Super Creative Language Arts

Language
LanguageARTS Hudson & Ivins, Scholastic Teaching Resources
uper-creative Art Activ

S
and Enga
ities
That Sk i ll s
ge K Build Language Arts
i ds o
f All Le
arning Styles
B Y K A T H I H U D S O N & J O A N N E I V I N S
N E W Y O R K T O R O N T O L O N D O N A U C K L A N D S Y D N E Y
M E X I C O C I T Y N E W D E L H I H O N G K O N G

W e are grateful to the many people who have
influenced our teaching throughout the years.
We are also indebted to our families
(Joannes husband Larry, my children, Jessica
and Josh, and my editing sister, Diane)
for their support, encouragement and help

as we struggled to put these ideas to paper
in a way that we hope will inspire enthusiasm
in teaching and learning.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of
the publisher. For information regarding permission write to Scholastic Professional Books, 555 Broadway,
New York, NY 10012.
Cover and interior design by Kathy Massaro

Interior art by James G. Hale
Student artwork by students of North Wayne Elementary School
ISBN: 0-590-00488-3
Copyright 1998 by Kathi Hudson and Joanne Ivins. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A

Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................5
What Youll Need ................................................................................................................5
How the Activities are Organized ........................................................................................5
Story Elements
Story Cut-Aparts ..................................................................................................................7
Story Detail Viewfinder........................................................................................................9
Setting/Character Picture Frames ......................................................................................11

Setting/Character Dioramas ..............................................................................................13
Prediction Cards ................................................................................................................15
off Speech
Parts o Speech
Acting-Verb Cartoons ........................................................................................................17
Pictonoun Paragraphs ........................................................................................................19
Helping-Verb Hands & Linking-Verb Chains ....................................................................22
Adjective Pictures ..............................................................................................................24
Conjunction Junction ........................................................................................................26
Impressive Possessive Portraits ............................................................................................28
Preposition Scenes ..............................................................................................................31
Homophone Cubes ............................................................................................................34
Animated Adverbs ..............................................................................................................36
Antonym & Synonym Puzzle Pieces ..................................................................................38
Reading Skills
Skills
Main-Idea Flowerpot..........................................................................................................40
Nonfiction Kites ................................................................................................................43
Story Ads............................................................................................................................45

Story Genre Paintings ........................................................................................................47

Cause-and-Effect Inventions ..............................................................................................49
Double-Meaning Scenes ....................................................................................................51
Past-Tense Silhouettes ........................................................................................................53
Cartoon Quotations ..........................................................................................................55
Base-Word House ..............................................................................................................57
Word-Root Trees ................................................................................................................59
ling Skills
Spelling
Spel Skills
Illustrated Definitions ........................................................................................................61

Rough-Tough Words ..........................................................................................................63
Palindrome Pictures............................................................................................................65
Skills
Handwriting Skil
Handwriting ls
Capital-Idea Pictures ..........................................................................................................67
Painted Quotations ............................................................................................................69
Signature Silhouettes ..........................................................................................................71
Good Signs ........................................................................................................................73
Poetry
Paper-Animal Haiku ..........................................................................................................75
Cartoon Limerick Strips ....................................................................................................77
Color-Coded Poems ..........................................................................................................79

Introduction
anguage arts skills help lay the foundation of all verbal learning.
L So we teachers agree that students ability to comprehend and

communicate figures heavily in their success across the curriculum.
Engaging your language arts learners in a kinesthetic and creative way is
crucial. Thats why Joanne, an art teacher, and I, a language arts teacher,
collaborated on this book. We believe that the easy-to-do activities in this
book will help you meet this challenge. In fact, were excited by the progress
weve already seen with students of all learning styles in reading and writing
skills ranging from poetry to punctuation.
Making art clearly benefits students on many levels. First, it gives them the
chance to learn creatively, literally having a hand in the process. Second,

artwork engages students by engaging their senses: The colors and design of a
well-devised project, the feel and even the smell of the materials, the
manipulation of these materials toward a tangible creation, and the inevitable
feedback of peers and parents all come together to reach students of all
learning styles and strengths. Finally, art making builds students confidence
and self-esteem by offering them the freedom to execute their own ideas,
decisions, and evaluationswithout the risk of being wrong. And perhaps
most important, its fun!
What Youll Need

In addition to your students imagination and enthusiasm the activities in this
book require very little in the way of materials to complete. Besides students
pencils and notebooks, most projects require only construction paper, safety
scissors, markers or crayons, and glue. The few exceptions require the use of
things like index cards, paints, and pastels. In addition to these basic
materials, youll see the occasional cardboard paper towel tube (activity 33
Paper-Animal Haiku) or shoe box (activity 4Setting/Character Dioramas).
For these, we often suggest that you ask students to bring the material from
homeor, where possible, we offer easy-to-find alternatives.
How the Activities Are Organized

To make them even more doable, the activities are structured so that you can
see the important elements at a glance. Each activity is organized in the
following way:
S KILLS H EADING This box at the top of the page lets you know what
Language Arts element the activity addresses. These include Story Elements,
Parts of Speech, Reading, Spelling, Handwriting, and Poetry.
OVERVIEW The overview lets you know what students will be creating and
what language arts skill they will be honing along the way.
M ATERIALS Materials are listed on a per-student basisthat is, just one of

each material shown unless otherwise noted. The amount of scrap paper,
crayons, markers, and other collective materials is determined by what kids
need, what is available, and your judgment.
A DVANCE P REPARATION Some activities require advanced preparation. In

most cases the activities call for you to precut paper or bring in magazines or
a library book. In a few instances it will be necessary to model the activity for
students before they do it themselves.
G ETTING S TARTED This section helps you frame the activity within the
context of a lesson plan. It helps you focus the class on the language arts skill
the activity addresses and quickly lays out any brainstorming or discussing
you and your students may need to do.
W HAT TO D O These simple steps show you how to instruct students in

doing the activity.
E XTENDED L EARNING This section offers interesting variations on the

activity, often providing a way of modifying the activity to give it a cross-
curricular link to subjects like science and social studies.
WAYS TO S HARE This feature suggests ways of exhibiting your students

artwork.
A
s lifelong learners, Joanne and I are excited about this new twist in
our teaching strategies. We hope these activities will delight your
students as much as they have delighted ours. In addition to offering
vibrant and interesting art experiences, theyll help you provide students with
valuable practice in a variety of language arts skills. You need only select an
activity and watch students build their language skills as they enjoy the fun of
making art.
6
Story Elements
A CT I V I T Y 1
Story Cut-Aparts

Students create and cut apart symbols of a story, then fill the spaces
with story details to help them analyze a favorite book.
.
vie
mo
Materials
l.
oo
ry
ch
sca
ts
Th
ey It w
ta
% 9 x 12 construction paper, white and another color
a
lau as
see
me
gh fun
ed .
ey
(1 sheet of each per student)
to
.
Th
nt
we
% pencil
ey
Th
% notebook paper
% scissors
% glue
% fine-point marker
Getting Started
Invite students to briefly summarize their story and to think of a shape or an
object that helps them remember the storys theme. For example, they might
choose to illustrate a peach for James and the Giant Peach, a train for The
Boxcar Children, oras shown herea heart for Secret Boyfriend. Then
explain that they will cut up the object, pull it apart, and insert the storys
main ideas within it.
What to Do
1 Ask students to sketch on colored construction paper the shape

theyve chosen, making it large enough to fill most of the paper.
2 Instruct students to write the main points of the story in four or

five short sentences on a sheet of notebook paper.
7
Story Elements
3 Show students how to draw lines to

divide the shape into sections for each main
point theyve listed.
4 Using the lines as a guide, students

can cut the shape into pieces. Then invite
them to reassemble the shape by gluing the
colored pieces onto the white construction
paper, leaving about a one-inch space
between the pieces.
5 Ask students to reread their sentences to make sure theyre clear and that
there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Once theyve done this, invite them
to use a fine-point marker to write the sentences in the cut-aparts spaces.
6 To complete the project, ask students to write the storys title at the top
of the page or around the outside of the shape.
Invite students to use this activity to review a magazine or newspaper article

or any other nonfiction selection. You might also suggest that they use Story
Cut-Aparts as part of an oral book report.
% Compile students Story Cut-Aparts into a class book that can be shared
with other classes or used to demonstrate how various people can read the
same story and view it differently.
% Have students save some of their Story Cut-Aparts throughout the year in
their assessment portfolios. At the end of the year, bind them together to
make a personal book for each student.
% Use Story Cut-Aparts to make a classroom display by arranging them on

a bulletin board or blank wall.
8
Story Elements
A CT I V I T Y 2
Story Detail Viewfinder

Students make viewfinders to demonstrate reading comprehension

skills such as noting details and making predictions.
Materials
% 1 sheet of 9 x 12 white construction paper
% ruler
% pencil
% scissors
% crayons or markers
% pen or fine-point marker
Getting Started
Once students have chosen a story to focus on, discuss how story details
augment and enrich the meaning of the story. Explain that the details often
give important clues to what will happen next or to how the story will end.
Ask students to write a brief summary of the selection, listing important
details of the story.
What to Do
1 Ask students to fold the construction paper in half like a greeting card.
2 Instruct students to use a ruler and pencil to draw a rectangular or

square box on the front cover of the card. Then ask them to cut out the box
to create a window.
9
Story Elements
3 Have students open their viewfinder card and

illustrate the story details on the right-hand side.
You may want to suggest that they close the card
occasionally to be sure that the viewfinder only
reveals a few details without giving the ending away.
4 Ask students to use a pen or fine-point marker to write a question

above the window on the front of the card. The question should invite the
reader to predict what will happen from the detail(s) they can see inside the
window. If a student had read James and the Giant Peach, he might ask, Will
James be able to get away in the peach?
5 On the back of the card, ask students to write the story title, author,
and a brief, detail-rich summaryincluding how the story ends.
Students might enjoy making an oversized viewfinder. Invite students to

illustrate an unfolded sheet of construction paper with story details. Then ask
them to make a viewfinder by cutting out a window from a 4-by-6-inch
index card. Invite students to move the viewfinder over the paper to view and
list as many story details as possible.
% Encourage students to share their viewfinders with their classmates and

friends. Were they able to answer the questions and predict the storys
ending?
% Display Story Detail Viewfinders in the hallway, cafeteria, or auditorium

to encourage other students to read the story and look for details.
10
Story Elements
A CT I V I T Y 3
Setting/Character
Picture Frames

Students create picture frames that focus on character and setting

and provide you with a fresh and colorful way to assess their story
comprehension.
Materials
% 1 sheet of 12 x 18 black or dark-colored construction paper
% ruler
% pencil
% 11 x 17 drawing paper
% crayons
% pastels
% watercolor paints
% scissors
% glue
% Optional: collage materials such as glitter, dried flowers,
textile scraps, pipe cleaners, and string
Advance Preparation
If you dont have 11-by-17-inch drawing paper on hand, precut larger sheets
to those dimensions.
Getting Started
After reading a story or book in class, invite students to brainstorm a list of
setting details and characters. In Charlottes Web, for example, setting details
would include fields, barn, and pigpen. Then ask students to list characters
by name (proper noun) and by common nounfor example, Jeffrey Goose.
For each common noun, ask students to supply an adjective (from story details
or clues) that describes the character, such as nice spider or wandering rat.
11
Story Elements
What to Do
1 Ask students to hold the construction paper horizontally. Then have

them use the ruler to measure a half inch from each edge of the construction
paper at the corners. Ask them to make light pencil marks there. Then put the
paper aside.
2 On the 11-by-17-inch drawing paper, ask students to make another

frame, this time one inch from each edge. Have them draw the entire frame
on this paper.
3
Invite students to use capital letters to print an adjective and a common

noun for each character in the story outside the frame. These word pairs
should be spaced evenly around the frame of the picture and traced in crayon.
(Students may want to draw dots or other small shapes to separate word pairs.)
4 Invite students to draw the story setting inside the frame using pastels.
Encourage them to include as many setting details as possible.
5 Give students another sheet of drawing paper, and ask them to draw the
characters of the story in crayon or paint. Then ask students to cut out the
characters and glue them to the appropriate places on the setting.
6 When students have completed the setting and character picture, they
can glue it to the dark construction paper, placing the corners of the picture
on the pencil marks they made in step 1.
Use this activity to dress up a more traditional book report. The

Setting/Character Picture Frame could be used as a cover for the book report.
For a social studies connection, have students use art to highlight important
places and people in history.
% Display Setting/Character Picture Frames of award-winning books or

stories on hallway walls or the library bulletin board.
12
Story Elements
A CT I V I T Y 4
Setting/Character Dioramas

Students create 3-D environments and their inhabitants to actively learn

about the essential story elements of setting, plot, and character.
Materials
% shoe box or other small box
% glue
% construction paper scraps, wallpaper samples,
fabric swatches
% pencil
% drawing paper
% scissors
Advance Preparation
Ask each student to bring a shoe box or small box of comparable size from
home. Gather a few extras in case some students cant supply their own.
Getting Started
After reading a story or book in class, ask students to list its characters and
setting details. The Secret Garden, for example, should include plants and
grass, along with the children who take refuge there. Explain to students that
they will be constructing a small scene from the selection that includes the
things they have read about in the story.
What to Do
1 Invite students to use crayons and markers, scrap paper, wallpaper,

and fabric to illustrate the inside of the shoe box with setting details.
Encourage them to decorate the bottom (floor or ground), the sides (walls
of a room or outdoor scenery), and the top (ceiling or sky). They may add
details to the outside of the box too.
13
Story Elements
2 On drawing paper, students can draw, color, and cut out small figures to
represent the different characters. When cutting the characters out, students
should leave about a 1/4-inch margin of paper at the bottom of each figure.
3 Show students how to fold this extra

paper back and glue it down to the floor or
ground of their dioramas to make their
characters stand.
4 Invite students to create and cut out other items that represent details
in the setting. To monitor comprehension, check that everything students add

comes from the story.
5 Each student should write the title

and author of the story on the side or top
of the diorama along with her or his name.
Setting/Character Dioramas can bring the excitement of active learning to

other areas of the curriculum. For instance, students could respond to a
science lesson on an inventor by portraying the figure in a setting that shows
his or her invention and its current applications. Or students might portray a
historical figure in an important setting (for example, Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., delivering his I Have a Dream speech in Washington, D.C.).
% Display these dioramas on a table or the top of a bookshelf, and invite

students and family members to view the work.
% Select a story or historical event that lends itself to a before-and-after
view, such as the first moon landing. Students can work in pairs to create
two scenes that illustrate the effects of the event. Staple the dioramas
together to highlight the impact, and display it for other classes to view.
% Divide the class into small groups and invite each group to create three
dioramas that illustrate the beginning, middle, and end of a book. Each
group might work on a different book. When these three-part tableaux are
completed, a volunteer from each group can present the display to the class.
14
Story Elements
A CT I V I T Y 5
Prediction Cards

Prediction Cards combine the fun of guessing with the joy of making
art. Students use details from the beginning of a story to encourage
classmates to predict what will happen and to inspire them to read
the story themselves. The activity helps to emphasize the importance
of prediction as a reading strategy.
Materials
% 1 sheet of 9 x 18 white or light-colored construction paper
% pencil
% crayons, markers, or colored pencils
% ruler
% pen or fine-point marker
Getting Started
Select two stories that offer surprise (or at least interesting) endings. Then
divide the class in half and assign one story to each group. Ask students to
read and summarize their story. Once students are ready to summarize,
remind them that it helps to divide the story into a beginning, a middle, and
an end, listing important events that occur in each part. Ask them to do this
quietly so they dont give away the ending.
What to Do
1 Show students how to make a large paper card by folding the

construction paper in half horizontally.
2 Ask students to use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to illustrate the

front of the card (in the center) with one or more details from the story. The
picture should be no more than three to four inches high.
15
Story Elements
3 Above the illustration, ask students to use a ruler

and pencil to lightly draw several handwriting
guidelines (about 3/4-inch to 1 inch apart). Then, at
the bottom of the page, have them use the ruler to
lightly pencil in a rectangle approximately three by
eight inches. (This is where they will write their
prediction question.)
4 Invite students to write a sentence or a short paragraph about the

beginning of the story in the space at the top of the page in pen. Inside the
rectangle at the bottom, students can write a prediction question that
challenges the reader to guess the ending of the story.
5 Inside the paper card, ask

students to draw and color a detailed
picture of the end of the story.
Explain that the reader should be able
to tell from looking at the picture
how the story ends and whether their
prediction is correct.
6 Ask students to write a sentence or paragraph about how the story ends
on the back of the card.
Try this activity with smaller groups and several different stories, assigning a
different book to each group. You can also use Prediction Cards to have
students illustrate and predict an event in history or to show a cause-and-
effect relationship in science.
% Share Prediction Cards with another class that is about to read the same
story. Remind them that they should view only the front of the card
before reading. They can read the rest of the card when they finish the
storyand check to see how their predictions turned out!
% Display Prediction Cards in the hallway or in another communal area to

spark the reading curiosity of other students.
16
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 6
Acting-Verb Cartoons

Students animate and personify language to increase their

understanding of action verbs.
Materials
% drawing paper
% pencil
% dictionary
Optional (see Extended Learning, page 18):

% construction paper in a variety of colors
% construction paper scraps
% scissors
% glue
Advance Preparation
You might want to practice animating some action verbs so you can model
the activity more effectively for your students. Simply take a verb like bounce,
for example, and bring the letters to life by pasting them to the page as if they
were actually bouncing.
Getting Started
Review the main parts of speech with students, focusing on action verbs.
Have students work as a class to brainstorm a list of action verbs and write
them on the chalkboard. Make sure dictionaries are available for students to
check their words. After they have developed a list of 2030 action verbs,
divide the class into small groups or pairs.
17
Parts of Speech
What to Do
1 Share your Acting-Verb Cartoon with the class, and then work with
your students to create another cartoon on the chalkboard. For example:
The letters in the word run have legs and look as if they are running.
The p in slip seems to be slipping down away from the other letters.
The e in dive looks like its diving into the water.
2 Ask the members of each group or pair to work together to create a few
Acting-Verb Cartoons of their own.
3 After students have sketched each verb cartoon in pencil, invite them to
use crayons or markers to add color and width to the letters.
Invite students to illustrate action verbs by

sketching a figure or a simple object in
motion that contains the word itself. To
illustrate drive, for example, students might
make a simple line drawing of a car, leaving
out details within the outline. Then they
could fill that space with bubble letters that spell the word drive and fit
snugly inside the outline of the picture.
Students can also make Acting-Verb Cartoons from construction paper.
Ask them to cut the letters of their verb from scraps and glue them to
construction paper of a different color. Invite students to use additional scraps
to draw and cut out a shape or figure that illustrates the verb. Then ask them
to glue the shape to the paper near the letters of the verb.
% Use Acting-Verb Cartoons to make a great display for the wall of the gym.
% Encourage students to combine their Acting-Verb Cartoons to form a

class book.
18
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 7
Pictonoun Paragraphs

To enhance grammar skills and increase vocabulary, students write

a brief story or paragraph, replacing the nouns with their own flip-up
illustrations.
Materials
% notebook paper or scrap paper
% chart paper
% ruler
% scissors
% index cards (2 or 3 per student)
% pencil
% colored pencils
% glue
Advance Preparation
% Give each student two or three index cards folded in half.
% Write a short paragraph with the class on a large sheet of chart paper. Be
sure to leave sufficient space to display students pictonouns.
% Read through the finished paragraph with the class, marking each noun
students identify.
% Divide the class into groups of four, and assign a noun or two to each
group. Ask group members to work together to illustrate each noun on
the inside of their cards. Ask them to write the noun on the front.
% When groups are done, glue the pictonouns to the paragraph in the
correct places so students can see how its done. Then read the story
aloud, flipping up the pictonouns as you go.
19
Parts of Speech
Getting Started
Work with the class to brainstorm a list of 1520 nouns. Take the
opportunity to build vocabulary by introducing new words for students to
familiarize themselves with. Remember that the nouns you choose should be
fairly easy to illustrate. When your list is complete, ask students to sketch
some of the nouns on notebook or scrap paper.
What to Do
1 Have students create their own paragraphs incorporating some of the

nouns from your list.
2 On the construction paper, show students how to measure and lightly

draw double-spaced lines to accommodate their story.
3 Invite students to write their story on the construction paper, leaving

sufficient space between words and lines for the pictonouns.
4 Ask students to identify the nouns in their story or paragraph by

underlining them.
20
Parts of Speech
5 Now show students how to cut the index card into 9 equal parts. After
cutting, they can fold each part in half. Explain that they should print each
noun on the outside of each card and illustrate it on the inside.
6 Invite students to glue the completed pictonouns to the appropriate

noun in their story or paragraph. Then ask them to share their story with a
neighbor. Have partners check the illustrations to make sure they correctly
define the nouns.
You might want to use pictonouns as a cooperative-learning activity, with

each group completing a paragraph on chart paper. Or have students use the
activity to enliven a social studies or science paragraph.
% Students can present their Pictonoun Paragraphs to other students in

your class or school. Have the audience read the story and then write
definitions of the pictonouns, based on the illustrations and their context.
21
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 8
Helping-Verb Hands &

Linking-Verb Chains

Students make cutout hands and paper chains to learn about helping
verbs and linking verbs. The hands and links provide visual metaphors
for the functions of these essential parts of speech.
Materials
% 9 x 12 construction paper in a variety of skin colors
(one sheet per student)
% 2 x 9 strips of red construction paper (one per student)
% pencil
% scissors
% fine-point black marker or black pen
% glue
Advance Preparation
Precut the red construction paper into 2-by-9-inch strips, one per student.
Getting Started
Review verbs, discussing how most verbsaction
verbsshow action. Model some sample sentences
that use action verbs. Then explain that helping
verbs and linking verbs do not show action. You
might point out that helping verbs work together
with action verbs or main verbs. Examples include
had run, does play, and may leave. For
linking verbs, you might explain that they link a
subject with a noun, pronoun, or adjective, as in
the following sentences: The answer is seven.
The winner could be me. The pizza tasted
funny. Work with students to create lists of
helping verbs and linking verbs.
22
Parts of Speech
What to Do
1 Invite students to trace their hand on a sheet of construction paper

and cut it out. Then ask them to print a helping verb on each finger of the
cutout hand in an order that is easy for them to rememberfor example,
alphabetical order, as in the picture to the right.
2 Now work with the class on the list of linking verbs (am, is, are, and
were, along with others, such as seem, taste, appear, and remain. Have
students print each of these linking verbs in the center of a red strip of
construction paper.
3 Invite students to paste the links together to create a paper chain.

Then have them attach the chain to Helping-Verb Hands, as shown.
4 As a wrap-up, ask students to write sentences that include at least

one linking verb or one helping verb. Remind them to use the hands and
links as a visual reminder.
Enhance this activity by inviting students to draw the torso and arms of a boy
or girl. Then ask them to cut out the figures and color them with markers or
crayons. When the figures are constructed, invite students to write main or
action verbs on the torso.
% Invite students to make Helping-Verb Hands and Linking-Verb Chains

with another class as a paired sharing activity.
% Display at least one student project on a wall in the classroom as a visual

reminder of helping verbs and linking verbs.
23
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 9
Adjective Pictures

In this activity, students create imagery by carefully selecting

adjectives to fill blanks in a sentence that you present to them. Then
they make adjective pictures that show the function and power of
these parts of speech.
Materials
% pencil
% dictionary
% ruler
Advance Preparation
Find a few books that feature monsters and castles.
Getting Started
% Invite children to brainstorm a list of adjectives.
% Share the books you selected, and enjoy childrens fascination with the
fantastic. Ask students to identify the adjectives used in the stories to
describe monsters and castles. Discuss how these words create a picture
and how adjectives modify nouns or other adjectives.
% Finally, invite students to come up with adjectives that they might use to
describe a monster or a castle.
What to Do
1 Ask students to position the construction paper vertically. Then, using a

ruler, they should pencil a light line 2 inches from the top and bottom of the
paper. Each of these two spaces will be used to write a descriptive sentence.
24
Parts of Speech
2 In the top margin, ask students to copy this sentence (leaving ample
space for each missing word):
Beware of this creature with a __________ head, __________body,

__________tail, and __________ feet.
3 In the bottom margin, ask students to copy this sentence

(again reminding them to allow sufficient space to add adjectives):
He lives in a _________ castle in the ________ forest.
4
After theyve finished writing the two sentences, ask students

to underline the adjective spaces in color. Then encourage them to
fill the blanks with descriptive words. They may want to use their
dictionaries.
5 When their sentences are complete, ask students to

illustrate them.
For a fun math connection, help students graph the frequency of adjectives
used in the classs sentences. Work with your students to draw a bar graph
that shows adjectives on the horizontal axis and the number of times they
were used on the vertical axis.
% Set up a classroom center for individual readings. Ask small groups to

take turns at the center, with each person in the group reading their
adjective picture sentences to the rest of the group. You might also want
to encourage students to supply adjectives for a third sentence:
The _________ creatures in the nearby town wear __________ clothes.
% Display students work next to the class bar graph of frequently used
adjectives.
25
Parts of Speech
ACTIVITY 10
Conjunction Junction

Students manipulate sentences written on paper strips to see how

a conjunction can make an interesting sentence out of two less
interesting ones.
Materials
% notebook paper
% 1 x 9 strips of light-colored construction paper
(about 10 per student)
% 9 x 18 construction paper in a variety of colors
(1 sheet per student)
% pencil
% fine-point marker
% colored-dot stickers (56 per student)
% glue
% scissors
Advance Preparation
Precut the construction paper to the dimensions shown in the Materials list.
Getting Started
Discuss combining sentences with students and how this skill makes sentences
and paragraphs more interesting to read. Give students a few examples, using
conjunctions and the proper punctuation. Ask students to help you list
commonly used conjunctions, and then write them on the chalkboard. When
the list is done, work with the class to select a writing topic such as My
Favorite Animal or My Favorite Sport.
What to Do
1 Ask students to write six or eight (the number should be even) short
sentences about the topic on a sheet of notebook paper. After students have
checked their spelling, ask them to use pencils to copy each sentence onto a
construction paper strip.
26
Parts of Speech
2 Invite students to manipulate the strips to see which sentence pairs are
most related. Explain that these pairs will combine to make the best compound
sentences. Also remind them to consider which conjunction will work best.
3 Demonstrate connecting pairs of strips at 45 or 90

angles. Then invite students to connect their sentence pairs at
angles that will make a nice design on the construction paper.
Explain that any angle is okay, and encourage them to work on
their layout until they like it. Then have students paste the
sentence strips to the paper.
4
At the vertex of each angle, ask students to attach a circular

sticker with a comma and the appropriate conjunction. When
the stickers are affixed, remind students to change the first letter
of the second sentence from capital to lowercase. Then suggest
that they trace over the pencil with fine-point markers so the
words show up well.
5 Students may add illustrations to the empty spaces on

the paper. Or they could use leftover construction paper and
glue to make a collage.
6 As a follow-up, ask students to copy the combined

sentences onto the same notebook paper they used to write
their original sentences. The resulting contrast should clearly
demonstrate the benefits of combining sentences.
Use this activity to have students describe the steps in a procedure, a recipe
(for a snack that you might make in class), or a science experiment.
% Conjunction Junctions might be displayed on hallway wallswith the

original handwritten sentences posted beneath them.
27
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 11
Impressive
Possessive Portraits

Students make portraits of someone they admireeither a historical

figure, a modern leader, or a member of their family or community
to build their understanding of singular and plural possessives.
Materials
% 2 thoroughly washed plastic-foam trays
% pencil
% marker
% tempera paint (no light colors)
% brayer (small roller)
% magazines and photographs
% scissors
% glue
% 4 x 6 white construction paper (3 sheets per student)
% light-colored construction paper
9 x 12 (1 sheet per student)
12 x 18 (1 sheet per student)
Advance Preparation
% Ask each student to bring two plastic-foam trays from home, reminding
them to wash the trays thoroughly. Collect some extras yourself.
% Precut construction paper to the dimensions listed in the Materials

section.
% Ask students to start thinking about someone they admire and would like
to do a portrait of. As they think of a person, they should also be
collecting images from magazines or photographs that they can add to
their Impressive Possessive Portraits.
28
Parts of Speech
Getting Started
Review possessives with students, and then guide them in brainstorming a list
of singular and plural cases. You might want to begin by having them write
about things that belong to them. When they finish a brief list, ask them to
express the terms in generic possessivesfor example boys game or girls
bike. Once students have a firm understanding of possessives, ask them to
share the name of the person they most admire.
What to Do
1 Help students trim the curved edges of the plastic-foam tray so that a
flat section remains. Then ask them to lightly sketch a simple picture of the
person they chose. When they are satisfied with their sketch, ask students to
retrace it, pressing firmly to leave a deep imprint.
2 Using tempera (in a color that contrasts with white), show students how
to ink the brayer and roll it evenly over the imprinted image. Then ask students
to invert the plastic foam and lightly press it to the 4-by-6-inch paper, being
careful not to slide it, so they make a clear impression on the paper.
3 Ask students to carefully remove the paper from the plastic foam,
pulling gently from one corner. Some students may need more than
one try to make a print that they are pleased with. Once they have, ask
them to repeat the process to create two more prints.
4 As students wait for their prints to dry, have them look through
the magazines and photos to find and clip images of objects that might
belong to the person they admire.
5 When their prints dry, instruct students to cut around one of the
portraits and glue it to the 9-by-12-inch construction paper. Ask students to
print the singular possessive of their heros name above the picture.
29
Parts of Speech
6 Invite students to glue the clipped pictures, or to draw their own,

around the portrait print.
7 Ask students to trim around their second and third prints. Invite them
to glue their prints to the 12-by-18-inch paper. This time, ask students to
write the plural possessive of their heros name below their prints. In the
example shown here, three students decided to work together to create their
plural possessive portrait since they had all done images of their grandmothers.
8 Encourage students to
paste or draw additional

pictures around these plural
possessive portraits. After
discussing the different
pictures, wrap up by
reviewing the difference
between singular and plural
possessives.
Students may enjoy creating Impressive Possessive Portraits as part of

informational science or social studies reports. If you were doing a unit on
scientists or presidents, for example, you might create a class portrait
collection. Using a large sheet of mural paper, students can affix their portrait
prints and pictures. This project could be called Scientists Work or Our
Presidents Profiles.
% Impressive Possessive Portraits make a powerful hallway display, especially

when students embellish the prints with sentences that use the singular
and plural possessive forms (for instance, A rhinos hide is thick and
strong or Tigers stripes hide them from prey).
30
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 12
Preposition Scenes

Students make colorful dioramas and manipulative characters to

move about the scene in this hands-on lesson on prepositions.
Materials
% shoe box or small rectangular box

% scissors
% construction paper
or construction-paper scraps
% pencil
% crayons
% markers
% tape
% glue
% clay
% notebook paper
Advance Preparation
% Ask students to bring a shoe box or other small box from home.
% Before starting, you may want to make and model a Preposition Scene.
Using construction paper and markers, create a scene with grass, bushes,
the sky, a tree, a creek, a small bridge, and a doghouse. Add a clay animal,
like a dog, to move about the scene. (See What to Do on page 32 and the
photo of the completed activity above.)
% Demonstrate prepositions by manipulating the dog inside the doghouse,

around the tree, through the bushes, and so on. Write the actions on the
chalkboard, underlining the prepositional phrases.
31
Parts of Speech
Getting Started
After discussing this part of speech, ask the class to brainstorm a list of
prepositions and prepositional phrases. Point out that prepositions get us
where we need to goon the bus, down the street, back to school.
What to Do
1 Divide the class into pairs and ask partners to decide on an animal or
character to create. Explain that they should mold the animal from clay.
2 Invite students to use construction paper, crayons, and markers to create

the objects and background for their Preposition Scenes. Show them how to
make a little lip at the bottom of the objects (a tree, a bush, a bridge) by
folding the paper back about a quarter-inch. Then ask students to glue or tape
this object to the inside bottom of the box.
3 Invite partners to take turns manipulating the animal or character

around the different parts of the setting. While one moves the figure, ask the
other partner to write down the prepositional phrases being demonstrated.
When they finish, ask partners to exchange roles.
32
Parts of Speech
4 Have students work alone to write a paragraph about the animal or

character, using prepositional phrases to describe their actions. Remind them
to underline the prepositional phrases.
Try applying Preposition Scenes to help students demonstrate a historical

event in a social studies lesson.
% Invite students to share their scenes and paragraphs with the rest of the
class. Follow up with a group discussion on the effectiveness of
prepositions in descriptive writing.
% Working in groups of three, students can videotape the figures actions in

the scene. Guide one member to shoot with the video camera while
another manipulates the figure. The third member of the group reads the
descriptive paragraph as voice-over narration.
33
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 13
Homophone Cubes

Students construct Homophone Cubes to focus on the different

spellings and definitions of these tricky words.
Materials
% Homophone Cube pattern (one for every student)

% markers
% scissors
% glue or tape
% notebook paper
Getting Started
Review homophones with students, writing down a
few examples on the chalkboard. Then divide the class
into small groups to brainstorm lists of homophones.
Have groups share their lists.
Homophone Cube Pattern
34
Parts of Speech
What to Do
1 Distribute copies of the Homophone Cube pattern (page 34) to your

students. Have them write a different homophone on each face of their cube
before they assemble it.
2 Invite students to assemble their cubes by folding along the dotted

lines, and securing the sides with glue or tape.
3 Invite students to share their homophone cubes. Then ask them to

write the shared homophones and their meanings on a separate sheet of
paper. Remind them to double-check the spelling.
Students might also enjoy making homophone wheels. Ask students to cut two
same-sized circles from a sheet of construction paper. On one of the circles, cut
out a window shaped like a pie slice. On the second circle, ask students to
draw lines that divide the circle into sections the same size as the window on
the first circle. Invite students to write a pair of homophones in each of these
sections. Then have them attach these two circles with a brass fastener so that
the circle with the window is on top. Students can share their homophone
wheels and refer to them again and again to help build their vocabulary.
% For a cooperative learning strategy, invite small groups of students to play

a game in which they toss a homophone cube around. When a student
catches the cube, he or she must make up a sentence that uses that
homophone correctly.
35
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 14
Animated Adverbs

Students create animated line drawings to illustrate adverbs.
Materials

% tempera paint
% paintbrushes
% pencil
% fine-point marker
Getting Started
You might want to show the class examples of Wassily Kandinskys artwork,
which is often characterized by flowing abstract shapes, kinetic lines, and
bursts of expressive color. Choose some of the simpler lines, patterns, and
shapes, and draw them on the chalkboard. Explain that this is the kind of art
they will be making.
What to Do
1 Work with students to brainstorm a list of adverbs. You can either do

this as a class or have students work in small groups.
36
Parts of Speech
2 When students have compiled a

substantial list of adverbs, invite them to
use tempera paint in any color(s) to
make six or seven shapes on the white
construction paper, holding it
horizontally. When their shapes have
dried, ask students to select different
colors and to paint directional and
expressive lines on top of the shapes.
3 Encourage them to use the action of the lines to inspire adverb choices.
For example, a zigzag line might remind a student of the adverb energetically; a
gently swirling line might remind a student of the adverb lazily.
4 Once students have

selected adverbs for each line
drawing, ask them to use pencil
to write sentences using these
adverbs around the shapes.
Then have them highlight the
adverb by retracing it with
fine-point marker.
Ask students to write a short story or paragraph that uses plenty of adverbs.
Then invite them to repeat the painting activity, this time spacing the shapes
to accommodate the sentences and designing the lines to illustrate their
adverbs. When the paintings are dry, invite students to add the sentences
from their paragraph or story. Again, ask them to accentuate the adverbs.
% Mat inspired adverb paintings on a slightly larger sheet of construction

paper (14 x 20 ) in a contrasting color. Display the work in the hallway
or other shared space.
% You might want to add students adverb artwork to their portfolios along
with a writing sample to see if the activity increased their use of adverbs
and descriptive language.
37
Parts of Speech
A CT I V I T Y 15
Antonym &
Synonym Puzzle
Pieces

Students make colorful puzzle pieces to help them visualize

antonyms and synonyms.
Materials
% 9 x 12 construction paper in various colors
(6 sheets per student)
% 1 sheet of 12 x 18 black (or white) construction paper
% ruler
% scissors
% pencil
% markers
% glue
Getting Started
Together with the class, brainstorm pairs of antonyms and synonyms and list
them on the chalkboard in two columns headed Antonyms and
Synonyms. Be sure to introduce some new words that relate (as synonyms
or antonyms) to words that students already know. For instance, in response
to the synonyms big/huge, you might introduce massive. As you do, write
huge/massive on the chalkboard, as it is helpful for students to see a new word
paired with a familiar one.
38
Parts of Speech
What to Do
1 Instruct students to cut each sheet of colored construction paper into 4-

by-8-inch rectangles. (The 9-by-12-inch paper will yield three rectangles per
sheet.) If necessary, guide them in using rulers and pencils to do this.
2 Ask students to couple about half the rectangles in pairs of different

colors and half in pairs of the same color.
3 Instruct students to hold their rectangles vertically and to bisect the

different-colored pairs simultaneously in creative puzzle-piece ways so that the
patterns are identical. When they finish, ask them to pair the different colors
of the same cut.
4 Direct students attention to the antonym list. Then invite them to

write a word on one piece of a puzzle pair and its antonym on the other.
5 Ask students to repeat this process with the pairs of rectangles that are the
same color. When they finish, invite them to label the pairs with synonyms.
6 When their antonym and synonym pieces are labeled, invite students to
select their three favorite pairs and glue them to the construction paper. Then
ask that everyone put her or his remaining puzzle pieces into a box, where
they can be mixed up for a game of Match the Antonyms and Synonyms.
Invite pairs of students to trade antonym and synonym pieces and to write
sentences that use the synonyms and antonyms they receive from each other.
% Display the mounted antonym and synonym pieces around the classroom
or even in the hallway.
39
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 16
Main-Idea
Flowerpot

Students make construction paper potted plants to identify and

isolate the main idea and specific details of a paragraph.
Materials
% 1 sheet of 9 x 12 colored construction paper
% 5 x 7 piece of construction paper in colors
that will contrast with above
% 1 x 6 strips of green construction paper (4 per student)
% assorted construction paper scraps in various colors
% scissors
% glue
% pencil
% ruler
% black marker
Plants start growing.
Caterpillars hatch.
Birds make nests.
Advance Preparation
Precut the construction paper to the
dimensions shown in the Materials
list. Optional: If you have adequate
computer capabilities, you might want
to guide students in producing the
main idea and details electronically.
They could then cut and paste the
printout text on their Main-Idea
Flowerpots. This approach not only
provides computer practice but also
fits nicely into the collage.
40
Reading Skills
Getting Started
Review finding the main idea and identifying the important details of a
paragraph. Model this process with the class. Then divide the class into small
groups and assign them another paragraph for cooperative reading and
summation. Ask students to agree on the main idea as well as three or four
supporting details. Remind them to highlight or jot down the information
they learn in their cooperative groups.
What to Do
1 Invite students to cut out a flowerpot from

the 5-by-7-inch construction paper, using the full
height of the paper. Then instruct them to glue the

flowerpot on the 9-by-12-inch paper. Explain that
they should align the bottom of the pot with the
bottom of the paper, which should be positioned
vertically.
2 Ask students to write the main idea on the flowerpot in black marker.
They may want to use a pencil and ruler to lightly draw handwriting lines.
3 Invite students to write each of the supporting details on a different

stem of 1-by-6-inch green construction paper, leaving enough room at the top
to attach a flower. Then ask them to arrange the stems at the top of the pot.
4 Ask students to design and cut flowers from the construction paper
scraps and glue a flower to the top of each stem.
5 Next, students should glue their supporting-detail flowers to the paper

at the top of the stems. When the flowers are firmly affixed, encourage
students to design and cut leaves to glue to the stems.
41
Reading Skills
6 Wrap up by asking students to write the paragraphs title or topic at the

top of the paper and their name at the bottom.
% To help students keep their comprehension skills sharp, periodically apply

this activity to information in newspaper or magazine articles or to
various science and social studies lessons.
% Encourage students to design another whole-part metaphor to replace the

flowerpot and stems. Some examples include main-idea hands (with the
palm for the main idea and the fingers for details) and main-idea trees.
% Students can save a Main-Idea Flowerpot each month to include in their

assessment portfolio.
% Create a beautiful school garden by displaying Main-Idea Flowerpots on

the wall outside the classroom.
42
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 17
Nonfiction Kites

Nonfiction Kites encourage students to find and visualize the main

idea and essential details in their nonfiction reading. By illustrating a
kite with the big picture and adorning its tail with pictured details,
your students will see their reading skills soar.
Materials
% photocopy of a textbook page (one copy per student)
% highlighters in a few colors
% ruler
% pencil
% scissors
% crayons
% 3 x 5 index cards (68 per student)
% hole punch
% yarn
% tape
Getting Started
% Help students select a challenging lesson from one of their nonfiction
texts. Ask them to read one or two pages and hold up a finger for every
main idea or related detail they read. This will help students recognize the
number of details represented. Explain that locating and visualizing
details helps readers understand and remember what they read.
% Then guide students in highlighting the important information in the text.
% Now select a different text page and photocopy it for this activity.
43
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 Divide the class into groups of three or four, and ask students to read
through the selected text to find the main topic and highlight the important
details. Then ask students to return to their seats to work individually.
2 Ask students to hold the 12-by-18-inch

paper vertically and to use their ruler and pencil
to draw a big diamond, which will be the body
of their kite. When they finish drawing the
diamond, invite them to cut it out.
3 Invite students to write and illustrate their topic sentence on their

diamond cutout. Encourage them to take up as much of the space as they can
so that they get a big picture.
4 Help students punch holes in the bottom of the main-topic kite and the
top center of each index card. Now ask students to use the blank side of the
index cards to draw a picture of each of the supporting details. Explain that
they should use a separate index card for each detail. On the ruled side of each
index card, ask students to summarize the illustrated detail in a few words.
5 Then assist them in threading and knotting the appropriate length of

yarn through the kite and detail cards to complete the project.
% Try making Nonfiction Kites an integral part of your students

informational reports.
% Text-driven kites are a great way to reinforce difficult grammar lessons.
The kite might show a sentence (in color), for example, while the detail
cards isolate and identify its parts of speech.
% Display Nonfiction Kites in the classroom as a reminder to students to

identify and visualize details when reading.
44
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 18
Story Ads

Students practice their comprehension skills and learn to prioritize and

organize information by creating an ad for a story theyve read.
Materials
% assorted magazines
% scrap paper or notebook paper
% 8 1/2 x 11 white paper
% ruler
% pencil
% construction paper scraps in a variety of colors
% scissors
% glue
% crayons
% markers
Getting Started
% Divide the class in half and assign a different story to each half.
% Before they begin reading, discuss the importance of seeking out the main
ideas and essential details of a story as they read.
% Ask students to jot down these important story points, and explain that
they will use them to create an advertisement that aims to entice other
students to read the story.
What to Do
1 After students from both halves of the class finish reading, ask them to
consider their notes and review the main idea and outstanding details of their
assigned story.
45
Reading Skills
2 When students are satisfied that they have grasped the main idea and
essential details, ask them to study the magazines to compare a variety of
advertisements.
3 Divide each half into groups of three or four, and ask groups to
brainstorm ways to use print, drawings, color, and space to create intriguing
advertisements of their own. Urge students to design their ad on notebook or
scrap paper.
4 Explain that students should hold the 8 1/2-by-11-

inch paper vertically. Then encourage them to use the ruler

to draw lines for various lettering sizes. Invite them to cut
letters from the construction paper scraps to display the
title of the story and to use markers for the key phrases or
ideas.
5 Have students use a collage of appropriate pictures from magazines to

augment their own illustration.
6 Pair students who have worked on different stories, and ask them to
exchange ads. Encourage discussion on the effectiveness of the Story Ads.
Remember to point out that story elements like character, setting, and plot
are important things to note in assessing the ads success.
If your school has computers, you might want to bring technology into the
Story Ad activity. A word processing program will enhance the ads by
providing an array of text fonts and sizes. Story Ads would also benefit from a
multimedia program like Power Point. You could extend this comprehension
activity by videotaping students presentations.
% Post Story Ads in the library to encourage students from other classes to
read the story and practice their reading skills.
46
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 19
Story Genre Paintings

Students create genre paintings to illustrate their understanding

of the difference between realism and fantasy.
Materials
% pictures of realistic and unrealistic still life painting

% 12 x 18 white or light-colored construction paper
(two sheets per student)
% construction paper scraps in a variety of colors
% scissors
% glue
% pencil
% crayons (regular and glitter)
% markers
% watercolor paints
Advance Preparation
Compile examples of still life paintings from a variety of art schools, both
realistic and unrealistic. Cubism will probably strike students as the most
obviously unrealistic work that still has a discernible image. Artists to keep
your eye out for include Bruegel, Rubens, and Rembrandt (realism); Courbet,
Cezanne, and Matisse (impressionism and fauvism); Picasso, Braque, and Gris
(cubism); and Dali (surrealism).
Getting Started
Discuss the differences between the realistic and the fantastic in fiction,
movies, and television. Cite various stories the class has read, and ask students
to classify each as an example of realism, fantasy, or a combination of both.
Explain to children that comparing a storys setting, characters, and events
with their own experiences is a good way to determine if it is realistic or
fantastic. Then pick a couple of brief stories or excerpts that exemplify these
two genres, and ask students to read them aloud and discuss them in class.
47
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 Show and discuss realistic still

lifes with students, explaining ways
used to make an object look real
(like scale, shape, and color). Then
ask them to fold one sheet of
construction paper in half and use
the left side to draw and color an
object (from a painting or from the
classroom) as realistically as possible.
2 Introduce unrealistic still lifes to the class, particularly cubist work.

Invite students to cut construction paper scraps and glue them to the papers
right side to depict the same object they made on the left in an unrealistic
or fantasticway. (Some students may prefer the less fragmented style of
Matisse or Cezanne.)
3 Together with students, isolate and review images from the realistic
selection they read in class.
4 Ask students to fold the second sheet of construction paper (as in step 1),
and invite them to use pencil, paper, and watercolors to paint one of the
realistic images discussed in step 3.
5 Now review and discuss the fantasy selection read in class. Discuss what
makes this story a fantasy, and ask students to help you single out the
elements and images that are not like real life.
6 On the right side of the paper, invite students to depict one or more
images from the fantastic story as unrealistically as theyd like. Encourage
them to use as many materials as they need. When they finish, ask students to
use a marker to title each side of their artwork.
% Display Story Genre Paintings in the classroom or hallway. You might

want to ask students to include a brief written explanation along with the
display.
48
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 20
Cause-and-Effect
Inventions

Students create inventions to extend their understanding

of the concept of cause and effect.
Materials
% scratch paper
% pencil
% 1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 white paper
% ruler
% fine-point marker
Getting Started
% Begin with a discussion of cause and effect, citing examples from stories
the class has recently read. Ask children to contribute instances of
outcomes that result from a characters actions.
% Then divide the class into groups of four or five, and encourage students
to work cooperatively to brainstorm various examples of cause-and-effect
relationships both from literature and their own lives.
% Discuss how inventors work with cause-and-effect relationships to make

their inventions work.
49
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 Ask students to design a new vehicle that is powered by the energy of

one persons movement combined with the energy of the wind, sun, or water.
Explain that they should use the scratch paper to work out their design.
2 Once they have finished developing their design, invite students to use
a pencil to draw the vehicle on the white paper, tracing over their drawing in
fine-point marker for boldness and contrast.
3 On the back of the paper, ask students to name and write about
their invention, explaining how it works and what effects it will have on
peoples lives.
If possible, encourage students to use a computer to do the written part of

the activity. After printing out the explanation of the invention, they can glue
it to the back of the illustration. Students might also work in cooperative
groups to create a three-dimensional model of the invention of their choice.
% Cause-and-Effect Inventions make an interesting display for a science

room or area.
% Invite students to combine their Cause-and-Effect Inventions with a story

that predicts what their life might be like in the future.
50
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 21
Double-Meaning Scenes

In Double-Meaning Scenes, students use collage to illustrate

different meanings of the same word. This activity also features a
movable part: a paper-strip slide-out sentence that describes the
scene by using the chosen word in both of its senses.
Materials
% 1 x 6 paper strip
% fine-point marker
% pencil
% ruler
in a variety of colors
% scissors
% glue
% 1 sheet of 12 x 18 white or light colored
construction paper
Advance Preparation
Although you can instruct students to cut the 1-by-6-inch paper strips, you
might want to precut them to save time.
Getting Started
Invite students to help you brainstorm a list of words that have more than
one meaning (like park, bat, mouse, light, pop, cool, and hail). Then let
everyone take a turn making up a sentence that uses both meanings of the
same wordfor instance, Park the car in the park. List students favorites
on the chalkboard, keeping in mind that the sentences should describe an
image that students can illustrate.
51
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 Invite students to select one of the double-meaning sentences you listed

on the chalkboard or one of their own to write on their movable sentence
strip with the fine-point marker.
2 Have students use a pencil, a ruler, and the construction paper scraps to
design the objects, details, and scene described in the sentence. Then let
students cut out their scene elements.
3 Ask students to begin the

collage by gluing the largest
picture piece to the 12-by-18-
inch construction paper. Guide
them in gluing the piece along
only its top and bottom. The
sentence strip will tuck behind
this piece so it can be slid in and
out. Once the strip is in place,
students can continue composing
their Double-Meaning Scenes.
4 When they finish, ask students to slide the sentence strip out from the
picture, read the sentence, and identify the different meanings of the word.
Invite students to work in cooperative groups to do this activity on mural

paper with several multiple-meaning words and several accompanying slide-
out sentences.
% In a paired sharing activity, ask partners to exchange their double-meaning

sentences with each other. Once they are familiar with the definitions,
encourage students to add these words to their personal dictionaries.
52
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 22
Past-Tense Silhouettes

Language arts, history, and art come together as students go back

in time to create Past-Tense Silhouettes.
Materials
% pictures of people from various historical periods
% tape
% lamp or overhead projector
% pencil
% fine-point marker
% crayons
% notebook paper
Getting Started
% Collect pictures (preferably headshots) of people from various historical
periods, like Colonial America, Medieval Europe, and Ancient Egypt.
% Then begin by reviewing verb tenses with students, zeroing in on the

present and past tenses. You might write some sentences on the
chalkboard and ask students to help you change them from the present to
the past and vice versa. Be sure to use some sentences that feature
irregular verbs.
% Move from a discussion of the past tense to a discussion of historical

periods. Ask students which of the people from the pictured periods
interest them and why.
53
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 Encourage students to talk about themselvestheir interests, their

pastimes, their goals. Then invite them to write self-portrait paragraphs,
making sure to use verbs in the present tense.
2 For each student, tape a sheet of construction paper in a vertical

position to a bare wall and ask him or her to stand before it in profile. Then
shine a light from an overhead projector (or a strong lamp) on the students
face, and, using pencil, trace the silhouette on the paper.
3 Invite students to select one of the historical periods you shared in the
Getting Started section. Then have them add facial features, hairstyle and
head wear of the period to their own silhouettes.
4 Encourage students to add details of the historical setting to the

background of their picture. For example, an Ancient Egyptian portrait might
have pyramids, the sphinx, or the Nile River in the background.
5 Divide the class into groups of four, and ask them to collaborate on
predicting what daily life was like during the historical period that each group
member has chosen. Then, with the self-portrait paragraph as a guide,
encourage students to use the past tense to write about what their lives might
have been like at that time.
You may want to apply Past-Tense Silhouettes to historical periods that

students learn about in social studies. These silhouettes can serve as powerful
tools in reinforcing lessons on state history, national history, or world history.
% Past-Tense Silhouettes and their accompanying paragraphs make vibrant

and informative hallway displays.
54
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 23
Cartoon Quotations

Cartoon Quotations enable students to create characters and practice

writing dialogue complete with quotation marks and related punctuation.
Materials
% several published comic strips

% 1 sheet of 9 x 12 white drawing paper
% pens or markers
% scissors
% notebook paper
Advance Preparation
Clip and collect several appropriate comic strips from newspapers. Then
photocopy them so that you can distribute one copy of each to your students.
Getting Started
Share the comic strips with students, and discuss what they have in common.
Ask students to pay attention to what characters say to each other and which
words are included in the speech balloons. Then explain that dialogue is
presented differently in prose writing. Using character names and dialogue
from the cartoons, model some examples on the chalkboard. Be sure to
include action and description. Point out that dialogue must be enclosed in
quotation marks and that it is followed by punctuation.
What to Do
1 Ask students to fold the drawing paper into three horizontal panels.
55
Reading Skills
2 Next have students fold the paper

vertically so that it is divided into
9 frames, each approximately three by
four inches.
3 Invite students to draw a short cartoon in the top three panels,

including dialogue between the different characters. (Students with longer
ideas can use more frames.) Explain that the dialogue should be enclosed in
speech balloons, which are like the quotation marks of comic strips.
4 Ask students to cut off any unused frames from the paper. These can be
saved for another cartoon.
5 Invite students to study their cartoons and retell what is happening in a

one- or two-paragraph story written on notebook paper. Remind them to
enclose the dialogue in quotation marks.
6 Encourage students to share their cartoons and stories with each other.
Combine usage practice with comprehension practice by encouraging

students to summarize a short story with a Cartoon Quotation. Or, for a
curricular link to social studies, invite students to use Cartoon Quotations to
retell historical events.
% Combine students cartoons in a comics page. Then copy the students

stories on the back or facing page, and send it home to parents as part of
a class newspaper.
56
Reading Skills
A CT I V I T Y 24
Base-Word House

Students build Base-Word Houses to build their vocabulary.
Materials
% 8 1/2 x 11 paper (1012 sheets per student)

% pencil
% ruler
% fine-point marker
% crayons or colored fine-point markers
Advance Preparation
On 8 1/2 x 11 paper positioned
horizontally, draw a simple cross-
section of a two-story house that
includes a basement and an attic. Draw
the house toward the left side of the
paper. Indicate the ground by making a
line at the bottom of the main floor on
both sides of the house. On the right
side, this line will serve as a place to write a word. (You may want to
photocopy the drawing to distribute to students.)
Getting Started
Review word parts (prefix, base, suffix) with students. You might want to
draw a four-column chart on the chalkboard with the headings Word,
Prefix, Base, and Suffix. Then list words in the left column, breaking
them into their parts in the following three columns. Explain to students that
words dont always have prefixes and suffixes and provide them with some
examples.
57
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 After sharing the house diagram with students, ask them to use a ruler
and a pencil to draw several of their own. Refer to the lower level of the
house (that is, the ground floor) as the base floor. once theyve drawn the
houses correctly they may go over the pencil lines in ink.
2 Have students choose a word from the chart and print (in pencil) the
prefix of the word in the top floor, the base in the base level (or ground
floor), and the suffix in the basement. On the ground line to the right of the
house, students can write the complete word.
3
Now ask students to make up a sentence that uses the word, and
instruct them to write the sentence across the top of the paper.
4 Invite students to illustrate the sentence in the attic of the house. If

some students make up a sentence that does not lend itself to illustration, ask
them to try again. Theyll catch on in no time.
5 Encourage students to repeat this process with several words to increase

their ability to visualize word parts.
Apply the diagram for Base-Word Houses to the study of verb tenses,
particularly those of irregular verbs. On the ground line, ask students to write
the infinitive of the verb. Then instruct them to use the basement for the past
tense, the ground floor for the present, and the second floor for the future. In
the attic, students can draw a picture that expresses the action of the verb.
Across the top of the paper, they can write a sentence that uses the verb.
% Students can compile their Base-Word Houses in a book that has a table of
contents listing all the words. Encourage them to continue adding pages to
the book throughout the year, which will help them to break down longer
and more difficult words. Base-word books are great to share with classmates.
58
Reading Skills
ACTIVITY 25
Word-Root Trees

Students discover just how useful word roots can be when trying to
determine the meaning of new words they encounter.
Materials

% pencil
% fine-point markers in three colors
% scissors
% glue
Advance Preparation
Try to come up with a word root and four to six related words for
each student in your class.
Getting Started
Discuss word roots with students, along with some information on
word origins. Point out that many words have the same root.
(Examples include advent, adventurer, invent, and prevent, which all
derive from the root vent.) Explain that once you learn the meaning
of the root (and of some prefixes and suffixes), it is possible to
determine the meanings of many other related words. Work with
students to complete a chart of roots and their related words.
59
Reading Skills
What to Do
1 Invite students to draw a large tree with 46

big branches that touch the top and sides of the
paper, and 46 short roots cut off at the bottom of
the paper. Guide them to fill as much of the paper
as possible. Then, ask them to depict the ground
just above the roots by drawing a line on either
side of the trunk.
2 From the brainstormed list, assign each student a different word root to
illustrate. Have students write their word root in the root area of the tree
using a specific color marker.
3 Ask students to write a word that uses the root in each of the branches.
For emphasis, have students write the root in the same color as below, and
write the rest of the word in a contrasting color.
4 Invite students to cut leaves from the

construction paper scraps and glue them to
the branches and/or the ground in their
picture.
% Display Word-Root Trees in a hallway or classroom exhibition titled A

Forest of Words.
% Compile an ongoing Classroots book by keeping a three-ring binder of

Word-Root Trees. On the back of the trees, students can include a
definition or a sentence that uses each word. Arrange the root trees in
alphabetical order, and encourage students to add to the book whenever
they learn a new word root. As Classroots grows, it should prove a
fruitful resource.
60
Spelling Skills
A CT I V I T Y 26
Illustrated Definitions

Students make pictures out of words to help them remember word

spellings and definitions.
Materials
% illustrated dictionary
% 8 1/2 x 11 white paper
(36 sheets per student)
% notebook paper
% pencil
% crayons or colored pencils
% stapler
Advance Preparation
Compile a list of about 20 spelling words, half of which should be nouns or
words that readily lend themselves to illustration.
Getting Started
Using an illustrated dictionary or glossary, discuss with students the various
parts of an entry (bold-faced word, pronunciation in brackets or parentheses,
abbreviation for part of speech, and definition). Point out the illustrations to
students, and explain that the pictures usually illustrate nouns. Review that a
noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. Then write the 20-word spelling list
on the chalkboard, and invite students to become dictionary illustrators.
What to Do
1 Ask students to study the spelling list and choose the words that would
be easiest to illustrate.
61
Spelling Skills
2 Instruct students to fold a few sheets of the paper into quarters. When
they unfold them, explain that they should hold their paper horizontally.
3 Invite students to print a spelling word at the bottom of each section

and then illustrate the word to define it. Explain that they should label any
parts of the picture that require explanation, just as is done in a dictionary.
4 Ask students to use notebook paper to write complete dictionary

definitions for the rest of the spelling list.
5 Have students staple both parts of the assignment together before they
turn it in.
Students can extend their illustrated words into illustrated sentences that they
write across the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch sheet of drawing paper. In a frame
around the sides and top of the paper, ask students to print the spelling words
over and over. Then invite them to use the rest of the space to illustrate the
sentence.
% Create a Spelling Corner in the classroom and display students Illustrated

Definitions there. Encourage students to add their own pictured words to
the Spelling Corner whenever the illustration urge grabs them.
62
Spelling Skills
A CT I V I T Y 27
Rough-Tough Words

Rough-Tough Words give students a hand in rating the spelling

difficulty of the words they encounter every day. Students rank words
as green (easy), yellow (causing some hesitation), and red (rough-
tough) and then write the red words on paper placed over sandpaper.
The resulting textural effect creates an appropriate image of the
wordand sticks in students memory.
Materials
% 1 sheet of 4 x 8 1/2 coarse sandpaper
% 4 x 8 1/2 blank newsprint
(several sheets per student)
% red crayons
% stapler
Note: sandpaper sheets (and newsprint) of comparable dimension

will work just as well.
Advance Preparation
Precut the newsprint to the dimension of the sandpaper.
Getting Started
After making a spelling list, discuss with students the relative spelling
difficulty of various words. Explain that they can use the word green to refer
to words that are easy to spell because they possess a direct sound-letter
correlation. They can use yellow to rate words that make them slow down and
think of a spelling rule or recall a nonphonetic letter group. Red is for rough-
tough words, the ones students find really hard to spell. Invite each student to
select six to eight red words that he or she finds particularly challenging.
63
Spelling Skills
What to Do
1 For each red word, students can place a sheet of newsprint on top of
the sandpaper and write the word in red crayon, sounding the word out as
they spell it.
2 Ask each student to repeat this procedure for each tough word that he
or she encounters.
3 Invite students to share and study their Rough-Tough Words.

4 If youd like, you can give a spelling test and see how accurately the
Rough-Tough Words are spelled.
Invite students to create a traffic light spelling list. Have them draw a traffic
light and write red, yellow, and green words in the appropriate circles.
% Post Rough-Tough Words around the classroom, and encourage students

to add or remove words throughout the year.
64
Spelling Skills
A CT I V I T Y 2 8
Palindrome Pictures

In this activity, students identifyor inventpalindromes and

accentuate them with symmetrical art.
Materials
% 8 1/2 x 11 white paper (2 sheets per student)

% pencil
% scissors
% markers of various colors
% fine-point black marker
Getting Started
% Lead students in a discovery and discussion of palindromes by writing
one on the chalkboard and asking what is special about the word.
% Begin a palindrome list (mom, dad, kook, level, Anna, Hannah, radar, and
race car), and see if students can add to it. You might post the collection
of palindromes, allowing a few days for students to find more.
% When the list is done, draw a few simple symmetrical pictures (a heart, a
star, a butterfly) on the chalkboard. Then explain to students that they
can work with symmetry in words and pictures.
What to Do
1 Instruct students to hold their papers horizontally and then fold them
in half vertically.
65
Spelling Skills
2 Invite students to use a pencil to draw the outline of a butterfly or

other symmetrical shape that is clearly divided down the middle by the
vertical fold.
3 Ask students to refold the paper so

they can see a half of the picture on either
side of the paper. Then ask them to cut
out the shape and color their picture.
4
Now invite students to choose a

palindrome and print its letters in black
marker across the cutout shape.
Invite students to increase the shape-word link of Palindrome Pictures by

making a symmetrical cutout of the thing the palindrome describes. For
instance, they might draw one half of a race car on a folded sheet of paper
and then cut it out. When they unfold the paper, theyre ready to decorate
and label the picture.
% Encourage students to take their Palindrome Pictures home and share

them with parents. Ask them to see if their parents can help them come
up with more palindromes.
% Share palindromic phrases with students, and encourage them to make

Palindrome Pictures that illustrate the phrases. Here are a few to start
with: Madam, Im Adam, Sit on a potato pan, Otis, and Poor Dan is
in a droop.
66
Handwriting Skills
A CT I V I T Y 29
Capital-Idea Pictures

Students use self-assessment and art to overcome stumbling blocks

in cursive handwriting.
Materials
% 1 sheet of 9 x 12 white
or light-colored construction paper
% ruler
% pencil
Getting Started
% Display cursive formation of capitals, discussing techniques for making
difficult letters. Then give students a standard cursive alphabet of capital
letters.
% Review handwriting strategies, emphasizing key aspects of letters that

students can focus on to compare their own writing with the standard form.
% Have students write the 26 capitals and assist each student in assessing the
letters he or she should work on. Then form practice groups of four or five,
and invite students to follow up that work with guided practice at the
chalkboard.
What to Do
1 Ask students to use the ruler and the pencil to make a 1-inch frame on
the construction paper.
67
Handwriting Skills
2 Have students use their pencil and ruler again to lightly trace
handwriting lines for writing one large letter, about an inch from the top and
bottom frame lines.
3 Tell each student to choose the

letter that gives him or her the most
difficulty; then invite everyone to
write his or her chosen letter within
the lines in the middle of the paper.
4
Ask students to trace the correctly formed capital letter several times to
make it look bold and thick enough to carry off its height.
5 In the one-inch frame around

the letter, students can draw and
color pictures of things that begin
with their practice letter.
Invite students to practice their capitals by writing poetry based on their

Capital-Idea Pictures. Ask them to start each line of verse with the plural
form of one of the pictured things. For example, a poem based on a capital-
idea C might begin, Cats eat mice/Cars go fast/Candles never burn
twice/Clocks say the day passed . . . Be sure to remind students that poetry
doesnt have to rhyme.
% Encourage your students to work together to make a Capital-Idea Picture

for each letter of the alphabet and post them above or below the
classroom alphabet.
68
Handwriting Skills
A CT I V I T Y 3 0
Painted Quotations

Students adorn watercolor paintings with their best cursive script.
Materials
% notebook paper
% pencil
% 4 1-gallon containers of water (total for whole class)
% 8-ounce plastic or plastic-foam cups
% watercolors and paintbrushes
% pen or fine-point black marker
Advance Preparation
Find some examples of impressionist painting such as the work of Monet,
Renoir, or Manet. Then compile a collection of about 10 to 12 simple
quotations and proverbs and write them on the chalkboard.
Getting Started
% Share the impressionistic prints with students, pointing out that the
shapes and forms are not painted with sharp edges or precise lines.
% Then share the various quotations and proverbs, and invite students to
explain what the sayings mean. After discussing the sayings, write a few
on the board in cursive.
What to Do
1 Invite each student to choose a favorite saying or quotation to inspire

their painting.
69
Handwriting Skills
2 Have students write their quotation in cursive on a sheet of notebook

paper. Ask them to practice any letters they have trouble writing.
3 Distribute an 8-ounce cup of water to each student, and ask students to

use a paintbrush to lightly wet the paper.
4 Have students hold the construction paper horizontally, and invite

them to begin painting their pictures. Encourage them to let some colors run
on the wet paper. Remind them that they can use as many colors as they like.
5 When their paintings are dry, ask

students to lightly pencil handwriting
lines across the part of the painting
where they want the saying to appear.
6 Invite students to write their

quotation in pencil, retracing it in pen or fine-point marker only when the
handwriting is correct.
Combine handwriting practice with spelling skills by inviting students to

make painted sentences. Instead of displaying a saying on their paintings,
students write a sentence that contains two or three words they spelled
incorrectly on a spelling test or homework assignment. This could also serve
as a springboard for a calligraphy activity.
% Mat or frame finished Painted Quotations and display them as

inspirational art throughout the school.
% Encourage students to make additional Painted Quotations to decorate

their home or to use as gifts for family and friends.
70
Handwriting Skills
A CT I V I T Y 31
Signature Silhouettes

Students practice writing their signatures within the lines of their

silhouetted profiles. Beyond providing handwriting practice, this
activity will delight students with its visually inventive and
personalized results.
Materials
% masking tape
% lamp or overhead projector
% pencil
% Optional: crayons or markers
Advance Preparation
You may want to make silhouettes of student profiles in advance to allow
more time for students to practice their handwriting and fill their Signature
Silhouettes.
Getting Started
Discuss with students the importance of their signature and how writing ones
name well is something to take pride in. Go on to discuss positive character
traits, and comment on all your students admirable characteristics.
Encourage them to acknowledge good qualities in their fellow students.
Finally, offer instruction and encourage practice in the cursive writing of
student signatures.
71
Handwriting Skills
What to Do
1 For each student, lightly tape a sheet of

construction paper to a bare wall and ask him or her
to stand before it in profile. Then shine a light from
an overhead projector (or a strong lamp) on the
students face, and, using pencil, trace the silhouette
on the paper.
2 Ask students to use a fine-point marker to

retrace their silhouette.
3 Have students draw ribbonlike bands within the

silhouette by making sets of double lines.
4 Now invite students to write their signature

several times within and/or between the bands.
5 The background can remain blank, or you can invite students to fill it
with various colors or illustrations of their interests or hobbies.
To enhance their Signature Silhouettes and extend handwriting practice,

invite students to fill the spaces between their signatures with strengths or
positive qualities that you or their fellow students have shared with them. Or
you might encourage students to accompany a Signature Silhouette with a
brief autobiography or an essay that expresses their dreams and goals.
% Display Signature Silhouettes across classroom walls.
% Encourage students to give Signature Silhouettes as gifts to family

members.
72
Handwriting Skills
A CT I V I T Y 32
Good Signs

Students strengthen their communication skills, including organization

of ideas, prioritization of information, and presentation, by creating
posters to announce upcoming school events.
Materials
% notebook paper
% pencil
% 1 sheet of 12 x 18 construction paper
% ruler
% markers or crayons
Advance Preparation
Collect examples of student-made signs from around the school. If none are
available, collect flyers or take pictures of signs that are displayed in the
community.
Getting Started
Use the collected signs to start a discussion on what makes a sign effective.
Then divide the class into small groups, and ask them to discuss which signs
had the greatest impact on them. Students can work as a class to explore the
common elements of those signs and list them on the chalkboard. Explain
that these skills (prioritizing information, using catchy language, having an
attractive presentation) can be applied to the sign theyre about to make.
73
Handwriting Skills
What to Do
1 Enlist students help in determining the important information that

needs to be included in the sign. List the information on the chalkboard
alongside the criteria for effective signs.
2 On notebook paper, students can number information in order of

priority. Encourage them to discuss where the most important information
should be placed on their sign.
3 Invite students to make a rough design of the sign on notebook paper

to help plan spacing and size of letters. Encourage them to give consideration
to effective wording, the use of color, and possible use of illustration. Once
they are happy with their sketch, have them make their sign on the
construction paper.
4 After allowing students ample time

to experiment and finish their signs,
divide the class into small groups. Ask
group members to give feedback on one
anothers signs.
% Encourage students who enjoy making signs to advertise their sign-

making abilities, letting the school staff know that they are available to
make signs for various events.
% Have a sign-making contest, and allow the entire student body to vote on
entries displayed in the hallways.
74
Poetry
A CT I V I T Y 3 3
Paper-Animal Haiku

This is m

y monke
It thinks y.
Students compose Paper-Animal Haikus to develop their descriptive its really
But its r funny,
writing and creative expression. eally not
.
Materials
% wildlife books and encyclopedias

% 1 cardboard tube from bathroom tissue or paper towel roll
% scissors
% glue (preferably with glue brushes)
% construction paper in various colors
% fine-point marker
% scratch paper
% pencil
Advance Preparation
Construct a paper animal from a small cardboard tube and construction paper
(see What to Do below) to share with your students. You might also want to
precut most of the paper-towel tubes to the length of a bathroom tissue-tube.
(Leave a few long ones to accommodate the occasional dachshund or centipede.)
Getting Started
Share your paper animal with students and then embark on a discussion of
poetry as a means of expressing things in a succinct and intense way.
Demonstrate a haiku on the chalkboard, perhaps one about the animal you
shared. Point out the three-line form and five-seven-five syllable pattern of
haiku. Finally, remind students that when they write their haiku, they can
express any feelings that they or their animal might have.
What to Do
1 Invite students to think of an animal they would like to make and write
about. Encourage students to refer to the wildlife books if they need to look
at a picture to get started.
75
Poetry
2 Ask students to use scissors and glue to

cover the cardboard tube with construction
paper that matches the animals color. (Point
out that rolling the paper around the tube is a
good way to gauge the size to precut.
Brushing the tube with glue before attaching
the paper also works well.)
3 Encourage students to use construction paper scraps to form the head,

legs (and arms), and tails of their animal. Then ask them to glue the parts to
the animals body.
4 Invite students to add details (facial features and markings, like stripes
or spots) in contrasting colors of construction paper scraps.
5 Now invite students to write a haiku about their animal on a white or

light-colored construction paper scrap. When theyre done, ask them to use
pencil to draw a cloud around the words. Then instruct them to cut out the
haiku along the pencil line. Ask students to attach the haiku cloud behind the
animals head.
Divide the class in half, and invite each of the students in one half to write a
haiku from the point of view of an animalwithout using the name of the
animal. (For instance, I am black and white/I can eat tons of bamboo/I look
cuddly too.) Encourage the other half of the class to guess the animal. Then
have the two groups exchange roles.
% Work with the whole class to make a haiku zoo. Use a large section of
mural paper, crayons, markers, and construction paper to create a nature
scene with trees, grass, water, and sky. Then invite each student to glue
her or his Paper-Animal Haiku to the scene.
76
Poetry
A CT I V I T Y 34
Cartoon Limerick Strips

Students use their imaginations and the magic of poetrys rhythm and
rhyme to create humorous limerick cartoon strips.
Materials
% 36 strip of adding
machine tape
% pencil
% fine-point marker
% colored pencils or crayons
% 1 sheet of 9 x 12 black
or dark-colored construction paper
% Exacto knife
% ruler
Advance Preparation
Compile a collection of about five or six limericks and photocopy
them for your students. Then, using an Exacto knife, preslice one
sheet of construction paper per student. To do this, position the
paper horizontally and use a straightedge as a guide to make a
vertical slit starting 3 inches from the top left edge of the paper.
Make an equivalent slit on the right side.
Getting Started
Divide the class into small groups and ask them to read the limericks, paying
attention to their meter and rhyme scheme. Encourage students to share their
discoveries with the class. After they become familiar with the form, you
might want to write a class limerick together. Start by writing the first line on
the chalkboard (for instance, A young girl who came from the east), and
then ask students to contribute ideas for the rest. When creating their own
limericks, students can work alone or in pairs.
77
Poetry
What to Do
1 When they are done composing their limericks, ask students to write
them in pencil along the lower edge of their adding machine tape.
2 Invite students to illustrate each line of the limerick in cartoon style

above the text. Once students are happy with their limericks and
accompanying illustrations, they can trace over them using a fine-point
marker.
3 When they finish their cartoon limerick strips, invite students to thread
the strip through the pre-slit construction paper, revealing one line at a time.
4 Ask students to write the title of their limerick at the top of the paper
along with their name.
For a curricular link between language arts and social studies, encourage
students to write limericks that describe historical figures and events. Or
make a bridge to science by challenging students to write limericks about
inventors and their discoveries.
% Ask students to rewrite their limericks in standard form (that is, in five
stacked lines) in their very best handwriting. Then bind the poems into a
class limerick book for students to read again and again.
% Include a limerick from the Cartoon Limerick Strips in a weekly class
newsletter.
78
Poetry
A CT I V I T Y 35
Color-Coded Poems

Students create color-coded poems to learn more about meter

and rhyme.
Materials
% notebook paper
% pencil
% 1 sheet of 9 x 12 white
or light-colored construction paper
% highlighters in various colors
% crayons or markers in various colors
Advance Preparation
Collect examples of brief poems (or poem stanzas) with simple meter and
rhyme scheme. Then photocopy and distribute them to the class.
Getting Started
Discuss the different poems with students. Lead them in an observation of the
rhyme scheme and meter of each. Point out where the beats are by vocally
stressing certain syllables, and explain that this syllable pattern helps give a poem
its rhythm. Then focus on which lines rhyme, reminding students that these
poems were planned by the poets to fit this pattern. Finally, invite students to
choose a poem that has a pattern theyd like to use in a poem of their own.
What to Do
1 Ask students to count the number of syllables in each line of the poem
and illustrate this pattern by writing a blank line for each syllable on a sheet
of paper. Explain that each line of the poem should be represented by a
corresponding line of blanks.
79
Poetry
2 Ask students to highlight the last

syllable in each line, color-coding the
highlights to designate the lines that need
to rhyme with each other.
3 Invite students to experiment with rhymes and syllables, either with a

partner or on their own, as they write the lines of their poem.
4 Ask students to double-check or let their partners double-check the

rhyme scheme and number of syllables in each line.
5 Ask students to use pencil to copy their poem neatly onto the
construction paper. When they approve of its layout, invite them to retrace
the words in marker and highlight the rhymes. Then encourage them to
illustrate their poem.
Invite students to color-code the lyrics of one of their favorite songs.
% Bind a collection of student poems together in a class poetry book and

offer the collection to the school library.
% Invite students to keep a collection of their own poems in a blank book.

They can start by copying the poem they wrote for this activity.
Encourage them to save the book and continue to add poems to it.
% Encourage students to submit their poems for possible publication in

childrens magazines or other outlets, such as the local newspaper.
80

Super Creative Language Arts

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LanguageARTS Hudson & Ivins, Scholastic Teaching Resources

uper-creative Art Activ

W e are grateful to the many people who have

influenced our teaching throughout the years.

We are also indebted to our families

(Joannes husband Larry, my children, Jessica

and Josh, and my editing sister, Diane)

for their support, encouragement and help

as we struggled to put these ideas to paper

in a way that we hope will inspire enthusiasm

in teaching and learning.

Cover and interior design by Kathy Massaro

Setting/Character Picture Frames ......................................................................................11

Story Genre Paintings ........................................................................................................47

Illustrated Definitions ........................................................................................................61

L So we teachers agree that students ability to comprehend and

chance to learn creatively, literally having a hand in the process. Second,

What Youll Need

How the Activities Are Organized

M ATERIALS Materials are listed on a per-student basisthat is, just one of

A DVANCE P REPARATION Some activities require advanced preparation. In

students before they do it themselves.

W HAT TO D O These simple steps show you how to instruct students in

E XTENDED L EARNING This section offers interesting variations on the

WAYS TO S HARE This feature suggests ways of exhibiting your students

1 Ask students to sketch on colored construction paper the shape

2 Instruct students to write the main points of the story in four or

3 Show students how to draw lines to

4 Using the lines as a guide, students

Invite students to use this activity to review a magazine or newspaper article

% Use Story Cut-Aparts to make a classroom display by arranging them on

Story Detail Viewfinder

Students make viewfinders to demonstrate reading comprehension

2 Instruct students to use a ruler and pencil to draw a rectangular or

3 Have students open their viewfinder card and

4 Ask students to use a pen or fine-point marker to write a question

Students might enjoy making an oversized viewfinder. Invite students to

% Encourage students to share their viewfinders with their classmates and

% Display Story Detail Viewfinders in the hallway, cafeteria, or auditorium

Students create picture frames that focus on character and setting

1 Ask students to hold the construction paper horizontally. Then have

2 On the 11-by-17-inch drawing paper, ask students to make another

Invite students to use capital letters to print an adjective and a common

Use this activity to dress up a more traditional book report. The

% Display Setting/Character Picture Frames of award-winning books or

Students create 3-D environments and their inhabitants to actively learn

1 Invite students to use crayons and markers, scrap paper, wallpaper,

3 Show students how to fold this extra

in the setting. To monitor comprehension, check that everything students add

5 Each student should write the title

Setting/Character Dioramas can bring the excitement of active learning to

% Display these dioramas on a table or the top of a bookshelf, and invite

1 Show students how to make a large paper card by folding the

2 Ask students to use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to illustrate the

3 Above the illustration, ask students to use a ruler

4 Invite students to write a sentence or a short paragraph about the

5 Inside the paper card, ask

Beware of this creature with a head, body,

He lives in a _ castle in the forest.

The _ creatures in the nearby town wear __ clothes.