The write start - Jennifer Hallissy 2010

Fish Tales
Guidelines for the Activities

PEOPLE WHO FISH tell great stories, especially about the one that got away. Kids have a knack for telling fish tales too. So naturally, they will love creating their own fishing game and seeing what fun letters, words, and stories they can reel in.

An added benefit of “fishing” for writing ideas is that kids develop their eye-hand coordination while they practice their storytelling skills. And since they’re having a blast, they don’t realize they’re doing it either. The more they play, the better their skills get, and the more likely they’ll get hooked. Now that’s a game that’s definitely a keeper.

MATERIALS

∗ string

∗ scissors

∗ ring-shaped magnet (available in most hardware stores)

∗ small dowel(s), about twelve inches long

∗ tape

∗ card stock or index cards

∗ hole punch

∗ paper clips

∗ markers

(Note: this activity is suited for the over-three crowd only, as magnets and paper clips pose a choking hazard.)

HOW-TO

1. Cut a length of string about eighteen inches long. Tie a ring magnet securely to one end. Wrap the other end of the string around one end of a dowel several times and tie a knot. Secure it with tape.

2. Cut fish shapes, about four inches long, out of the card stock.

3. Punch a hole near the fish’s head with a hole punch. Insert a paper clip into each hole.

4. Label each fish with a letter of the alphabet or a word.

5. Place the fish on the floor. Then, have your child hold the dowel fishing pole, with the magnet end of the string hanging down, and try to “catch” a fish.

Variations

For Scribblers: This is an amazing game to play with pre-writers who are just learning letter identification. When they have mastered the whole alphabet, they can fish for the letters in their name.

For Spellers: Spellers can fish for alphabet letters to spell out the words that they know.

For Storytellers: Storytellers are ready to fish for words, and then they can combine their catches to make silly sentences.

For Scholars: Scholars can use this game to fish for letters to spell out spelling words, or they can fish for vocabulary words and define them as they reel them in.