Educational Gift Ideas with Writing and Reading Focus

Here are some fun games/activity sets you can add to your home games cabinet. We love games that have a strong educational component. These activities are great for the entire family! Take a look. In fact, I’m getting a couple for my grandchildren!

Can Do! Writing Skills Game - Gr. 3-4 $22.99

Boost writing skills with a hands-on game students will love to play! Children just spin to select one of three categories—correct the sentence, supporting details or revising sentences. Next, children draw a card and answer the question…then collect tokens when they answer correctly! The game comes in a handy can that includes 60 game cards, 44 tokens, an answer card for convenient self-checking—and a game spinner built right into the lid! For 2-4 players.

Why We Love This! Develops skills in recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons, using linking words and phrases, and revising and editing.

Can Do! Reading Literature Game - Gr. 3-4 | $22.99

Boost literature reading skills with a hands-on game students will love to play! Children just spin to select one of three categories—character analysis, theme & key details or making inferences. Next, children draw a card and answer the question…then collect tokens when they answer correctly! The game comes in a handy can that includes 60 game cards, 44 tokens, an answer card for convenient self-checking—and a game spinner built right into the lid! For 2-4 players.

Why We Love This! Develops skills in describing characters in a story, describing the sequence of events, identifying details of a text, making inferences and determining a theme.

Hapinest Sentence Building Learning Game for Kids | $17.99

Grammar Reading and Speech Therapy Activities | Kindergarten 1st Grade Special Education Classroom Must Haves for Teachers and Homeschool

Recommended for children in kindergarten through 2nd grade. Special Education teachers will love using this game to help kids build fluency in the key components associated with this learning activity. Set includes 55 word cards, 27 photo cards, 4 punctuation cards, and instructions. Each card is color-coded into groups of adjectives, nouns, verbs, conjunctions, pronouns, prepositions, articles, and punctuation.

Why We Love This! A fun game to introduce in the classroom or at home to build communication skills, social skills, speech, problem-solving, grammar, early reading, and cognition.

Match & Sort Grammar & Writing Quickies - Gr. 4-5 | $29.99

Students sharpen grammar and writing skills in a flash—with our quick-to-play games! This set includes 8 game pouches covering topics like capitalization, punctuation and verb tense. Plus, each game has answer cards and simple instructions printed directly on the pouches—so students can play and learn independently! Set includes 145 cards for 8 games.

Why We Love This! Develops skills in using capitalization, punctuation and spelling.

Spring 2024 Classes

Click to view Spring 2024 class schedule

1/2 Grade Novel: Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella 

Wednesday 9:30-11:30 PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST)

Jan 31-May 1 *no class Feb. 21, and March 27

This fantasy tale introduces children to many musical vocabulary terms and explores the make believe world of enchantment. Children will learn about friendship, teamwork, and problem solving. They will also work on writing 3-4 complete sentences related to a topic. They will be taught how to identify some parts-of-speech, how to choose great words in sentence writing, and how to follow a story from the very beginning to the final resolutions.

3/4 Grade Novel: Medallion

Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST)

Jan 31-May 1 *no class Feb. 21, and March 27

Medallion is a fantasy coming-of-age story reminiscent of medieval times. In it, our main character goes on a journey, initiated by his pride, and learns many character lessons along the way. Our class will focus on setting and mood, character qualities and character growth, conflict (internal and external), and what it means to be a good leader. These topics will be both discussed in class, and be the topic for their writing assignments. We'll start with the Basic Paragraph, and quickly move to the Expanded Paragraph, learning to add in some familiar stylistic elements toward the end of the semester.

5/6 Grade Novel: The Door in the Wall

Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST)

Jan 31-May 1 *no class Feb. 21, and March 27

Or

Thursdays  9:30-11:30 PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST)

Feb 1-May 2 *no class Feb. 22, and March 28

Robin, child of Sir John de Bureford, has been told what is expected of him as the son of a nobleman. He must learn the ways of knighthood. But Robin’s destiny is changed suddenly when he falls ill and loses the use of his legs. Fearing a plague, his servants abandon him, and Robin is left alone. A monk named Brother Luke rescues Robin. When the great castle of Lindsay is in danger, Robin discovers that there is more than one way to serve his king. This class will focus on the themes of perseverance, kindness, friendship, and courage. Students will also continue learning and practicing the expanded paragraph writing process, specifically focusing on the editing and stylistic elements that make paragraphs excellent! 

7/8 Grade Novel: The Hobbit

Tuesdays 10:00 am- 12:00 pm PST (1:00-3:00 pm EST) 

Jan 30-Apr 30 *no class Feb. 20, and March 26

Or

Wednesdays 10:00 am- 12:00 pm PST (1:00-3:00 pm EST)

Jan 31-May 1 *no class Feb. 21, and March 27

This classic tale follows the story of an unlikely hero, warns of the dangers of greed, and discovers the wonders of exploration and adventures. Students will discuss loyalty, honor, and resourcefulness in class. Many students will discover the difference between a written tale and its movie! Hint: the book is not the same; it is better! Students will also continue to focus on multi-paragraph writing. They will delve deeper into the more advanced stylistic elements and grammatical layers that enhance writing at the middle school level. 

9-12 Grade Novel: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Tuesdays 9:30-11:30 am PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST) 

Jan 30-Apr 30 *no class Feb. 20, and March 26

Or

Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST)

Jan 31-May 1 *no class Feb. 21, and March 27

Join us for a romp in Sherwood Forest as we tag along with The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood! Howard Pyle adapts the timeless legends of England’s famed outlaw and not only provides exhilarating escapades, but also explores thoughtful themes of good vs. evil, legality vs. morality, and the bonds of friendship. Students will contemplate the challenge of sticking to their principles in the face of conflict while studying one of the most exciting models in English literature! Students will continue to write five-paragraph essays focused on literary response writing. They will hone their use of stylistic elements and perfect the advanced grammatical skills needed for high school writing.

College Prep Novel: The Count of Monte Cristo

Thursdays 9:30-11:30 PST (12:30-2:30 pm EST)

Feb 1-May 2 *no class Feb. 22, and March 28

For centuries, Alexandre Dumas’ classic, The Count of Monte Cristo, has defended its title as the pinnacle of revenge stories. While many people know of the name, students will dive deeper and study the surprisingly intimate exploration of the complex dynamics between revenge and justice. As they follow the exploits of the millionaire on a mission, they will also discover how the interplay between mercy, grace, and redemption affect the story of one man seeking justice in an unjust world. Students will continue to write more expansive five-paragraph essays focused on literary response writing. They will hone their use of stylistic elements and perfect the advanced grammatical skills needed for college level writing. They will also write in discussion-board posts to practice for their college class experiences. 

Fun Ideas to Focus on Gratitude

I bet you’ve been working quite diligently the past couple months to get your new school year off to a solid start. Good for you! Now, perhaps it’s time for you and your children to pause just a bit and enjoy the changing season and the celebration of being “Thankful”. Of course you can weave the following ideas into your school day because each item on this list has a learning component. But don’t overthink it; just enjoy the opportunity to change things up a bit throughout this month. When you provide a few suggestions and a little direction, your children will be off and running – perhaps quite literally – with ideas galore, and energy to boot. You may choose to join them, or you may choose to “catch up” on some tasks that requires your attention . . . like making dinner. This is a list to get your creative juices flowing. Add some of your own ideas and share them with us on our FB group.

1. Using Google, find and purchase some new picture books on “Thanksgiving” to add to your family library.

2. Create your own “Gratitude” book for your family.

3. Decorate: cookies, a table, a card, a porch – bring the word “Thankful” into your fall decorating.

4. Share: a card, baked goods, a walk, a craft – choose something to share with someone who may be experiencing some hardship.

5. Create some table decor for your Thanksgiving meal.

6. Bring something like flowers from outside, inside.

7. Get some yummy fall smells wafting through the house: candles, essential oils, spiced cider, spiced baked goods.

8. Paint or color a picture of a fall scene from your yard or a nearby park.

9. Create cards with a “Thanksgiving” theme and send them to friends, pastors, teachers, and loved ones. Include a Thanksgiving poem.

10. Using one of the above suggestions, find a way to communicate your gratitude to community service workers, such as police officers and firefighters or to nursing home residents.

This list is designed to get ideas flowing, and to encourage you – or give you permission – to adjust your routine just a bit so you can focus some thoughts, time, and attention on embracing this special season of “Thanksgiving”. And by the way, did you know, we’re thankful for YOU!

Who Needs Original?

While “Thankfulness” certainly counts as an unoriginal theme for the month of November, I am choosing to accept “unoriginal” because it’s simply impossible to be overly grateful.

I don’t know what life is hurling your direction, but I bet it’s not all great. Some parts of your life – like mine – likely include some really tough and sobering realities alongside the joys. But the hard parts are real, so what do we do during this season of “Thanksgiving”? Do we pretend like the hard stuff isn’t real – like it doesn’t exist for a few days? Probably not. But we can remember that we do have choices: choices about how we will respond with gratitude in our circumstances, whether good or bad/happy or sad.

Several years ago, I read a book by Ann Voskamp: One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Inside the front cover of the book, we read, “How do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does a life of gratitude look like when your days are gritty, long, and sometimes dark?” I don’t know about you, but on a small scale, this is where I find myself today . . . as I enter into the month of “Thanksgiving”.

So I’m getting ready. Choosing my focus. Looking past circumstances. Remembering God continues to send blessings to me every day . . . even if in little, often overlooked ways, like the dish soap bubbles Anne writes about. I tell myself the truth: “You are not alone.” And I begin to imagine how to put my gratitude into action:

• Sharing some baked goods with my neighbors

• Sending a “Thinking of you” note to a loved one

• Facetiming my grandchildren and hearing their little voices as they share their day with me

• Taking time to journal my blessings

• Coloring a page in my “grown up coloring book” – just to enjoy a quiet, creative moment

• Taking a walk in nature to enjoy the sights and sounds of a new season

• Sending a child a book on “Thankfulness” for their home library

So whether life feels very hard right now or very calm and peaceful, choosing gratitude is one way to speak life over your circumstances and your heart. I hope you choose to lead your family on a “Thankfulness Journey” again this year.

Blessings,

Kris

Getting into a Rhythm

Summertime is a wonderful break from the routine, and September is a wonderful step into rhythm. What do I mean by “step into rhythm”? Think of music. There is a wonderful consistency with music – at least with most music – that allows us to clap along, anticipating the beat . . . even dancing to the beat. While the note values vary, the rhythm is locked in: sometimes faster, sometimes slower, yet predictable. It keeps us moving. This is what September is all about: moving consistently.

Moving where?

• Up out of bed to get the rhythm going

• From room to room caring for our little treasures

• Down on the sofa, taking much needed time to read (and rest) together

• In and out of the car – to and from carefully selected activities

• Stopping long enough to enjoy a meal all together at the end of the day

• Dropping back into bed after a day full of dancing to the rhythms of family life

When we see ourselves busily “dancing” to a rhythm as we hurry about our dutiful lives, we feel encouraged. Exhaustion meets us at the end of the day, but the rhythm of the music gets us going again.