Learning at Home, PreK-3: Homework Activities That Engage Children and Families »

Ann C. Barbour is professor emerita of early childhood education at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). A former preschool and elementary teacher, she has over 30 years’ experience in the field of early education. At CSULA, she teaches courses in best practices and trends and issues in early education, the role of play in learning, and school-family partnerships. She has coauthored two books: Prop Box Play: 50 Themes to Inspire Dramatic Play and Portfolio Assessment: A Handbook for Preschool and Elementary Teachers, as well as numerous articles on early childhood education.

Barbour has worked with teachers, district administrators, parent representatives, and her own students in learning-at-home projects based on materials children take home from school. She also helped develop the Peabody Award-winning television series, A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa, and was content advisor for each of the 325 episodes produced in English and in Spanish. These series are designed to help parents and caregivers nurture the development and enrich the learning experiences of preschool-age children. They are broadcast daily on public television stations throughout the nation.

Create a strong home-school connection through family activities that extend learning!

Because families play a critical role in helping young children develop a strong academic foundation and a love of learning, teachers need to involve caregivers as partners in education and extend learning to the home environment. Learning at Home, PreK 3 helps teachers plan developmentally appropriate, creative homework activities that encourage positive learning experiences and reinforce important home-school connections.

Packed with hundreds of engaging and interesting activities, this resource expands the concept of what constitutes homework and family involvement. Focused mainly on social interactions within the family, these playful, fun activities:

• Relate directly to children's own experiences
• Employ concrete, easily accessible materials
• Include shared reading experiences, family projects, and games
• Integrate developmental and content areas, including language and literacy, mathematics, science, and the creative arts
• Promote literacy learning in homes where English is not the primary language

These tools and strategies help teachers reach out to families and reinforce learning both in school and at home, ensuring that all students have the chance to achieve and become lifelong learners.

Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction
1. What We Know About Children’s Learning Learning Principles Early Learning Practices
2. Involving Families Family Involvement Matters Making Connections Why Families Don't Get Involved Teachers' and Parents' Viewpoints and Expectations A Multidimensional View of Family Involvement The Importance of Home-Culture Connections What Works
3. What About Homework?
Benefits and Drawbacks Trends and Issues Responding to Challenges Promising Practices The Bottom Line
4. Encouraging Learning at Home What to Consider How to Make It Happen
5. Language and Literacy Kits Writing Suitcase Backpack Buddies Puppet Packet Rhythm and Rhyme On the Road Friends and Neighbors All in a Day Opposites I Love Spiders!
Sharing Stories Then and Now: African American History Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia What's in a Name?
Legends Grandparents Yum! Yum!
Fact or Fiction
6. Mathematics and Science Kits Count Up and Count Down Treasure Box Math Measurement and Me Patterns and Symmetry Everywhere Time and Time Again Tangrams Numbers Make Sense Big Numbers Fractions Are Fun It All Adds Up!
Adventure Backpack Amazing Magnets My Five Senses Weather Shapes and Shadows Sink and Float Shells Trees Birds Insects and Bugs The Night Sky
7. Creative Arts Kits The Music in Me Let's Pretend Dance!
Something Beautiful Color My World Let's Get Physical My Crayons Talk Twisting and Turning Imagination Creations Jolly Junk Fiesta!
Artists Everywhere!
8. More Learning Activities: No Materials Required
75 Family Activities Family Fieldtrips
9. Family Projects Time Capsule Our Family Cube Timeline All About Me Family Calendar Class Cookbook
100-Item Creation Neighborhood Map Here's Where I Live Milk Carton Creations Recycled Junk Sculpture Word Rings Mystery Bag Family Decorate and Dress-Up Projects Resources Family Survey Sample Family Letter 1
Sample Family Letter 2
Sample Literacy Bag Agreement Poetry Award Cards Sample 1
Poetry Award Cards Sample 2
Neighborhood Walk Game Making Progress Game Road to Freedom Game Cake Walk / Endureza la Caminata Board Game Calendar Template Family Recipe Form Grand-Person or Grandparent Interview Questions Tangram Pattern Bar Graph Template Bird Puzzle Online Resources References