Everyday Talk: Counting, Calendar, Flag and Place
Some early skills are spoken, not tapped: counting out loud, saying the Pledge, telling where the cat is sleeping. They grow in the car, on a walk and at breakfast, a few minutes at a time, with you listening.
What you need
- A wall calendar he can write on
- A map of Texas and a globe
- An envelope with your home address on it
- A small toy to hide
What done looks like
- He counts aloud from any number you name to 100, and by tens without skipping.
- He says the Pledge from memory, standing properly, and knows the anthem when he hears it.
- He picks out both flags on sight and names his country and state.
- He tells you where something is in a full sentence with a position word.
- He names his town, state, country, continent and planet in order.
What to do, grade by grade
- K: count out loud on walks, starting from a number you name ("start at 38"), by ones and then by tens to 100.
- K: point out the U.S. and Texas flags wherever they fly. Say the Pledge together each morning, standing, right hand over the heart. Name the national anthem when it plays at a game.
- K: hide a toy and have him tell you where it is with near, far, next to and between.
- Grade 1: each morning he finds today on the calendar, says the day, month and season, and writes one thing from his week on it.
- Grade 1: read your address on the envelope, then name the places from small to big: town, Texas, the United States, North America, Earth.
- Grade 1: say the Pledge from memory; name the bald eagle as the national bird and describe the Texas flag: one white star on a blue stripe, then a white stripe over a red one.
How to teach it
- Say it with him first, then let him lead. When counting, drop out after a few numbers and come back only if he stalls.
- Start counting from odd places like 67 or 89. Crossing into a new ten (69 to 70) is where children get stuck.
- Teach the Pledge a line a week and one hard word each time: allegiance means loyalty, indivisible means it cannot be split.
- For position words, swap roles: he hides the toy and tells you where to look. If he says "over there," ask "next to what?"
- Keep the calendar where he eats breakfast. Yesterday, today and tomorrow come before months and seasons.
- On the envelope, each line is a bigger place. Find Texas on the map and North America on the globe.
Curriculum goals this sheet covers (7)
In the words of the grade-by-grade guide.
- Recites numbers to at least 100 by ones and by tens, starting from any given number
- Names the country and the state he lives in, and picks the United States and Texas flags out of a group on sight.
- Recites the Pledge of Allegiance and knows that 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is the national anthem.
- Describes where something is using position words such as near, far, next to, and between
- Recites the Pledge of Allegiance and identifies the United States flag, the Texas flag, and the bald eagle.
- Puts the days, weeks, months, and seasons in order and places events from his week on them.
- Names the town, state, country, continent, and planet he lives on, in order from small to large
Goals covered: Recites numbers to at least 100 by ones and by tens, starting from any given numberNames the country and the state he lives in, and picks the United States and Texas flags out of a group on sight.Recites the Pledge of Allegiance and knows that 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is the national anthem.Describes where something is using position words such as near, far, next to, and betweenRecites the Pledge of Allegiance and identifies the United States flag, the Texas flag, and the bald eagle.Puts the days, weeks, months, and seasons in order and places events from his week on them.Names the town, state, country, continent, and planet he lives on, in order from small to large