report form for her to use once or twice a month.

The Book Report Form includes room for: book title, author, number of pages, publisher, copyright date, setting, main characters, summary, two vocabulary words, and book rating/evaluation.

Book Report

Book Report Download

I also put together a Book Reading Log for the kids to write down information about the books that they are reading, either independently or together as a family.  The Reading Log has room to record up to 5 books {I print it off double-sided} and the kids can record: book title, author, number of pages, publisher, copyright date, date started reading and date reading was completed.

Reading Log

Reading Log Download

 

Don’t miss this updated Book Report Form!

More recently we created another fun book report form for one of our younger children. Be sure to check it out in this post for another free download.