Envelopes

Do you like to share notes with your friends? Here's a fun way to make envelopes to use for correspondence.

Materials: square paper, markers, tape and maybe stickers

Step 1. Fold your square piece of paper in half along the diagonal
Step 2. Unfold it and then fold along the other diagonal
Step 3. Unfold it and fold in all four corners to the center dot (made by the x you folded into the paper)
Step 4. Tape three of the flaps you've created closed
Step 5. Write your name on the front
Step 6. On the open flap, make a list of things to write about to keep your friend from getting stuck without ideas
Step 7. Decorate your envelope
Step 8. Trade with friends
Step 9. Start writing notes and crafts you can slip in your friends envelope and then return to her!

My babysitter and I made these yesterday. I already made lots of notes and crafts to give to her.

American Girl at Barnes and Noble

One Wednesday night each month, my local Barnes and Noble has an American Girl book club. They talk about the American Girls. They have crafts for the American Girl that is featured that month. The lady who runs it is very nice. This month the topic was McKenna, the Girl of the Year. She inspires her friends to do things that they are nervous about. She helps her friends practice and encourages them by saying things such as, "You can do it!" McKenna is a gymnast. She helps her friend who is a gymnast too by encouraging her. I look forward to reading the book. The things that Barnes and Noble gave me were crafts and other activities that I could take home.

Barnes and Noble is a nice place to sit, relax, read or have fun.

Tip Number Two for Reading and Writing

In my last tip I talked about feelings with reading and writing. Today I want to talk about expression. When you write a story, try to use strong words and paint a picture for the reader. In school I learned about show, don't tell. For example, consider the sentence, "She was scared." It is simple, but if you write, "She was trembling." It's another way to show that she was scared. The sentence becomes more interesting.

If you read out loud, try to use expression. For example, don't just say in your regular voice, "This lollipop is tasty." Say it with feeling as if you are actually tasting the lollipop. It would make you excited and happy
wouldn't it?

Here are some examples of strong sentences that I wrote for school homework:

• The supermarket had a sale on inflatable pools with a bouncy dinosaur pool slide. Wow!
• They had to come home immediately from the meeting because a tree fell across their driveway and they had to move it.
• She held the tiny purple flashlight so it would illuminate the dark room.
• Cleaning the oil from the oil spill off the birds was a major problem for the scientists.
• The pink ice-pop froze solid when Ryanne put it in her freezer.
• I love lots of marshmallows dipped in chocolate.

Don't forget to read these aloud with feeling!