• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • About
  • Shop
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

teach mama logo

teach mama

helps families connect & build bridges between home & school, by amy mascott

  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

signs, signs, everywhere are signs

home / reading / environmental print / signs, signs, everywhere are signs
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

On our route to and from preschool, we run into some really great signs along the way. We pass by at least six BUMP signs, eight STOP signs, and about seven other interesting, “you’re coming upon some really crazy curves” signs. Because there is an opportunity for learning even on our everyday drive to school, today we more closely examined signs.

  • Signs: Maddy and Owen have been spelling BUMP for well over a year now, since, like I said, we drive over six huge speed bumps a gazillion times a week. They usually yell, B-U-M-P, BUMP! each time we drive over the speed bump. Occasionally, they’ll add a S-T-O-P, STOP! if they are really into sign reading that day. Their yelling-spelling is really great, especially if I want their dozing baby sister to stay awake until I can get her home and put her in her crib. Their yelling-spelling is also cool, though, because it’s showing me that they are becoming aware of the many words around them.

Today, I focused on all of the signs we passed on our way to school so that my riders noticed the signs themselves and realized that signs communicate messages to us, even if the signs did not have words. We screamed the letters of BUMP and STOP and came up with as many rhyming words as we could. We tried to spell the rhyming words and laughed at the silly words they came up with as rhymes.

They asked me to read every single sign we came across, and we talked about why we need a BUS STOP AHEAD sign, a ROAD NARROWS sign, and SINGLE LANE BRIDGE sign. They were proud to explain a STOP AHEAD sign and the reasons it was there.

We talked about directions as we drove past the curvy road signs and they hollered, The road is curving! Mommy! Watch out! The road is curving again! Thank goodness someone put a sign there for you! I was reminded that I need to start on left and right, but that’s for another day. . .

As I made dinner later that day, I asked Owen if he would spell bump or stop for me on the refrigerator with the letter magnets. He started with bump, then he did stop. Pretty cool, even if he did yell the letters as he went.

By sheer luck (and I mean luck!), we picked up a perfect book match for today’s little lesson when we were at the library last week. Maddy brought it up to her room before bed as one she wanted me to read. It’s called Bus Stop, Bus Go! by Daniel Kirk, and it totally rocks. Daniel Kirk writes awesome books for children; the colors are bright, the pictures are funny, and the words have a catchy rhythm that all readers enjoy. (We love Dinosaur, Dinosaur; My Truck is Stuck; & Tugga Tugga Tugboat just to name a few.)

Bus Stop, Bus Go! is not only a hysterical story about a hamster who escapes from his cage and goes on a little school bus adventure, but the language Kirk uses is just plain smart. It’s packed both with rhyme and our word from today, stop. I felt teacher-giddy when I realized how perfect this book was to read tonight. Before I began, I asked them to remind me about the signs they read on the way to school today. Then I read the title and asked if Maddy or Owen could point to either the word, stop or go. Owen said, Hey! There’s stop! and I saw a little light in his eyes. They were both hooked even before I began. . .

Today was far, far from perfect, but this little part of today–the learning that happened with a clear connection to our every day drive to school–to me, is just plain awesome.

FYI:
**It is important for children to become cognizant of the fact that they are learning to read, even if they are not always reading words on a page. Even recognizing that they can read the signs on the road or certain words on the cereal box will help build their confidence, increase their store of sight words, and encourage them to continue “searching” for things they can read every day.

Thanks for subscribing to teachmama! Have a good one!

You May Also Like...

  • how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep
    how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep
  • Navigating Education in a Time of Uncertainty: A Virtual Summit for Educators
    Navigating Education in a Time of Uncertainty: A Virtual Summit for Educators
  • learn to read app for kids 3-7: Duolingo ABC
    learn to read app for kids 3-7: Duolingo ABC

About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

Previous Post:trying to keep smiling: quick trick, days
Next Post:left, center, right!

Sidebar

amy mascott profile blog

join the coolest club around:

  • About
  • Contact
  • disclaimer
  • terms of use
  • privacy policy
  • Site-Map

Instagram


our books

setting the stage for rock-star readers
raise a reader

Find Us On Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Helpful Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us On Instagram

View
Open
UMD Womenโ€™s Basketball ROCKS!! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿ€

We absolutely love watching you play, @terpswbb !

We love watching you perform, @marylandcheer !

And @mightysoundofmd we love your music and your hilarious signs! ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ณ

See you in Greenville! 

#terpsbasketball #terpswbb #umd #familyfun #marylandcheer #umdfamily
View
Open
Tomorrow is St. Patrickโ€™s Day!

Are you ready? 

https://shop.teachmama.com/

#saintpatricksfun #stpaddysforkids #familyfun #classroomactivities #teachmamashop
View
Open
This is how we use the St. Patrickโ€™s Day Brain Teaser Scavenger Hunt! ๐Ÿ€

Super easyโ€”and makes kids work a little for their golden chocolates! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Grab them here: https://shop.teachmama.com/product/st-patricks-day-scavenger-hunt-4-pack/

<< Tag a pal who needs to know about this and would LOVE to use it with kids or students! >>

#stpatricksdayfun #saintpaddysday #stpaddysforkids #stpatsfun #linkinbio
View
Open
and then there were six
๐Ÿฑ๐Ÿฆ๐ŸฆŠ๐Ÿฆ„๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฐ

thank you @thewoobles for giving my mind, heart, and hands something fun to do during a really challenging few months. 

#crochet #thewoobles #brainbreak #teachersanitysaver #shescrafty
View
Open
With great sadness, I'm writing to share that my brother-in-law, Jeff Mascott passed away from pancreatic cancer earlier this week--at home, surrounded by family and friends. 

The family is very grateful for the community's immeasurable help, encouragement, and prayers over the past several months since Jeff's diagnosis. 

Jeff's obituary will run this weekend in the Post: 
https://www.collinsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Jeff-Mascott?obId=27420280&fbclid=IwAR2YTRooCyaLTikfjLeqF4gM-GaB1amZI2OmVl1VtKLUOjWj3Wo4URD8lC8#/obituaryInfo
View
Open
Flowers and a basket of @traderjoes faves are salve for a tired and weepy soul. ๐ŸŒท

Thankful for great, longtime friends ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›

#itshardtobeahuman #thankfulheart #wlhs4evah #teacherbffs
View
Open
Almost 30 years of friendship!! I love these smart, beautiful, strong and creative women who walked with me through my early days of teaching. 

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

Thank you, Wilde Lake High School, for bringing us together way back when. 

๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’›

Missed you, jigofjoy ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

#weareteachers #andoneprincipal #wildelake #wlhs4evah #teacherbffs #wildelakehs #teachersofinstagram #celebratewewill
View
Open
Today marks the 4th time in 3 weeks that I have had to hang new Kindness Reminders Tear-off Sheets! 

Makes my heart ๐Ÿฅฐ!! 

Some kids come by every day and give one to a new person. Others take a bunch for the week. One 2nd grade girl comes by evey morning to tell me who she gave hers to the day before. 

Every little bit helps, friend. And every interaction matters!

#kindnessrocks #adoormadeforme #teachersofinstagram #makeadifference
View
Open
Best crew for one of the best @terpswbb games weโ€™ve seen all season! 

And of course super job by @marylandcheer and @mightysoundofmd too! 

#terpswbb #terpsbasketball #familyfun #marylandcheer

Copyright © 2023 · teach mama media, llc · All Rights Reserved