Showing posts with label Adverbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adverbs. Show all posts

Monday, June 23, 2014

Comparitives and Superlatives; Sandcastle Waterpark

Comparatives are used to compare two things: for example, "She is shorter than me."  Superlatives compare one thing to every other member of its category: for example, "She is the shortest girl in our grade."  Comparatives and superlatives are important elements of language because they allow children to make comparisons, which leads to critical reasoning and richer language.  Visuals often help children understand comparisons, and Sandcastle Waterpark is a great place to practice this time of year.

Boardwalk Blasters
Image retrieved from http://waterparks.findthebest.com/l/302/Sandcastle-Waterpark-in-Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania

To practice, start with a comparison of the rides.  Gauge your child's understanding of comparisons by asking her questions.  Ask your child which ride is the tallest, which ride has the longest line and which ride is the furthest away from where you are standing.  Take it a step further by listing three rides, then asking your child which ride is big; then ask her which ride is bigger; then ask her which ride is the biggest.

Next, move onto modeling comparative and superlatives for your child as you ride the rides.  For example, you may say, "The Blue Tubaluba was fast, the Boardwalk Blasters was faster, and the Lightning Express was the fastest."  You may also say, "The Blue Tubaluba was fast, but the Boardwalk Blasters was faster."

Finally, ask your child to make her own comparisons about which rides were wet/wetter/wettest, which water was warm/warmer/warmest, etc.

For the most advanced, practice irregular comparatives and superlatives: good/better/best, bad/worse/worst, little/less/least, famous/more famous/most famous.

*Tip: If you would like to get more language stimulation out of this activity, ask your child why she made the comparisons that she did.  For example, "Why was the wave pool the most fun?" or "Why do you think the Dragon's Den was the best ride?"

Thursday, March 20, 2014

First day of spring; adverbs

I've been wanting to post on adverbs for a while (I lead a very exciting life, don't I?!).  An idea finally came to me today: an activity based on the first day of spring.  Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.  Adverbs usually end in "-ly" and answer the question "how?"  Cueing your child to use adverbs is important because they serve to convey more information in a sentence, leading to more complex language/vocabulary usage.

To prompt your child to use adverbs, ask your child what will happen now that it is spring.  Answers may include, "Leaves will grow slowly,"  "The wind will blow softly," "Flowers will bloom beautifully," "The sun will shine brightly."  If your child simply states, "Leaves will grow," then prompt her to use an adverb by asking her "How will the leaves grow?" since adverbs answer the question "How?"

This task is also helpful for reasoning.  If you need some inspiration, go to one of Pittsburgh's parks or your own backyard and look at the barren landscape.  Ask your child how it will change now that spring is here.

Here is a nice shot of Mellon Park Walled Garden:

 
Image retrieved from http://pittsburghparks.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/pittsburgh-parks-conservancys-award-winning-gardens/

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Word List: Heinz Chapel

Word lists containing nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are useful for many goals.  They can be used to target reading, spelling, writing, stuttering, voice strategies, articulation, phonological processes, vocabulary building, sentence structure, etc.  Thus, I have decided to post word lists relating to Pittsburgh.  This one is centered on Heinz Chapel.  Obviously there are many, many words that pertain to this area so I have tried to limit my lists to 25-50 words.  If there is a word that you would like to be included, please post below!

 
 Image retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_Memorial_Chapel.

There are many "ten dollar words" here, so this list may be especially helpful for older children in need of acquiring new vocabulary or honing spelling.

Please post below how you use these words to help your child reach her goals.

Aisle
Altar
Architecture
Carving
Cervices
Chapel
Choir
Cornerstone
Cross
Design
Exterior
Façade
Gift
Glass
Hymn
Interdenominational
Interior
Iron
Memorial
Nondenominational
Organ
Pew
Pray
Prayer
Seal
Services
Shield
Sing
Spire
Stained glass
Steeple
Stone
Tours
University
Windows
Wood
Worship

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Word List: Walnut Street/Shadyside

Word lists containing nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are useful for many goals.  They can be used to target reading, spelling, writing, stuttering, voice strategies, articulation, phonological processes, vocabulary building, sentence structure, etc.  Thus, I have decided to post word lists relating to Pittsburgh.  This one is centered on Walnut Street/Shadyside.  Obviously there are many, many words that pertain to this area so I have tried to limit my lists to 25-50 words.  If there is a word that you would like to be included, please post below!

Image retrieved from http://imaginepittsburgh.com/explore/girasole.

I think this list is especially relevant to the tween/teen population.  Bring the list with you on your next trip to Shadyside and use it to practice goals, or ask your child to brainstorm words that pertain to Shadyside and her speech goals.  For example, if your child needs to practice vocabulary building, ask her to think of synonyms for purses (handbags, clutch, tote, etc.) and then spend some time looking at the purses for sale.  If your child needs to practice the /r/ sound, ask her to say words with the letter "R" in them as you walk around Walnut Street (dinner, jewelry, parking spot, etc.).

Alley
Apparel
ATM/MAC machine
Bistro
Breakfast/lunch/dinner
Bus
Bus stop
Café
Cards
Cash
Checks
Clothing
Coffee
Convenience store
Credit card
Dining
Dressing room
Electronics
Entertainment
Fashion
Florist
Food (American, French, Thai, Chinese)
Furnishings
Gallery
Gifts
Grill
Gym (exercise, workout, strength, nutrition, fitness)
Hair salon
Jewelry (rings, bracelets, cuffs, solitaire, gems, silver, gold, platinum, choker, chain, band)
Lingerie
Music
Parking garage
Parking meter
Pharmacy
Purse (handbag, clutch, tote)
Reservations
Restaurant
Sales associate
Shadyside
Shoes (stilettos, high heels, sandals, wedges, mules, clogs, sneakers, boots)
Shopping (browse, purchase, return)
Side street
Stationery
Style
Tea
Technology
Ticket
Toys
Variety store
Walnut street

Writing

It can be difficult to get your school-aged child to practice writing at home, because it may seem like a chore to her or appear irrelevant if it isn't assigned by her teach.  Thus, a fun way to practice writing skills for children is to write poetry.  This allows them to be creative and offers a snappy way to practice writing skills as poems are typically on the shorter side.  Encourage your child to write poetry, and she can practice printing, grammar, spelling, organization, vocabulary usage, etc.

It can be hard to get started.  So, I recommend reading some simple poetry and using that to inspire her.  The first type of poetry that children are exposed to is typically nursery rhymes.  Try re-visiting nursery rhymes with your child, and ask her to re-write the poem in a different way.  By referring to another poem, it will provide her with a good framework for writing.

For example, I quickly took the nursery rhyme "London Bridge" and made it Pittsburgh themed.  See below:

Smithfield Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
Smithfield Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Patch it up with paste and glue,
Paste and glue, paste and glue.
Patch it up with paste and glue,
My fair lady.

Paste and glue will melt away,
Melt away, melt away.
Paste and glue will melt away,
My fair lady.

Patch it up with sticks and stones,
Sticks and stones, sticks and stones,
Patch it up with sticks and stones,
My fair lady.

Sticks and stones will wash away,
Wash away, wash away.
Sticks and stones will wash away,
My fair lady.

Patch it up with needle and thread.
Needle and thread, needle and thread.
Patch it up with needle and thread,
My fair lady.

Needle and thread will wear away,
Wear away, wear away.
Needle and thread will wear away,
My fair lady.

Patch it up with brass and bronze,
Brass and bronze, brass and bronze.
Patch it up with brass and bronze,
My fair lady.

Brass and bronze will be stolen away,
Stolen away, stolen away.
Brass and bronze will be stone away,
My fair lady.

Send a team to watch all night,
Watch all night, watch all night,
Send a team to watch all night,
My fair lady.

Suppose the team should fall asleep,
Fall asleep, fall asleep.
Suppose the team should fall asleep?
My fair lady.

Give them a TV to watch all night,
Watch all night, watch all night.
Give them a TV to watch all night,
My fair lady.

Tip: Using special paper or writing instruments can also encourage children to write.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Word List: Station Square

Word lists containing nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are useful for many goals.  They can be used to target reading, spelling, writing, stuttering, voice strategies, articulation, phonological processes, vocabulary building, sentence structure, etc.  Thus, I have decided to post word lists relating to Pittsburgh.  This one is centered on Station Square.  Obviously there are many, many words that pertain to this area so I have tried to limit my lists to 25-50 words.  If there is a word that you would like to be included, please post below!

 
Image retrieved from http://www.schellgames.com/schell-games-expands-into-station-square-property/.

Customize the words for her particular goals; if you need some suggestions on ways to hit the targets, please post below or e-mail me.  Explain any unfamiliar words to your child.  As with each of my lists, I suggest bringing it with you while you are out and about at any location.  Feel free to give this list directly to your child (if she can read) and have her check off each of the words that she encounters.
Bench
Bessemer
Bridge
Candy
Carriage
Court
Dance
Dining
Dinner
Downtown
Entertainment
Fountain
Freight
Gateway clipper fleet
Hear
Horse
Incline
Landing
Landmark
Listen
Look
Marina
Mountain
Music
Parking
Railroad
Restaurants
River
See
Shopping
Skyline
Station
Steel
Stores
Toys
Tracks
Train
View
Water
Whistle

Word List: South Park

Word lists containing nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are useful for many goals.  They can be used to target reading, spelling, writing, stuttering, voice strategies, articulation, phonological processes, vocabulary building, sentence structure, etc.  Thus, I have decided to post word lists relating to Pittsburgh.  This one is centered on South Park.  Obviously there are many, many words that pertain to this area so I have tried to limit my lists to 25-50 words.  If there is a word that you would like to be included, please post below!  I haven't been to North Park, so if anyone has special words pertaining to that park, please post below.

P4260004(1).JPG
Image retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/pittsburgh-trails-hiking-south-park-s-bison-ridge-trail-slide-show; credit Jason Elliot.

As with each of my lists, I suggest bringing it with you while you are out and about at any location.  Feel free to give this list directly to your child (if she can read) and have her check off each of the words that she encounters.  Or, customize the words for her particular goals; if you need some suggestions on ways to hit the targets, please post below or e-mail me.  Explain any unfamiliar words to her.

Baseball
Bicycle
Bird
Birdhouse
BMX track
Branches
Bridge
Cat
Deer
Dogs
Ducks
Exercise
Field
Fish
Gold course
Grass
Ice skate
Jog
Jungle gym
Martial arts
Park
Pavilion
Picnic
Playground
Pond
Restroom
Run
Sky
Soccer field
South
Squirrel
Swings
Tennis court
Trail
Trees
Walk
Wave pool
Weeds
Wildlife
Woods

Word List: St. Patrick's Day Parade

Word lists containing nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are useful for many goals.  They can be used to target reading, spelling, writing, stuttering, voice strategies, articulation, phonological processes, vocabulary building, sentence structure, etc.  Thus, I have decided to post word lists relating to Pittsburgh.  This one is centered on the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which will be held March 15th.  Obviously there are many, many words that pertain to this area so I have tried to limit my lists to 25-50 words.  If there is a word that you would like to be included, please post below!


Image retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/st-patrick-s-day-parade-downtown-pittsburgh; photo credit Seth Rosenberg.

As with each of my lists, I suggest bringing it with you while you are out and about at any location.  Feel free to give this list directly to your child (if she can read) and have her check off each of the words that she encounters; customize the words and use of the words for her particular goals.  (If you need some suggestions, please post below or e-mail me.)  Explain any unfamiliar words to her.
Bagpipes
Band
Banner
Cabbage
Celebrate
Clover
Confetti
Corned beef
Costumes
Dancing
Downtown
Float
Green
Holiday
Instruments
Irish
Joke
Kilt
Leprechaun
March
Music
Parade
Party
Pot pf gold
Potatoes
Route
Shamrock
Sing
Song
St. Patrick
Stand
Streamers
Street
Watch

Monday, February 24, 2014

Word List: Point State Park

Word lists containing nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are useful for many goals.  They can be used to target reading, spelling, writing, stuttering, voice strategies, articulation, phonological processes, vocabulary building, sentence structure, etc.  Thus, I have decided to post word lists relating to Pittsburgh.  This one is centered on Point State Park.  Obviously there are many, many words that pertain to this area so I have tried to limit my lists to 25-50 words.  If there is a word that you would like to be included, please post below!

 Point State Park fountain.jpg

Image retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_State_Park.


Image retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_house.

This list has a lot of "ten dollar words," so it may be best for older children.  (There is a lot of history with this site, so I recommend it to history and war buffs.)  If anyone has ideas for less complex words pertaining to Point State Park, please post below!  The park is free to visitors, as is admission to the Block House.  I've never been inside the Block House, so if anyone has words associated with the inside please post below!


Allegheny river
American Revolution
Aquifer
Bastions
Battle
Block House
Brick
Bridges
British
Confluence
Continental army
Downstream
Downtown
Fort
Fort Duquesne
Fort Pitt
Fountain
French and Indian War
Golden Triangle
History
Landmark
Landscape
Monongahela river
Ohio river
Outdoors
Park
Point
Recreation
Rivers
Water

Tip: For older children that have an interest in history, I recommend using these words to compare Fort Pitt to other forts in the Pittsburgh area.  Here is a link listing forts in the Pittsburgh area: http://www.northamericanforts.com/East/pa-pitt.html#fay