Language Arts

The sound this week is the letter team /ir/ as in bird.
Emphasize the /ir/ sound often throughout the day.  Have your child repeat the sound with you.

Put up your sound wall poster.

The main theme for the week is:  Birds

Books to read aloud that support the theme:

The Magpie's Nest by Joseph Jacobs
Baby Bird's First Nest by Frank Asch
Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert
Counting is for the Birds by Frank Mazzola, Jr.
The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies
The Mountain that loved a Bird by Alice McLerran
Little Bird, Biddle Bird by David Kirk
Wild Birds by Joanne Ryder
Will You Be My Friend? A Bunny and Bird Story by Nancy Tafuri
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
Our Yard is Full of Birds by Anne Rockwell
Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Birds by Jim Arnosky
The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess

Poems that support the theme:

Poetry Books:
Bird Watch: A Book of Poetry by Jane Yolen
Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems by Kristine O'Connell George
Feathers: Poems About Birds by Eileen Spinelli
On Wings of Song: Poems About Birds (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets)

Cool Bird Poems

Bird Poems at CanTeach

Poets' Corner - Birds

Songs that support the theme:

Bird Songs

Alouette
Birds in the Wilderness
Fly to Your Nest

Mary Was a Red Bird (Raffi)
Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing
Feed the Birds (Mary Poppins)

Handwriting Assignments:

Day 1:  Practice writing the letter "i" on one line of handwriting paper.

Day 2:  Practice writing the letter "r" on one line of handwriting paper.

Day 3:  Practice writing the letter team "ir" on one line of handwriting paper.

Day 4:  Practice writing the word "bird" one or two times.

Day 5:  Practice writing any of the other theme words one or two times.
 

Activities and/or Art Projects

Bird Coloring Pages

Go birdwatching!  Here is a site with tips for beginners: Birding with Children!

Set out a bird feeder and watch birds in your yard: Make Your Own Feeders

You could also create a mobile with different birds you have seen.
Origami Flying Bird Mobile

Collect some Audubon Birds: Wild Republic
 

Other Theme Words and Ideas

Other theme words - fir, birch, first, skirt, birth, stir, virtue, dirt, firmament and so on...

Books to read aloud that support the other theme words or the letter team /ir/:

The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
Douglas Fir by Wendy Davis
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
The Children's Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett

Poems that support the other theme words or the letter team /ir/:

"Auntie's Skirts" by R. L. Stevenson (from A Child's Garden of Verses)

Songs that support the other theme words or the letter team /ir/:

"The First Noel"
"Land of the Silver Birch"

More Related Sounds to Explore (Optional)

The following sounds also make the same sound as the letter team /ir/.  You can spend time now exploring these sounds if you wish.  Follow the outline above to create a lesson plan of your own for one or more of the following words.

/er/ as in her, fern, nerve, mother, perfect

/ur/ as in fur, church, burn, nurse, turtle

/ear/ as in heard, earth, learn, pearl, search

/our/ as in journey, courage, nourish, journal, glamour