School Work

Have I mentioned lately how proud I am of Brooke? Well, it's my blog and I can brag on her if I want - you don't have to read!

She has been learning to read this whole school year with Ms Lydia. She just started school this past Fall knowing letter sounds and could sound out *some* short...very short...words. Like CAT or DOG. Since then, she has not only learned to sound out any and all words - any word is possible - but she has also learned sight words and has learned to read the whole words. Hard to put in writing form, but for instance.... Instead of saying Cu,....Aaaa,......Tu.... She starting learning to put them together faster to make it sound more like a word. Doesn't sound like much, but if you think about it, it means you have to put the sounds together faster and read it as an adult would read it... CuAaT. I know I don't write that well, but hard to explain.

She knows sight words (just looking at them, no sounding out) like "the", "and", "is", etc. Also, when reading a book, she can read the common words quickly - like if the boy in the book is Tom...only the first time does she sound out Tom, after that it is just like a sight word. She finished her first book (a long reading book - like maybe 100 pages?) at school (they read a page here and there on reading days) and is almost through with the second. And has now worked her way up to reading a full book (the easy reader - "Step" books) at home on a regular basis. It's no big deal for her anymore. And in fact, now reads her bedtime story to us at night. Again, she's not sitting down and reading the bible or anything, but you know...

I am so proud of her! Reading is a hard thing for me to teach, so it's amazing to me to hear her read a short book - and fast! (usually 3 min or so?)

Anyways, enough shameless bragging for now. And time for some pictures.

These worksheets are becoming 'quick work' for her now. You read the word and have to match it to the picture....

Same general concept here, except you have to read the words and circle which one the picture is... And just some general writing - she LOVES to write. Hmmm....And she recently came home with this paper, she colored all on her own. I shouldn't need to describe it, but just in case.... It's a kite, with a sunshine (a happy sunshine at that) and rain, grass on the bottom. And you probably can't see, but towards the left side of the paper (you probably see it as messy rain) there is a candle. Because, duh...when it rains, it gets dark and you need candles to see. Nevermind flying a kite in the rain. LOL Anyway, her teacher and I were both impressed with her kite-drawing abilities. And the art project for last month, bluebonnets...