Writing should be an integral part of our lives! Why not include it in your summer activities?
As I ponder how we spend the last few weeks of summer, I am reminded of the educational value of scrapbooking. In the past I have written about ideas you can use to teach your children writing and art techniques as you scrapbook. Since we enjoy scrapbooking so much, I plan to have my children make some scrapbook gifts and integrate scrapbooking with writing. For many of the pages they create, they will be writing a paragraph about that page.
Of course, I will use Excellence in Writing to work through the writing process by developing a brief outline, writing a rough draft and editing their paragraph for stylistic techniques and possible errors.
Writing can take many forms throughout the summer. Your kids may write letters to grandparents, friends at camp or other friends/family. They might keep a journal of what their favorite summer memory. Or, write an article about their vacation. You can even publish the article online at www.ezinearticles.com.
Personally, I love to hear what my family and friends are doing. Reading Christmas letters is a special treat in our house. Do you send out a Christmas letter updating your friends and family? Let your children help you write your letter and start this week.
For several years, our children are co-authors of our Christmas letter. When they were younger, they simply wrote sentences about events they enjoyed. They have also written paragraphs about one of their favorite memories of the year and one of the lessons God has taught them this past year. You can use Excellence in Writing's unit on creative writing to develop a well-written short essay (3-5 paragraphs).
Who knows???
If we start now, maybe our Christmas letter will be ready to mail by Thanksgiving. (Well, don't hold your breath!)
One last idea is to have your children write down is their favorite memories about this past summer. I am keeping their answers in their journals. Won't it be fun to look back and see what they thought was important in 2008?
Blessings,
Kerry Beck
ps. You DON'T have to scrapbook to use these ideas. Simply get a cool journhal or journal to keep copies your kids' thoughts & writings...for memory sake.
Kerry Beck helps teachers and homeschool moms by using predictable books in writing. She has a free mini-course to show you how to teach writing at Teaching Writing. |
