Think Like an Editor

The role of editor is explained in this new CommonCraft video. Many websites operate without an editor, so it’s important for each of us to…Think Like an Editor

Draw-Write-Now, Book 6As an author, I appreciate the guidance of a good editor. Children ask me how I feel when my editor asks me to change something or questions my work. I let them know: 

• The editor’s comments might nudge me in a new creative direction.
• Sometimes the editor notices something I haven’t. Even when I have put a lot of effort into my work, I sometimes overlook a simple error.
• Getting the editor’s opinion gives me an understanding of other people’s standards and actually strengthens my own standards.

I encourage children to think of their teachers as editors. A good, objective editor (or teacher) helps us improve.

Win a $50 e-Gift Card

Grace-Filled Homeschooling

Visit Melissa’s site, Grace-Filled Homeschooling!
See her review and sign up for a chance to win a
$50 e-Gift Card
…for use in our shop!

Rose, 7 years-old, Grace-Filled Homeschooling

Grace-Filled Homeschooling

Melissa and her girls, Rose and Beth, were recently introduced to the Draw Write Now lessons. They had fun! Hear how they enjoyed the drawing together, tried out pencil grips, and neatly worked on their writing.

I loved Melissa’s comment that 5 year-old Beth “…was incredibly focused on neatness and proportion of her letters for the first time.” I hear that from parents a lot.

Okay! Don’t forget to sign up for the Giveaway. Good luck to each of you on winning the $50 e-Gift Card!

http://gracefilledhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2013/03/draw-write-now-review-and-giveaway.html 

Spanish! The Tripod Grip

Hold the Pencil in the Tripod GripKathy Pedroza teaches Spanish at a dual-language program and translated our “Tripod Grip” illustration.

“This has been so helpful, especially in my Spanish dual-immersion class.”

She shows it to her students’ parents, includes it with a letter chart in her kindergarten homework envelope, and refers to it during her 1st-quarter progress report.

For more information on developing the tripod grasp, see Hold the Pencil and the Hold the Pencil Pamphlet.

Hold the Pencil in the Tripod Grip - Spanish translation

Handwriting and Self-Assessment

Self-Assessment of handwriting work. montessoritidbits.comSee montessoritidbits.com for Leann’s tips on Improving Handwriting with Draw Write Now.

Leann presents the lessons in three parts in her homeschool:

The Warm-up—review notes from the prior day and work on letters needing help.
Drawing and Writing—30 minutes of drawing and writing.
Self-Assessment—look over the writing and noting the best work and the things that can be improved.

In the classroom, the warm-up and assessment process is just as important. Handwriting improves when the teacher checks over the students’ drawings and writing, noting issues and adjusting the next day’s lesson.

My mom, Marie Hablitzel, had over 30 students in her classes, making it difficult for one-on-one time for self-assessments. The assessments were made, though—she carefully reviewed each of her students’ drawing and writing papers after class and adjusted the next day’s lesson or found time to work with students needing individual attention.

Assessment is a huge part of improving handwriting. 

Handwriting and drawing using Draw Write Now. montessoritidbits.com

Art Appreciation

I love to look at artwork from my parents’ generation. I suppose this small picture is from the 1940’s or possibly earlier. My sister, Anne, bought it at a garage sale years ago and she’s had it hanging in her house since then. I love it—hand-drawn, hand-lettered, such a beautiful style.

Finger Exercise

Free Shipping!
On orders over $25 (shipping to US addresses)
The holidays are here along with free shipping on orders over $25.00. This special is good ‘til December 31, 2012.

Free Toy!
A little something…
When you place an order within the next few days, add a wind-up toy to your shopping cart. Sorry, no promises… if we still have them, we’ll add one to your package.
Limit: one free toy per order. 

The toys are approximately 2 inches tall. Wind them up and watch them flip!

Give children activities that stimulate hand-eye coordination and strengthen the muscles of the hand—stringing beads, rolling clay or twisting the stem of a wind up toy.

Handwriting and drawing improve as fine motor and gross motor skills develop. What works best to build those skills? PLAYTIME!

Add one to your cart!

$3.29 each FREE!

Quantities are limited—if the animal you prefer is unavailable, we will substitute with another:
rabbit tiger
kangaroo frog
Qty:

Flipping Monkey

Free Cute Pins!
At your local JCP
JCPenny has a promotion going on this holiday season for prizes and savings…but that’s not what I’m excited about… it’s their button pins! So cute! Go to the store to get the free cute pins at any register.

There are 50 button designs, each one-inch in diameter.

Bridge Lesson: Draw Your World

Architectural structures in your community
are excellent subjects for children to draw.
I live near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State. In 2007, a new bridge was built alongside it. We watched the new bridge go up and learned about bridge construction, which of course, led to a drawing lesson! This lesson is NOT in the Draw Write Now books—the children and I were simply drawing our world!

The perspective in this drawing lesson is from the road deck. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge may not be familiar to you, but the lesson can easily be adapted to another suspension bridge simply by substituting the tower design.

BASIC BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

• The basic parts of a suspension bridge: towers, main cables, anchorage, suspender cables, road deck.
• Artistic styles influence engineers whild designing a bridge.

OUR BRIDGE HISTORY

• 1st Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed in 1940, see Galloping Gertie video.
• 2nd bridge, (1950), photo courtesy of bridgemeister.com.
• 3rd bridge (2007) built beside the 2nd bridge.

MATERIALS

• Print: Tower Template (.pdf)
• Tracing Paper
• White Paper

PREPARE THE PAPER
Paper clip or tape the tracing paper onto the tower template. (The template is removed in Step 6 and the white paper is taped to the back of the tracing paper.)

Stepanie, age 10 Rachel, age 5

See bridgemeister.comIs there a suspension bridge near you?
The Bridge Lesson can easily be adapted to any suspension bridge. Simply substitute the tower design.
(David Denenberg graciously granted us permission to link to Bridgemeister.)

Suspension Bridges of the World 
Great Belt East Suspension Bridge, Denmark
Menai Strait Suspension Bridge, United Kingdom
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan
Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge, New Zealand
Castle Bergedorf Moat Footbridge, Germany

Suspension Bridges of the United States of America
Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Nisqually River Suspension Bridge, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
Footbridge, Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, ID
Preston Memorial Suspension Bridge, River, Kentucky
Dent Suspension Bridge, Orofino vicinity, ID

Draw a Simple World Map

Newsletter | October 2012    Draw a Simple World Map In 1995, Geography for Life: The National Geographic Standards stressed the importance of children knowing how to draw a map of the world. It suggested using simple ovals for each continent. We loved the idea and created a lesson for Draw Write Now, Book 7.  The Common Core State Standards recommends that students “use a mix of drawing, dictating and writing to compose explanatory texts.” Drawing a simple world map helps children develop their own mental map, always at the ready as they build an understanding of our world. It’s easy to see how drawing a simple map can add to the ability to use explanatory texts. Map Tips The Equator goes through the middle of Africa. The Prime Meridian is on the edge of the continent.  Australia is close to the Equator and the edge of the paper. It is much smaller than Africa. South America is closer to Africa than Australia is to Africa. (The mouth of the Amazon River is at the Equator.) Antarctica is at the South Pole, the base of the Prime Meridian.  Asia is close to the top and right edge of the paper. It touches the Equator and connects to Africa. Europe is directly above Africa and is connected to Asia. The Prime Meridian goes through England. North America is close to the top edge of the paper, the Equator and the left edge of the paper. Common Core The Common Core State Standards provide a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. Individual states are adopting the standards, see New York See The Common Core’s  English Language Arts Standards (pdf, 30kb) as they apply to Draw Write Now, from our publisher, Barker Creek. Draw-Write-Now Book 7 Animals of the World Prepare the Paper  Fold a sheet of 8-1/2 x 11” paper into quarters. Reopen the paper, and position it horizontally on the desk. The horizontal fold line is the Equator, and the vertical fold line is the Prime Meridian, with the North Pole at the top of the line and the South Pole at the bottom.  Look at a Globe Refer to a globe or a flat map while introducing and drawing each continent. Use the Equator, Prime Meridian and the edges of the paper as guides. North Pole and South Pole—the northern and southern points of Earth’s axis of rotation. Equator—the horizontal imaginary line that circles the globe, halfway between the two poles. Prime Meridian—the vertical imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, England. Use Crayons Color each continent using a crayon, shifting the edges or enlarging the oval to adjust the scale and proportion of the continent. (The instructions show the continents outlined, but it’s best to omit outlining or leave outlining to the end.) Labeling Continents Encourage the children to write all the names horizontally and to keep the size consistent. Labeling the Equator Include the geographic lines and points: Equator, Prime Meridian, N, S, E, W.   Join Us     Follow us    Send us a message   DrawYourWorld.com - facebook.com/drawyourworld - twitter.com/lessonstips Draw Your World - PO Box 818 - Keyport, WA, 98345 - 360-779-8089 Copyright © 2012 Draw Your World. All rights reserved.