Families Enlarge Children’s Vocabulary

Use descriptive words

Vocabulary building is another important area where extended families can help prepare young children to be readers and learners. All this starts when children are newborns.
Reading Based on Talking
  The first step is encouraging every member of the family to talk to babies with complete sentences while bathing, changing diapers, feeding, strolling, rocking, and holding. Singing counts, too. What do you talk about? Talk in a soothing voice about what you are doing and how much children are loved. Avoid baby language and high pitch.
   Scientists know that infants are listening and absorbing language. When these children are able to talk, large vocabularies and eventually complete correct sentences start pouring out of them. Many families just can’t believe what they are hearing.
  Parents and grandparents can talk to toddlers while they do every day activities and play.

Describe in a complete sentence

What should we have for dinner tonight in the food groups? Let’s sort the socks.
  Can you imagine an entire kindergarten of these young children who have been talked to constantly since birth and have had many varied experiences? What readers they will be!
Building a Large Vocabulary
   Reading is talking written down. Children must make a connection between what they sound out or recognize as a memorized word (sight word or red word) and all of the words they have stored in their brains. Children who have about 20,000 words stored will be ready.
  When families run out energy to carry on discussions, they can pick up a book and read together.  Books have a rich vocabulary unlike TV, DVD’s and most other technology entertainment. They use very few words repeatedly according to word counts in research. Children who use these technologies have a very limited vocabulary and often do not like to read. Child psychologists recommend controlled limited use of technology and no use under age two.
  Books help families use synonyms

Read books to build vocabulary

for nouns, adjectives, and adverbs to increase vocabulary. Synonyms are many words for the same idea. Adjectives are words that describe nouns. Adverbs can describe action words.  For example, in the phrase “good job”, “good” (the adjective) can be changed to exquisite, extraordinary, magnificent, remarkable, or outstanding. When young children start learning to read and create their own stories these words will be familiar and used.
   Books are rich in language that creates strong foundations for readers who will love to read on their own. There is no substitute for reading and talking to children known at this time. In general, the more a family talks and reads, the more likely children will be good readers and curious students. Grandparents can help exhausted parents create a reading and learning family climate. 

photos: Fran Darling fdarling fotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Young Scientists Love Fireflies

Through the summer months fireflies also known as lightning bugs and glowworms are like golden seeds sown throughout the night. They are best seen on warm damp nights from darkened homes. They thrive in forests, fields, and marshes near water. The purpose of all the flashing is to find mates.
  Observing these beetles is an excellent way to teach young scientists about insects. Fireflies like all insects have six legs. They have a small head covered by a large thorax shield. Their two antennae are long and are in constant motion.  Beneath grey wing covers is a pair of large dark veined wings folded when not in use. They also have an abdomen. Some segments underneath are sulfur yellow. These are the lamps that carry on chemical reactions to make light. Their larvae and eggs also glow.
  When children see fireflies during the day, teach that they are insect friends. The larvae kill snails, slugs, earthworms (unfortunately), and insects that are harmful to garden plants.
All About Glowing
  The adult’s sole purpose is to find a mate by glowing. The male’s glow part covers the entire end of the abdomen. In the female, only the middle portion of the abdomen is converted into a lamp. Fireflies produce cold light, the most efficient light in the world.  The chemical reaction is 100% light.
   During the day children enjoy looking at fireflies through a magnifying glass which can be part of a handy science box, along with small jars, spoons for picking up insect specimens, colored pencils and paper for drawing and printing a few words.
  Insects should not be handled. They can be harmful. If scared, fireflies shed drops
of blood that taste nasty to predators and can be poisonous to some animals.
Catch and Release
  To catch fireflies turn off all house lights. Go outside and aim a flash light covered with thin blue tissue paper at the ground, aim the light directly up and down quickly, or imitate the flash patterns (uncovered light) they may emit. Never shine a light directly on fireflies. You will scare them away.
  When close enough, catch your fireflies using a net. Place the caught fireflies into a clear jar with a lid that's been pierced to let in air and has a moistened paper towel inside to keep the air in the jar humid. Then fireflies can breathe and won't dry out.  They are very fragile.
   If they are not afraid they will continue flashing. Is there a pattern? Draw fireflies so you can find them later in daylight. Let them go within a day so your yard will have even more natural glows in the future.
  Families can check on line for more about Fireflies at http://creationwiki.org/Firefly. Also, to see the famous firefly light symphony of the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and other National Parks at

http://www.firefly.org/synchronous-fireflies.html
Photos: 
Fireflies: https://www.flickr.com/photos/anitagould/2644364956/ & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Firefly_composite.jpg
Fireworks: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos 
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

GRAMS - Creating a Positive Media Home

What Does Your Media Glorify?

Children learn habits very early. According to Dr. Marjorie Hagan co-author of the “American Academy of Pediatrics Recommendations for Media Use”,  “A healthy approach to children’s media use should both minimize potential health risks and foster positive media use.” One method to evaluate all media is using GRAMS Rules, according to Kristine Paulsen, guest writer.
 GRAMS Rules
(Reminder from the AAP:  TV and other screens should not be allowed for infants and children under two years of age.) What video games/shows are young children playing and watching?
  G – Does it GLORIFY violence?  The National Television Violence Study found that nearly 40% of the violence in television occurs by the “good guys”. They found 71% of violent scenes without remorse, criticism, or penalty for violence. (Smith, et al., 1998, “Harmful effects of exposure to media violence: Learning of aggression, emotional desensitization, and fear. “
  R – Does it REINFORCE Violence?  This is important in selecting video games because they have the ability to directly reinforce violent behavior like killing, fighting, torturing, etc.  Violent video games directly reward violent behavior by giving points that allow advancement to the next level.  Often verbal praise is given when you kill someone. These games have the strongest effect on increasing aggression. Playing these violent video games was the second greatest predictor of physical aggression at school.
 A – ADD up total entertainment media; Minutes Matter include TV, Video Games, etc.  Families may want to keep a log for a week to find out how much time each member spends on media entertainment. This is often a wake-up call
  M –Does it MODEL violence? Does it teach players how to be violent and provide a model? Hundreds of studies have shown that children imitate what they see in movies, television, and video games, especially if the aggressor is similar in age or attractive. One study (Boyatzis) exposed elementary children to a single episode of the Power Rangers and then observed verbal and physical aggression in the classroom. Children who watched the violent TV program

What Does Your Media Model?

committed seven times the number of intentional acts of aggression, including: hitting, kicking, shoving, and insulting another student, than the control group.  These exposures teach that violence is a way of solving problems. 
S – Does it include SOCIAL or relational violence?  Some of the most serious bullying involves social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational or Indirect Bullying. Social bullying can include: leaving someone out on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors about someone, or embarrassing someone in public.
  After monitoring all media with the GRAMS Rules, parents may wish to delete or turn off unacceptable media, monitor more closely, change activity options, and explain the reasons.
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos 
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Making Screen Time Decisions

Substitute Logo Activities for Media

 In order to change a culture of violence, adults need information and resources about the overwhelming evidence on media violence to help them create a positive media environment for their family, according to Kristine Paulsen, coauthor of a book about media and violence with Lt. Col. David Grossman, psychologist, available in November.
  In another book “Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents”, Anderson, Gentile, and Buckley, provide an overview of research on the effects of violent video games, according to Paulsen. 
 
Content and Amount Matter
 Anderson states, “What Gives Us Hope? What happens at home seems to matter. Children whose parents are more involved in (setting limits on amount and content of games played) are less aggressive in their day-to-day lives (e.g., getting in fights)….
  Parents are in a powerful position to minimize negative effects of violent video games by limiting the types of games children play and how much time they may play them.”
  There are a number of steps parents can take related to their children’s use of media that will impact their success in school, physical health (less obesity and weight gain), psychological well-being, ability to make and keep friends, their enjoyment of life, and reduce their chances of smoking cigarettes, under-age drinking, and drug use. There will also be less risk for bullying others or being bullied by others.
   A number of studies have shown that playing violent video games is associated with argumentation with teachers (and probably parents, too).  Decreasing exposure to media may also increase positive relationships with parents as well as their teachers.
 

Never-ending Creations

Adolescents who expose themselves to greater amounts of video game violence were more hostile, reported getting into arguments with teachers more frequently, were more likely to be involved in physical fights, and performed more poorly in school (The Effects of Violent Video Game Habits on Adolescent Hostility, Aggressive Behaviors, and School Performance. 2003).
Habits Start Young
  These habits are started very young in children and toddlers when they are given seemingly innocent violent electronic media, DVD’s etc. as the number one or two form of entertainment in the home in place of reading, active games with the family, sports, conversation, interacting with nature, family excursions, conversations in the car, board games, card games, art, musical instrument lessons, educational games, and other positive learning centered choices.
 

More Activities to Substitute for Media

According to Dr. Marjorie Hagan co-author of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations,  “A healthy approach to children’s media use should both minimize potential health risks and foster positive media use.“
  What can families do when children under two are watching screens and children 8-10 years are averaging eight hours a day in front of media?
Next time: A family centered healthy approach to screen time decisions.
Author:  Jean Hetrick
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest