Letter of the Week: K

January 20 - 24Image from The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore
Letter of the Week: K
Theme: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day / Kindness

Monday, January 20th marks our nation’s annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement he championed.  A big, important historical figure.  A big, important topic.  I don’t think there is an age that is too young to start introducing the man or the movement.  I do think both need to be scaled down to be appropriate to the child's developmental level.  Depending on age, topics could include: peace, love, bullying, kindness, equality.  This week we are going to tackle both in a small way.  Sticking with our letter-sound of the week (K), we are going to focus on the idea of ‘kindness’.

Image from the LiPS Program by Lindamood-Bell‘K’ is a consonant.  From a speech perspective, /k/ is a tongue scraper.  We make the ‘k’ sound by elevating the back of the tongue to make hard contact with (scrape) the soft palate (back part of the roof of your mouth); the air is released in a quick burst.  /k/ is a quiet sound (no voice).  Hold your hand to your throat as you say it; no vibration from the vocal cords.    

In therapy:  We will be reading 'k'/Martin Luther King, Jr. themed books, doing ‘k’/kindness themed activities, and exploring the letter name, letter sound and letter symbol for 'k'.

Suggestions for home:  Sprinkle ‘k’ throughout the week.  Pick out a variety of activities that appeal to your child (and you!).  Kids learn best through active and meaningful experiences.  And multi-modal learning helps make stronger and more diverse connections in the brain, which helps with retention and recall.  Most important, have fun!

BOOKS

• My “k” Book (Sound Box Books) by Jane Belk Moncure
• My First Biography: Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer
• My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Christine King Farris
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Robin Hill School) by Margaret McNamara
• The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore
• Happy Birthday Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo
• A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler
• Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport
• My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King, III

Looking to explore civil rights more with your child?  What Do We Do All Day curated this list of 13 Civil Rights Picture Books for Kids.

Looking for books on Dr. King, Jr. for older kids?  Check out this list on Scholastic Parents: Raise a Reader.

The Measured Mom curated this list of 11 Picture Books Kids Love for the Letter K.

FOOD
Eating the Alphabet - K:  Consider adding some “k” foods to your menu this week.  Here are a few ideas:
     kiwi     (chocolate) kisses     kumquat     kidney beans     kamut

     kale     kashi     kefir     Special K (cereal)     Kentucky Fried Chicken

     ketchup     key lime pie     kielbasa     king crab/prawns     Kix     KitKat

Feeling adventurous?  Make kabobs with your child!

ACTIVITIES
Scavenger Hunt:  how many ‘k’ things can you find around the house, while shopping at the market, in a magazine or store ad flyers?

Field Trip:  

• Zoo/Aquarium:  can you find any animals with ‘k’ in their name?
• MLK Day Open House at the Northwest African American Museum
• MLK Day at Seattle Children's Museum

Be a letter detective:  hunt for the letter ‘k’ in a variety of texts (books, magazines, newspaper, road signs, license plates)

Have fun doing random acts of kindness!

Community Helpers:  learn about the 'job' of king

Check out this Romping & Roaring K Pack by 3 Dinosaurs

Make Rice Krispie Treats - butter up your child's hands and let them form them into letter shapes!

MLK Day activity ideas from No Time For Flashcards

Look through magazines and cut out pictures illustrating 'kindness' and make a collage.

Make a kite (craft of real)!  Next week is supposed to be rain-free...you could even bundle up and go run off some energy flying a kite.

Kitchen play!

APPS

• GoExplore Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site (iPhone, but would work 2x on iPad)
• Katie's Missing Laugh (designed with an emphasis on /k/)
• Toca Kitchen

Do you have other fun ‘k’ ideas?  Take a moment and leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear!
 

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