Tag Archives: interest-writing
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Fun Sight Word Activities For Kids
By Lindsay Barrett If you have an early reader and writer in your life, you’ve likely heard of “sight words.” What are they, why do kids need to learn them, and how can you help without inciting groans of boredom? Here are the basics you need to know, and a handy list of fun practice activities that will have kids too busy moving and creating …
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What Is The Difference Between “Amid” vs. “Amidst”?
There’s amid. Then there’s amidst. Can they be used in the same way or are there important differences between them? Is one considered more correct? Hey, we get it. The English language is hard! But amid this jumble of words and amidst that mess of meaning, we’re here to help clear things up. What does amid mean? Amid is a preposition, a type of word …
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How Kids Learn to Write, And How to Help Them Do It
By Lindsay Barrett Children have lots of ideas. When they begin to communicate these ideas on paper, it’s a window into their thinking that’s both endearing and fascinating. Now, every child is unique, of course, but early writing usually progresses through recognizable stages: scribbling, pretend writing, and approximated spelling all lead up to the real thing. Here’s a rundown on what you’ll likely see between …
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“Jury-rigged” vs. “Jerry-rigged”
This one’s for you, DIY fans. Jury-rigged means something was assembled quickly with the materials on hand. Jerry-built means it was cheaply or poorly built. Jerry-rigged is a variant of jury-rigged, and it may have been influenced by jerry-built. While some people consider it to be an incorrect version of jury-rigged, it’s widely used, especially in everyday speech. What does jury-rigged mean? The word jury has …
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Printable Valentines To Spark Kids’ Love Of Words
For grown-ups, Valentine’s Day means roses, champagne, and overpriced chocolate. But for kids, Valentine’s Day is all about fun! They get to eat heart-shaped candies, have class parties, and open cute cards from all of their friends. While this holiday is all about the love vibes for couples 😉, for kids it’s an opportunity to celebrate the people in their lives who make them feel …
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Is There Such A Thing As A True Synonym?
A thesaurus is a handy catalog of synonyms full of exciting (astonishing, flashy, lively!) words we can use in our writing. While it’s tempting to grab an electrifying word and go when we look for a synonym, this practice presents some pitfalls. Every word in the English language has its own particular place, and it’s even possible to claim that there is no such thing …
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How Authors Named Their Famous Characters
What’s in a name? A lot, apparently! It’s no secret that writers agonize over what to name their characters. It’s for good reason: a name can make or break how audiences remember a character. It has the potential to be truly iconic. Many authors can’t even begin to write until they’ve given each and every person in their book a name. So how does one …
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How Do I Use Emoji In Education?
Some young people may find it hard to believe, but there was once a world without emoji (the plural can be either emoji or emojis—take your pick). These bright, little, expressive images didn’t come into existence until 1999, when the first ones were created by Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita. Today, there are more than 3,000 emoji … and counting. They add a pop of personality to …
