The Write Start (16 page)

Variations

For Scribblers:
Pre-writers will be delighted to see their colorful scribbles or drawings coast through the air. They may need some help planning and lining up the folds, but be sure to leave them in charge of creasing the paper.

For Spellers:
The only thing that tops learning to write a new word is sending your hard work soaring through the air to be caught and admired.

For Storytellers:
Young writers will really appreciate learning a new way to send all those messages they are so eager to write, such as “Can I go out and play now?” and “What’s for dinner?”

For Scholars:
If you want to get your child geared up to study for that spelling test, this is a sure thing. Have your child write out the words and then fly them over to you for correction.

12

All the News

E
XTRA, EXTRA,
write all about it!

Do your kids realize that every day is full of newsworthy events? Maybe they scored a goal in a soccer game or got a good grade on a test. Perhaps someone learned to pump a swing or tied shoelaces for the first time. Did the next-door neighbor have a bumper crop of tomatoes or grow a particularly enormous gourd? Are they repaving Main Street, renovating the movie theater, or painting the playground equipment? Inquiring minds want to know.

New and noteworthy stuff is happening from minute to minute. Just encourage your kids to consider it all grist for the newspaper-writing mill. Then kick back, and enjoy reading it with your cup of morning joe.

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
blank newsprint paper (or other large paper)

∗
alphabet stampers and ink pad

∗
pencil

∗
black marker

 

H
OW-TO

 

1.  Look at a real newspaper with your kids, pointing out relevant details and discussing where and how reporters find their stories and get their facts.

2.  Show your kids how to conduct a simple interview, compose an attention-grabbing headline, write a simple article, and lay out a newspaper page.

 

Variations

For Scribblers:
Encourage Scribblers to get in touch with their inner printing press. Using alphabet stampers, they can “typeset” all over their piece of newsprint, strengthening fine motor (and letter identification) skills as they go.

For Spellers:
Introduce Spellers to the idea of a press release, so they can broadcast important news items in writing, such as “Jack lost a tooth” or “Gracie said ‘Mama.’”

For Storytellers:
Storytellers are ready to learn about the
W
s (plus one
H
) of a good news story: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? They can use an article-writing worksheet (see “
Article Writing Worksheet
” in the templates section) to organize their information.

For Scholars:
Challenge Scholars to learn and use the parts of a real newspaper layout (see “
Parts of a Newspaper
” in the templates section).

13

Signs

S
IGNS ARE A SIMPLE
yet effective way for children to make their mind known. In fact, while I was writing this, my son asked for some help making a “No Mommies Allowed” sign for his clubhouse. I obliged (slightly begrudgingly).

Signs come in all shapes and sizes. There are billboards and neon signs for the flamboyant among us. And a simple sticky note on the bathroom mirror suffices for the discreet. In between, there are banners, dry-erase and chalkboard signs, signs made from poster board, and signs that hang on doorknobs. Whether subtle or sensational, signs are aimed to catch the eye of a passerby and say, “Look-y here. This is the deal.”

And don’t worry too much if you get some “Do Not Enter (Or Else!)” signs every now and then. At a certain age, kids start needing a little personal space. Just consider it a sign of the times.

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
poster board, cardboard, card stock, sticky notes, butcher paper, doorknob sign (see “
Doorknob Sign
” in the templates section), or paper

∗
crayons, pens, pencils, magic markers

∗
tape

 

H
OW-TO

 

1.  Encourage children to speak their minds with signs. When it comes to the design, remember these rules:

∗
Keep it simple: if there is too much visual clutter, the sign will be hard to read.

∗
Use eye-catching colors: entice the eyes to stop and look.

∗
Use big, bold lettering: write for readability (unless, of course, your message includes some “fine print”).

2.  Show children how to post signs where their target audience is most likely to see them.

 

Variations

For Scribblers:
Make a big sign, such as “Happy Birthday, Dad,” with block letters (outlined only). Have your Scribbler help color in each letter. This is a great way to introduce and review letter recognition with your Scribbler.

For Spellers:
The world’s best signs are short and to the point (think: “Stop,” “Open/Closed,” “Exit,” “Wet Paint”). These kinds of signs are just right for Spellers.

For Storytellers:
Storytellers usually have a lot to say. Poster board (in lieu of a billboard by the highway) is a good choice for effusive signage, such as the rules to a made-up game or elaborate instructions for entering a room.

For Scholars:
When it was homework time at my house, my older sister and I used to have “Battle of the Signs.” Hers would read, “Quiet Study Section” and mine, “Noisy Sister Section.” Doorknob signs are a great way for Scholars to communicate whether they’re having a “Do Not Disturb” moment or a “Come In and Hang Out” one.

14

Handmade Books

T
HERE IS ONLY ONE THING
you need to turn a young writer into an author: a book.

Handmade books are great to have on hand for when book-worthy inspiration strikes. Easy to make, they’re just as easy to fill up with ideas. From cover to cover, children can let their imaginations run wild.

And speaking of covers, here’s an opportunity to get really creative. While colored card stock is perfect for creating a rainbow assortment of books, there are endless other cover options as well. We have made book covers out of calendar pages, digital photos, sheet music, blueprints, scrapbook paper, cereal boxes, corrugated cardboard, and repurposed artwork. They may say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but, in my opinion, the jury’s still out on that one.

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
card stock (or other creative cover material)

∗
blank paper

∗
scissors

∗
hammer

∗
nail (or awl)

∗
string (I use colorful embroidery floss)

∗
embroidery needle

∗
decorative labels

 

H
OW-TO

 

1.  Crease the cover paper down the center and then unfold it. Lay the cover face down on a table. Lay blank pages on top of the cover. (If the inside pages are larger than the cover, trim them to fit.) Make a strong crease down the center of the blank pages. Align the cover and blank pages along the center crease.

2.  With hammer and nail, make three evenly spaced holes down the center crease.

3.  Thread the embroidery floss through a needle. Starting on the outside of the book, push needle and thread through the middle hole to the inside of the book, then out through the bottom hole to the outside, back in through the top hole to the inside, and back out again through the middle hole.

4.  Tie a secure knot with the two ends of the floss on the outside of the book. Trim the ends of the string to about two inches long.

5.  Close the book, and put a decorative label on the cover for the title and author information.

6.  Happy writing!