Before the second meeting, I wechatted parents about the assignments kids need to complete. It's summer. All they have from school is two pages of math, and one page of reading log. Not much at all comparing with what I had 20 years ago! Knowing they can probably sleep on it, I asked them to do the following:
1. Write something funny/awkward/touching/meaningful happened in summer camps.
2. Read the book "The Seeing Stone". Make sure to write down new vocabulary words.
3. Read a favorite book of yours, and make a presentation on the book. A.K.A, book report. It needs to include character, setting, theme, plot, and literary techniques. Use paper, PowerPoint, Prezi, anything you want.
Yes, they probably slept on it.
Allow me to explain why I came up with #3. First, I hadn't figured out a way to efficiently pass books around by the time the homework was assigned. I only found two hard copies of "The Seeing Stone". Thank God we live close by, otherwise it creates such a burden on the parents trying to get books to kids. Did I mention earlier, these parents are super supportive?! But I feel for them. So I decided to have kids read their own books at the times when the shared book is not around. On anther note, how to make them accountable? Presentations! Book reports! Do they like it? I don't know about others, but my 8-year-old hates it. I'll talk about him later. One chapter won't be enough. Hopefully by the end of those chapters about him, he becomes an active learner and writer. There's always hope.
But #3 turns out to be one of the best ideas ever. It led me to think about giving computer lessons on using presentation tools such as PowerPoint and Prezi. Kids this smart can figure out how to use a tool in an hour. There is a lot to these tools though. What kids lack of is the critical thinking process, and how to utilize the tools and make it work for an specific topic, theme and idea, and most importantly how not to read off bullets, is something else beyond their age can handle. And that's when,our involvement, kicks in.
Group Writing
There is one other thing I've had in mind, and sounds like a huge project. It turned out to be as well. Having kids write a story together, then do a puppet show. Three months passed, we are now at the planning and writing stage. Maybe it's time to do more research online on creative group writing.
I felt kids need to have some guidance on elements of plot. So I shared an easy example here:
http://www.slideshare.net/mrswjohnston/elements-of-plot-cinderella
I had them draw from numbers. Unfortunately my son chose #1, which is probably why we still haven't started the group writing game yet. He needs inspiration! Or motivation, depending on how positive we are about this little fella. This is how it works: First person starts writing the beginning of a story, when he's done (and probably about one page or so), the writing is sent to #2 to write. It can get as creative as you can imagine, AND a disastrous one too at the same time. It's their first joint effort, and I call it writing game. Only in this game, nobody loses.
We spent sometime to brainstorm ideas. They came up with the genre: suspense. Character, boys and girls, no more than five, I guess. And they want the story to happen in woods. Hmmmm.....
Traveling Book Club
During second week of our book club. I was dumbstruck when introduced to this amazing resource at the library. It felt like Columbus discovering a new continent. I kid you not. That's how I felt.
Library website below shows how traveling book club runs. http://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Library/Library-Services/AdultServices/For-the-Reader/Traveling-Book-Club
The rabbit in green would be me:
Frame Credit: Many thanks to Free Photo Frames: http://www.free-photo-frames.com/index_9.html
This means we no longer need to run around sending books door to door. All the pressure now is on me. I need to make sure books don't get lost. Well, my supportive parents won't do that to me, and I'm positive.
More on the first Traveling Book we shared later.
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