To all my loyal Fun Schoolers, I apologize for not posting last week. A personal injury prevented me from doing Fun School Friday last week, and from posting anything here......Enjoy this week's offerings!

Language Challenge:  Write Your Own (Fill-in-the-blanks) Story


Once There Was a (1)_________ (2)_________
 Once there was a (1)_______
 (2)__________who had lost (3)____ (4)______________
 (5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
 (8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
 (5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
 (8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
 (5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
 (8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
 Finally (3)____ looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
 (8)___________. "I've found it! I've found my (4)___________!" said (9) _____________.
 "And after all that looking I'm so hungry I could eat a (7)_____________
 (8)______________!" And (5) ______ did.

(1) first half of a compound word

(2) second half of the compound word

(3) his, her or its

(4) noun - what the compound word has lost

(5) he, she or it

(6) a preposition--on, in, under, behind, etc.

(7) first half of a compound word

(8) second half of the compound word

(9) name of your main character, who was your first compound word

You can either do these by making your list of words first, and then filling in the blanks, a la MadLibs, or you can look over the story blanks first and then use the word list as a guide for filling it in. Either way is sure to get some hilarious results. And they may even learn some new compund words while they're at it!

Science/Engineering Challenge:  Make a Box

Materials: plenty of tape, rulers, scissors, pencils, one sheet of construction paper or cardstock per child, other paper, objects and tools as needed.

Instructions:
Step 1 - Using the one sheet of paper/cardstock, you must make a box. You can make it any way you like, using any of the tools provided. It should be an "open" box, with a bottom and four sides, but no top. After you've created your box, go on to Step 2.

Step 2 - Now that you've made your box, find some way to turn it into one of the following: a house, a wagon, a basket, a vehicle. You can use other paper, objects and tools as needed to transfor your box.
Math and Art Challenge: Mystic Roses - when you fit any polygon into a circle so that its "points" touch the edge of the circle and then connect each point to every other point, you've created a mystic rose. When you use colored pencils, pens or markers for your connecting lines, you've created beautiful math!

Materials: white paper or cardstock, ruler, compass or round bowl for making circles, colored pencils, pens or markers.

Instructions: Draw a large circle on your paper. Mark off equal intervals around the outside edge of the circle. (NOTE: Using 5 points creates a pentagram, the star within the circle. Since this symbol carries negative connotations for many, I'd suggest starting with at least 6 or 7 points.) Using your ruler, connect each point on the circumference with each and every other point. To see an interactive example, check out this cool widget. We discovered that even numbers of points are easier to do, as you can fold the paper into equal sections and mark the dots on the "points" created by the folding. But, for the math minded out there, a protractor could come in handy, if you wish. The more points you use, the prettier the rose. The more colors you use, the more artsy the math becomes!

Active Challenge: Sound It Out - This is just a fun, active-but-safe-for-indoors activity that your kids will love, and is sure to create a lot of giggles - maybe even some belly laughs! It's a great way to burn off some excess energy, stimulate little (and not so little brains) and create some memorable moments.

Materials: slips of paper with sounds and/or sound makers written on them - blender, hip hop beat, banjo/guitar, rooster, sheep, cow, dog, cat, marching band, opera singer, elephant, monkey, violin, police siren, helicopter, etc. and a bowl, basket or hat to keep them in. Sound makers should have a unique sound and action. BIRD, for example, might be too difficult for the other players to guess correctly, while OWL would be better. You'll see why below.

How to play: First player draws a slip of paper and reads what is on it. Player has to act out that sound maker/sound, WITHOUT sound effects. Other players must guess what sound/sound maker it is by providing the sound. First person to guess the sound and make it correctly takes the next turn. You can keep points, as in charades, or you can just play for the fun of it!

Make some fun!