School-Age
FromMore Than Letters,
Sally Moomaw and Brenda Hieronymus
What to have
- white and blue duplicating paper (quarter-sheets)
- paper cut into random cloud shapes with wavy scissors
- light blue pencil
- name card for all the children and teachers in the class
- alphabet sample
- word cards, for the shapes of the cloud formations in the book
- illustrations of the shapes of the cloud formations, for the word cards
- 3 or 4 blank books, made with a cloud cutout on the original and duplicated on blue and white paper
- fill-in-the-blank papers that read “It looked like __________.”
- note to the child
What to do
The cloud literacy suitcase provides opportunities for children to copy word cards based on the book It Looked Like Spilt Milk, by Charles G. Shaw (New York: Harper, 1947). It also encourages them to use invented spelling to write the names of cloud formations they observe or imagine.
Helpful Hint
Include an outline of a cloud on the original fill-in-the-blank paper.
Why
Some children will write all the cloud formation names into the blank boks. Children will write in a variety of ways, such as personal cursive or letter-like forms depending on their stage of development. Some children will use inventive spelling to write on the fill-in papers.
For more activities check out
More Than Letters: Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade Literacy Activities
By Sally Moomaw and Brenda Hieronymus Copyright 2001 School-Age