plates, silverware, etc., and put them
up in drawers or cabinets.
The kitchen junk is like the information in your report. Sorting
the kitchen junk is like organizing
the information into paragraphs.
The cabinets, drawers, and pantry are the slots into which the
kitchen junk goes, just like paragraphs are the slots into which the
information goes.
Open the various cabinets and
drawers in your kitchen. Determine what is in each one, and label
it with Post-it notes. That label is
like a topic sentence. The label tells
what generally is in the cabinet, just
like the topic sentence tells generally
what is in the paragraph.
After this, I open the silverware
drawer and take out a knife as the
first sentence and ask if it fits under
the;Post-it;note;paragraph;label;of;sil-verware.;Next,;is;the;sentence;of;fork,
then the sentence of spoon, then the
sentence of soup spoon or teaspoon.
All the contents of the drawer must
fit under the topic sentence for the
paragraph;to;qualify;as;a;verified,;true
paragraph.;Then;I;demonstrate,;saying,
“This is how you often write a para-graph.”;I;take;a;pan;out;of;the;cabinet,
then;place;it;in;the;silverware;drawer,
and;try;to;shut;it;saying,;“When;you;put
unrelated;sentences;in;your;paragraph,
it;does;not;fit;any;more;than;this;pot
fits;in;the;drawer.”;All;those;definitions
and;written;explanations;of;what;con-stitutes;a;paragraph;have;gone;in;one
ear;and;out;the;other,;but;this;hands-on
word;picture;clicks;on;the;light;bulb;in
their;brains,;and;for;the;first;time,;they
are;ready;to;write;a;paragraph;with;the
full understanding of what their as-signment;is.
Unit Studies Reinforce Writing
How;much;easier;it;is;to;write;about;a
starfish;if;you;have;touched;a;starfish,
dissected;a;starfish,;and;read;about;how
starfish;eat;clams;and;oysters;by;cracking
open;their;shells;and;inserting;their;star-
fish;stomach;inside;to;slowly;digest;their
prey.;Or,;even;dressed;like;a;starfish,;crea-
ting;a;costume;from;a;mattress;and;egg-
crate;foam;for;a;play;about;the;different
phylum. This is not pink polka-dotted
octopus;writing!;This;is;writing;from;a
wealth;of;personal;experience.
Focus on Smaller Format
with Fun
Back;in;the;kitchen,;I;define;format as
the;empty;drawers,;shelves,;and;cabinets
into;which;ANY;contents;(junk,;stuff,;or
information);can;be;placed.;The;hands-on;experiences;yield;a;huge;source;of;in-formation;and;words;to;organize;into;the
pre-structured;drawers;and;cabinets.;But
there;are;other;formats;within;the;draw-ers and cabinets creating smaller divi-sions,;as;drawer;organizers;do.
Just;as;drawer;organizers;are;rigid;plas-tic,;so;writing;has;smaller;formats;such;as
sentences,;clauses,;and;phrases;that;fol-low;rigid;structure;that;further;organizes
writing.;The;question;is;how;do;we;teach
kids;those;structures;in;a;memorable;way?
Taking;a;phrase;as;an;example,;first;de-
fine;a;phrase;as;a group of related words
that add meaning to a sentence, BUT un-
like a clause or a sentence, a phrase does
not have a subject and verb.;That;done,
now;practice;phrases;by;having;a;phrase
tea;party;speaking;only;"–ing";and;prep-
ositional;phrases.;“Pouring;the;tea;.;.;.
in;the;cup,”;“serving;the;cookie;.;.;.;on
the;plate,”;“eating;the;sandwich;.;.;.;with
my;mouth,”;“wiping;my;lips;.;.;.;with;my
napkin,”;and;“using;my;best;manners;.;.;.
to;speak;properly.”;With;enough;tea,;sug-
ar,;and;cream,;plus;sandwiches;and;cook-
ies,;phrases;are;internalized;and;become;a
part;of;the;understood;structure.
The;key;to;writing;is;hands-on;learn-ing.;Hands-on;experiences;create;a;pool
of content information coupled with
hands-on;format;explanation.;Parents;get
better;reading;and;writing;through;units
which;foster;true;understanding.;Do;not
trade understanding just to complete
assignments.
Jessica Hulcy, co-author of KONOS Curriculum, the first curriculum written for
homeschool, is an educator, author, and
formerly popular national homeschool
speaker prior to her near-fatal wreck in
2009. A graduate of the University of Texas,
mom to four grown sons, and “Grandear” to
grandchildren, Jessica lives with her husband
Wade on acreage in Texas. Recently Jessica
and Wade started the ultimate online help
for homeschooling moms called Homeschool
Mentor. Visit www.homeschoolmentor.com
and www.konos.com.
How;much;easier
it;is;to;write;about;a
starfish;if;you;have
touched;a;starfish,
dissected;a;starfish,
