JUST BECAUSE...

It really is JUST BECAUSE DAY, and a day to remember to shut your door and read a book, sing a song, or play a game “just because.” I think sometimes we beat a book to death by asking about the author, illustrator, beginning, middle, end, characters, setting, problem, resolution, illustrations, vocabulary…etcetera, etcetera. Sometimes you just need to read a book and LET IT BE! Give children a blank book to write whatever they want JUST BECAUSE!

Read, Write, Quiet Boxes are a nice way to blend skills with creativity and reading and writing for pleasure.

Materials: empty food boxes, construction paper, paint, art media
               blank books, pencils

Directions: Each child will need to bring in an empty food box from home. Cut the top off the box and make slanted sides. Children can paint their boxes or decorate them with construction paper. Store blank books, pencils, and simple books that they can read in the boxes. Children can use their boxes as a quiet activity after lunch or if they finish their work early.

Little Books

Lay four to six pieces of paper on top of each other. Staple the four corners. Cut into fourths, and you’ll have four little books.

Use for: days of the week (seven sheets of paper)

            Seasons (four sheets of paper)
            Senses (five sheets of paper)
            planets, continents, etc.
                             
*Staple four times on the short side and then cut horizontally to make “skinny books.” Use for writing names, sentences, ABC’s, numbers, making patterns, and so forth.

Kalina is in her jammies on my lap helping me make books.