CREATIVE LITERATURE

For several ideas to creatively interact with literature this month, click this link.

In December, we love to find ways for students to spend extra time creating arts and crafts, and what better way to do this than with a literature themed idea! We added a link for 20 classic Christmas themed short stories. Authors such as Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Andersen, and Beatrix Potter wrote wonderful short stories that speak of all things holiday related. We want to share a couple of fun ideas to capture a memory from the reading of these stories. Of course your family does not need to read all 20 stories to create the crafts. However, you may find hours of wonderful literary content to keep your children asking for more!

https://teaandinksociety.com/classic-christmas-short-stories-read-online/

Salt dough ornaments: Recipe below

If you have never used salt dough, let me assure you that it is very simple to make, requires just 3 ingredients, and can help children and adults create a handmade ornament that will potentially last many years. We encourage your family to read a story together; this may require parents to read the text aloud, or it could be a great opportunity to have students of varied ages and reading abilities take turns reading aloud. The grand idea is that each child would choose some sort of symbol to form out of the salt dough. It may be a candy cane, a ballet slipper, a tree, a baby, a scarf; the ideas seem limitless. With salt dough, children can use whichever medium desired to add color. It works well to use crayons, markers, or paint. You may even dye the dough with simple food coloring. The dough can be rolled flat, and cut with cookie cutter shapes, or it can be molded like a clay sculpture. To hang the ornament, either create a hole at the top to pass a string or hook through and secure, or tie the hanging string around the ornament. The salt dough can either air dry, or be baked to harden, which makes it a versatile crafting material.

Create a picture:

Have children create a picture that they imagine from the story. With many options to create pictures, children may enjoy exploring an art medium that they have not yet tried, such as paints, clay, or various beans and pastas with glue. A simple search on Pinterest often leads to more ideas than I can manage!

Write about it:

After reading short stories, children may enjoy writing their own short stories, or they may choose to write about some aspect of the story that they appreciated, or even disliked. No matter the writing task chosen, encourage children to think about the classic stories read together, and try to refer back to the stories in their own writing. This can be fun and helpful for parents and home educators as they notice the particular manner each child engages with the characters, events, or morals of each classic tale. Very young students will benefit from simply narrating the story back, remembering the details that resonated in their little minds.

No matter the creative outlet your family chooses to respond to these wonderful holiday themed literature selections, we believe everyone can find a creative way to express themselves. Above all, talk about these lovely pieces of history. You may even establish a new family tradition!

Salt dough recipe:

Ingredients

  •  2 cups all purpose flour

  •  1 cup salt

  •  1 cup water

    Instructions:

  •  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour and salt.

  • Slowly add water, stirring and mixing as you go to form a so dough similar to the texture and feel of play-dough.

  • Shape the dough into a ball and knead for approximately 5-10 minutes, adding a bit more flour if the dough is too sticky or a bit more water if it’s too dry. You should be able to roll a ball of dough in your hands without it sticking, but not crumbling apart.

  • One option: Roll dough on a flat surface with a rolling pin and cut shapes with cutters or plastic knives.

  • Another option: Shape or sculpt the dough with hands and fingers to create the desired shape.

  • Make sure to pierce the ornament to allow you to thread string or a hook for hanging AFTER baking or drying.

  • Bake thin ornaments for 30-60 minutes in a warm oven (180°-200° F). For best results, air dry any sculptures thicker than 1⁄4 inch overnight before baking. Some larger sculptures will puff when baked, so air drying for 2-3 days will be sufficient without the need to bake.

  • Add the string, ribbon, or wire to hang your dried ornaments!

,

SHARING HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

,

This holiday season offers so many opportunities:

  • Reading fun holiday stories

  • Watching classic holiday movies

  • Listening to sounds of the season

  • Creating gifts and decorations

  • Tasting favorite family holiday cuisine

  • Sleeping in a little

  • Relaxing by a warm fire with a hot drink

These activities provide opportunities to capture solid holiday snapshots, and we’d love to see some of yours. Would you be willing to share some of your fun moments this holiday season?

We are a community of individuals journeying together to bring quality education--with a focus on communication--to our families. Even as we take a break and relax our academic routine for the holidays, we never cease to practice communication skills: reading, writing, and discussing. We always love to see pictures of your family’s educational journey, but there’s no time like the holidays to capture your unique journey.

We are not looking for picture-perfect shots. We’re looking for REAL LIFE! Whatever that looks like for your family, we would love a glimpse. Your picture(s) may or may not have people in them. Creations, decorations, actions (both work and play), disasters, etc. These all reflect real life. The holiday season naturally offers unique, engaging scenes of the raw beauty of family life.

Visit our social media platforms to share your holiday happenings with The Write Journey community. In this way, we build connections, and connections will result in support and encouragement for all.

Written by: Kris Cordell

WRITING STRATEGIES BEYOND THE PAGE

We did it! You did it! Our first Adult Training Program class was a huge success. We ALL learned so much, and we are excited for “next steps”. We’ll be offering some ongoing training modules for the adults who completed the Foundations class this semester, and we’ll be offering the Foundations class to a whole new group of adults. We hope you’ll join us. Contact our home office (916-696-1759) for more information about this opportunity.

For those who understand the writing methods that we teach, we have some suggestions as to how you might work with your students to practice these writing steps and strategies in creative ways during the holiday season:

Brainstorm creative topics:

  •  What should we bake today?

  •  What fun holiday movie should we watch tonight?

  •  Who do you want to take a plate of goodies to?

  •  Where might we take our family holiday picture this year?

  •  What gift would you like to get for your dad, mom, sister, etc?

Remember brainstorming requires a thorough exploration of all possible ideas, so don’t let your children off the hook with only their first ideas.

Outlining is all about organization, so try some fun organizing opportunities:

  •  Craft containers, drawers: pencils, crayons, paper, glue sticks, etc.

  •  Baking ingredients: dry, wet, utensils and pans

  •  Mail: holiday cards, junk mail, important mail

  •  Games or game closet

  •  Closets and clothes drawers, pulling out those items that can be given

    away to organizations who assist needy families

Journal:

Some of your favorite holiday experiences, sights, sounds, smells

Write stories:
Include holiday themes of giving, winter, family time together

Write poetry:
Short writing with rhythm and rhyme

Send a letter to a relative or special friend
Make sure your children use their best penmanship

Rewrite:
You get to decide how much assessing, correcting, and rewriting are beneficial during this season. You may decide that rewriting is only necessary for special projects that will be shared with others. Encourage writing and feel free to omit the work of rewriting for a short season.

I bet you can’t wait to have fun helping your children practice our writing steps and strategies in creative ways this holiday season . . . even I’m excited for you and your children. Let the fun begin.

Written by: Kris Cordell

HOLIDAY FUN: WE CALL IT SCHOOL

Years ago, as a parent, and now, as a grandparent, I love the opportunity to create an educational environment in my home. And what better time of year to do that than the holidays?!

Since the time I began teaching our classes (over 17 years ago), we have always wrapped up our final class days just prior to Thanksgiving. Then we begin again in January of the new year. But for two months we take a break from many of the school routines that have kept us in check over the fall months. Perhaps you feel the need for some change in your routines. Or maybe you’re just settling into your routines, and that’s fine too. Whichever the case for you, now is a time to create memories and give yourself and your children permission to think outside the box. What might that look like? You tell me. I know you and your children have great ideas and opportunities to create, engage, enjoy, give . . . all the while learning. Here are some ideas to get your creative mental ball rolling:

  • Baking, building, sewing - all these (and more) require reading and mathematics

  • Painting, sketching, coloring, stitching - all these (and more) develop fine motor skills and an eye for beauty

  • Singing, playing instruments, listening to holiday tunes - all these (and more) lift spirits and energize or relax bodies

  • Decorating, making gifts, playing with friends/siblings, cleaning and organizing, serving the needy - all these (and more) promote productive life skills and moral character.

For a few weeks in late November and December, my children and I enjoyed a later start to our school days, and we focused on holiday themed reading and writing along with a math lesson. That simple plan left hours each day for creative learning and memory making. I know how heavy all of life can feel, especially the years of overseeing the educational needs of young (even teen) children. Trust me when I say it’s okay to take it easy for a bit. Education includes so much more than formal curriculum. It includes new experiences and opportunities to enjoy life and serve others.

Whatever your family beliefs, the holiday season holds deep meaning and abundant opportunities for you to connect with each other in meaningful ways, imparting your values to your children. We all know this season is not about the gifts, but we sometimes get caught up in the demands and expectations anyway. Remember to speak life to yourself, your family, your friends, and even strangers.

  •  Let’s take some time to write down ideas about how we can enjoy this season.

  •  Let’s invest in relationships before spending on purchases.

  •  As we make plans, we will hold our plans loosely knowing that flexibility often limits stress.

  • We’ll model joy as we reflect on the true meaning of the holiday season, and we’ll recognize and affirm our families as they do the same . . . in small ways.

  • We’ll end each day thankful for something and/or someone.

That’s a good start. Perhaps you’ll add to the list of affirmations and choose what speaks life into your soul. Then you’ll be ready to jump into the holiday season with both feet.

Speaking life, Kris

Written by: Kris Cordell