Conversation Starters For Kids

Story Starter: Use The Five Senses To Describe A Scene

Photo courtesy of: Mabel Amber; courtesy of: Pixabay

A great way to spice up a piece of writing is to use the five senses to set the scene. It immerses the reader in the story and as the title implies gives them a more sensory experience that is engaging and relatable.

In the writing world, they constantly tell authors  to "show" not "tell".  For example, if I were to "tell" about the photograph above I could say: It was a nice day at the park. My statement is accurate and to the point but where's the panache? Did I engage the reader? Pull them in? Capture their imagination with my words? No, I didn't.

However, if I were to "show" the reader what I want them to experience, I could say: 

Soft sunlight lit up the treetops conceiving an emerald green canopy that dangled over the clear-cut walkway. Burnished tree trunks, offset by the light, covered the ground in alternating strips of shadow and light, a delicate pattern woven into the path I took.

Perched on branches, birds sang out their morning salutations, while squirrels scampered about below as if caught up in a friendly game of tag. Freshly cut grass filled the air with its sweet scent. A light wind brushed my face as I breathed in the earthy smell and popped a piece of bubble gum in my mouth. The sweet taste flooding my tongue, I started my daily jog through the park.

As you can see, I embellished a bit with the birds and the bubble gum, but that's the beauty of writing. You can take whatever inspires you and create whatever you want from it. Using the photograph, my imagination, and some carefully chosen words I "showed" you a beautiful day at the park that is much more interesting than simply saying, "It was a nice day at the park."

Let's double check to make sure I hit all five senses.

Sight:

soft sunlight

emerald green canopy

strips of shadow

Sound:

birds chirping

Smell:

freshly cut grass

Touch:

light wind brushed my face

Taste:

sweet taste of bubble gum

I touched on all five senses, some more than others but that's okay. Writing is a process. I can always go back and write another description for the photo or add to the one I've already started.

Another way to describe the photo is to make a list of the senses and fill in what you actually see and what spurs your imagination.

Sight:

trees

brown tree trunks

green leaves

green grass

sunlight

pavement

shadows

Sound:

birds

people talking

bike bell ringing

music

feet hitting the sidewalk

a lawn mower

bees or flies buzzing

Smell:

grass

mulch

wet soil

flowers

Touch:

warm sunlight

wind blowing

cool air on your face

Taste:

fresh water from a water bottle

trail mix

the smell of flowers was so thick I could almost taste them

Is there an ice-cream vendor nearby?

Wow, isn't it amazing the endless possibilities one photograph can inspire? Now it's your turn. Use this picture or another one that strikes your fancy and jot down your possibilities. But, most importantly have FUN!!

Book Review Of Bonjour! Let's Learn French Visit New Places and Make New Friends!

Photo courtesy of: Judy Martialay

Author: Judy Martialay

Illustrator: Judy Martialay

Publisher: Piliglot Kidz Press

Released: December 9, 2017

Format: Kindle and Paperback

Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn

Rating: 4 Lemon Drops

I received a free copy of this book.

A book that introduces young readers to the French language and the surface culture of the country.

Review

Bonjour! Let's Learn French Visit New Places and Make New Friends is a picture book with many educational layers. It begins with Pete the Pilot preparing us for a plane ride to France. Once we arrive, we meet a group of young children building sand castles on the beach. 

Shortly after they leave, a snail named Louis, l' escargot moves in and declares himself king. Unfortunately, Louis' reign is cut short when a cat and dog run over the castle and trample it. But, all is not lost. 

When the children return the next day, they repair Louis' castle and shout their support for his reign. Long live King Louis, L'escargot! Vive le Roi Louis, l'escargot!

In a focused and seamless way, Martialay, weaves vocabulary, simple phrases and the surface culture of the French into the book. Prior to the story is an introductory list of targeted French vocabulary words and practical exercises to develop your skill set after.

A feature teacher's will appreciate is Martialay's additional French lessons in art, geography, and literacy. There is even a song and a skit for students to perform. Since the book includes everything for a well-rounded and comprehensive theme, it makes lesson planning easy.

As a person who knows very little French, I enjoyed the effortless way, Martialay, peppered French words into the story. It was easy to follow along and fun to learn new words without being forced to memorize them. Repetition of the target words is much more effective than rote memorization and causes them to naturally stick in your head.  

I would recommend reading the book to the accompanying audio version available on Martialay's website. It is a wonderful resource for learning the correct pronunciation of the French words and has some characteristically French music.

The book is intended for 6-10 years olds but with careful preparation it could easily be used in a Pre-K or Kindergarten classroom.

As an early childhood teacher, I give the book an A+ for cohesiveness, accessibility and it's educational value in teaching children about different cultures.

4 LEMON DROPS!
I Really Liked It!

Would You Rather

Story Starter! Describe The Setting

Photo courtesy of: Public Domain Pictures; courtesy of: Pixabay

A story's setting is the time and place in which it occurs. Many stories have more than one. Like real people, characters travel to school and work or move to a new home. Each new setting requires careful planning by writers. These various settings will become the world where the characters live.

A fully developed setting enhances the tone and mood of a story. It can also lend insight into the psyche of the characters who live there. How do they react to the weather, the time of day, the restrictions of their society or the technology being used? Does a natural disaster shape their lives in some way? Is their house on a busy street or a quiet county lane? All these details add depth to the story.

Once a setting has been created, writers must stick to the rules that regulate the place. Consistency is key. If a character lives in the rural south during the Civil War, they need to dress and speak like the people from that era. Readers need to see horses and carriages, plantations, and the effects of slavery on society.

If a character started driving a Model-T Ford during this time period, that would be historically inaccurate; however, if this story was based in the science-fiction or fantasy realms, it would make perfect sense.  But, there would still be rules governing the world that the writer would have to adhere to. Deviating from the rules, distracts and confuses readers who may lose interest in the story as a result.

   

My Setting Description

1- Urban

2- The Main Line Section of Town

3- A place where the affluent frequent

4- Dark

5- Early Fall

6- Cobble-stoned streets

7-Large windows

8- Merchant District

9-Early 20th Century

10-Large trees with leafy canopies

11- Lamppost

12- leaves strewn across the street

13-quiet but something's coming

For more inspiration on setting click here.

How did you describe the setting for the picture?

Just Wondering...

This question would be a great conversation starter in any early childhood classroom. Asking children to explain why they chose one character over the other will reinforce language and reasoning, two foundational skills vital for interpersonal problem-solving.

I hope it spurs many animated conversations. I'd love to hear about the classroom discussions that evolve from it. Please share them!

Ways to apply the question include: 

1-Morning Question 

2-Journal Entry During A Fairy Tale Unit

3-Turn and Talk

4-Large Group Discussion

If there is a social issue in your classroom, this could be a gentle way of talking about excluding classmates.

Target Questions:

How do you think Goldilocks or Red Riding Hood would feel if you chose not to play with them? How would you feel?

5-Small Group Discussion

6-Story Prompt: After students answer the question they can draw a picture of the activity and describe other games they played with the character.

What other ways did you use the question?     

Story Starter! Write A Character Sketch

Photo courtesy of: Prawny; courtesy of: Pixabay

Every story needs a cast of well-developed characters. In order to engage readers they must be relatable and authentic. Without interesting, quirky, or conflicted characters narratives are flat and one dimensional. 

Would Lord Voldemort be as intriguing without the glimpses into his dark childhood? The layers J.K Rowling added to his personality gives readers an insight into how flawed his psyche is. A young boy, orphaned by his dead mother and neglectful father, forced to live in a home where he isn’t understood.

How many people can relate to feeling ostracized? Everyone. We’ve all felt left out at some point in our lives. This back story for Voldemort adds the human element that connects readers to characters.

Rowling also gave Professor Albus Dumbledore human qualities that only an in-depth character analysis could achieve-his love of lemon drop candy and his affection for Gellert Grindelwald. Not only do we learn that Dumbledore cared for someone when he was young, we discover that he held some radical beliefs regarding wizards and muggles.

So simple, so unexpected, so human. Without these little character nuances, readers may grow bored, apathetic and unwilling to continue with the story.

One of the most effective ways to accomplish this goal is to write a character sketch. The most basic character sketch is a list of physical traits the character possesses; more in depth ones help create a fully developed character who is uniquely human with a rich personality and flaws.

Main characters will need a more comprehensive sketch but don't neglect to make one for minor characters. Minor characters enrich a story while adding dimension and insight into how the main character is perceived in their world.

For a list of Character Sketches click here.

My Character Sketch

Basic Information:

Name: Matilda Kookyberry

Nickname: Corkscrew

Age: 35

Physical Appearance:

Height: 5'2"

Weight: 135 lbs.

Hair Color: Jet Black

Eye Color: Purple

Most Prominent Physical Feature: Hair

Type of Clothes: Long dresses with pinched waists and high collars, low-heeled shoes

Hygiene: Matilda's clothes are clean, outdated and come in varying shades of purple.

Her shoes are well-worn because of the long walks she takes through the countryside. She enjoys watching the boats sail by and often dreams of taking a trip on one someday.

Friends and Family:

Parents: Russell and Aphrodite Kookyberry

Siblings: Matilda is an only child.

Best Friend: Nora Slick

A tall, thin woman who wears pencil skirts and stiletto heals. Her hair is combed back into a severe bun. A single black lock lies on her forehead like a shiny fishhook.

Other Friends: Donise Biblio the librarian

Acquaintances: Women from the quilting and arbor clubs

Pets: ferret, cats,

Work, Education and Hobbies

Education: Attended boarding school and finishing school but disliked both

Occupation: Piano teacher

Hobbies: Reading, quilting, gardening, collects butterflies and post cards

Psychological Make-Up

Personality: Optimist, cheerful, extrovert

How do they view themselves: Unique, great head of hair, kind, open-minded

How do others view her: Odd, kind, creative, easy to talk to, loves to talk

What did you come up with? Please share your character sketches in the comment section below.