Join the Club

     Panicked. I'm absolutely panicked. Only 37 days of school left to squeeze in everything I can to get my kids ready for first grade and it's just not enough time!  Hence the panic. With the push to meet really monumental objectives like getting even my struggling readers to an F&P level D (yikes!) I find myself scrambling to fit in things like practicing sight words. Luckily, the kids only need to know 25 words, which I think is a really reasonable number. I just read on one teacher's blog that her kids need to know 75!  I'm curious to know - how many do you focus on?
     Looking for a little help with this task, I came up with a plan.  Our Pete the Cat's Shoe Tying Club has been so successful this year (I haven't tied a shoe since November!)  because the kids pestered nicely asked their parents to practice at home so they could make it into the club.  It totally worked and so far, 14 out of my 16 kids are in the club. Hey - I'm not above a little "Please Mom, please Mom, pleeeease Mom" pressure! Seeing how well this club has worked out, I thought I would start a Popcorn Words Club too.
     Like the shoe tying club, the kids are practicing at home and when they're ready, they try to read me all of their words.  If they know them all, they become an official member of the Popcorn Words Club.  Woohoo! They get an official membership badge, a certificate with their name gets added to the display on the wall, and their favorite part - they get a bag of microwave popcorn to share with their family to thank them for their help. 

     I'm totally psyched at how well it's going.  I did a baseline assessment before we started and only 2 kids knew all of the words.  Two weeks later, 10 kids are in the club.  The remaining kids are working really hard and the kids in the club are even helping them practice during free time which is just awesome.  They all cheer for each other when they get into the club and say things like, "That's OK, you're doing great - keep trying!" when someone doesn't quite make it.  It's really pretty adorable.
     If you'd like to start a club in your classroom, you can download all of the materials by clicking the link under the picture.  Included in the packet are a parent letter explaining the club, membership badges, a poster and certificates to hang on the wall and labels to put on the bags of microwave popcorn (I use the mini 100 calorie bags).

Click here to get your kit



I'd love a comment if you download the kit and you're going to give it a try. I'd also love to hear how many sight words other kindergarten teachers are tackling this year.  Have a great night!