We worked on counting out loud and playing four counts of music on repeat. We will continue to practice.

Nicholas recognized 25 letters and their sounds, using our alphabet cards. (We are working with the letter "Uu," so this card was not presented.) Both the uppercase and lowercase letters are displayed side by side on these cards. Nicholas then read all the "environmental print" cards. Each begins with " (letter) is for (picture beginning with that letter.) I have him point as he reads, since "is" and "for" are two of his sight words. We looked at the letter "Uu" on the alphabet card and figured out the sound by looking at the accompanying picture of an "umbrella." Nicholas watched a short YouTube video focusing on the "short u" sound. He then highlighted every "U" and "u" in the poem/song "U is for Up and Down" and printed an uppercase and lowercase "Uu." Nicholas correctly printed the uppercase letters he had difficulty with on his last assessment: M F G V D B E . He does still confuse the printing of "b" and "d," but this is not uncommon for a child his age. Nicholas correctly printed his first and last name and identified the letters in each. Nicholas read the following sight words: I is for a at it in. He works better with words that can be sounded out. He has difficulty with words that cannot be sounded out, but must be recalled...to the go. We then played "BANG," a sight word game. Nicholas read/sounded out "bat," "cat," and "fat," words from the "-at" family. Nicholas then read a sight word reader that focused on the word "The/the." The title of the story was "The Pet Store." He used pictures to help him read and he sounded out words such as "pet" and "cat."

Nicholas began by reviewing letters and sounds. The alphabet cards we use show the capital and small letter side by side. (When I assess him, the letters are shown separately.) He had difficulty recognizing "Vv" today. He was able to identify and tell the sound for Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt, Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz. We are working on the letter"Uu," which he sometimes confuses with "Ww." I am continuing to ask Nicholas to print the letters he could not print on his last assessment. He printed "M," "G," D," "F,' "W," "B," and "E." When asked to print "D," he printed "B." He also printed "m," and "b." Nicholas' list of sight words is growing. He read the following words: at, a, for, is, I, and go. It would benefit Nicholas to practice these words as well as the ones that gave him difficulty today: the, to, and it(Can be sounded out.) I wanted to begin word families with Nicholas (-ay), but he was quite tired. At this point we switched gears and played "Undersea ABCs," using the lowercase side of the board.

I began with a full review of the 23 letters and sounds Nicholas has studied. He identified all the letters and the sound for each. The letters are presented in both the capital and lowercase form, using our alphabet cards. EX: "Aa" and a picture of an apple. Nicholas then reviewed all of the "environmental print" cards he has studied. Each card says, for example, "V is for for ---and there is a picture of Vaseline." Today we added the card for "R," "Z," and "Y." Nicholas read and/or stretched (sounded out) his sight words: I is for a at it the to... He should practice the last two words. Today, I used a few of these words in a sentence. I then asked Nicholas to use the same word in a sentence of his own. We then played a game with his sight words called "BANG." Nicholas enjoys this game and it affords him the opportunity to practice the sight words over and over. We worked on printing some of the capital letters that Nicholas had difficulty printing from memory before spring break. He printed "M," "G," "V," "W," "F," and "B." He should practice "D" and "E." Nicholas printed his first name and he identified all of the letters. He was a bit confused printing his last name. We worked through this together and he was able to identify all the letters. "Gg" hard/g/ was the last letter we were working on before break. Nicholas drew a picture of a "garden," accompanied with "grass" and "gate." I assisted him with sounding out and he printed, "I se gras and a grdn." ("I see grass and a garden.")

We reviewed the names of each of the drums in the drum set in order to stay familiar with it. We also picked out different percussion instruments and marched around in a parade in order to both play a constant and consistent rhythm along with feel an internal pull by marching and playing at the same time.

I began by asking Nicholas to print all 26 lowercase letters. I said a letter and he printed it. We then practiced some of the capital letters he had difficulty recalling how to print: E M F T Nicholas then reviewed the name and sound for Bb Mm Uu Ww These caused difficulty on Monday, either because of recognition or sound. Today, the sound for short "u," /u/ and the identification of "Ww" remained difficult. Nicholas read the following words: it at a for is I He needs further practice with "the" and "to." Nicholas is working on stretching CVC words. We reviewed one set from our last lesson. I asked Nicholas to stretch the word "pit." I printed each letter in a box. After the word was stretched, I said, "If p-i-t spells "pit," then p-i-n spells----- We continued with, "If p-i-n spells "pin," then f-i-n spells----- I followed the same procedure with "sat," "Sam," and "bam." Nicholas reviewed the name for "Gg" and the "hard" sound for /g/. He remembered both. He then found the foam letter "G" and "g." He matched all the capital foam letters we have studied to the lowercase foam letter. He identified each letter and its sound. The only letter he had difficulty identifying was "Ww." We watched a short video on the letter "G." Nicholas highlighted every "G" and "g" in the poem. "Galumph!" Went the Little Green Frog.

Today I began by asking Nicholas to print capital letters. I said a letter and he printed it. Nicholas then printed his first and last name with no assistance. He identified the letters in his first and last name. Every session, I take the time to review the name and sound of each letter Nicholas has "studied." Of the 23 letters we have looked at, he did not recognize "W." He calls it "M." He recognized "U," but we need to practice the short "u" sound some more. Nicholas read theses sight words: I is for a it at (stretched the sounds and then said the word.) He has difficulty with "the." Today we added the word "to." We played the game "BANG" with his sight words. I have a stack of his sight words. Each word is in the stack 3 times. The word "BANG" is also written on 3 cards. Nicholas and I take turns reading a card. If the word is read correctly, the player keeps the card. If a "BANG" card is drawn, the player loses all his cards. Nicholas read all of the "environmental print" cards. We added the card for "Ww." Each card has a few of his sight words on it...Example: W is for (picture of Wendy's logo) Wendy's. I introduced the letter "Gg" and the hard sound /g/ as in "goat."

I begin each session with a review of letters and sounds that Nicholas and I have studied. I use large alphabet cards to complete this. I then use smaller "take-home" cards, which Nicholas matches to the larger cards. This also gives him a second chance to identify letters and sounds. On the back of each "take-home" card are words that describe the picture on the front of the card. For example---Ss---picture of a snowman---on the back of the card "silly snowman" This gives Nicholas a chance to reinforce the sound by saying, "sssssilly sssssnowman." Nicholas did well identifying letters and sounds. As our time together continued, he showed inconsistency. One example-- identifying "Ff" was difficult, whereas he had no difficulty with this when using our large and small alphabet cards at the start of the lesson. He also mistakes "W" for "M." We are working on these sight words: I is for a at Nicholas read these words, stretching "at," (aaaaattttt aaaatttt aaattt at) in order to read it. This is a strategy I am working on with Nicholas, as he knows enough letters and sounds to begin "sounding out" words. We added the word "it," today. Nicholas stretched this word. Nicholas printed his first name and identified all the letters. I then printed his last name. He identified all the letters and then copied my model. He asked if he could turn the paper over and try himself! We concluded the lesson by having Nicholas stretch the CVC word, "pit." I printed each letter in a box. I then said, "If p-i-t spells "pit," then p-i-n spells --------." Each letter was printed in its own square.

Learned the names of the different drums around the drum set by playing Simon Says. Nicholas also played back some rhythms that I played.

I began with an Alphabet Assessment Checklist. I asked Nicholas to identify all letters in the lowercase form. I asked Nicholas to find the "W' on the row of capital foam letters and the letter "w" on the row of lowercase foam letters. This was difficult for him. We will continue to review all letters and sounds studied, focusing in on "Ww" and /w/. I also need to focus in on the difference between "M" and "W," as Nicholas sometimes confuses the two. I read the nursery rhyme "Wee Willie Winkie" to Nicholas and he then "echoed" each line as I read the rhyme again. He then highlighted every "W" and "w" in the rhyme. Nicholas is working on the following "sight words:" I a is for the at He does not yet recognize "the." I asked him to stretch "at" (aaaaattttt) as it has not yet become "automatic." Today was Dr. Seuss' birthday, so we read "Hop on Pop." I gave Nicholas a sheet of Cat in the Hat stickers, a paper Cat in the Hat hat to color, a child's poem about promising to read each day, and I gave him a "Cat in the Hat" headband/hat to wear.