Fountas & Pinnell Blog

Take a walk in nature, and instruct the child to choose an object such as a leaf or a pinecone. Ask the child to write a list of descriptive words about the object they chose.

Have the child write about a moment of bravery or a time when they’ve done something they’re proud of, like learning to ride a bike.

Show the child a red apple and a green pear and discuss how they are different. Ask the child to choose two similar, but different, objects, and explain to you how to distinguish the items from each other.

Choose three or four acts of kindness to graph on a bulletin board, and over the next few weeks, when the child offers or receives an act of kindness they add a square to the kindness graph.

Each of the systems that make up the Fountas & Pinnell Literacy™ brand have been developed over many years, incorporating a wide body of research about how literacy develops in children over time.

Discuss chores with the child: what they are, and why they need to be done. Instruct the child to write a list of chores. Each day, the child can pick one of the chores to complete.

This fall, you have FOUR choices of time zones to attend the one-day workshop The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum, Expanded Edition.

Play a guessing game with the child. Take turns picking an object and giving a color hint to guess what the object is (for example, “I’m thinking of something that is blue.”).

Remind the child of a familiar song that requires an accompanying dance, such as “Wheels on the Bus.” Ask the child to create new lyrics and movements to go with the new words.

Tell the child the fable "The Tortoise and the Hare" and the fairytale "Little Red Riding Hood." Talk with the child about what the word “clever” means, and what it means to be clever.

Talk with the child about the different types of media that artists use when illustrating books. Review some examples. Have the child create artwork in different mediums.

Work with the child to create play binoculars with paper tubes and art supplies. The child can use them as they reenact "We’re Going on a Bear Hunt."

Give the child plain white paper and a paper plate with drops of black and white paint. Have the child mix the paints into shades of gray and then paint gray storm clouds on their paper.

Introduce the child to a cumulative rhyme such as “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” Together create cards representing each part of the rhyme. Then, have the child put the cards in order to retell the story.

Have the child create a farm animal mask using paper plates and craft sticks. Have the child play with the mask on by demonstrating animal movements and noises.

As we work to roll out these new digital offerings, we want to ensure that you have access to the materials you need for the 2020/2021 school year.

The child creates a box with artifacts that show important things about their family. Have the child explain the reason that each item went in their box.

Work with the child to create a dance. Takes turns adding a movement to the dance. For example, the first person jumps once in place. The second person jumps once in place, and then claps.