5/24/05

THE END OF ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR

The end of this school year is rapidly coming to a close - if not in real time, at least in students' minds. It's not the season for new information; instead it is a period of review.

Have you ever thought of utilizing Word Web for a part of your students' summer work? One way would be if you haven't yet finished the volume in which you're currently working, why not assign a few lessons to students to work on by themselves over the summer? You, or their next year's teacher, will have a great start-up when students return to school after the summer holidays, as well as a review of Word Web's features.

Or get them to utilize their creativity by making a decorative display of Periodical Pearls. If they have been working in Volume II, in addition to finding these Pearls in print media, they could use their digital / phone cameras to photograph cars they studied this year (Caprice, Intrepid, Intrigue and Odyssey). Then, they could write a caption for each photo that showed the meaning of those names and produce an interesting poster with them. They could also make a colorful and imaginative exhibit of their volume's color lesson - greens for Volume I, blues for Volume II.

Perhaps some students would enjoy (and be challenged by) writing a story into which they weave either Volume I's or Volume II's idioms. Volume I's are: busman's holiday, dumb waiter, elbow grease, ghost writer, hard hat and lip service. Volume II's are: Achilles' heel, crocodile tears, glass ceiling, grass roots, Rube Goldberg and sacred cow. If they need help getting started, suggest, "Once upon a time! ..."). Students may achieve results that will prove to be quite entertaining at the start of the next school year!

Another activity for those who have finished Volume II could be to cut images from newspapers and magazines of people wearing argyle, harlequin, paisley or tartan / plaid clothing. They could then glue these to foam board cut to match the shape of their "people." To finish, they should cut out a one-inch by two-inch rectangular piece of foam board, notch it on one long side so that it can become a stand for their model.

I've already given you a preview of the contents of Word Web's Volume III, which many of you will be using this fall. If you'd like help in assigning a project that relates to lessons in that volume please contact me at elinormiller@seepub.com.com at any time for suggestions.

Here's a heads-up that could give your students a leg up. Volume III's color is red. Students could make a poster of all the various reds they can find, from jewelry to items in nature and on through fruits and veggies. They could also research these red Cool Connections: rhododendron, pyracantha, Baton Rouge and Russell.

Have a great summer!  

Please contact me (elinormiller@seepub.com.com) with questions or comments. I'd love to know how you are making out with Word Web and how your students are doing!

That's my word for this time, Ellie

Word Web Vocabulary - recommended on Heidi Hayes-Jacobs' website, moving vocabulary from the edge of language arts to its center