Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-191).
Contents
1. What we know about children's learning : Learning principles ; Early learning practices -- 2. Involving families : Family involvement matters ; Making connections ; Why families don't get involved ; Teachers' and parents' viewpoints and expectations ; A multidimensional view of family involvement ; The importance of home-culture connections ; What works -- 3. What about homework? : Benefits and drawbacks ; Trends and issues ; Responding to challenges ; Promising practices ; The bottom line -- 4. Encouraging learning at home : What to consider ; How to make it happen -- 5. Language and literacy kits : Writing suitcase ; Backpack buddies ; Puppet packet ; Rhythm and rhyme ; On the road ; Friends and neighbors ; All in a day ; Opposites ; I love spiders! ; Sharing stories ; Then and now: African American history ; Family pictures / Cuadros de familia ; What's in a name? ; Legends ; Grandparents ; Yum! Yum! ; Fact or fiction.
6. Mathematics and science kits : Count up and count down ; Treasure box math ; Measurement and me ; Patterns and symmetry everywhere ; Time and time again ; Tangrams ; Numbers make sense ; Big numbers ; Fractions are fun ; It all adds up! ; Adventure backpack ; Amazing magnets ; My five senses ; Weather ; Shapes and shadows ; Sink and float ; Shells ; Trees ; Birds ; Insects and bugs ; The night sky -- 7. Creative arts kits : The music in me ; Let's pretend ; Dance! ; Something beautiful ; Color my world ; Let's get physical ; My crayons talk ; Twisting and turning ; Imagination creations ; Jolly junk ; Fiesta! ; Artists everywhere! -- 8. More learning activities: no materials required : 75 family activities ; Family fieldtrips -- 9. Family projects : Time capsule ; Our family cube ; Timeline ; All about me ; Family calendar ; Class cookbook ; 100-item creation ; Neighborhood map ; Here's where I live ; Milk carton creations ; Recycled junk sculpture ; Word rings ; Mystery bag ; Family decorate and dress-up projects -- Resources : Family survey ; Sample family letter 1 and 2 ; Sample literacy bag agreement ; Poetry award cards sample 1 and 2 ; Neighborhood walk game ; Making progress game ; Road to freedom game ; Cake walk / Endureza la caminata board game ; Calendar template ; Family recipe form ; Grand-person or grandparent interview questions ; Tangram pattern ; Bar graph template ; Bird puzzle ; Online resources.
Summary
Establish a strong home-school connection through family activities that extend learning!
