New Activities Just for You

New Activities Just for You

Coming soon--Check back again as I continue to add activities just for you. I hope you find some activities you'd like to write about or create.



Writing Activities

I've always enjoyed writing, but I know some people who do not like to write. Have you ever seen a picture and been told that you must write about it? That's no fun if you don't like the picture. I plan on putting lots of photos that I've taken on this activity page just to give you some ideas. I hope you find something you like. If not, look out a window, look up or down, think of something you'd like to write about, look through a book or a magazine, and then write about it. 

First, just jot down some words to describe the picture or thought that you had. Not sentences or paragraphs, just words. Then pick out a word of two and write a small sentence with the words. It doesn't have to be that long. After you write a few small sentences, try to combine them into a paragraph. That's all at first. Later, you might want to add longer sentences or longer paragraphs or even more paragraphs. Just write a little bit at first.

Make sure you stay on the topic. Don't add things that don't belong. If you are writing about princesses or motorcycles or candy corn, do not add rats and hats unless it's part of  your story. Of course, it you're a princess wearing a hat while riding a motorcycle, and you find a rat to share your candy corn with, then, by all means, add the hat and the rat to your story. 

Here are a few of my photos that you could use for your writing activities.

This is an Oklahoma Lake with a beautiful sunset. You could write about fishing, watching the sunset, walking or jogging around the lake, the colors of the sunset, land animals you see, etc.

This is Frazier Creek in the Southeast part of Oklahoma. Are the fish biting? How much did the biggest fish weigh that you caught? Do you think this creek will dry up? How wide do you think it is?  What kind of fish would you catch? What if a whale lived there? A shark? Who fishes with you?

I'm visiting with Lilly, one of the elephants in my story, "The Great Elephant Escape". What do you think she likes to eat? I know, she really likes melons and apples and oranges. How old do you think she is?  Write about her adventures on the circus circuit. Write about where her family might be. Write about what she might dream about.

This must be Santa Squirrel. Where does he get his presents to deliver? Does he like milk and cookies? Who put the hat on his head? Is there a Mrs. Santa Squirrel?

This is not a tornado. It's a cloud that stands pretty high. I took this picture in Southeast Oklahoma. What if you could climb it and just glide across the sky? What would it feel like? Where would you go? Would it feel like a magic carpet? Could you compare the two?

 This is a Heritage Horse of Oklahoma. It's a beautiful color. Write about riding a horse like this one. Where would you go? Would you be on a farm, a ranch, in the woods, in a parade, carrying children who need your help or just enjoying the pasture?

This is a longhorn. Is he scary or gentle? How big do you think those horns will get? He has a saddle. Would you ride on him? Would you try to measure the horns? How dangerous would that be? What does he eat? Why would he have a ring in his nose? Would he make a good pet?

This almost looks like Pac man. What made it look like this? Do you think the sun is rising or setting? Can you write a haiku about the sun?

Attention! Attention! There's a gigantic swan in Oklahoma City. Is this swan dangerous? Where did it come from? Does it fly? What will it eat and how much? Is it the only one on this lake? Is it friendly?

Imagine yourself rowing along on the lake. It's almost sunset, and you'd like to get back to your home

soon. Tell about your adventure getting back if it turns dark while you're still rowing.

Would someone write a story about me? I'm lonesome. I'd like a story, please.


 Let's Write

I enjoy writing. When I was teaching, I often had students working on writing projects. Writing involves reading comprehension, creative thinking skills, story structure so that things happen in the correct order, a plot, characters, a setting, vocabulary, spelling, editing, connecting the story to yourself or someone else, critical thinking skills, comparison and sometimes art.  It involves more than all these thing, though. Mainly, it's just fun to write something.

I often want to write something serious or silly. I don't do much with it after I write it, but I can always go back to it. When I do, I may create a story using one of the character's I've written about. Or, I may change the names of the characters, the setting, or amp up the tension to the story I've created. Each time I revisit the story I've written, I'm improving it. I take out unnecessary words, change the structure of some sentences, or cut out unnecessary sentences.  Here are a few writing prompts. I'll be adding more later.

    The animal in my basement was making so much noise, I thought my dad might be angry with me.
        What could I do, though. It needed a home, too. Now, I'll have to ....
    My pen pal writes silly, nonsense stories. I've written one, too. Maybe you can tell me if it's silly             or scary. 

    I wish I could train my dog to ....

    I hope that my ____________ can make it to Thanksgiving next year. Last year, he ....

    If I could pack my own box of candy, it would have a special candy bar I've discovered. It has ....
    Should I write about a funny raccoon at a party or a green dragon in my pocket?
    My tongue is tangled after Miss Smith had us say ten tongue twisters. Here are four I made up.

    I know what I'm planning to wear for Halloween next year. No one will have a costume like mine.

    The cafeteria staff changed today. Look who's serving us and what is that?
    Draw two big bowls. Add fifteen random words to the bowl. Ask a pal to write a story using at
       least ten words from the bowl. Be sure you also write a story with the other bowl.

    My teacher is afraid of ___________, so Henry brought three of them to school today. Now, he's
      ....

    I've invented a small car that can travel anywhere in 10 seconds. So, I'm off to ....

    We're going camping this week-end. My friend, Bobby, went last week and didn't come back. I 

     don't want to go, but my family goes each year. Help!

    Martin's big dog just had 10 puppies and a ....   

    I've invented a product that protects me from my dog's fleas. The funny thing I have to do is ....

    On the playground, my principal started playing ....  Then, he ....

    After school, Jim and I went to the town's dump. You'll never believe what we found there.

    Cindy's lunch bag just exploded. Its contents dripped off of the ceiling. I didn't even know she 

      liked to eat .... Now, ....

    I've always wanted a horse. Where can I keep him?

    My neighbor's elephant is always ....
    I think I'll just write down some journal entries for a week. I'll write about a wagon train taking us
   west many years ago.

 

By the way, do you have a good story you could write about a huge pink elephant who wears glasses? I'm still trying to think of a good story.
  

 

I found this picture on internet. It just begs for a story. Maybe we can all write about it. If you prefer to change out the animals to horses or donkeys, or write about cats instead of dogs, that's fine, too.

   

I'm always inspired by Jan Brett. Check out her fantastic website at
janbrett.com.  You'll find so many activities that you'll wonder when you'll have the time to do all of them. A wonderful website!



How about a little art with your writing?

First, you have to design a piece of clothing. It can be a dress, blouse, shirt, evening gown, a wedding dress, tuxedo, overalls, jeans, chaps, cheerleader skirt, football pants, basketball shorts, kimono, kilt, etc. Make it out of construction paper or color a picture that you've drawn of your clothing.

Then write a story involving your piece of clothing. Were you a hockey star?  Did you win an award? Did you save the game? Did you go hiking or boating? Did you fall in the lake or get lost in a cave? Whatever the story, write it on your article of clothing. Then, make a small clothesline and hang it up for all to read. Keep your stories as you create them. When you have quite a few, read them to a young child. I bet they'll like your stories.

Think about your favorite animal. It's in trouble. Write about it. Then draw a picture about how you saved it. Was it by itself? Was it afraid of something? Was it a King of the jungle, ocean, mountain, or neighborhood? Where did it live ?--On a mountain, under the sea, in a nest, at a zoo, in a circus, underground? Tell how you saved it. Did you need help to save it? If so, who helped you? Maybe you can draw a before drawing, one that shows how the animal was in trouble, and one that shows you saving the day.