New Year's Resolution

If school is in session this week, have your student(s) write about a New Year's Resolution. While we often make resolutions we neglect to stick with, it's still a good idea to consider where we need improvement in life.

I suggest you encourage your student(s) to make a small, manageable resolution that is age appropriate. Very young children may want to make sure and brush those pearly whites each night before bed. Older kids may want to devote themselves to unloading the dishwasher after school... without being asked!

For this assignment, have your student get out his or her favorite writing tools: pen and paper, pencil and notebook, journal, laptop, etc.

First, assign a brainstorming session. Students should make a list of things they could work at doing or improving upon. Here are some ideas:

• make my bed each morning
• walk the dog daily
• write out assignments more neatly
• hug my little brother/sister every day
• read the Bible more often
• write a letter to my grandma each week

After the brainstorming session, your student should choose one resolution to work on. On a clean sheet of paper, have your student title the assignment with the name of the resolution. Then, have him/her write why that resolution is important, including how he/she will go about carrying it out.

Don't forget, as you supervise this assignment you may want to come up with a resolution for yourself!

Happy New Year!!!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Favorite Christmas Song

This week we'll begin writing about Christmastime. Let's start with one of the best parts about the Christmas season: the music!

Have your student(s) sit down with his or her favorite writing tools and think about a favorite Christmas song. Perhaps it is an old hymn, like "Silent Night," or maybe it is a newer song, like "The Christmas Shoes."

Whatever the tune, have your student(s) write about what the lyrics mean and why he or she likes the song.

If your student has a difficult time selecting a song, have him or her check on the internet or page through a church hymn book. This method will also provide the lyrics for an analysis of the song's meaning.

Here's an example:

My Favorite Christmas Song

I like the Christmas song "O Holy Night." The reason I love this song is it tells about the first Christmas, long ago, when Jesus was born. The words, "...it is the night of our dear Savior's birth..." tell the story of God's Son coming into this world as a baby.

I also love the line, "Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!" because it puts the awesomeness of this world-changing event into perspective. We should fall on our knees when we encounter the Savior. We should revere Him.

Every year someone sings this song in church. I always cry and I probably always will. 

There are many other Christmas songs that I love. "O Holy Night," however, is by far my favorite.

Don't forget to gather together and sing the chosen song(s). Happy caroling!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Using Adjectives

All parts of speech are important when it comes to writing. However, using adjectives is one of the least complicated ways to spice up writing. This week, have your little darlings write about anything and make it very descriptive by using adjectives.

For this assignment, have your student(s):

• Situate writing tools (paper, journal, pen/pencil, computer, etc.)
• Come up with a topic to write about (a pet, a trip, a holiday, etc.)
• Write a paragraph about the topic
• Re-write the paragraph, adding adjectives

Make sure to tell your student(s) not to add more than two adjectives next to each other. We don't want to sound too ridiculous!

Sample sentence:

Rough draft: My cat loves to play with our dog.

With adjectives added: My frisky, black cat loves to play with our lazy house dog.

Adjectives help make our language more interesting and descriptive. Remember, creative writing is meant to be fun and, well, creative!

Don't forget to visit currclick.com to take advantage of the Cyber-Monday sale. All of the units by Little Darlings Press will be discounted at rock-bottom prices, including our excellent grammar unit (A Basic Course in Grammar) that will help your student(s) become proficient in all the parts of speech, punctuation issues, and much, much more! Simply CLICK HERE to view the grammar, journaling, and writing units by Little Darlings Press.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Thankful Journal Pages Two and Three

We apologize for missing week two of the "Thankful Journal Pages." Hopefully, you came up with your own bite size writing assignment last week. If not, here are two for the few remaining days before Thanksgiving. 

Have your student(s) take out a journal, notebook, or a sheet of paper and something to write with. As always, for tech-savvy students, a computer keyboard and blank page will do!

For the second thankful journal page, have your student(s) list the activities that enrich his or her life. Sometimes we forget how blessed we are to have work, school, lessons, or clubs to keep us busy. Don't forget about church-related activities. 

For the third thankful journal page, have your student(s) write about being an American and living in a free country. Go ahead and assign a little internet research if your student(s) need help getting started. There is so much to be thankful for in America, from the freedom to vote to the freedom to gather together and worship God.

If you have young learners in your home or classroom, don't forget to pick up a copy of the short, fun Thanksgiving unit by Little Darlings Press. It's a coloring and copy work unit created just for the Thanksgiving season. Keep those little hands and minds busy this week while you are busy baking the pumpkin pies! CLICK here to check out on currclick.com. NOW ONLY $0.25!!!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Thankful Journal Page One

This month America celebrates one of its most beloved holidays: Thanksgiving. In honor of the season of gratitude, we are going to have students work on the things for which they are grateful. Over the next three weeks there will be one journal assignment per week. Let's give thanks!

Have your student(s) collect a journal, a notebook, or a sheet of paper and something to write with. For tech-savvy students, a computer keyboard and blank page will do!

For this first journal page, have your student(s) list family and friends they are thankful for. Each person named should include a reason for the gratitude. This journal page can be list or essay style. Teachers choice!

To bump up this assignment, have each student write a letter to at least one of the people on his or her list and mail it.

Don't forget to check out one of the latest units by Little Darlings Press: Thanksgiving: Coloring and Copy Work Pages. It will keep your youngest learners busy learning all about Thanksgiving. CLICK HERE to check it out!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Descriptive Writing

This week have your student(s) engage in descriptive writing. Not a description of an object or a scene, but a description of his or her own behavior.

Describing behavior is an excellent skill for the writer. Young learners can develop this skill by considering their own behavior based on a real-life experience. Have your student(s) choose one of the scenarios below and let the creative juices flow.

Describe a time when you:

• were afraid
• had to be brave
• laughed and laughed
• screamed loudly
• were confused about something
• felt very happy
• were surprised

Have fun! Be creative!

Don't forget to check out our units on journals, writing, and grammar at CURRCLICK!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Costume Party

Costume parties have been around since the 18th century, maybe longer. Also known as "fancy dress parties," these gala events have been a popular part of social life in many parts of the world.

This week, have your student(s) think about what sort of costume he or she would wear to a costume party. The first step is to come up with a costume. Guide students to think about:

• Movie characters
• Book characters
• Historical figures

Then, have students sit down and write what character they would dress up as and why. The essay can be a short paragraph or a whole page (assign according to age). The key is to encourage students to have fun and use imagination!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Amazing Animals

Animals really are amazing. They are a useful, enjoyable, and beautiful part of God's creation. This week, why not have your little darlings write a journal page about an amazing animal.

With fall migration underway, there are lots of birds around, flocking together, going somewhere for the winter. Have your students write about bird migration. A simple exercise would be to sit outside and watch the sky or backyard feeder. What birds are around? Are there any flocks? V-formations? Ducks, geese, hawks? The sky's the limit when it comes to writing about birds.

Another option is the four-legged friends who live indoors. A dog or cat make an excellent topic for a journal page. What is your pet's name? How did your pet get the name? What breed is your dog or cat? Or maybe, your indoor animal is a fish!

There are a lot of other options in town and in the country when it comes to writing about animals. The key is to encourage your students to be creative and have fun!

Don't forget to check out the new bundled units all about baby animals at currclick.com and give your students more animal fun and learning. Check it out by CLICKING HERE!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Colors

When I think of fall, I think of colors. This week have your little darlings write about changing colors of autumn foliage. If you live in town and there aren't a lot of vibrant hues out your windows, visit a park, a lake, a farm, or an apple orchard.

This assignment will engage your child's mind and help them to reflect on the beauty of God's creation.

Before they begin, discuss how nature prepares for sleep. Springtime is new life and summer is a time of green growth and plush, living plants. Fall changes the color of plants, grasses and trees in preparation for winter, when all of the landscape will go to sleep.

Your young writers can take this assignment in many directions. Some ideas are:

• Why do leaves change color in the fall?
• Write a poem about fall colors.
• Why fall is so beautiful.
• Favorite fall colors.

Use your imagination. Inspire young writer to use theirs. Have fun and enjoy the lovely colors of fall!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Pick a Topic

This week, let your little darlings pick a topic to write a short (or long for bigger darlings) essay about. Fall is in full swing. Here in the Midwest, the colors are coming into full bloom. There are also a ton of animals out and about filling up for the long, cold winter months ahead. Apple crisp is in the oven. Soccer and football season are winding down. The variety of topics seems endless.

Have your young writers chose a topic. Don't forget to remind them that a rough draft is always a good idea and editing before rewriting is essential.

If topics are hard to come by, have them chose from the following list:
 

• Fall sports
• Hunting
• Fall colors
• What to do with apples
• I love pumpkins because...
• Autumn activities

Have fun! Be creative! Happy writing!

Fall Harvest

This week, September comes to a close and we kick-off the month of October. When fall really gets rolling it's time to think about bringing in the harvest. Why not have your little darlings write about it?

If you have anything to harvest at home (garden vegetables, apples, crops, etc.) put your student writers to task on a short essay about harvesting at home.

Perhaps there is no bounty of produce in your back yard. No problem! Have your students write about fall harvest down the road, at the apple orchard, or anywhere else they can find a collection of autumn goodies.

Possible fall harvest essay topics:

• Bringing in the garden produce
• Our loaded apple trees
• A visit to an apple orchard
• In the pumpkin patch
• On the farm, we harvest...

Let the creative juices flow. Any harvest topic will do. The important part is to write, write, write! 

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Journalism

This week, have your little darlings (and your bigger darlings, too) try their hand at newspaper writing.

Journalism is a unique and exciting form of writing. Newspaper articles answer the following six essential questions:

• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How?

Assign students a topic and have them write an article that answers the six essential questions.

Some possible headlines:

• Family pet gets a bath
• My sister (or, brother) has a job
• Supper is great, mom loves to cook

Any other newsworthy topic around the house will do.

Don't forget to check out the latest unit by Little Darlings Press: Journalism: Newspaper Writing. It's a fun, short unit all about writing newspaper articles. CLICK HERE to check it out on currclick.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Rhyming Poetry

Assignment for the week of September 16:

Welcome to another week of school and another opportunity to get those creative writing juices flowing. Little Darlings Press recently put out a fun, short writing unit called: A Bite of Writing: Rhyming Poetry (available at currclick).

This week try one of the unit's simple poetry assignments with your students. Details are below.

Writing a rhyming poem through observation:

1. Observe the room you are in.

2. Write down the name of one object and describe it in detail.

3. Write about how the object makes you feel.

4. Write about its purpose/function.

5. Take all the information you have and use it to write a poem that rhymes.

Students do not need to use all the information written down. Just select a few words and phrases to work into a poem. With a rhyming poem sometimes it is useful to take a few of the words and find other words that rhyme with them.

For example:

vase
face
lace
race
chase

Here is a poem about a plant:

Green Plant
Up on the shelf there is a plant
Its leaves are oh so green.
It has one flaw - it's dusty leaves.
I think I'd better clean!

When I wrote the word "green," I thought of some words that rhymed before I began the next sentence. The key is to be creative and have fun!!!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: September Journal Pages

September journal pages are a great way to get students back into the groove of school. With the first days of school behind us, it is easy to lose zeal quickly as familiar days of reading, homework, and studying settle in. Have your student(s) grab a notebook and choose some topics to journal about this month.

Make sure to let your student(s) know that journal pages are personal, expressive, creative, and fun!

September Journal Topics:

• I'm glad to be back in school because...
• My favorite fall sport
• Fall harvest at my house
• Why I love fall weather
• What Patriot Day means to me

Encourage your student(s) to journal about any other topics they can come up with.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: The First Day of School

This week have your student(s) write a paragraph or two about the first day of school. Perhaps the calendar was turned to September 3 on the first day or school began sometime in August. Whenever your student(s) returned to school, encourage a journal page about it.

This assignment is suitable for most grades (very young students may need a bit more help) and can be very short or rather long. Take a look at both versions below:

Very Short

Have your student take out a piece of paper or a journal and a writing tool. Instruct the student(s) to write a paragraph or two about the first day of school. If they need a writing prompt or two, have them choose from the following list:

• Was it hard to get up early?
• Did you get to school on time?
• What was your first subject of the day?
• What was your favorite subject of the day?
• What do you hope to learn about this year?
• Did anything funny happen on the first day of school?
• Did  you get all of your assignments done?

Rather Long

Using the same writing prompts listed above, have your student(s) write a full page for this assignment. After a first draft is complete, read the assignment and make notes regarding any grammatical or spelling errors. Also pay attention to how each sentence flows and if there is a good, strong start to the piece as well as an appropriate closing sentence.

Have your student(s) rewrite the assignment as a final draft.

Wrap Up the Summer Writing Project

It's hard to believe we are in the last month of summer. In September we will begin posting weekly writing assignments as blog posts again. Don't forget to check this site early in the week throughout the school year so you can fill up some elective time with a creative writing project for your little darlings.

This month, have your students write a summer essay. It doesn't have to be long. On the other hand, let them fill a notebook if they want to! Work with them on some topics, or just one topic, to write about. Below are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing.

• Summer trips
• Summer camp
• Summer trials
• Places I went this summer
• Family gatherings
• My summer job
• The best thing about this summer was...
• The worst thing about this summer was...
• Why I love summer

This writing project is more for fun and documentation. Make sure you tell your young writers to save this work for the memory box. In years to come they can look back and revisit the activities of the summer of 2013. Happy writing!

Hot Summer Days and Writing

July is the month of long, hot summer days. My little darlings often take shelter in the shade with a good book. My encouragement this month is: Do some writing!

Have your little darlings choose a topic to write about from the bounty of nature and all that summer has to offer. One paragraph, one page, or a short story are all an imagination away.

To begin, gather a notebook or journal and something to write with. If a journal is being used I would choose a pen over a pencil for preservation. If notebook paper is being used a pencil is great if the work is going to be edited and rewritten.

Possible topics:

• My favorite sport
• Why I love summer
• Animals of summer in the water
• Animals of summer on the land
• Bugs of summer
• Cloud formations
• My summer chores
• Family reunion
• Summer camp

Have your writers choose their own topic, if they wish. Encourage creativity, imagination, and fun. Summer writing isn't about grades and hard work - it is about expression and enjoyment.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: June Journal Pages

June journal pages are a fun way to get creative and document summer break at the same time! Have your student(s) grab a notebook and choose some topics to journal about this month.

Keeping a journal is a great way to get in some writing without having it feel like school. Journals are personal. Journals are expressive. Journals are creative!

June Journal Topics:

• What our flag means to me (June 14 is national Flag Day in the U.S.)
• My dad (June 16 is Fathers Day)
• What I did on the first day of summer (summer begins June 21)
• My favorite flavor of ice cream
• Bugs I find outside
• My summer job
• My favorite summer activity
• What I see in the clouds
• Summer is fun because...

Encourage your student(s) to journal about any other topics they can come up with. For the free spirited writer, go ahead and let them simply sit and write whatever comes to mind. The trick to keeping a journal is to throw off the confines of writing rules and have fun. A journal can be whatever the writer wants it to be!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Thank You Letter

This is the last week of school for many students and teachers. Hurrah for summer! Why not have your student(s) practice fostering an attitude of thankfulness and write a thank you letter to someone who helped them over the past school year.

The letter could be to a piano teacher, a group leader, or even another student who helped with a math assignment.

1. Have your student draft a letter.
2. Read the letter and make notes regarding spelling and other grammatical errors.
3. Have your student rewrite the letter.
4. Make a photocopy of the letter for your student's scrapbook or file.
5. Send the letter off to the person it is written to. If your student is older, have them address the envelope and mail it. If you student is very young, they will need more help.

Don't forget to check back from time to time for some fun summer journal ideas. Keep those kids writing!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: To-Do List

Writing a to-do list may seem like a strange writing assignment, but I highly recommend it for you student(s). It is much more than an exercise in penmanship. It is an exercise in thought, planning, and organization. This assignment will give your student(s) direction and goals for the summer.

Title the assignment "Summer To-Do List." Have your student(s) follow these simple steps (after taking out a pencil and piece of paper for each student, of course):

1. Make a list of things you want to do this summer (in any order). The list should include projects (build a fort with my brother), responsibilities (help weed the garden), and hopes (go to the beach). Ask a parent to provide you with things that are already planned for your family (vacations, etc.) and include them on your list.

2. Prioritize your list. Number the items on the list, beginning with number one. Don't worry if two of the items seem to be equal in importance, just chose one to list first.

3. Rewrite your list in order that you numbered them on your page. Make sure you display your list somewhere you will see it throughout the summer. You can check off items as they are accomplished.

Have fun! Be creative!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Journal Page

This week have your student(s) write a journal page on one of the following topics:

• My favorite school subject.
• If I were a bird...
• My pet is my best friend because...
• What I have learned from my grandfather.
• My favorite weather is...

Any other topic you come up with is fine. Use your imagination and get your student(s) writing!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Persuade Me

Persuasive writing is a great way to get kids to think about why they believe something is good or correct. Persuasive writing is somewhat like an argument. The writer is arguing a point and trying to get the reader to see things his way. What is great about this type of writing for kids is it gets them to think through a belief. It will sometimes result in a change of mind. On the other hand, it can result in a stronger conviction of what it is the writer is arguing in favor of.

Either way, try this for a writing assignment this week: Have your student(s) choose a topic, something they believe in, that they can write about in a persuasive manner. The topic could be anything from why it is a good idea to get a family dog to a political or spiritual belief. Young kids may want to stick with something simple, like why jelly is better than honey with peanut butter. There are loads of topics to select from.

If your student(s) need help getting started, have a short brainstorming session to come up with possible topics. After the assignment is completed, have your student(s) read the persuasive piece to friends or family members. You may wish to have each student invite listeners to give feedback as to whether or not they were persuaded to agree with the writer or not.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Why I Love Spring

Now that springtime weather has arrived in most parts of the country, why not have students write a paragraph or two about why they love spring. This short essay doesn't have to be about the thing your student loves best about spring, but anything he or she loves about the season.

The first thing that pops into my mind is warm weather. Since I live in a colder climate (Minnesota), warm springtime temperatures are a welcome change from cold, ice, and snow. But the warm weather isn't the only thing I love about spring, and maybe not even the thing I love most. I enjoy the way the snow melts on my gravel driveway, making rivers of water that rush down toward the road. I remember as a kid my brother and I would have races in such rivers, making boats out of sticks.

Have your students take some time looking outside and brainstorming some reasons spring is such a pleasant season. Perhaps the reason doesn't have anything to do with nature, but that spring ushers in some sort of beloved event, like baseball or fishing. After the brainstorming session, assign an allotted time (about 15 minutes) for writing a paragraph or two. The most important part of this assignment just may be discovery. As your students contemplate why springtime is wonderful, they might be surprised at the reasons that come to mind.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Describe an Object

For today's writing assignment, have your student(s) describe an object. This assignment can be done anywhere and the object being described can be living or not.

Description is a key element in good writing, especially fiction. It provides vivid pictures in the mind of the reader. Describing things well is a valuable writing skill. This exercise can be short or long and done over and over again. Practice will only help your young writer(s) improve.

Instruct your student(s) to select an object to describe. Then, have them sit with paper and pencil and, after some observation, write a description. Don't worry about complete sentences, simply instruct the student(s) to write anything that comes to mind regarding the object. One word or complete sentences are acceptable, as many as possible. They should write until they cannot think of anything else to say about the selected object.

EXAMPLE: I am looking at my dog, asleep on a bed. Following is my descriptive writing exercise:

White and furry. Peaceful. She breathes with rhythmic rising and lowering of the belly. Her hair is clean and shaggy. Perky ears appear as if she is listening, yet on she sleeps. Black nose and white eyelashes. Her lips are black, too. Relaxed. Legs crossed in back, on her side.

Later, if you want, you could have your student(s) take their descriptive writing and turn it into a sensible, creative paragraph describing the object selected.

Bite Size Writing Assignment: When I Grow Up

This week, have your student(s) consider what he or she would like to do for a job in the future. You may want to have a brainstorming session for students who do not have any ideas. Have the student write down a list of things they like to do and things they are good at. Then, help them come up with some jobs that fit those skills and talents, if they need the help.

Perhaps your student is musical and organized. That might be the making of a piano teacher. Maybe your student is mathematical and loves to sit and solve problems. Perhaps he or she will grow up to be an accountant. Maybe your student is everyone’s mommy and loves to help around the house and bake cookies. She may stay home and take care of her family.

You may find that your student(s) already have some ideas of their own about what to do for a living someday. Perhaps your younger student(s) will want to be a fireman or circus performer. Go ahead and let them be anything, in their imagination.

When brainstorming is done, ask your student(s) to write anywhere from a few sentences (very young students) to an entire page (older students). If your students are your own children, make sure you tuck this writing assignment away for later, just to see if their youthful dreams come true!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Write, Show, and Tell

Show and tell has been a long-standing favorite of elementary school students. It doesn't have to be exclusively for younger students, though. It doesn't have to be just show and tell, either. Why not have your students write about something they love - and read it aloud - along with a show and tell project.

Have students pick out an object they enjoy. It can be a pet, a favorite picture, a relic from grandpa, or anything they choose. After observing the object for a time, each student should write a paragraph about it.

If the object is a pet, for example, the student should write about the type of pet it is and how it came to be part of the family. If the item is a relic, like an old watch, the student should tell where it came from and anything known about its history. If the object is a picture, the student should go into detail describing the people in it or the place where it was taken.

Encourage your students to have fun with this project. Then, after the writing is done, have the class or family members gather for an oral presentation of "Write, Show, and Tell."

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Free Verse Poem

This week, give your students wings. Assign them a poem to write, free verse style.

A free verse poem has no metrical pattern, does not need to rhyme and has lines of varying lengths. The poem can be anything your student wants it to be, a true expression of their surroundings or thoughts.

Example of a free verse poem about a bird:

Chickadee

Nervous on the feeder
Black hat, with feathers ruffled against the cold
Some seeds drop to the ground, some get eaten
Always on the alert
And never relaxed
A chickadee visits the railing
Of my deck
I watch him out the picture window
Until he flies away

Free verse is easy and great for students who stress out over writing poetry that requires a rhythm or rhyming. Have students think of something they like (pizza, sailing, riding a bike) or observe something inside (a kitten, running water, a clock with a second hand) or outside (a leaf blowing in the wind, the grass, clouds). Imagination and freedom are the tools for a free verse poem!

"A Basic Course in Grammar" Review

Following is a review for the Little Darlings Press curriculum, "A Basic Course in Grammar." This unit was written after two years of research and teaching a basic grammar course to a group of homeschool students. At an affordable price, $15.95, we feel this curriculum is a great choice for grammar or to supplement any Language Arts curriculum. One thing we have found in our own classrooms is grammar can be a tricky subject, some kids get it, some don't. Put your mind at ease, pick up a copy of this grammar unit and get your students started on the road to understanding basic, essential grammar rules.

REVIEW by Amanda K. on currclick.com: This review is for “A Basic Course in Grammar” by Little Darlings Press. This course is great for younger students, but can also be used as a refresher course for older students who are struggling. It covers all the basic parts of speech such as Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions and Interjections. It also covers types of sentences and punctuation. The format is straight-forward and easy to use. They give the instructor a guide for lesson planning which includes a 23 week lesson plan, a materials list and several charts that can be printed out and used as visual aids in the classroom. They give step-by-step instructions on how to teach each lesson. You could print this guide and start implementing it with your students right away. It does not require hours of planning or prep work, they have already done it for you! There are worksheets and quizzes available to help monitor student progress, as well as answer keys which make it easy to grade student’s papers. The guide begins each lesson with a section titled “teacher notes” which guides you through the teaching process. It is followed by “assignment suggestions” which shows the instructor which worksheets to use for that day’s lessons and gives ideas for real world instruction (like finding parts of speech in a newspaper article and circling them). Each lesson ends with a “before the next meeting” section which assigns homework and things the student should do to prepare for the next lesson. This curriculum was well thought out and does a great job covering the topic without overkill and excessive sentence diagramming which can overburden younger students and make grammar painful. This is a breath of fresh air and a gentle way to teach grammar skills. I highly recommend it for your students!

Bite Size Writing Assignment: Easter

This week have your little darlings write a journal page about Easter. They can make it about anything they want, as long as it is related to Easter! Here are some ideas:

Easter memory
What is the true meaning of Easter?
Good Friday: What does it mean?
My favorite thing about Easter
What we do at church to celebrate Easter
What we do at home to celebrate Easter
Where did the Easter bunny come from?

Some of these topics will require some research. That's a great thing! I love assignments that require more than one skill: hand-written journal page (penmanship practice), written assignment (creative writing) and research (investigative skills, good for future research papers). Take a bite out of the Easter holiday during school this week and have your students pick a topic and write away. If someone has a great Easter topic of their own, encourage them to write about it. Happy Holy Week!

Bite-Size Writing Assignment: Winter High/Low

In my house we sometimes play a game called "High/Low." We play it at the dinner table. Going around the table, each person says what his or her high and low for that day were. We've had some pretty interesting answers.

Let's take High/Low on a writing assignments with your little darlings. Have each student take out a piece of paper and a pencil for this assignment. I'm not opposed to typing writing assignments on the computer, but when they are short I like to have students write them with pencil and paper. It is a great way to get in some penmanship practice. I also encourage keeping a dictionary handy to look up words (as opposed to relying on a spell-check).

Instruct students to reflect back over the winter months and the events of late December, just before Christmas, through today. I would be careful not to mention Christmas because students may just go there. Let them come to events in their own minds. Give students at least 10 minutes (longer if you have time) to think about highs and lows of the winter. Avoid feeding students memories, unless a student is having difficulty after a fair amount of time. Then, perhaps, you may decide to help jog memories.

After reflecting back, have students write "Last Winter's High and Low" as the title for this assignment. Then, instruct them to write one paragraph for the high and one paragraph for the low. Encourage students to explain each situation and why it was a good or bad memory.

This assignment would be a good one for the "memory box" or scrapbook. Perhaps the teacher would like to document a few highs and lows of their own?

My high for this winter: Selling my first magazine article.

My low for this winter: Bitterly cold temperatures that just wouldn't quit!

Happy writing!

Bite-Size Writing Assignment: Limerick

Have your students write a limerick. Traditionally, a limerick has five lines.

You may want to come up with an example, or use the one at the bottom of this lesson, to help your students catch on to limerick writing.

Here is the format of a limerick:

• One stanza of five lines (a stanza is a grouping of two or more lines in a poem)
• First, second and fifth lines rhyme
• Third and fourth lines rhyme
• The first, second and fifth lines are longer than the third and fourth lines
• The lines follow a pattern with certain rhythm and number of syllables (to keep it simple, count out by clapping hands how the rhythm of each line should sound, using the example below)

Sample Limerick:

There once was a kitty named Kate
Who did not like to stay up past eight
Each night in her bed
She'd lay down her head
And she'd stay until it was quite late

Clapping:
First line: clap on once, kitty and Kate
Second line: clap on not, stay and eight
Third line: clap on night and bed
Fourth line: clap on lay and head
Fifth line: clap on stay, it and late

Encourage your student(s) to write goofy limericks. Nonsense is part of the fun!

Bite-Size Writing Assignment: Pet Story

This week have your little darling(s) write a story about a pet. The pet can belong to your family or another family, or a neighbor. Encourage creativity, description, observation and fun!

Supplies:
One sheet of paper, a pencil with a good eraser, a hard surface to write on and, of course, a pet.

Steps:
1. Have your student(s) collect the supplies. If you are going to observe a pet outside, take a book or some other hard surface with for the student(s) to write on.

2. Have students spend a few minutes observing or interacting with the pet (it can be a fish, a cat, dog, rabbit or even a farm animal).

3. After the observation/interaction time, have student(s) write about the pet, including descriptions of how the pet looks and how the pet acts. Give student the freedom to write either a simple descriptive paragraph or a short story incorporating the pet. You may want to make the assignment specific if the child is young or struggles with making a choice. If your student is more creative when it comes to writing, let them decide.

4. Have your student(s) turn in the story, then read it aloud to them. Kids love to hear their creative writing read aloud. Praise them for their effort. Correct spelling and punctuation. Be careful, however, not to criticize their expression. Each student will develop their own writing style. Have fun!

Bite-Size Writing Assignment: Write a Letter

I refuse to believe that letter writing, with a pen and paper, is going to become a thing of the past. I know, I know, times are changing and we live in a world of technology -- iPads, iPhones, tablets, texting... However, who doesn't love to get a hand written letter in the mail? I know I do.

Try this for a school assignment for kids of all ages: Write a letter to a grandparent, a neighbor, or a friend.

Don't forget to remind your students to translate "chat language" into plain English, especially if the recipient of the letter is older than, say, forty. (lol)

Bite-Size Writing Assignment: Season Journal

Now is the perfect time to gear your students up for writing about a season. Spring is just around the corner, why not document it with the written word? Get a spiral-bound notebook for each student. There are so many designs to choose from and even some with blank covers. Let your student(s) design a cover to represent spring.

On the first day of spring (Wednesday, March 20) have your student(s) go outside with the "spring" notebook and write a paragraph or two about what nature is doing on that day. Consider various writing assignments throughout the season. Some assignments could include:

• Write a poem about the birds
• Write a paragraph describing the sounds of nature in spring
• Keep a weekly documentation about the changes that occur throughout the season
• Write a limerick about trees, grass or water

Use your imagination and encourage your student(s) to do the same when brainstorming writing assignments. For an easy-to-use and easy-to-make nature journal, CLICK HERE.

Keep a journal for your kids

Have you ever considered keeping a journal for your kids? It's never too late to begin. I have never been very good at arts and crafts projects but I love to write! When my kids were babies I began keeping journals for each of them, recording life's events as the years rolled by. Now they are teenagers and I don't write as often as I used to (so many cute things to record when they are small), but I still update a few times a year. It's fun to look back over our family history.

I've always encouraged my kids to keep their own journals, too. Sometimes they have and other times they haven't. I've saved what I can for them. Someday, when they are older, they will cherish the words written in journals so long ago.

Writing is Everywhere!

Writing is everywhere in life! It is in our homes, in our schools, in business, in advertisement - it is everywhere!
That is the main reason written communication is so important as a core part of education. In homeschooling my own kids, writing has been front and center. Look back at the basics taught in schools historically. You will find reading, writing and math. They are core to a good education. Let Little Darlings Press help enrich your Language Arts curriculum with supplemental units. Our grammar course, A Basic Course in Grammar, is easy to use and easy for kids to comprehend. It is suitable for students in upper grade school or lower middle school ages. It also works well for high school students who struggle with grammar. Hey, we're not all fit to be grammar geeks, but the basics will help anyone succeed at school and, someday, succeed in the real world. Our animal units, Amazing Baby Animals, help grade school children learn to journal, do copy work and much more. Check out our units at Currclick.com today!