Alphabox - Guidelines for the Activities

The write start - Jennifer Hallissy 2010

Alphabox
Guidelines for the Activities

WHEN PRESENTED WITH A BOX, most people respond in one of two ways. There are the box shakers, who rattle, turn, and examine the box, hoping to glean a clue to its contents. And there are those who relish the imminent surprise.

Most kids fall in the curious category when it comes to boxes with unknown contents. Hence the appeal of the alphabox. The concept is simple: sneak an interesting object into a box, place the box where it will be discovered, and wait for inquisitive kids to peek inside. (You won’t have to wait long; it’s just plain irresistible.)

Once they’ve taken a look at the contents, challenge them to write the starting sound or the name of the object on the top of the box. Not only are they learning to use symbols to represent objects (one of the most basic tenets of writing), but they are also practicing their writing skills as they play along.

MATERIALS

∗ sturdy box with a lid that closes

∗ chalkboard paint

∗ interesting objects

∗ chalk

HOW-TO:

1. Paint the top of the box with chalkboard paint.

2. When the box is dry, hide an interesting object in it and leave it somewhere where your child will stumble upon it.

3. When the box is found, tell your child to write the first letter of the name of the secret object on the top of the box.

4. If they guess right, replace the secret object with another one, hide the box somewhere else, and watch the fun continue.

Variations

For Scribblers: Stick to hiding objects with simple shapes (such as a pencil, ball, or block) in the box, and have your pre-writers draw the shape they discover.

For Spellers: The ability to identify starting sounds is an essential skill for emerging writers. Put familiar objects in the box first, and then proceed to more challenging objects.

For Storytellers: Encourage Storytellers to write the entire name of the secret object.

For Scholars: Up the ante by daring more confident writers to take a guess at the item in the box without peeking. Give them some cryptic clues, and, after they write their guess, let them open the box to see how they did.