Homework Engagement Resources
There are an abundance of books, websites and apps designed to support families in working with their children’s academic skills – enjoy exploring them! Please let us know if you find something fantastic!
The greatest resource for family engagement in literacy is a house full of thought-provoking, passion-evoking, curiosity satisfying books! Additionally, you may want to look into:
- Lexia – an online based phonics and phonemic awareness program that Giddens School partners with in order to provide our students with practice opportunities that can be monitored by our teachers
- Starfall.com – a free online based reading program featuring cartoon animals and read-along text
- newsELA.com – an online resource that provides non-fiction articles from a wide variety of news sources. Each article can be shown in a version that has been adapted to match a child’s reading skill.
- What’s Gnu - A great way for younger players to practice their word recognition and spelling skills, this game is a fun confidence-builder. The player who spells the greatest number of words wins.
- Quiddler and Quiddler Jr. - Quiddler is called “The SHORT Word Game” because readers of all ages can play and win with short words like ‘at’, ‘is’ and ‘the’.
- Bananagrams - the word game that needs no pencil, paper, or board. Fast and fun. Players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles first.
There are math resources all around us, anything can be counted, patterned, or measured and talking about math is a fun habit to develop. Additionally, you may want to look into:
- Bridges in Mathematics: Second Edition Support for Families – an online resource from the publisher of our math curriculum that provides book and game recommendations aligned with the math work happening in Giddens School classrooms every day
- Bedtime Math – an app that provides a “problem of the day” to promote family discussion of math in the world, at bedtime, or anytime.
- Dreambox.com - a math practice website focused on visual modeling, providing individualized experiences across mathematical strands
- Tenzi – a fast paced dice game with more than 70 ways to play. Can be adapted for any number of players and a wide range of skill levels
- Sequence and Sequence Numbers – These combination card and board games support finding patterns and structures in the world. Can be adapted to many different skill levels.
- Blokus and Blokus Jr – A logic and strategy game that builds skills in spatial awareness. Supports a child’s geometric understanding and problem- solving skills
Other Fun Family Learning Experiences
- Take a walk! In all seasons, enjoy the natural world around us and the joy that comes from moving your body. Consider adding wheels, such as bicycles, skates, or even a unicycle!
- Visit an elder! Learn from individuals who have been on this earth longer than you, family members, friends, and community connections are great opportunities to expand your horizons.
- Make something together! Create art, build a machine, or change the world through a new invention, every time you engage in the design process as a family you open yourselves up to new learning opportunities.
- Enjoy community resources! Seattle abounds with parks, museums, and hidden treasures. Find something new in your neighborhood, visit a new one, or hop in the car for a road trip to discover somewhere new.