COOL, CREAMY WORD COLLECTIONS

Alliteration

Brainstorm with students a variety of ice cream flavors; then assign one flavor to each student pair. Each pair makes a list of alliterative words for its assigned flavor, referring to a dictionary as necessary. Then the students choose words from their list to use in an alliterative sentence. Next, one student cuts an ice cream scoop from construction paper scraps; then his partner copies the pair's edited sentence onto the scoop. The pair works together to decorate the scoop and then adds it to a display with a large ice cream bowl cutout.

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EAR TO EAR

Peer editing

To help students identify changes that need to be made in their writing, try this partner activity. First, have student pairs place their chairs next to each other, but facing opposite directions. Next, have each student attach his rough draft to a clipboard before exchanging it with his partner. One student softly reads his partner's paper aloud, stopping when needed to clarify or ask questions before making suggestions for improving the paper. Then the other student repeats the process. Not only will this technique keep the noise level down, students will easily be able to hear how their own writing flows and how their stories progress.

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JUNIOR JOURNALISTS

Expository writing

Here's a great way for students to get to know more about you and your job while practicing their expository-writing skills! To begin, share examples of personal interviews from local newspapers or the Internet and explain to students how it's a reporter's job to ask questions. Next, have students brainstorm a list of questions that they would like to ask about your job while you write the questions on a sheet of chart paper, numbering each one as you go. Then tell the class that they will act as reporters; if desired, give each child a small spiral notebook for taking notes. Call on one child at a time to ask a question from the class list. After you give your answer, students write the number of the question on their paper and jot down a few ideas related to the answer next to it. When each child has had a chance to ask a question, he reviews his notes and chooses the information he wants to share in his report. Then he writes a short report about you and your job. Post the completed reports on a display titled "Just the Facts About [your name]."

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WRITING PROMPTS

Journal writing

Invite students to respond to one of the prompts below. Then have students share their responses with the class.

• Write a description of the perfect friend.
• Think about what makes you a good friend to others.
• Write an advertisement naming the qualities that make you a good friend.
• A good friend is fun to have around. A good friend can also make you feel better when you're down. Write a letter to a friend. Thank your friend for a time when he helped you when you were down.

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COLORFUL KITES

Using similes, writing poetry

Students' figurative language skills reach new heights with this soaring poetry idea. First, have each student draw a four-section kite with a long string and direct him to color the kite's bottom left section. Next, have the student draw in each of the remaining sections a different object that relates to the color. Display the poetry frame shown and have each child copy it on another sheet of paper. Instruct each student to complete the frame with words that match the drawings on his kite, referring to each image as he moves clockwise from the colored section. After he revises his poem, guide the student to write the first line along the lower left corner of the kite and each of the next three lines on the matching sides. Finally, have him write the fifth line along the kite's tail as shown.

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SUMMER STEPPING

Narrative writing

A child starts a story with the phrase "My summer shoes will take me..." and then writes about a place he would like to visit during the summer. To publish his story, the child traces a copy of a flip-flop pattern twice onto construction paper and cuts out the tracings to make two covers. Next, he traces the pattern on lined paper, cuts it out, and copies his story onto the page, making more pages as needed. He stacks his story between the covers and punches a hole through all the layers near the top center. Then he hole-punches the top cover two more times — once on each side, about a third of the way down — as shown. He tapes the end of a piece of ribbon to the back cover and threads it through the top hole and then down to the left hole. He trims it and tapes the end to the back of the front cover. He repeats the steps on the right side and then titles and personalizes his cover as shown. Provide time for students to share their stories.

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A CHILLY MATCHUP

Math fact review

For this refreshing partner game, prepare several ice-pop cutouts, each with a slit cut toward the bottom as shown. Write a different math fact on the front of each cutout. On the back, write the problem's answer; then label a craft stick with the same number. Place the sticks, number-side down, in a container. To play, one student lays the ice pops, problem-side up, in rows. Player 1 draws a craft stick and finds the matching ice pop. To check his answer, he turns over the ice pop. If he is correct, he slips the stick inside the slit and lays the ice pop near him; then his turn is over. If he is incorrect, he leaves the ice pop and stick in play and his turn is over. Players continue taking turns until each stick is matched to an ice pop. The player with more ice pops is the winner.