Age 6-8 - Writing - Always Learning

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Age 6-8 Writing - Always Learning

Shape Books Encourage Reluctant Readers

November 10th 2011 02:11

Reluctant writers can be encouraged to put the pen to the page with the help of a pair of scissors. Making shape books can turn writing into a crafty project, perfect for visual learners or kinetic, hands-on learners. The process of making a book in a particular shape can also provide the framework for a story.

Choose the shape
The easiest way to get your child writing, is to create a book in a familiar, well-loved shape. My daughter loves baby dolls, so her first book was in the shape of a baby doll. A baby bottle followed, then a rattle and a cradle. This series of books was easy for her come up with stories which helped her handwriting immensely. Other children may love cars and trucks or kittens, horses or balls.

Make the book
Draw a very simple outline of the desired object. Use a thick line coloring page image or enlarged silhouette from a clip art program to make a cardboard stencil.
Cut this shape out and then trace on a stack of five pieces of white paper. Trace it again on two sheets of construction paper. Once all the pieces of paper are cut out, sandwich the white paper between the construction paper and staple in a straight line down one side.

Read more, including...
Ask Questions
Illustrate and Write
Read
Store Proudly

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Craft, Writing

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Encourage Creativity

November 3rd 2011 00:55

9 Ways to Encourage Creativity

Creativity is not a frivolous trait. Children raised to be creative thinkers are also often excellent problem solvers and have an innate trust in their abilities. Your child may not write a Pulitzer Prize winning novel or star on Broadway, but then again, you very well may have a budding creative genius underfoot. Regardless, the benefits of creativity are wide-spread. Here are 9 ways to encourage creativity.

1. Ask lots of questions. Let your child ask questions. Indulge your child's curiosity by letting them pursue tangents and explore new subjects.

2. Tell stories. Encourage your child to come up with alternate endings to favorite stories or movies. Before finishing a storybook, see if your child wants to guess the ending. Imagine new characters or put the same characters in a different setting. Retell these stories at bedtime, while cooking dinner or driving.

3. Allow time and space to create. Exploring takes time. Resist the urge to give short cuts, or exclaim that an idea won't work, let your child try. Unless of course their idea is dangerous to herself or others. If you can designate a corner for art work that can be left out, great.

4. Be silly. Singing and dancing along to the radio or making up your own silly tune is the best way to encourage the same freedom for your child. Even if you are not a natural extrovert, you can let your silly side show every so often.

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 3-4, Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Computer Based, Craft, Toys, Writing

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Prepare your little CEO

April 23rd 2011 15:21

Are you raising the next CEO? What are you doing to prepare them? Veritas Prep is an option.

While most high school junior and seniors prepare to take the SAT, (and teachers and parents have done the same) the GMAT is for those students planning on heading off to business school....and need specific preparation. Since the test is taken generally by people in an older age range, 21-45, the truth is, they will often not have someone pushing them to study up, like for the SAT.

You can give your future business leader a heads up. Check out some of the rules behind the GMAT, and offer scenarios, maybe from your work place, that will make them think through situations. If you've taken the test, or maybe attended something like like the New York GMAT classes, then you can relate what you've gleaned from the experience.

My son, a sometimes struggling student, gobbled up his Economics course in ninth grade. He aced every test, made shockingly accurate connections and really, just surprised everyone around him.

One part of the GMAT though that I discovered he will be at a disadvantage is that calculators are not allowed. Over all his years of school, literally from second grade, his teachers encouraged using calculators in class. It was required. He will need to brush up on that portion for sure.

Comprehension is a large part of the test, "recognizing what to do-almost instantaneously-" is something to work on in order to save time and helps accuracy. If you know what your child wants to do in the future, take steps now to help them prepare....whether they are in second grade or a senior.

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Computer Based, DVDs, Maths, Writing

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Games-How to Choose "IT"

April 12th 2011 12:40

This is a blatant attempt to quickly catch up my blog challenge (and maintain my regular work) A to Z blog challenge posts suffered a bit while I was out of town, but I am back and ready to play...

Speaking of playing, when a group of kids get together to play a game, one of the tasks they need to get out of the way is choosing who will be IT.

How to Choose who is IT;

Eenie, meenie, meinie, moe

Eenie, meenie, meinie, moe
Catch a tiger by the toe
If he hollers
let him go
Eenie, meenie, meinie, moe

Blue Shoe

Blue shoe, blue shoe,
How old are you?
(The person told his or her age, and the one saying the rhyme counted
ahead that many shoes, and the ending one was out. The rhyme continued
until one person was chosen.)

One potato...two potato

One potato, two potato, three potato, four.
Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more.
(Then the person would remove the fist on the word "more" and the game
would begin again.)

You're IT!
Tag is a simple game to play. After deciding who is IT...the IT proceeds to chase everyone else, When a person is caught by IT that person becomes IT. Although there are many variations of the game. Decide upon the rules before starting so everyone is on the same page, Will there be a base? Is it freeze tag? Teams?

Chosing who will be IT is part of the fun. Now, go play Tag, Red Rover, or pickle in the middle...FUN!

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 3-4, Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Toys, Writing

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A is for Always

April 2nd 2011 12:52

For 26 days in April (minus Sundays) I will be posting a blog for each letter of the alphabet.
"Sylvie's word of the day"
I am all for challenges, so when this was dangled in front of me in my writers group, I grabbed it.

Hundreds of people signed up, literally 1037 people. Go ahead, Sign up here, if you dare.

This mini adventure is fairly mundane, but with 1000 bloggers jumping in, stalking each other, chatting away everyday, something good is bound to happen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Always is my word of the day, in honor of ALWAYS learning. Life is too ....oh wait, I'll just quote Henry Miller, he said it best.....

"develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music, the world is simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself." ~Henry Miller

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 3-4, Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Computer Based, Cooking, Craft, DVDs, Maths, Reading, Social Studies, Toys, Writing

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Stages of Art Development

March 3rd 2011 01:13

Every child, rich or poor, goes through the same basic sequence when starting to draw. Make the most of the different steps by offering a variety of interesting materials to explore...

Art Development through the stages
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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 3-4, Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Craft, Writing

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Gifts for Neighbors-Magical Reindeer Food

December 21st 2010 14:26

Giving gifts, or even cards to all my neighbors would be an impossible task without this inexpensive, fun tradition. Delegating this task to the kids is a nice way to keep the little ones occupied while attending to other Christmas activities nearby. Like baking, wrapping presents, or simply sipping tea and regrouping.

Recipes for Magical Reindeer Food
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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 3-4, Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Cooking, Craft, Writing

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Fun Projects for the Classroom

December 20th 2010 04:56

Bring your students together by assigning fun classroom projects. Implementing projects throughout the year encourages cooperation and communication. New friendships can be formed while new skills are being learned. Classroom projects can be used to integrate several different subjects, reach out to the community and other classes, or used simply as teambuilding activities

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Computer Based, Social Studies, Writing

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Creative Ideas for Struggling Beginning Writers

August 30th 2010 02:18

Stepping into my first creative beginning writing class of the year was an eye opener. I quickly realized only two of the 12 students could write more than their own names.

A few quick revisions to my plans and we ended up having a fantastic year together. They progressed in both their story telling and writing skills by year end...thankfully. That class was a challenge...high energy, high creativity, high drama, little writing, yet lots of learning

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Reading, Writing

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Running is Fun-Start a Kids Running Club

July 6th 2010 03:46

Encourage healthy habits by starting a running club for kids. Enlist the help of local teens or parents and have fun. A running club can be an informal meeting at your home or local park, or it can be started as an after school program at school.

It's no secret that kids are more sedentary than ever before. The options to keep them in their chairs are staggering; tv, dvd's, video games, computer games, facebook, myspace, twitter, chatting, texting and homework

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Writing

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Science....and Father's Day

June 15th 2010 14:09

Incorporate science lessons into your summer fun. Using art materials to teach science is a sneaky way to slip abstract ideas into your child, making them easier to grasp. Let these ideas double as Father's Day gifts or activities for dad to do with their kids.

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Posted By: Sylvie Branch - Category: Age 3-4, Age 4-6, Age 6-8, Age 9-11, Books, Craft, Writing

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