Message from Literacy Team
How's "homeschool" going...?

In this special edition newsletter we wanted to support those of you who are trying to navigate a new "homeschool" reality, while still juggling work and all of your other responsibilities... bless your heart. Whew.

Below are some of the most useful reading websites and resources we've found, feel free to share!

Hoping we all come out of this a little more well-read :)
Books Online!
International Children’s Digital Library  
This is a free site to access books for kids ages 3-13 years old. This is not storytelling, rather it allows students to do independent reading. Since this is an International library, it offers books in different languages and students learn about different regions of the world through activities that can be found on the site.

National Geographic Library  
National Geographic is a magazine designed for kindergarten through twelve grade students. Students can select from the various magazine collections, activities, videos, lessons and much more! It is a great way to bring interesting non-fiction stories into reading time.

Rivet
Rivet is a free reading app that offers 3,500 leveled books for kids. Kids can select reading independently or they can choose to add a narrator to read to them. Great support for struggling readers!

StoryPlace
The site is fully available in both English and Spanish and is great for early readers. These animated read-along stories engage children with songs and rhymes. Each story is accompanied by several other online and offline activities for kids on the same theme.

Storyline Online  
Well-known actors of all ages read more than 50 popular children's picture books. The narration is accompanied by illustrations from the book. Some of the stories use storybook cutout animation. Each book has accompanying lesson plan ideas and activities.
Books Online- For Adults too!
Audible
Audible is the world’s largest producer and provider of spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks, enriching the lives of our millions of listeners every day. They are offering free listening for all kids right now!
Fresno County Library
Libraries may be physically closed but you can access over 42,000 ebooks and over 17,000 e-audio books online! Check those and many other library resources out at the link below.
Improve Your Early Reader's Skills
Home Reading Helper
Available in several languages with the help of Google Translate. Home Reading Helper is a resource for parents to elevate children’s reading at home. There are videos for learning strategies, printable worksheets and activities, and games available according to the child's grade level (K-3). Some specific reading skills are available like, comprehension, vocabulary, and phonics.
Between the Lions
The videos for K–1 students incorporate the basic building blocks of reading skills using phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. The videos cover phonological awareness, letter knowledge awareness, vocabulary and language development, and even book and print awareness.
Reading Rockets
Resources to help struggling readers build phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Online course on teaching reading, classroom strategies, in-classroom video, parent reading tips, interviews with children's book authors, recommended children's books, and more.
Reading Bear
Reading Bear is an online program to teach beginning readers vocabulary and concepts while systematically introducing all the main phonetic patterns of written English, all using innovative rich media.
ENP's Sight Word Fun and Read Alouds
Literacy Mentors are working together to create a youtube channel of Reading Practice for our K-2 kids we miss so much! Still a work in progress, but check it out!
(If you'd like to make a video to add, please let Jenessa know!)
Reading Games/Interactive Lessons
ABCya!
ABCya! has a variety of educational games in addition to the featured stories. Free resources and materials are available for grades pre-K through 5.


ReadWriteThink  
This site is jam-packed with lessons and interactive games for students of all ages. For children learning to read English, there are seven interactive games. Each student interactive is accompanied by lesson plans for use in the classroom or by homeschoolers.


PBS Kids Reading Games 
PBS Kids has more than 70 reading games connected to characters from its popular television series, such as Sesame Street , Clifford the Big Red Dog , Martha Speaks , Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood , and Caillou . When your child successfully completes a game, many of them provide instant rewards, such as video clips or more fun games. This encourages children to keep playing and learning.

Starfall Education
Starfall Education has created an engaging group of games and activities that range from the ABCs to fables. Great for students K-3.

No Tech Ideas!
Sometimes we need a break from technology, here are no-tech, low-prep reading activities you can do at home..

PreK - 2nd grade
  • Make encouraging signs to hang around the house. We all need an extra "You can do it!"
  • Make bookmarks. Make extra to give to neighbors as a gift
  • Tell and make up stories.
  • Scavenger Hunt: try to find an item in the house that begins with each letter of the alphabet A-Z.
  • Go for a walk and see who can find and read the most words outside- on signs, car license plates, etc.

3rd - 6th grade
  • Write a letter to your grandma, teacher, or the hard-working nurses and doctors.
  • Cook a meal following a written recipe.
  • Write in a journal.
  • Write out the lyrics to a favorite song. Turn it into creative art to hang up.
  • Board Game ideas: Scrabble, Balderdash, Bananagrams, Madlibs