Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers #5: Write-A-Go-Round

Friday, February 1st, 2013

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers
(
A series of 10 fun writing assignments given by a pirate)

Aaaaarrggghh! This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans here to give you ideas for homeschooling reluctant writers.

Writing Idea #5: Write-A-Go-Round

  •  Grab a journal and line up some people.
  • Have the first person write one sentence and then pass it to the next person. The second person writes a sentence and then passes it to the third person.
  • You can do this in a circle or in a line, and go back and forth. Things can be quite hilarious.

homeschooling-reluctant-writers-5“Once upon a time, there was a giant who lived in a castle. The giant ate marshmallows. The marshmallows turned into balloons and floated away. The giant screamed, ‘Come back, marshmallows!’ He built a catapult and flung himself into the air…” (continue the story for a full page)

So you see, a Write-A-Go-Round would be a fabulous idea for a party or for any other time that you get together with other people. Make sure you have at least three people.

This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans, signing off. Aaaaarrggghhh!

Calling all homeschooled kids! I dare you to make a video response to this pirate video on YouTube:

  • Write a full one-page Write-A-Go-Round story.
  • Dress up as a pirate.
  • Read your Write-A-Go-Round story  into a video camera and upload it to YouTube.
  • Go to the above video on YouTube, and press “video response.”
  • I am automatically notified when someone posts a video response. After watching it, I will embed it right here on this page!

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers #4: Puppet Show

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers
(A series of 10 fun writing assignments given by a pirate)

Aaaaarggh! This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans, here to give you ideas for homeschooling reluctant writers.

Writing Idea #4: Puppet Show

  • homeschooling-reluctant-writers-8First you need to find yourself some puppets. If you do not have puppets, you can make some puppets with paper sacks. You can make them luxurious with suede and all kinds of fun stuff. If you need help making super cool puppets, you can look at my website SusanEvans.org, under Art, under Paper Bag Puppets. What else would it be? (Note: This great article, along with hundreds of my best articles, are now locked inside my Unit Study Treasure Vault, the best place on earth for homeschoolers.)
  • Look at what puppets you have to see what characters you have to write into your puppet show.
  • Grab a sheet of paper, and write the names of the people. You write the name in capital letters, you put a colon, then you put what they say.
  • Put stage directions in brackets or parentheses. Then you have the character say whatever he says. And so you write your puppet show and make it as wonderful as you can.
  • Now comes the fun part. Get onto your computer. If you have a camera attached to your computer, which most people have nowadays, you can record your puppet show. Yes, you don’t even need anybody to record you because it’s right there. So you act it out with your puppets, and you’ll have a fabulous show.
  • Watch the fun “Around the World” puppet show. Notice that it includes backgrounds that were drawn on construction paper. Feel free to make the scenes more elaborate and colorful.

Now wasn’t that fun? This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans, signing off. Aaaaaarrrrggh!

Calling all homeschooled kids! I dare you to make a video response to this pirate video on YouTube:

  • Write a full one-page puppet show.
  • Perform your puppet show into a video camera and upload it to YouTube.
  • Go to the above video on YouTube, and press “video response.”
  • I am automatically notified when someone posts a video response. After watching it, I will embed it right here on this page!

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers #3: Three Wishes

Friday, January 18th, 2013

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers
(A series of 10 fun writing assignments given by a pirate)

Aaaaarrrggghhhh! This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans here to give you ideas for homeschooling reluctant writers.

mansionIdea  #3: Three Wishes

  • If you had three wishes, what would they be? Write a big paragraph about each one. For example, if you wanted a mansion, describe the mansion in detail.

I found a genie lamp! Let’s make some wishes. (genie appears)

Hey, you can’t fool me! You’re not a genie! You’re a person dressed for Zumba!

“Your wish is my command.”

The Three Wishes of a Pirate:

  • My first wish would be to have my hand back (show the hook). I got it blown off by a cannon ball.
  • My second wish would be to not get seasick so much. It’s really embarrassing being the captain of a ship and have a queasy stomach, you know.
  • My third wish would be… I wish I could remember where I hid my treasure.

What about you?

“Are you talking to me?”

Yeah. Yeah, you.

“Well, I already have my three wishes.

homeschooling-reluctant-writers-2The Three Wishes of the Wonderful and Famous Homeschool Conference Speaker, Susan Evans:

  • My first wish would be to have a godly husband who loved me. I already have that.
  • Secondly, I would wish for children who loved God and had soft hearts for God. I have that, too.
  • My third wish would be to grow in holiness and draw closer to God. I have that, too. So thanks for asking but I’ve already got my three wishes.”

That was beautiful. (dabbing eyes with handkerchief)

This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans signing off. Aaaarrrgggghhhh!

Calling all homeschooled kids! I dare you to make a video response to this pirate video on YouTube:

  • Write a full one-page description of your three wishes.
  • Dress up as a pirate.
  • Read your description of your three wishes into a video camera and upload it to YouTube.
  • Go to the above video on YouTube, and press “video response.”
  • I am automatically notified when someone posts a video response. After watching it, I will embed it right here on this page!

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers #2: Amusement Park

Friday, January 11th, 2013

Homeschooling Reluctant Writers
(
A series of 10 fun writing assignments given by a pirate)

Aaaaarrggghh! This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans to tell you more ideas for reluctant writers.

Writing Idea #2: Amusement Park

  • Go ahead and dream up the wildest amusement park you can think of–yeah–all the rides, and describe them in a different paragraph. Uh huh…
  • You’re saying that you don’t know what it’s like to ride on rides? Well, come for a ride with me. (Watch us go on lots of fun rides, including a log ride, an umbrella ride, a roller coaster, a turning ride, and a spinning ride.) Wasn’t that fun?
  • Now, you can choose a theme like outer space or robots or flowers in the meadow–whatever you wish–and you describe each one in a different paragraph. And it would be a wonderful paper, wouldn’t it? Yes.

This is Dread Pirate Susan Evans, signing off. Aaaaarrggghhh!

homeschooling-reluctant-writersCalling all homeschooled kids! I dare you to make a video response to this pirate video on YouTube:

  • Write a full one-page description of an amusement park.
  • Dress up as a pirate.
  • Read your amusement park description into a video camera and upload it to YouTube.
  • Go to the above video on YouTube, and press “video response.”
  • I am automatically notified when someone posts a video response. After watching it, I will embed it right here on this page!