Wednesday, September 5, 2012

PART II CCSS WRITING, SPEAKING, LISTENING, LANGUAGE


Hooray!

My monthly activities for September are now up!  This has been a task of love for you from my wonderful webmaster Alex May and me!   You’ll find simple and practical activities for Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language.  Here are a few examples:

Writer’s Chant - Children repeat each line to this chant as you open your arms wide and clap while stepping from side to side.
Chorus:
Who knows the writing process?
I know the writing process.

First step.  (Hold up one finger.)
Brainstorm.  (Hands on the side of your head and shake down.)
Chorus
Second step…(Hold up 2 fingers.)
Write it down…(Pretend to write with index finger on palm.)
Chorus
Third step…(Hold up 3 fingers.)
Edit your work…(Shake finger.)
Chorus
Fourth step…(Hold up 4 fingers.)
Publish your work…(Brush hands together.)
Oh, yeah!  (Hands on hips with an attitude.)
  
Mystery Backpack – Purchase a backpack, or simply find an old one in lost and found and use it for this activity.  Put a direction card in the backpack that says, “Today your child is bringing home the mystery backpack.  Please help your child find one object that is special to her to put in the bag.  Write three clues about the object on the enclosed card.  Tomorrow we’ll read the clues to the class and see if they can guess what is in the backpack.”  The next day read the clues, and then encourage the children to ask questions about the contents of the backpack.  The anticipation will build until they “solve” the mystery.  This activity gives children a turn to feel special, and it encourages thinking skills and language development.

Questions and Statements - You will need two lunch sacks and a variety of small classroom objects for this activity.  Draw a question mark and write “Question” on one bag.  Draw a period and write “Statement” on the other bag.  Fill each bag with several objects.  Children take turns drawing an item from the bag.  If they chose the question bag, they must make up a question about the item.  If they choose the statement bag, then they make up a statement about their item.