Calligraphy Club: Shel Silverstein Handrwriting Printable Poetry Journal Pages

My love for the poetry of Shel Silverstein cannot be denied by any means. His writing is funny, witty, unconventional and speaks straight through to a child's heart. 

This is another Calligraphy club printable, this time including a few poetry journal pages.  Just print, ink up your pens and write away! 

The voice by Shel Silverstein

Calligraphy Club: Printable Handwriting Practice Sheets with a Poetic Twist!

I' ve been using fountain pens since primary school and I have come to realise that those writing instruments have shaped the way I write. 

To begin with, as one of my students once told me, fountain pens are like toothbrushes, they are very personal. They adjust the ink flow to the writer's writing angle and pace, and they don't require any pressure, which means that one is able to write in a fluent motion. This means that the fatigue caused by writing for a long time is minimised. Moreover, fountain pens cater for both left-handed and right-handed students, not only because of the adjustable ink flow. Many brands have issued fountain pens for children that offer both left-handed and right-handed grips. 

One of the most difficult things to teach a child learning to write is how to hold their pen properly. Fountain pens adress that issue, too. If you don't hold the pen correctly, the ink flow is obstructed and the pen won't write. In other words the writer is "taught" by the pen how to hold it correctly in order for him or her to be able to write. 

Using fountain pens increases motivation to write. Many of my students actually HATE writing. A large number of them believe that their handwriting is horrible and that there is no way to fix that. Using fountain pens reshapes this belief, since it helps them transform the appearence of their writing within a couple of weeks. It gives students the satisfaction that they have accomplished something they thought was beyond their reach. 

You don't have to spend a fortune in order to buy your child a fountain pen. As a matter of act I advise you not to. There are plenty of quality fountain pens in the market that range from 1,50 to 10 euro and are especially made for children. I also advise that you buy cheap bottled ink to refill the pen. It is cheaper and eco friendly. You might also want to invest in a fountain pen correction pen that will last the whole school year.

So you made your trip to the fountain pen store and got your child a pen... Now what? There are many websites that offer handwriting practice sheets that you can use. I for once prefer to make my own, not only because I can choose the font but I can also play around with the content. In order to help my students get familiarised with poetry and songs that I love, I use poems and songs for my handouts. I have also bought a cheap calligraphy notebook that I give to the students that finish early. 

Here is the first calligraphy handout I made for my calligraphy club, featuring a poem by one of my favourite poets: Shel Silverstein. Print and enjoy. There will be more soon. 

Shel Silverstein's Homework Machine in the EFL Classroom!

Who wouldn't want a Homework Machine? Shel Silverstein's poem depicts the frustration all of us have felt at least once in their lives. What if you could actually build one and use it at home with your child or even better in class with your students?

The endeavour is grand but the solution is simple. All you need is a shoe box - or a simple card box-, a cutter and a lot of imagination. I made this Homework Robot to use with my students in class within an hour and believe me Serious Grammaticus, as his name is, became an instant hit among all ages. 

This is how you can make one of your own. 

Materials:

1. card box (a shoe box is the easiest way)
2. cutter 
3. glue
4. markers
5. blank cards 
6. thin cardboard 

Instructions:

1. Cut two holes on the front of the box, one on the top (input hole) and on the bottom (output). Make them large enough for the blank cards to fit.  

2. On the inside of the box, make a cardboard pathway connecting the input hole to the output hole. Make the short one first then the longer one. Glue them in place. 

3. Decorate the box whichever way you like. I made mine into a robot, Serious Grammaticus!

4. Prepare your cards. One the front side of the card write the questions. On the back side write the answers. The cards will instantly flip when you drop them into the INPUT hole and come out with the answer face up!

Uses:

You can use the Homework Machine in many different ways. 

1. Math
addition cards
tables
subtraction
multiplication
division

2. Language arts
parts of speech recognition
plurals
persons (my brother and I= we, Helen=she,etc.)
irregular verbs
spelling: Correct your teacher, error identification
vocabulary translation 
dolch words

Do spend the time making the Homework Machine with your child, I assure you you are going to have a blast. If you do find the time please send me a picture, I would love to see what you came up with!

Η Δραστηριότητα της Κυριακής 

Ο Serious Grammaticus, το ρομπότ που μας βοηθάει να μαθαίνουμε παίζοντας, είναι μια εύκολη κατασκευή που μπορείτε να φτιάξετε με το παιδί σας στο σπίτι. Στην τάξη μπορείτε να τον χρησιμοποιήσετε με πολλούς και διάφορους τρόπους, για να διδάξετε από μαθηματικά, γλώσσα (μητρική ή ξένη), ακόμα και ιστορία. Το πιο σημαντικό είναι να δείξετε στα παιδιά σας ότι η φαντασία μπορεί να μεταμορφώσει ακόμα και το πιο βαρετό γραμματικό φαινόμενο σε παιχνίδι. 

Book Club: Teaching about Teamwork and Sharing

• A class is a team and if doesn't work like one, then you don't get results. One of the most difficult things is to make young learners feel safe enough to open up and feel part of a class. It takes time and effort to persuade children to trust you and their classmates and bond in a team. We have to help them by building a strong, non-threatening small community in which they can belong, be themselves, feel comfortable to share and above all care for one another. Through this process they develop social skills, such as co-operation and standing up for themselves without being hostile or violent. They learn to express themselves in order to be understood, they form bonds and friendships that can last a life time.

• I teach English in a Greek primary school, so I don't get to see my students every day. I teach almost 80 children from 2nd to 6th grade. It can sometimes be hard to build a sense of community. My classes are small in number, but they might include children from different classes, so teamwork and bonding as a group are essential. Once again, us teachers, can turn to children literature for help. I have found that childrens' books make a difference especially when it comes to young learners. Books will always help get the message across in an implicit way. I have gathered three of the books that I have been using in class over the years and the children love them. I hope you find them as meaningful and useful as I have.

1. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

(Low resolution photo from Wikipedia, used only to illustrate an article discussing the book in question, so the reader forms a complete understanding of the subject.)

• A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to co-teach a class with a colleague I have come to love and admire. Tanja brought in to class what has become one of my favourite books: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The class we taught together was already a caring and sharing team, however by reading this book to them, she opened new doors of communication. Every year I enjoy reading this book with my students. What follows is a compilation of videos and activities that one can use either in the classroom or at home with their child. 

• In this book Shel Silvestein, one of my favourite children authors, demonstrates in the simplest way the importance of giving and sharing without waiting anything in return. Once again I am going to urge you to visit the official Shel Silvestein website for more materials and information. 

• You might also want to have a look at the original 1973 short film narrated by Shel Silverstein himself. 

• Another great YouTube video of the book. Wonderful animation.

• You might also want to have a look at the following site for more information on how to teach "The Giving Tree". 

http://efstudents.webnode.com/news/the-giving-tree-lesson-notes/

2. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. 

(Photo from Photobucket.com)

• Another brilliant story about belonging and sharing within a group. The most beautiful fish in the sea feels lonely and secluded until it discovers the essence of giving to the team. 

(Photo from Photobucket.com)

• I found a wonderful video of the book made by students that you might want to check out.

• Momitforward.com offers a list of related activities and crafts you can use at home or in class. Have a look at the following link:

http://momitforward.com/rainbow-fish-kids-craft-activity-to-teach-sharing-and-giving

3. The Stone Soup by Marcia Brown.

I

(Photo from Photobucket.com)

• This folk tale demonstrates the importance of community sharing to make it through difficult times. People can do anything as long as they stick together and support each other. 

• Also check out the YouTube Video: 

You might also like:

Teaching about being different.

It Is Ok To Be Different Class Books.