1. Introduction: Tongue Twisters. A tongue twister is a sequence of words with similar sounds that are difficult to pronounce quickly and correctly. Some people like to practice tongue twisters to see if they can master them or whether their words become scrambled. Tongue twisters exist in many languages. Here are a few in English you might enjoy trying:
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- Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
- I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.
- He threw three free throws.
- If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
Source: 50 Tongue Twisters to Improve Pronunciation in English
Practice slowly, then gradually increase your speed. Can you do it? Try repeating each line a few times. Most of us find tongue twisters quite a challenge!
2. Ride on a Roller Coaster! If you are brave enough, “ride” the roller coasters by watching the videos below. Then, find the locations of these famous coasters on a map. How many roller coasters will you be brave enough to (virtually) try?
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- Insane – A crazy coaster at the Gröna Land park in Stockholm, Sweden.
- Kingda Ka – World’s tallest roller coaster at the Six Flags Great Adventure park in Jackson, New Jersey, U.S.A.
- The Smiler – The coaster with the most inversions built into the ride, located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
3. Funny Stories (Reading/Listening Challenge for Grades PreK-2)
Robert Munsch is known for his exuberant and funny stories. In fact, he is one of the most requested authors by Grade 1 students at SAS! An entire Robert Munsch collection is available through our Tumblebooks subscription.
Start on our PXES Library Guide Home Page, linked here: PXES Library Guide Home Page Choose “Tumble Book Library.” Log in with these credentials: Username: sas1912 Password: eagles.
Scroll down the page until you find the Robert Munsch collection. For some good laughs, Grade 1 students and I recommend:
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- The Fire Station
- 50 Below Zero
- Stephanie’s Ponytail
- Wait and See
4. Amazing World Records (Reading Challenge, Grades 3+):
Read about some unbelievable world records at Guinness World Records Kids, found here: Guinness World Records Kids, Stories
You might want to look for:
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- The 1st ever Fortnite World Cup (Aug. 2019)
- A tower made from 3,100 doughnuts
- Record-breaking fashion show with children dressed in rabbit costumes – in China!!
5. Face Painting and Body Art (Art Activity): For an arts or crafts challenge this week, have a look at some crazy wonderful body art. Whether face painting or “Handimals,” summer is a perfect time to unleash your own creativity. With a few simple materials, how can you transform yourself or someone in your family?
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- Gallery of “Handimals” – Painting on Hands by Guido Daniele: Guido Daniele Hand Painting Art
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- Shark – Face Painting (Video): Shark Face Painting Demonstration
- Rainbow Fairy Face Painting (Video): Rainbow Fairy Face Painting Demonstration
6. “Pete’s a Pizza” (Writing Challenge): In this hilarious (and classic) story by William Steig, Pete gets made into a pizza by his father. Watch the story, linked here Pete’s a Pizza. Then, try to write a similar story using your own name and the name of a food that you could “make” yourself into:
Here are some possible examples:
- Chloe’s a Chapati
- Jay’s a Jiaozi
- Raymond’s a bowl of Rice Pudding
What silly story can you create using your own name and Pete’s A Pizza as your guide?
7. Going Further: “A Minute to Win It” Games
Based on a popular game show, the games offer short challenges using common objects found around the house. Here are a few challenges that might work well with your family:
- Face the Cookie: Each person has a cookie placed on his/her forehead. Move the cookie into your mouth without touching it with your hands and you win!
- Suck it Up: Try to transfer small, hard-shelled candies like
M&Ms or Smarties from one plate to another using only a straw. - Keep it Up: Try to blow a feather across the room and into a bucket using only your breath. Don’t let the feather touch the floor!
- Junk in the Trunk: Using an empty tissue box and a bit of string, strap the tissue box around each player’s waist. Inside each empty tissue box should be a few ping pong balls. If you don’t have ping pong balls, use tightly crumpled pieces of scrap paper. The goal is for each player to get the “junk” out of his or her “trunk” as quickly as possible. The first person with an empty “trunk” wins! (This one is supposed to be hilarious!)
Source: The Chaos and the Clutter
Your Friend in the Library, Miss Betty