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Teaching Your vs. You’re + FREEBIE!

Posted by on June 22, 2012 2 Comments

Oh Friends.

The teacher within screams silently at the sight of this (actual) instagram photo!

Your vs. You’re: the battle wages on.

Teaching your children to understand the difference between these two words is not only a matter of proper usage and correct grammar, it’s important because it reflects on them in the same way that poor spelling and sloppy penmanship spell doom for job and college applicants.

A few tips as you work with your budding writers and future job-seekers:

  • You’re is a contraction. Remind your child that the apostrophe in you’re indicates both a missing letter (‘a’) and the coming-together of two words. As a test, ask your children to read their sentence and see if the word they wrote down could be substituted by “you are.”  If so, it must be you’re. Additionally, this form will generally precede an adjective (you’re silly), a verb (you’re running), or an article (a, an, the).
  • Your shows possession. Help your child to see that using this version of the word tells the reader whose item you’re referencing. Was it his dog? …No, it was your dog. It explains ownership and almost always precedes a noun.

Attached is a FREE worksheet for you and your children!

Either click and drag this worksheet to your desktop to print, or CLICK HERE for the pdf. Enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Checking for Understanding, Comprehension Strategies, Teaching Grammar, Teaching Literary/English Terms, Teaching Reading, Teaching Spelling | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Word Choice: Much or Many?

Posted by on April 27, 2012 Leave a Comment

For whatever reason (call it brain lapse or failure to think-before-speaking) one of our kids struggles to understand the appropriate times to use the words “much” and “many”. The two words are consistently confused, and apparently hearing them spoken aloud doesn’t “sound wrong” or prompt reflection for this child.

What to do?

We correct with grace, we remind with kindness, but neither approach seems to be making a dent in this word choice issue.

So instead, I’ve resulted to threats.

(I’m kidding…kind of…)

I’ve threatened to make a worksheet, and I finally have. Fresh copies will be waiting for all three children this evening; we’ll make it part of family time and try to make it fun.

While I’ve not heard many other parents expressing a need for help with these two words, I thought I’d share my worksheet with you anyway. A natural extension activity would be to flip the page over after completing it and have your kids think of their own sentences!

Have “many” fun and make “much” memories together doing it!  :)  CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF or drag the jpg below onto your desktop to print.

Does your child struggle with his or her English? Please leave a comment…perhaps it will produce a worksheet we can share together!

Filed Under: Checking for Understanding, Comprehension Strategies, Teaching Literary/English Terms | Tagged: Tagged With: , , ,

“Baseball” Homework

Posted by on February 15, 2012 2 Comments

One of my dear friends shared this idea with me as a way to engage the whole body while practicing something cognitive. She plays catch with her kids and with each toss practices states and capitals, but this morning we just stuck with the states…as in, “Can you name one?”

Sounds simple enough, but after this Superbowl my 6 year old thought that “New England” was a state.

I guess I can’t blame him.

We balled up a clean sock and headed to the living room where we started playing catch. With each toss the person throwing the sock had to name a state.

NOTE: Africa is not a state, either.

The point is, getting your child to work on the very basic concept of states vs. regions vs. continents can be fun and can be done in PJ’s before lunch.

Other ideas for catch:

  • MATH: with each toss, say a number and an operation, taking turns solving the problem. (6 + 3 = 9…toss each time you say each of those parts)
  • GEOGRAPHY: take a page out of my friend’s book and say a state, toss, then have your child catch and say the capital.
  • HISTORY: if you’re into the Presidents of the US, toss the ball each time you say a name, reciting all 44 in order.
  • SPELLING: say a word and with each toss, provide a letter to spell the word. OR, for older kids, say a letter without announcing the word, and have them add on until you’ve made a word together. See what you come up with!
  • SCIENCE: practice the components of the table of elements, geological time periods in order, examples of animals going up and down the food chain.
  • RANDOM: mom states a topic and tosses the ball. Each child who catches has to provide a fact about that topic.
  • BIBLE VERSES: mom or dad recite a verse, toss the ball, and the child who catches it provides the book/chapter/verse. OR, in reverse, mom says the book/chapter/verse, and the child recites the passage.
  • FOR VERY SMALL CHILDREN: say the alphabet with each toss. Mix it up and start somewhere in the middle to see if they can adjust. OR, do the same with counting: numbers, by 2′s, by 5′s, by 10′s.

The possibilities are endless! How can you see yourself using catch to make practice more fun at your house? I’d love your comment!

Filed Under: Checking for Understanding, Creativitiy, For Fun, Games, Having fun with your kids, Homework Helps, Teaching Geography, Teaching History, Teaching Letters & Numbers, Teaching Math, Teaching Science/Biology, Teaching Scripture, Teaching Spelling | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , ,

Teaching & Giving with iMovie

Posted by on January 15, 2012 Leave a Comment

Yesterday was my husband’s birthday. And as much as I would have loved to whisk him away somewhere or skip town together, this just wasn’t the year for doing it. Instead, he elected to spend a quiet day at home watching endless football games before enjoying dinner out as a family.

One of the highlights of the day, however, was a gift that our kids put together with a little help from me: a movie for dad that combined video tributes with still photos and meaningful songs. I think even our children were misty after seeing our lives on the screen, lifted up with songs that croon of love and lifetimes.

If you’re looking for something meaningful to do for someone you love (Valentine’s Day is a month away!) ~or~ if you need a fresh way for your kids to show you what they’ve learned in school, movie making is an option that deserves a second look.

Here’s how we did it:

  1. Using my new Sony Bloggie (no, I’m not getting paid to recommend them!), we videotaped each member of the family speaking a tribute to dad. I asked each child different questions that would help them share specific memories; for example: “Share a small moment that was meaningful between you and daddy”, “What’s the funniest story your dad’s ever told you?”, “What’s the most fun you’ve ever had outside with daddy?”
  2. After videotaping eachother, we uploaded the video and dropped it right in to iMovie. MAGIC!  The kids took it over from there and added still photos from my iPhoto collection, specifically looking for pictures of daddy.
  3. Last came transitions and music.
  4. And honestly, with the exception of a couple of snags, our kids did it all!
So how can you Unofficial Homeschoolers use it? You can use it to check for understanding!
  • Have your child recap your latest history unit: videotape him acting out the main points, google search images that support the story, and add sound effects to enhance it all.
  • Videotape your child doing a new math problem, explaining each step. Add still slides in between as visual reminders. (#1: Look for a common denominator…#2: calculate your new fraction by multiplying the numerator…etc.)
  • Film a science experiment. Stop frequently to record predictions and take measurements. Add those predictions as still slides that your child puts into words.
  • Record her playing her instrument, using still slides to announce the song title and composer. Google search an image for the composer and add that to a slide as well.

Best of all, incorporating technology and giving your child the green light to create will inject the mundane with a bright flash of fun. They’ll be begging to show you what they know…and how much they love you.

How can you imagine yourself using movie-making in your home or schooling?

Filed Under: Checking for Understanding, Comprehension Strategies, Creativitiy, Gift Ideas for Kids, Music/Music Practice, Teaching History, Teaching Math, Teaching Science/Biology | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Kid Blogging + Literacy?

Posted by on July 22, 2011 2 Comments

How can blogs help your kids with writing and demonstrating comprehension?

Tonight after reading our devotions in Don’t Mess With Moses, Marty Nystrom’s poem about Moses parting the Red Sea ended with the question: “How’d he do that? Look in Exodus 14:15-22.”

I passed our Bible to my son who opened to the passage and read it; we discussed the story together and then ended with a few selections from The Awesome Book of Bible Answers.

Then, as though possessed by angelic forces, this child asked if he could take the Bible and read through it. Entirely.

After I picked myself up off the floor, I shot a surprised look over the rim of my glasses and sputtered, “Honey, if you read the entire Bible I’ll pay you $100.”

At which point I was shot a surprised look over the tops of small heads by my husband. “Let me clarify that offer a little,” he added. “If you start reading and write what you learned after each chapter, we’ll pay you the $100.”

>>ENTER: Kids’ Blogs.<<

Kids’ Blogs is a wonderful, sneaky way to get your kids writing. We registered each of our kids on this website about a year ago as a way to encourage them to practice typing and work on their writing. It’s free and it’s totally secure–a must-have for any child online.

I told our son [and daughter, who by then wanted in on the deal] that he could blog after each evening’s reading as an easy way to record his thoughts. It will allow them to familiarize themselves with spell-check, typing, composition, coming up with a title, and most importantly, demonstrating what they learned from the Bible that day.

For his dad and me, it’s an easy way to check for understanding and determine whether or not real reading is taking place.

Imagine the treasure we’ll have if he really completes this feat–pages and pages of his thoughts on God’s Word forever saved for us to look back on and revisit.

Why not let your kids try blogging this summer?

Have you considered allowing your kids to blog in a secure, safe setting? Why or why not?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Bible Time, Blogging, Character Training, Checking for Understanding, Comprehension Strategies, Family Devotions, Teaching Literary/English Terms, Teaching Reading, Teaching Scripture | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , ,

Bible Answers Devotional

Posted by on July 6, 2011 1 Comment

If your kids have questions, this book has some answers! I unearthed this treasure from a bargain book table and have been reading a few “questions” to each day as part of our devotions. Our kids have found them to be relevant, short and sweet, and perfectly to-the-point. The pages include cartoon sketches to illustrate the message, along with a Bible verse at the bottom that can be simply read, used as a reference tool for further study, or for memory work.

The Awesome Book of Bible Answers for Kids, by Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson is a wonderful compilation of questions that every kid [and grown-up!] asks. The table of contents is divided up thematically with a series of Q & A under each theme:

  • Questions about God

  • Questions about Sin
  • Questions about Forgiveness
  • Questions about God’s Love
  • Questions about Prayer
  • Questions about Jesus
  • Questions about The Holy Spirit
  • Questions about The Devil
  • Questions about The Bible
  • Questions about Different Religions
  • Questions about Right and Wrong
  • Questions about The Future
  • Questions about Church
  • Questions about Death and Heaven

The entire book houses 77 questions and answers along with a learning and conversation guide for parents, an index of Bible verses, and an index of topics. If you’ve ever felt like you wanted to dive into a place that opens the door for questioning and turning to the Bible for answers, this book is the perfect gateway.

What have you been reading for your family devotions lately?

 

 

Filed Under: Bible Time, Checking for Understanding, Communication, Discussion Ideas, Family Devotions, Family Night, Spiritual Formation, Teaching Scripture, Treasuring Your Kids | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

White Boards+Blooms

Posted by on May 11, 2011 Leave a Comment

When I was in college, feverishly working to graduate in four years and keep my loans down to the price of a small palace, I decided on an education major. Dr. Wessman, my intro professor, hammered home the basics of theory and practice, cutting our teeth on names that I, sadly, can now barely recall.

One concept that did manage to cement itself was Bloom’s Taxonomy, a ladder-like way of conceptualizing a student’s [or your child's] depth of understanding. The higher up the “ladder” you climb, the more difficult and abstract the questions become, demanding greater critical thinking and evaluation skills.

We have found these questions to be really handy to have on hand—or at least to have a few tucked away in the brain for family discussions. You can see a great list of examples HERE. One way that we employ this technique is by using whiteboards while we read stories or do family devotions.  For example:

While Reading or After Reading Books:

  • Stop at a critical turning point in the story. Ask your kids to make a prediction about the next events or the culmination of the story. Have them draw this in picture form on their white board and then explain it.
  • To occupy little ones during chapter books, ask them to draw a picture of the main character based on the description given by the author. Have them point out key distinguishing characteristics of this character.
  • As a character struggles with important choices, ask your kids, “What would you do?” Have them do their best to write a sentence on their boards and then explain their choice. This opens up a natural teaching opportunity for you, especially if the choices invite you to explain your morals.
  • Refer to THIS LINK again for other question starters.

While doing Family Devotions:

  • Ask your child to draw the landscape described in the Bible Story. Are you wandering in the desert? Laying palms at the feet of Jesus as he approaches Jerusalem? At the parting of the Red Sea? Give praise for extra details.
  • Have your kids imagine they are spectators to the story. What would they be feeling? Is this a scary time? Exciting? Uncertain? Have them draw their own face to represent the emotion conveyed in the story.
  • Divide your white board into 4 quadrants. Ask your child to focus on the main character and draw or write 4 other stories or words that can be attributed to that character. For example, if you’re reading about Moses, you might draw a picture of the burning bush, Moses as a baby in the basket, parting the Red Sea, etc. If you’re reading about Jesus and have older kids, using words to describe his character can also be powerful: loving, Savior, servant, rabbi, etc.
  • Again, refer here for further question starters and allow your kids to draw or express answers in words.

What creative ways do you use to help your kids dig deeper into their reading?

[photo credit]

Filed Under: Bible Time, Checking for Understanding, Communication, Comprehension Strategies, Discussion Ideas, Teaching Reading, Using Whiteboards | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , ,

Whiteboards + TV

Posted by on May 9, 2011 Leave a Comment

The other morning I positioned my youngest son in front of our bedroom TV while I was showering. One of his favorites, Dinosaur Train, was on PBS and when I peered in on him, I noticed that he had plopped down with his mini-white board and was drawing [what was later revealed to be] his version of a pteranodon.

“Mom,” he said, lifting his white board. “Look what I did! What do you think it is?”

My eyes sprang open, eyebrows climbing half-way up my forehead upon hearing the question. The “guess what I drew” game is always a bit dangerous, isn’t it? Not wanting to disappoint, I craned my neck and squinted my eyes, trying to identify the orange blob that seemed more like some sort of chemical pond than a dinosaur.

“Wow, buddy…Hmmmm…I don’t know.” I paused, rubbing my chin in thought.

“It’s a pteranodon!” he glowed.

“Oh! I can see it now–there’s the thing on top of his head…”

Hearing him describe his creature inspired me: we have used whiteboards while reading [details next time!], but why not while watching an educational program on TV?

If you’d like to turn TV time into something with a little more meaning and staying power, start by purchasing a small whiteboard for each of your kids [available for a couple bucks at Target/Walmart] Here are a few easy ideas!

  • Discuss the difference between main and supporting characters. Ask your kids to identify the main character in the show and draw him/her. Can they do the same for two supporting characters?
  • What was the setting of this show? Can you draw it? Emphasize the details of landscape just as much as those of manmade objects such as bridges and buildings. If you have older kids, ask them to write the name of the state, area, or–if you’re watching Dinosaur Train, the time period.
  • Recall: If you’ve watched the show with your child, conjure up a few questions and allow them to answer by drawing or writing a word answer: What did the dinosaurs use to enter the Jurassic Period? What was Papa Bear working on in the woodshop? What did Laura Ingalls have to bring into town?
  • Ask your kids to imagine an alternate ending. What if the Man With The Yellow Hat hadn’t left George alone in the apartment. What do you think they would have done together? Have your kids draw their alternate ending and then go around and take turns explaining them.
  • Was there a moral of the story? What was the lesson? Discuss or draw.

Of course your kids might protest if every morning becomes a platform for a quiz, however allowing whiteboards to make an appearance every once-in-awhile can be a fun challenge and an opportunity for you to praise their brainpower. Try it and see if TV time becomes a little more intentional–especially with shows that already convey a moral or clear teaching.

What creative ways do you employ to discuss the shows and movies you watch with your kids?

[photo credit]

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Filed Under: Checking for Understanding, Communication, Comprehension Strategies, Discussion Ideas, Uncategorized, Using Whiteboards | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,