Emergent Writing: Spelling

What's Schoolin'?

This is a fabulous writer's dictionary that I highly recommend.  I used it many years in public school and have since used it with my own children.  I tried a spelling dictionary from the teacher store and it just wasn't the same (shrug).  It has high frequency words for the child to find whenever needed but there are also lines for each letter to write in other words per the child's request.  Then, when they need that word again it's in there - no need to ask again :).

When a child asks, "How do I spell....?"  I just ask them to bring me their writing dictionary, I write it in for them, and don't make a big deal about it.  We check to see if it's in there first.  Before you know it they are checking for words themselves.

It is called Quick-Word: Handbook for Beginning Writers.  Here is the link on Amazon (and thanks for buying anything through my blog, by the way!).  Here is the Curriculum Associates' link to see the product.  The only thing is that you have to buy a set of 10 at their site or pay about $7.  That was fine for me years ago to buy sets but at Amazon you can just buy 1 for about $2.  I've used the Palabra Lista version for children learning to write in Spanish as well and it is equally good.

There is a more advance version called Handbook for Everyday Writers for grades 2+ and then there is an even more advanced version called Handbook for Practical Writing for grades 7+.  I need to look into that one!

What's Cookin'?

Here is a great free e-book by menuplanningcentral.com called Stress Free Cooking.  Here's my favorite tip to reduce movements:  Put a trash bowl on your counter and put it all in there as you go instead of walking back and forth to the trash can as you prep.  Now that the garden is starting up again we'll have our "fancy" daily compost container on the counter to empty out in the worm tower each evening during kitchen clean-up.

I haven't been through all of the recipes yet but I see I'll have to tweak some of them to more natural ingredients/homemade, etc (like maybe olive oil instead of 'nonstick cooking spray'-egh, or homemade pizza dough instead of from a can).  Overall they look really good and I can't wait to try some of them.

http://www.menuplanningcentral.com/StressFreeCooking.pdf

The girls have been busy making foods for a local competition.  Oldest dd has been making brownies (I just had one 'cuz I couldn't resist and my lymph glands are now swollen - but boy was it good!).  Middle dd has been making pound cake and it makes the house smell so good and cozy.  Youngest dd has been making truffles - huge ones!  Obviously none of these are healthy but they sure are enjoying themselves :).