Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts

Let's Fold (Kumon First Steps Workbooks) Review

Let's Fold (Kumon First Steps Workbooks)
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I am a homeschool mom who recently discovered the GREAT Kumon books for children. LET'S FOLD is part of the Kumon First Steps series, which also includes 3 other books: Let's Color, Let's Sticker and Paste, and Let's Cut Paper. The books in this series are recommended for ages 2 and up. I want to say I am using these with my 8 yr. old son, along with the regular Kumon books, and he is enjoying it very much. Many children take a while to learn to handle scissors, pencils, glue, and these fun workbooks are a simple and fun way for them to learn these skills!
In LET'S FOLD, there are 39 folding projects. No cutting is involved for the child. Mom or Dad cuts the project off the page for the child to work on. The first 4 folding projects are very simple; folding the square paper in half; a rabbit and panda thus do "peek a boo", a dog has a bone hidden in his mouth, you can make the boy laugh or cry. Projects 5-14 introduce folding the square twice, where the ends meet in the center. This was NOT at first easy for my son, so I am glad there were so many pages of this sort of fold. Projects included: opening the 2 flaps to see the bear and pig change clothes, and many were opening the folded flaps to see the inside of a fruit or vegetable, such as an apple, papaya, cabbage, lemon, melon, green pepper, etc. Projects 15 and 16 introduced folding the 2 bottom corners up to finish the zebra's or bear's face. Projects 17-22 involve the fold where all 4 corners of the square are folded to the center point, making a smaller square. Again, this is NOT always easy for a child to master! These have photos of animals from the rear or as babies, and when the folding is done you see a full view of the animal and in the case of the babies, the grown up animals. Projects 23-32 involve folds that will change the picture (cute drawings) from one thing to another thing as you unfold it: chainging the number of candies, or an elephant into a mouse, or a donkey into a fish. The last 3 have many more folds to create a series of illustrated actions. Projects 33 to 36 are "origami", with the child doing folds in order to make a paper hat, a boquet of flowers in a paper wrapper, a fox's head and a dog's head with ears, etc. The last 3 projects involve accordian or "paper fan" folds, and when folded correctly, one side has tigers, one side has zebras, etc. This is a very well done book for children printed on sturdy paper, and the projects are fun and attractive. Folding isn't something we think children should learn, but it is a good skill, and helps children to learn to concentrate, be careful, and see that paper can make pretty and fun things when folded neatly. I highly recommend it for all children, and I don't think any parent would be disappointed with it. It is something fun and quick you can do together without a lot of supplies; just you and your child, a pair of scissors, and this book. Have fun!

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Introduction to Research in Education Review

Introduction to Research in Education
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I enjoy Ary's clear examples when he introduces a concept. Each example ensconces itself within a real-life situation even when the concept gets complicated (like ANOVA). I used the sixth edition in my course. I plan to keep this one during my doctoral training for reference.

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Using Picture Books to Teach Language Arts Standards in Grades 3-5 Review

Using Picture Books to Teach Language Arts Standards in Grades 3-5
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Having taught grades 1-5, I expected to find familiar books to use when teaching and reviewing literary devices with my fifth graders. I was unfamiliar with most of the books listed, so I haven't found this resource as useful as I expected.

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Writing and Script: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) Review

Writing and Script: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
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I have always been fascinated with writing. I still remember when I came across a list of Egyptian hieroglyphs and their meanings in a youth magazine that I used to read as a kid. Suddenly I was able to write whatever I wanted using a script that was not in use for almost two millennia. It felt almost like being transported in time. Ever since then I've had a strong fascination with scripts and writing.
This short introduction is an excellent source of information on various aspects of script and writing. It gives a historic perspective and introduces some very important distinctions amongst various scripts. The main categories of script can loosely be divided into alphabets, syllabi, and pictograms. However, there is much more of continuity between various writing systems than one might naively guess. Even the most phonetic scripts avail of some pictograms, and likewise pictogramic scripts make use of alphabetical signs. The book tries to give a general history of the development of various scripts, especially those that are dominant today. The interesting stories of decipherment of some ancient scripts (Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Ancient Cretan Linear B script) are immensely fascinating and they read like detective tales. The book also makes a plausible case for the continuation of use of the pictogramic scripts in China and Japan - too much of their linguistic and cultural heritage would be affected by a sudden abandonment of the pictograms. The author is still strongly in favor of more phonetically based scripts, but he also appreciates the fact that scripts are a living expression of a particular culture, and not just an arbitrary collection of symbols that can be easily replaced.
A book of this length will inevitably have to compromise on the inclusion of several topics. Nonetheless, I wish that a few topics could have been either expended or included. The Cyrillic script is barely mentioned in passing, and there is no mention of many African and Asian scripts. I am also curious to know how would sign language and Morse code be classified, and would there even be considered scripts. Nonetheless, the topics that are included in this book are all covered supremely well, and this is as good of a place to start reading about various scripts as they come. A truly wonderful little book.


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Writing is the defining marker of civilization, without which there could be no records, no history, no books, no accumulation of knowledge. But when did this essential part of our lives begin? Why do we all write differently and how did writing evolve into what we use today? All of these questions are answered in this Very Short Introduction. Andrew Robinson tells the fascinating story of the history of writing, shedding light on its development and examining the enormous variety of writing and scripts we use today. Starting with the origins of writing five thousand years ago, with cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs, Robinson explains how these early forms developed into hundreds of scripts, including the Roman alphabet and Chinese characters. He reveals how the modern writing symbols and abbreviations we take for granted today--including airport signage and text messaging--resemble ancient ones much more closely than we might think. The book also includes a chronology of events from 3300 BC to AD 2000, a list of titles for further reading, and an index.

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Playwriting: From Formula to Form Review

Playwriting: From Formula to Form
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This book sets out in specific terms the formula for a sucessful play with reasons and pitfalls of both ignoring and following the formula. It is ideally suited to classroom use and has an inclusive glossary. The examples plays used will spark discussion although I found them the least helpful portion of the book. It is clear and concise and as useful as any book can be in this area. The roles of protagonist, antagonist and inciting incident are explored not only in contemporary but historical terms and the lessons contained would benefit any writer of any type not just the beginning playwright. It is a book I will pick up over and over again while writing as a guide not only in the idea stage but final polishing. I highly recommend it as it is very readable and practical. It was used with great results in a playwrighting seminar I attended.

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The Photo Scribe - A Writing Guide: How to Write the Stories Behind Your Photographs Review

The Photo Scribe - A Writing Guide: How to Write the Stories Behind Your Photographs
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I have also read numerous books and articles on how to improve your writing skills and telling your life's story. This one is simply the best. It takes you through exercises that are simple, yet effective. I read the book once, and without consciously trying, my writing effectively quadrupled. A few more reads, and I now routinely write 4-5 pages to describe a day's event. Not only that, but the writing style is much tighter, and I have learned not to focus on the obvious, but to focus on the thoughts and feelings of the participants as well.
Incidentally, I have also read Joanna Campbell Slan's book. It is different in focus, but if you must choose one, this is definitely the one. Everything else I've read is covered in this book, usually more thoroughly.
Note to scrapbookers: this book is definitely useful to scrappers. However, it is *not* a layout book. This is a book about how to write, not how to compose your writing into your scrapbooks. Don't let that turn you off, however.
This is easily one of the best purchases I've made.

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by Denis Ledoux (Author) Many of us can speak easily and even fluently about our experiences, but when we are asked to write them down, we suddenly become wordless...

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