Sunday Post: Captivating…Reading Builds Vocabulary

Posted on March 3, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Sunday Post: Captivating

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge…today’s theme is CAPTIVATING.

The dictionary definition of captivating: attracting, influencing and holding by excellence or charm.

The excellence of a book is captivating.

The charm of a child is captivating.

What captivates you?

Captivate your child by reading excellent picture books. Studies show that children who are read to every day have greater success in school. They enter kindergarten understanding 20,000 words or more of vocabulary as opposed to 5000 words or less. And the children who are behind almost NEVER make up the gap.

“In 1950 the average spoken vocabulary of a child entering first grade was 4000 words. By 1990 this figure had dropped to 1000 words. Why? Because children are not read to and do not have very much quality interaction with their parents. Plus they do not pick up new words at play with their peers. And it is hard for two tired, working parents or a single parent to do much with their children at the end of the day. Many kids are simply placed in front of the TV while mom and/or dad get supper ready.” – Yale-New Haven Teacher’s Institute

Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking can help! Click this link if you would like a copy! The book makes it easy to pinpoint the best books to read. It gives parents arts and crafts activities that are quick and easy. And it provides simple healthful recipes that you can make with your child. Captivate your kid, encourage creative expression and, most of all, have fun together!

Join in the fun with Jake’s Sunday Post.

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

SUNDAY POST: Captivat(ed) | Lost in Translation →

Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post : Captivating | restlessjo

Sunday Post Theme ‘Captivating’ | Campanulla Della Anna

SUNDAY POST : Captivating | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity →

Captivating | Figments of a DuTchess

Captivating birds for Jake’s theme | Anotherdayinparadise2’s Blog →

http://mywordwall.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/sunday-post-captivating/

The Sunday Post: Captivating | Thirdeyemom

Sunday Post: Captivating | بيسان →

Sunday Post: Captivating | patriciaddrury →

Sunday Post 2013 – Captivating | Thoze Were the Daze →

http://bodhisattvaintraining.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/sunday-post-captivating/

http://truthaboveallreligions.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/sunday-post-captivating/

Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post : Captivating (restlessjo.wordpress.com)
SUNDAY POST : Captivating (jakesprinters.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Captivating (smileyface80.wordpress.com)
The Sunday Post: Captivating (thirdeyemom.com)
Sunday Post: Simplicity…Children Need Less Stuff (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)

Celebrating World Read-Aloud Day with Eric Carle

Posted on February 28, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Eric Carle Alert: A new Eric Carle book is in the works. You can visit his website for more info. http://www.ericcarleblog.blogspot.com.au/

Why do I mention this? Because Wednesday is World Read Aloud Day and Eric Carle picture books are perfect for reading aloud. With that in mind, and because today is Perfect Picture Book Friday (over at Susanna Leonard Hill), my perfect picture book choice today is an older Eric Carle story.

“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth

Written and illustrated by Eric Carle

Foreward by Jane Goodall

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. (2002)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Be yourself, diversity, animals of the jungle, getting along, self-esteem, enjoy life (stop and smell the roses)

Opening Lines:

“Slowly, slowly, slowly, a sloth crawled along a branch of a tree. Slowly, slowly, slowly, the sloth fell asleep. Slowly, slowly, slowly, the sloth woke up.”

Synopsis:

In a jungle in South America, the other animals question the way of the sloth. The anteater says he is boring. The jaguar says he is lazy. The howler monkey says he is slow. Finally, the sloth answers them, giving them a dozen synonyms for slow and quiet and boring. He admits that he is lackadaisical, mellow, placid, lethargic, laid-back and tranquil because he likes to live in peace. “That’s just how I am.”

Why I like this book:

In the style of The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth celebrates our right to be who we are. Without making excuses, the sloth accepts his personna and embraces it. What a wonderful story for both parent and child to read together…what a wonderful opportunity to talk about how we are each different and how that very diversity contributes to the beauty of the world.

The illustrations are bold, a kaliediscope of color collages…exactly what we would expect from an Eric Carle book. The text is simple and effective…and the section where the sloth gives over a dozen synonyms for slow, quiet and boring is fantastic…kids will LOVE those big words: lackadaisical, lethargic, sluggish, languid…oh my, what fun…and learning all the time!

How a parent can use this book:

The story addresses friendship, diversity, pride in oneself, awareness of one’s own values and strengths. The foreward, by the famous Jane Goodall, relates some of her experiences with sloths in the jungles and rainforests of South America I did not know that sloths sleep nineteen hours out of twenty-four…and that they are basically silent creatures who occasionally comment on life with a small sigh, ‘ah-ee’. Sleeping nineteen hours out of twenty-four…that sounds like a spa vacation to me.

Related Activities:

Eric Carle is famous for his collage illustrations. Why not do a collage with your child?

Photo courtesy Melissa Iwai, author/illustrator of Soup Day and illustrator of Hush Little Monster: http://thehungryartist.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/collage-crafts-for-kids/

You will need:

One piece of construction paper, several pieces of other paper/fabric/tissue paper/giftwrap/newspaper/magazine/wallpaper swatches, glue, scissors, markers or crayons.

Let your child decide what the picture will be…a person, a landscape, a jungle filled with animals. Or, perhaps your child prefers to just cut or tear and paste his own design.
If your child wishes to make a specific picture, he might want to draw the picture on the construction paper first, before cutting or tearing the collage pieces.
Cut or tear the paper/fabric/newspaper/etc and glue on the construction paper.

More about Eric Carle here: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/slowly-slowly-slowly-said-sloth

And here: http://www.ericcarleblog.blogspot.com.au/

More collage activities here: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/collagesartscraftsideasprojectskids.html

And more here: http://www.artsandcraftsforkids.co.uk/collage-crafts-for-kids.html

They say good things come in threes.. .I just noticed that my blog has 300 followers. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO READS MY POSTS…AND TO THOSE WHO COMMENT…I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. Also, Tuesday, March 5, I am joining author/educator Susan Case for a #SpringintoEducation Google Hangout…we are going to be chatting about how educators can positively influence their students. And Monday, March 4, will be Michelle Obama’s first #letsmove #firesidechat Google+ Hangout. Individuals were invited to submit a video question for possible inclusion…here’s mine: http://youtu.be/7u1X8dOnpzc

Mrs. Obama’s goal is to create awareness and find answers to help our children live a healthier lifestyle. My book provides many of those answers…please check out it out…you’ll find quick and easy healthful recipes that your kids will enjoy preparing with you as well as lots of other simple activities and great picture book suggestions. Click this link to purchase a copy

Eric Carle and iPad Babies (acvoice.com)
A Call for Caterpillars (theartsroom.org)
BIG, BIG News! | GRANDES, GRANDES Notícias! (msc4art-books.blogspot.com)
Start A Library: Books for Baby’s First Year (apartmenttherapy.com)
10 Awesome kids’ books and magazines (tinytimes.com)

Sunday Post: Plains…What Did Kids Do In Little House On The Prairie?

Posted on February 24, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge…today’s theme is PLAINS.

The dictionary defines plains as: ‘A stretch of nearly level treeless country.

These snow-covered plains might have been the backyard of young Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote Little House on the Prairie. When I looked at this painting, I got the feeling that if I walked around the small stand of trees, I would stumble upon her little homestead.

I used to love watching the Little House television series. I’d had a crush on Michael Landon ever since high school when Bonanza aired, with Michael Landon starring as Little Joe. I remember trading hard-won information with my best friend, Jane…how tall he was, what color eyes…all the little tidbits we could discover from pouring over celebrity magazines…there were no computers or internet or Google searches in those days.

Those old reruns are still enjoyable…and provide valuable lessons that are timely and timeless. Here are three of those:

Kids need routines
Kids need rules
Kids need responsibilities

Routines help everything run smoothly…like when to go to bed and when to do homework.

Rules help everyone know what is expected of them…like no phone calls or texting during dinner time.

Responsibilities help each person feel useful and valuable…like clearing the table or picking up toys.

A family is like a business that operates on love and teamwork and respect.

Watch some of these old shows if you can…you’ll see what I mean.

Back in the day of Little House on the Prairie and Ponderosa, there were no iPads, iPods or iPhones. Did you realize that all of those begin with the letter ‘I’? One of the biggest problems today is the disconnection between people. Years ago, reading, crafting and cooking were three activities that families did together. Today, many parents and kids go shopping together, eat dinner together or sit watching TV together in the same room, but each is busy texting or checking emails or twitter on their phones. If you’d like to bring back some family time, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking gives picture book recommendations, quick and easy craft projects and simple child-friendly recipes. Click this link to buy a copy! Engage your child, encourage creative expression and, most of all, have fun together

It’s the Year of the Snake!