Gamewell Elementary School
Read, Write,
and Collect
How can stickers, rocks, and stuffed animals help
your child with reading, writing, and math? She’ll
boost those skills and more when she builds a collection and tries ideas like these for researching, organizing, and displaying her treasures!
Research it
Encourage your youngster to read about the items she collects. As she explores, she will discover interesting information —and practice reading and researching.
Organize it
Together, visit the library. Have your child search the database
for books and other materials related to her collection. She can
read background information to learn more about the people,
places, or things represented. For example, your rock collector
could borrow books about geology and earth science, while your
stamp collector might discover the history of the landmarks or
people shown on her stamps. Tip: Suggest that she take along
some items from her collection so she can research specific ones.
She might find a book to help her identify and label rock specimens. Or she could consult a guide to determine the value of
her stamps.
Another place for your child to find out more about her
collection is a local museum. If she collects plastic butterflies
or dinosaurs, for instance, you could visit a science or natural
history museum. As you tour, she can read signs and labels.
Ask her questions about what she sees and how the items
compare to what she has at home.
Collections are a great way for kids to work on sorting,
counting, and organizing.
How many different ways can your youngster sort his collection? He might classify stuffed animals by species, seashells
by color, or stickers by shape. Then, he could reclassify them
using different attributes (stickers by subject; stuffed animals
by two legs, four legs, or no legs).
Suggest that he count the items in his collection. He might
tally the number in each category and add the totals. Or let him
practice estimating with this idea. Name a category (example:
stuffed animals with plastic noses), and have him glance at his
collection to estimate how many items fit in that group. He can
count to check the number.
Include writing practice by having your child create a catalog. He could list objects from
his collection in alphabetical
order, add descriptions
(size, color), and tell
where he got
them. Idea:
Have him
draw a picture or take
a photo of each
item, too. As
he gets new
items, he can
add more
pages.
Recıpes for Success
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
continued
Read, Write, and Collect
Page 2
about the object on the outside and the answer on the inside.
(“Q: What image is stamped onto the back of a bicentennial
quarter?” “A: A drummer.”) Then, visitors can read the question, guess the answer, and check if they’re right.
Tip: Your youngster could change his display every week.
For example, he might arrange his baseball cards by teams
one week and positions played the next.
Share it
Display it
Half the fun of collecting is seeing the items on display!
Your child will practice sorting and writing as he showcases
his collection.
Help your youngster cover a shoebox (inside and out) with
construction or wrapping paper. He can pick one or more
items to set in the box. On an index card, have him write a
paragraph with information about the display and tape it to
the box. Example: “This was the first model car I built. Uncle
Rick gave me the kit for my ninth birthday.”
Or your child might make the display interactive. Suggest
that he fold an index card in half. He can write a trivia question
Encourage your child to ask friends what they collect and
start a treasure club together. They can meet regularly and
share their finds. Club members might even bring items to
trade. For example, if one friend collects postcards, others
could bring postcards from their trips. Or friends who collect
seashells might trade with each other for new shells.
Also, let your youngster practice public speaking with showand-tell nights at home. Each person takes a turn showing a
special item and telling the rest of the family about it. Invite
family members to ask questions. (“Which coin is the oldest?”
“Why is that trading card the most valuable?”) Treating your
child like an expert will boost her confidence.
“What should I collect?”
● Help your child look
through his room. He might
have a good start on a collection without realizing it. Perhaps he has lots of bookmarks or
cereal box prizes, for instance.
Almost anything your youngster likes
can be turned into a collection. Here
are tips for helping him get started.
● Talk about your own collections.
Maybe you collected snow globes or dolls as
a child. Discuss what you enjoyed about your
collection. (“I had snow globes from different cities.
I loved turning them upside down and watching the
snow fall.”)
● Consider
cost. Suggest that your
youngster think of free or low-cost
objects he could gather (old keys,
buttons, marbles). A collection can be
as simple as pictures of favorite things
(cars, dinosaurs) cut out of old magazines or newspapers. Have your child
tell relatives about his collection—they
might be happy to contribute items.
● Use your youngster’s interests. If he likes
horses, suggest that he collect everything he can
think of about horses (toys, books, pictures, stickers). If he loves the outdoors, take walks together
and let him gather feathers, pinecones, acorns, or
twigs from the ground.
Recıpes for Success
Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
■
128 N. Royal Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630
■
540-636-4280
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
RS16xx506E
Gamewell Elementary School
Activities
to Go
Dashing here and there? Even your busiest days
bring opportunities to learn! When you and your
youngster go to the store, the dentist, or anywhere
at all, enjoy these activities together—and watch
her abilities grow.
1 Super spelling bee
■
In the grocery checkout line, use your shopping list for
a spelling lesson. Call out items from the list one at a time
(chicken, yogurt, lettuce) for your child to spell. She can check
her spelling on signs or product packaging. When she gets
five in a row right, she gets to think of a grocery item for you
to spell (detergent, teriyaki).
2 Hide-and-seek bottle
■
Let your youngster shake, rattle, and roll his way to better
coordination and reading skills. Fill an empty water bottle or
milk jug three-quarters full with uncooked rice or beans. Get
5–10 small objects (coin, rubber band, game piece), make a
list of the items, and tape the list to the bottom of the container. Add the objects to the container, close tightly, and
shake. Have your child read the list, tilt the bottle to look
for each treasure, and cross off the items as he finds them.
Variation: Instead of making a list, tell him there are 10
objects. He can write down each one as he spots it.
3 Artsy fun
■
For instant creativity, get a small photo
album filled with pictures cut from old
magazines and a plastic zipper bag filled
with washable markers. Let your
youngster use the markers to trace
the pictures on the outside of the
plastic sleeves. Have her remove the
magazine picture and draw her own
details onto the outline. When she
finishes the album, encourage her
to make up a story to go along with
her drawings.
4 Homemade atlas
■
On your next trip, put away your
GPS device, and let your child be the
navigator! He’ll practice reading
maps and use spatial reasoning
skills. When heading out, help him
print out a map and directions to
your destination from a free online
map service (maps.google.com, map
quest.com), or draw a map on paper.
Hole-punch the maps, and keep them
in a three-ring binder. Ask your youngster
to read the directions to you as you go, and
suggest that he trace your route on the map with a highlighter.
After a few trips, he will have a collection of directions—and a
better understanding of maps.
5 Paper clip
■
measurement
Tuck a small box of paper clips into your bag or pocket,
and play this estimating and measuring game in a waiting room.
Ask your child to find an item (a
magazine, a toy, her sneaker) and
estimate how many paper clips
long it is. Then, she can line up
paper clips end-to-end to measure
the object. If her estimate is within
one paper clip, she scores a point.
Next, it’s your turn to estimate and
measure an item. The first person
to score five points wins.
continued
Recıpes for Success
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Activities to Go
Page 2
6 Pattern race
■
Give your child’s math and thinking skills a workout while
you’re waiting in the dentist’s office, car repair shop, or airport. Let him choose a pattern, such as “furniture, color, furniture, color.” Using your watch or cell phone as a timer, see
how many items your family can name in one minute. For
example, you might say, “Couch.” Your youngster could add,
“Yellow,” and the next person may say, “Table.” Or try a number pattern like “add 2, add 3.” Players alternate adding 2 and
then 3 to the next number (0, 2, 5, 7, 10).
7 Jungle journey
■
After ordering food in a restaurant, use the time to build
your youngster’s imagination and find out how well members
of your family know each other. Choose a topic (say, a trip
through a rain forest), and have each person ask a question.
Examples: “What is the first thing you would pack?” “Which
animal do you want to see the most?” On a paper napkin or
placemat, everyone writes down their own answers, along
with what they think others will say. After three questions,
share your responses. The person who correctly predicted
the most answers picks the next topic.
8 Story hunt
■
Strengthen reading and creativity with this activity. When
you run errands, encourage your child to collect words from
highway billboards, waiting room magazines, or store aisle
signs. He can jot them down in a small notebook. On your way
home, have him write a story that uses every word. Tip: If he’s
having a hard time fitting a word into his tale, perhaps it could
be the main character’s last name (“Mr. Fusion,” for example).
Quick fun
● Play I Spy. Have your youngsters look for items of a partic-
Listen, read, sing, and more with these ideas for learning
in the car:
ular color or shape or that begin with a certain letter. Examples: “I spy an orange triangle” (a “No Passing Zone”
sign) or “I spy something that begins with B” (a barn).
● Make a list of sounds for your youngsters to listen for as you drive (siren,
bird singing, train whistle). They can
check them off as they hear each one.
● Suggest that your children copy down
license plate numbers and add the
digits together. What’s the highest
number they can come up with?
Variation: Rearrange the digits to
make the largest or smallest possible
number.
● Gather books from home or the library
to read in the car. To keep interest high,
include a variety (fiction, nonfiction, poetry,
trivia, jokes) and switch up the collection from
week to week.
● Take along a small voice recorder
● Put sheets of aluminum foil in a zipper bag.
for road trips. Have your youngsters
tape your family sing-alongs.
Your children could shape them into bracelets,
crowns, hats, and even animals.
Recıpes for Success
Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
■
128 N. Royal Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630
■
540-636-4280
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
RS16xx507E
Gamewell Elementary School
Put Learning on the
Dinner Table
From writing secret messages on napkins to cutting
sandwiches into geometric shapes, family meals are full of
learning opportunities for your child. Try these activities
to spice up your next meal—and boost skills in language,
math, and more.
Napkin scramble
What secret messages will family members find in their
napkins? While your youngster sets the table, have him write
a scrambled word or sentence on each napkin and roll the
silverware in it. Examples: “nreind” (dinner), “tsi dfyrai” (It’s
Friday). During the meal, everyone can try to figure out the
words. Be the first to unscramble your message, and become
the secret messenger the following night.
Word-in-a-word
Boost spelling and vocabulary with words on food packages. Place a box, bag, can, or jar that you used in preparing
the meal in the center of the table. Select a long word, such
as carbohydrates, from the nutrition label, and see how many
smaller words you can make out of it. Hint: So everyone is
able to see the word, have your youngster write it in large
letters on a piece of paper. Set a timer for 3 minutes, and have
each person write as many 3-letter words as possible (car, hat,
day). Share your words, then repeat the activity with 4-letter
words, 5-letter words, and so on. What’s the longest word that
a family member can make?
Skip counting
Math plates
Promote your youngster’s problem-solving skills with this
math challenge. On separate sticky notes, write a math problem (8 – 6, 32 ÷ 8), and attach a note to the bottom of each
family member’s plate. When each person finishes eating, she
turns over her plate and makes up a story problem to go with
the number sentence. For 8 – 6, your child might say, “Dad
cooked 8 hamburgers. We ate 6. How many are left?” Then,
she tells the answer (2).
This fast-paced game will let your youngster practice skip
counting and finding multiples. Skip count by 2s around the
table, replacing the numbers in between with the name of a
food you’re eating (2, macaroni, 4, macaroni, 6, macaroni).
For a more challenging game, use multiples of 5 or 7.
Table talk
Cook up great conversation and draw your youngster’s
attention to current events by filling a basket with newspaper
articles. Choose stories you think will spark your child’s interest. For example, maybe a new highway will make your commute shorter but reduce the space available for soccer fields
and bike trails. Put the basket on the table during a meal, pull
out an article, and read it aloud. Encourage everyone to share
their thoughts on the topic.
continued
Recıpes for Success
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Put Learning on the Dinner Table
Page 2
Snack on skills
Enjoy these tasty ideas to add learning to any snack or
quick meal.
Dish swap
Improve memory and attention to detail with this activity.
While everyone else closes their eyes, have one person change
something. She might swap the positions of two serving dishes
or add a second piece of bread to her plate. When she says,
“Go,” family members open their eyes and try to figure out
what’s different. The first person to answer correctly gets to
change something on the next round.
Solve equations.
Arrange stickshaped foods (carrot
sticks, strips of string
cheese, slices of bell
pepper) to form math
problems for each other.
Examples: 4 + 1 = ___ , 2 – 1 = ___ . When you fill in the
answer (5, 1), you can eat the equation!
Write words. Try this tasty way for your children to practice spelling words. Spread peanut butter onto crackers.
Then, put jelly in a squeeze bottle and take turns giving
each other words to spell, one letter per cracker. Once you
spell a word right, enjoy a PB&J snack.
Build shapes. Set out bowls of mini marshmallows and
thin pretzel sticks. Challenge your youngsters to make as
many shapes as possible. Hint: 4 marshmallows and 4 pretzels can make a square, and 8 marshmallows and 12 pretzel
sticks can make a cube. They’ll work on geometry—before
eating the results.
use the new word to say another food (peanut butter). That
could lead to chicken with peanut sauce, chicken pot pie, banana
cream pie, and finally, banana bread.
Story salad
Edible geometry
Serve whole sandwiches along with plastic knives for some
fractured fun. Have younger children cut their sandwiches
into basic shapes and name them (triangle, rectangle). Ask
older children to create different types of triangles: equilateral
(three equal sides), isosceles (two equal sides), and scalene
(no equal sides).
Play a guessing game to encourage reading and listening.
Choose several of your child’s favorite books. Copy a few lines
from each one onto separate slips of paper, and place them in
a bowl. During dinner, take turns pulling out a slip with salad
tongs and reading the lines aloud. See who can be the first to
guess which book the excerpt came from.
Full circle
Build thinking skills with this round-robin game. Start with
the name of one food, and the goal is to find your way back to
that food with a string of “connecting” foods. The first player
calls out a food, such as bread. A second person combines that
with another food (bread and butter). The next person has to
Recıpes for Success
Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
■
128 N. Royal Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630
■
540-636-4280
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
RS16xx508E