Poetry In Motion

Children love to move around and be active so why not take full advantage of this fact and make it into a game that everyone can participate in. This week we’ve chosen an activity that incorporates lots of movement and lots of reading. The first step is to pick a fun poem; perhaps your child has a favorite one or maybe you do! If not you can always use a Shel Silverstien poem; his are always silly and will have everyone laughing.




After you choose your poem pick one person in the family to be the reader and one or two to be the actors or actresses. The reader will slowly read the poem aloud while the others act out each sentence. Make sure they not only act it out but they also use facial expressions to convey emotions! You can also gather props from around the room that can be used in the performances. Make sure that the adults get in on the fun and be sure to be supportive and always applaud for good reading or good acting!


Here is an example of a great poem that your family could use:


One Inch Tall by Shel Silverstein


If you were only one inch tall, you'd ride a worm to school.
The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool.
A crumb of cake would be a feast
And last you seven days at least,
A flea would be a frightening beast
If you were one inch tall.


If you were only one inch tall, you'd walk beneath the door,
And it would take about a month to get down to the store.
A bit of fluff would be your bed,
You'd swing upon a spider's thread,
And wear a thimble on your head
If you were one inch tall.


You'd surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum.
You couldn't hug your mama, you'd just have to hug her thumb.
You'd run from people's feet in fright,
To move a pen would take all night,


(This poem took fourteen years to write--
'Cause I'm just one inch tall).


I hope you enjoy this activity and have lots of laughs along the way!

A Recipe for Family Fun

There are many creative and interactive ways to read with your family and this week we are going to teach you one we love! In our last post we mentioned that you can find ways to read aloud that aren't just from a book, such as following a recipe together. This week, we've got a fun and creative recipe that will provide hours of good times for you and your family. However, this isn't your usual recipe. We won't be making dinner; instead we'll be making playdough! This recipe has been used by Brittany and her family for years. Brittany still speaks of the great memories she had making it with her sister and cousins growing up and now you'll have the same opportunity!

Start with the ingredients. Depending on your child's age, you can have the child read the items you need aloud while another person gets them. From there, take turns reading the steps in the recipe, this will ensure everyone is reading and cooking together!

Ingredients:
1 Cup flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup iodized salt
2 Tsp cream of tartar (optional)
1 package of Koolaid [this gives the playdough its color and a great scent!]

*All above ingredients are non-toxic*

Directions:
1) Mix all ingredients together in a pot and cook over medium heat.
2) Stir often, until thick (about four minutes).
3) Remove from pot and work the dough with your hands while warm until the color is even. Be sure to do this on a clean, hard surface (like a counter or kitchen table) with good supervision.
4) Mold, Create, and Design however you'd like.
5) Store in a sealed bag or airtight container for more fun later. Or leave your creation out to dry so you can keep it forever!

Be sure to take lots of pictures and share with your friends and family.

Happy Friday everyone and happy reading!

Bug Eating & The Adult Literacy League.. What?

Afraid to try something new with your student?... Don’t be!  Branch out... Experiment!

Instructor Vince and I are getting ready to eat some bugs!

You don’t have to snack on crickets together to be adventurous. It can be as easy and simple as bringing coupons from Sunday’s paper to get a conversation started.  For those of you working with ESOL students, coupons may be something completely foreign to our students – you can discuss the vocabulary (doubling/double coupons, sale, discount…the possibilities are endless).  You can talk about when and how to use coupons like during a transaction at the supermarket when you present them to the cashier, this sort of thing.

For those of you working with ABE students, you could turn a session with coupons into a simple math lesson.  Talk about the importance of budgeting and staying within your budget – essential concepts that our students may not have experience with.  Let your student be your guide.  Don’t feel “married to” your curriculum; encourage your student to identify a goal and help them put that goal on paper and then you can work together towards that goal. 

Just don’t be afraid to try something new!

He's only acting like he doesn't enjoy it.

See? He loves it!