Our kids absolutely adore the I Spy book series from Scholastic. They will literally spend hours pouring over the books to find the items listed. A while ago, they moved up from just reading the books to making books of their own. They would draw pictures embedded within pictures and lists of what to find. They compiled these into books to challenge the family. The other day, they surprised me by setting up a 3-D “real life” I Spy puzzle using toys and household items arranged inside a Barbie castle in my daughters’ room. I was very impressed by their creativity, not only with setting up the puzzle scene, but with the rhymes they wrote as well (all on their own, mind you). They wrote things such as:

“I spy a horse, a tack, a miniature bed,
And two golden crowns of kings long dead.”

If you and your children do not know these books, I encourage you to take a look at them. Your local library surely should have some in stock. Ours is a very small-town library and even they have a large selection, including first readers for the littlest ones. If you do not find them in your library, or would just like to own some yourself (we have quite a sampling ourselves), you will find an enormous selection HERE on Amazon.

Once you are familiar with the series and are ready to try building a puzzle of your own, I suggest you visit Homemade I Spy on the Scholastic website. They give you ideas, suggestions, and instructions on making your own puzzles and writing the rhymes to go along with them. The entire I Spy website is wonderful for free downloads, printables, and online games for the avid I Spy connoisseur. I believe our next project will be taking digital pictures of the kids’ puzzles, printing them out, adding the rhymes for finding items, and combine them all into a more “professional” looking I Spy book. So many things you could do! Have Fun!

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Summer time is a great time for your kids to play “Treasure Hunt.”  They may want to dress up like pirates and read some stories of pirate lore to make it more fun.  This will also give them some summertime practice in writing simple poems.

1.       Choose who will be burying the treasure.  The parent may want to do this first to show the kids how it could be done.

2.       Choose the treasure and bury it – while no one is looking, of course!  It can truly be buried, or just hidden in an unsuspecting place.  It’s fun if you have a chest, either real or one the kids help make from a shoe box and decorated with “jewels.”  The treasure can be something simple – an apple, a candy bar, a small toy, or coins.  Make sure there is one for each hunter.

3.       Choose the path to follow to the treasure, keeping in mind landmarks the hunter will need to find.

4.       For each landmark, write a simple rhyming poem telling the hunter where to find the next clue.  For instance, “By the next tree, you will find me.”  Or, “Take 15 steps to the right.  There you will find the site.”

5.       Hide each clue at the appropriate landmark.  The last clue tells where the treasure is hidden.

6.       Give the first clue to the hunters and see if they can find the treasure.

After the hunt, what could be better than a cool, refreshing glass of homemade lemonade!  Try this simple recipe.

Lemonade

2 lemons

¾ cup sugar (can also use Splenda if you are watching sugar consumption)

Water

1.       Wash the lemons.  Squeeze the juice from the 2 lemons.  If you want a tarter flavor, you can grate some of the rind to add to the lemonade or just add slices of lemon.

2.       Pour the juice into a 2 quart pitcher.  Add the sugar (or Splenda) and stir well until sugar is dissolved.

3.       Add cold water and some ice cubes, stirring to combine the flavors.  Pour into iced glasses and enjoy!

For some extra information, here’s a paper treasure chest that you can print out (cardstock would be best), color, and put together.  And here’s a great site on how to write a limerick, taking you step by step.  You can even make a whole day of it ending with a family movie night watching The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie!  Have fun!

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SIMILES

A simile is a figure of speech in which one thing is likened to another, usually through the use of words such as like or as.  The word “simile” comes from the root word “similis” which means like or similar.

A simile can either be explicit (“The wind cut through me like a knife”), constitute a stereotype (“as comfortable as an old shoe”), or represent irony, which is the opposite of what your reader might expect (“square as a billiard ball”).

Sometimes, it’s up to your reader to interpret in what ways you mean to compare “a” with ”b.” By providing further detail, you can make the comparison clearer, if that is your intention. (“The light was so intense, it seemed to shine like the sun.”)

Do not confuse a simile with a metaphor, which uses descriptive words normally applied to one thing and applies them to something else instead (“The news article screamed for attention.”)

To practice similes and learn some of the most commonly used, here are some links to online games.

• Animal Similes Crossword
• Quia:  Similes and Metaphors
• Similes Matching Game

In the HMHS Store, there is now available a fun seasonal activity on similes.  It is a make-your-own book for all ages at the VERY modest cost of $0.50!  Download the Christmas Similes Workbook using your Paypal account or any major credit card right now for some fun practice on using similes!  The kids will really enjoy it, while also learning!  Also, don’t forget the simple lesson on writing thank you notes and stationary available as well!

Send in grammar questions to Contact HMHS and I will answer them in upcoming blogs!

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Pangrams

The most well-known pangram, or sentence that contains all letters of the alphabet, is “The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog.” Here are others (from shortest to longest):

• Amazingly few discotheques provide jukeboxes.

• A mad boxer shot a quick, gloved jab to the jaw of his dizzy opponent.

• Ebenezer unexpectedly bagged two tranquil aardvarks with his jiffy vacuum cleaner.

• Jelly-like above the high wire, six quaking pachyderms kept the climax of the extravaganza in a dazzling state of flux.

Using pangrams in daily copywork is a wonderful way to get practice in all letters of the alphabet!  The more complex sentences can be a quick introduction to new vocabulary words for both young children and upper grades as well.  Here are a couple of links to printing free copywork pages.

Worksheet Works allows you to customize copywork.  You can use block print or cursive for tracing or copying.

Notebooking Pages.com offers free blank lined copywork pages in a variety of styles (scroll to the middle of the page).

Have Fun!

To discuss copywork and other homeschooling topics, please visit our HMHS Discussion Forum.

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Apostrophes and Contractions

Apostrophes are used to show possession, and they’re also used to indicate missing letters in contractions. Sometimes, these two uses can be confused. For instance, its is the possessive of it, but it’s is a contraction of it is.  Example:  It’s too bad its fur got wet.

An apostrophe can indicate the possessive case of both singular and plural nouns, either jointly or separately.  Examples:  This is our team’s playground, but it’s Bobby’s ball, not Bobby and Billy’s ball.

An apostrophe can also indicate the omission of numerals.  Example:  We are the class of ’08.

An apostrophe is normally used with s in expressions of time, measurement, and money (Examples:  a dollar’s worth of apples; a year’s subscription; a week’s vacation), but is not used with a plural noun used as a modifier (Examples: earnings statement and systems analyst).

An apostrophe sometimes indicates “understood” possession.  Example:  The book is at your bookseller’s.

The use of an apostrophe plus s with words ending in s or z sounds usually depends on whether a pronounceable final syllable is thus formed. If the syllable is pronounced, the apostrophe plus s is added. If no final pronounceable syllable is formed, the apostrophe is retained, but not usually the final s.  Examples:  Mr. Gomez’s store; Knox’s products; Moses’ law; for righteousness’ sake.

I have searched for some good resources to solidify your student’s understanding of contractions and possessives.  Enjoy!

Games

• Contraction Pick-Up:  Using index cards, write the contraction on one card (ex:  it’s) and write out the full words on a separate card (ex:  it is).  Do this with as many contractions as you are learning.  Mix them up and spread them on the floor.  Have your student pick up the matching sets as quickly as they can.  Time them and have them try to beat their own time.
• Contraction Matching:  Using the same index cards as above, turn them all upside down and play a matching game.  Turn up one, then another.  If they are matches (ex:  do not and don’t), they keep the cards.  Play until all have been matched.
• Contraction Bingo:  Again, use the same index cards for the call cards.  Fill in a blank Bingo sheet, like those at DLTK Kids, with the opposite of what you are calling.  For example:  If you are calling the full words (ex:  were not), then fill the cards with the contractions (ex:  weren’t).  Play with any manipulatives you have available (beans, coins, etc..).
• Dry Erase:  Using a dry erase board, write out the full words next to each other (ex:  cannot).  Let the student use a different color and wipe away the letters that are taken out and fill in the apostrophe (ex:  cannot- student would erase one “n” and an “o” to end up with can’t).

Books

Alfie the Apostrophe

If You Were a Contraction

Online Games

• Exploring for Possessives is a fun, interactive game to learn to recognize possessive forms.
• Quia has a set of games on contractions and possessive nouns.
• Treasure Trove is a fun, interactive game to learn contractions.
• Here is a game for singular possessive nouns.

Worksheets

• Enchanted Learning has plenty of worksheets on contractions.
• CREATE for Mississippi has a free lesson plan on possessives.  Handout 1 is a pdf printout on apostrophes.
• Get grade level specific worksheets on apostrophes and contractions from Ed Helper.
• Print customized worksheets on possessives from Worksheet Works.

Remember to write me at Contact HMHS to submit any questions related to Language Arts! I will answer them in upcoming blogs.

To discuss Grammar and other Homeschooling topics and ideas, please visit our Homemade Homeschoolers discussion forum.

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You can read the title, but does it make sense?  Of course not!  It should read:  “Which Homonym Would You Choose?”   Obviously, using the correct word when writing is very important.  However, deciding on which spelling to use can be very difficult for students.  Here I will introduce you to homonyms and provide you with some games to solidify your young writer’s understanding.

Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings, and often different spellings.

There are many sets of words in English that have very different meanings from one another, but are often confused because they sound the same. These  sets of words are called homonyms. Here are some of them (there are many more, but this will get you started) :

It’s: The contraction for it is

Its: The possessive of it

Wait: Allow a time interval

Weight: Poundage on a scale

I’ll: The contraction for I will

Aisle: Walking space between seats

I: Me

Eye: What we use to see with

There: In that location

Their: Belongs to them

Seam: Sew something together

Seem: Appear to be

Hole: Represents a missing piece

Whole: The entire thing, with nothing missing

Light: Something that shines

Lite: Light (in weight)

Bite: A piece of food

Byte: A unit of information (on the computer)

Write: Apply pencil to paper (for instance)

Right: Correct

Sight: The ability to see

Site: Location

Cite: Acknowledge

Intoduce your student to homonyms, giving these and/or other examples.  Use them in sentences to demonstrate how context can help decide which spelling to use.  Since games are a wonderful learning tool for children, I have searched down a few for you to enjoy.

For younger students:

Make picture to word matching cards. On one card (index or smaller) draw a picture (Ex: an eye), then write out the word on a separate card.  Do the same for the word’s homonym(s) (Ex:  I, a picture of me).  Do this for as many homonyms as you have reviewed with your student, and let them go to work matching the pictures to the words.

Make homonym dominoes. If you don’t know the basic concept of playing dominoes, this may be confusing.  Consult the original game or someone who plays.  Cut index cards in half lengthwise.  On one end write a homonym (Ex:  sum).  On the other end write an unrelated homonym (Ex:  ate).   Take a second card and write one of the related  homonyms (Ex:  some) and an unrelated homonym (Ex:  ten).  Take a third and write the second related homonym match on one end (Ex:  eight) and an unrelated homonym on the other end (Ex:  win).   Continue this pattern, using as many homonyms as you wish for your student to learn.

To Play:

• Share dominoes equally among players.
• Players take turns to put down a domino matching a word with another word which sounds the same, but has a different meaning.
• The first player to put down all their dominoes or who has the least number left, is the winner.

Extended Lesson:

• Get students to look up and compare the definition of each homonym in a dictionary.
• Ask students to say a sentence using both homonyms. (Ex:  I bought medicine for my eye.)

For Older Students:

Go here to get a description of the game Horrid Homonyms.  This is for a classroom, but is easily adaptable to the home school.

Online Games:

BBC Skillwise has a great Fact Sheet to teach concepts, Online Quiz, and Matching Game with sound.

Quia has several games and a word search.

Go here for a great online “choose the correct homonym” game.

Enjoy!  Remember to write me at Contact HMHS to submit any questions related to Language Arts!  I will answer them in upcoming blogs.

Big Den

To discuss Homonyms and other Homeschooling topics and ideas, please visit our Homemade Homeschoolers discussion forum.

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