How to encourage writing over the summer? Writing workbook? Free worksheets?

[mommyto4QT]

My child will be going into 3rd grade in the fall. I feel that the only subject he needs more work on is writing. Not handwriting, but actually putting ideas down on paper.

He is a child that LIKES workbooks, and asks to do "learning activities" even on the weekends and summer.

 

I thought about getting a fun writing workbook for him to work on slowly over the summer. However, I don't have any homeschool stores nearby to view materials. It's hard online to get a feel for something.

 

I'm looking for something fun, inexpensive, etc to encourage writing. Looking for any ideas/suggestions!

[EppieJ]

You might try having him do a writer's notebook or a daily writing prompt. You can find all kinds of writing prompts online for free.

 

WriteShop has a series called Storybuilders that is sort of like a game where you choose cards for different story aspects (setting, character, etc.) and use those to create a story. http://www.writeshop...ucts.php?cat=16 They also have a series of workbooks geared for the younger set (I haven't used them, but they look good. I'm planning to use WriteShop 1 with ds (12) next year).

 

There are a couple books I just got from the library entitled, "Written Anything Good Lately?" and "Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street." I plan to use these with my ds to explore different forms of writing (creating his own ABC book of writing as in the first book listed), and to grow in his observation skills (as in the second book). I got the ideas for this from this website: http://corbettharris..._notebooks.html

 

I haven't implemented this yet, but it's given me a lot to think about. Granted, this site is geared toward older kids, but I think there are some great ideas that you could easily implement with your younger.

 

You may also be interested in the Just Write program. I used one of their books with ds when he was about 7 or so. http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/products/details.cfm?seriesonly=2625M We used the Write About Me book.

 

HTH!

[Juliegmom]

I never receive a complaint from my relunctant writer (who also happens to be going into 3rd grade) when I ask her to use Scholastic's Story Starters. We mix it in with our writing curriculum and it helps keep it fun! It's fun, light and may be just right for summer depending on your goals. :001_smile:

 

www.scholastic.com/teacher/story-starters/

[Juliegmom]

Sorry, I don't have any workbook suggestions, but I do have another idea . . . Create a "Mama & Me" journal. My dd and I have enjoyed this activity this year and plan to keep it going. I got the idea from this blog:http://www.mamajennblogs.com/2010/11/mama-me-journal.html

[Juliegmom]

Love "The News" idea! :thumbup:

[PeterPan]

Well what have you done so far? What he does depends on what he has already done. Does he have a foundation of oral narration? A writing workbook isn't the ideal way to teach writing with a young child, because you're spending a ton of time and not really accomplishing the basics. If he hasn't done it yet, I would start with basic narration. Retelling Aesop's Fables (start with the Milo Winter version) is great. He could work through a fable book retelling them but altering them creatively (changing the setting, characters, time, etc.). Do one a day, 3-4 days a week, type and illustrate them, and at the end of the summer he'll have a beautiful book! IEW has some basic retelling books like this if he needs more structure. (fairy tales, that kind of thing)

 

After he can do those things with ease, Writing Tales is fun. A dc that age can do WT1. The How to Report on Books series is fun. You can get those as ebook or print. Listography, Unjournaling, Anti-Coloring books.

 

If nothing there is calling to you, just go to Evan Moor or Scholastic online and find an ebook that seems right. Really though, narration is the foundation. You can do it in a totally different direction too. You can do a butterfly hatching kit and keep a log each day. He's writing, but to him it's science. Or he makes a blog about his summer. Anything with an output he can show people will be motivating.

[Mom0012]

We loved Writing Tales in 3rd grade.

[Spetzi]

I've used writing prompts off the 'net (eg, Describe your perfect day. Write about a new form of transportation.) I've also used the Spectrum writing books which have similar types of prompts, although I believe the one I used requested a variety of genres.

[asmall]

Young NaNoWritMo has a workbook you can download for free. It helps students to write their own novel. My kids really hated writing, but always want to do this. They have a summer camp starting in July.

AL