Move It!

Movement is art. It allows us to really show what is happening by creating pictures with our words. Today's writing activity was inspired by the howling, swirling wind that almost toppled the trees in my backyard.

Writers: Choose one of the groups of words listed below to include in a quick sentence or paragraph. As you work on your own writing this week, think about how these "moving" words awakened your creativity and inspired your ideas.

lumbering, meandering
slinking, slouching
gushing, leaking
sauntering, swaggering
scampering, scurrying

If any of the "moving" words on my list inspire other "moving" words for you, go right ahead and use your own words in a sentence or paragraph.

Please share!

Teachers and Parents: You can do this same activity with your kids, but first you have to arouse their imaginations. Talk to them about how a cat moves. Remind them that cats like to hunt and sleep in the sun. Create a list of some of the movements cats make before, during, and after hunting and sleeping. Hopefully, your list will include things like:
stalk
prowl
slink
pounce
stretch
curl, etc.

One more thing. Before you have your kids write about a cat, ask them to move their own bodies like one of the words on the list. You move too. In fact, show your kids how a cat stretches!

Now your kids should be ready to write with you. You might want to provide a writing prompt to start them off. Something easy like: The lazy cat was curled into a ball on the porch. Then......

Please share your kid's work. It will inspire all of us!