MaiStoryBook Library

MaiStoryBook Library: The Word Collector + *My Word Collection* Activity and Sentence Scrambler

by MaiStoryBook

Introducing the powerful book of words featured in this week’s MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“The Word Collector” by Peter H. Reynolds

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of *The Word Collector* to start on your own reading adventure! (This is an affiliate link~ 5% of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)~*

Book Synopsis and Review

Meet Jerome, a little boy with the biggest love for words~ a love so big that he’ll have to share it with the world, because no gift is more meaningful ~ or  powerful, than the gift of words. Big words, little words, -words you see, and words you hear – simple and sweet words, two-syllable words – there’s a seemingly infinite list of words Jerome could add to his word collection. Every word Jerome finds fits snuggly into his sorted books of words ~ his fascination with words depicted by the towers of books filled with his collections. One day while carrying his collection, Jerome trips and send his words scattering across the pavement, mixing together in colorful, creative combinations. The jumbled mixtures inspire Jerome to string together his words into poems and songs that work to uplift and delight listeners. And one breezy day, this little boy will bestow upon the children of the land, one of the grandest gifts of all~

Sure to inspire any budding reader with a fascination for words and a curiosity for knowledge, *The Word Collector* is a moving story about the power of words to help us communicate~ to share what we feel and think ~ and to help us form relationships and connections with those we love and cherish. With colorful artwork setting a tone of delight and glee over the wonderful words revealed in this book, *The Word Collector* is the perfect book to jumpstart concepts of print knowledge ~ and makes a lovely addition to any *book collection.*

Vocabulary List

  • Collect (p. 1) to gather together things that are usually alike or similar in some way
  • Marvelous (p. 9) wonderful or extraordinary
  • Transporting (p. 12) to carry something from one place to another
  • Jumbled (p. 15) all mixed up and messy
  • Scurrying (p. 30) running around

Themes/Main ideas

  • Words are Powerful: Words can communicate emotions, passions, and ideas that can help change the world around you.
  • Words give you a voice: Words allow you to share your thoughts and imaginings with the world.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “The Word Collector” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

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*My Word Collection* Activity + Sentence Scrambler

This week’s featured read aloud is all about some of my favorite things in the world, *words.*  As an elementary teacher-to-be- in training, the main focus in my language arts methods courses has been on teaching students to read. And if we could  just take a minute and think about how amazing it is to be able to read, to with a split second glance be able to decode a string of symbols and give it meaning. For little ones just learning to read, one of the beginning concepts they need to grasp is print knowledge, becoming aware of words, and differentiating between what s a word, a letter, and a sentence. Children need to be taught that there is a relationship between words you say and written words on the paper. And one of the best ways to teach children print knowledge and to recognize words, is to read aloud to them, to solidify that awareness that print on the page has meaning and can tell a story. One way to increase awareness of words, is for your little one to start their very own *Word Collection*. Plus, play a super simple sentence scrambler game to string words together into sentences. Prepare for an afternoon fluttering words and collections of treasures!

Materials

Directions for Sentence Scrambler

  • Help your child, if needed, to write a clear sentence or question.
  • Then, cut up the sentence into its individual words.

  • Like in the story, gather up the words in your hands and give them a gentle blow so that they go scattering onto the ground.
  • Pick them all up with your little one, and, now that they are all *jumbled,* sort the words back into sentences.
  • Use new sentences as kids improve with the old ones.

Directions for *My Word Collection*

  • Download and print out MaiStoryBook’s *My Word Collection* Downloadable Activity Book
  • Staple or hole punch the papers on the side. Tie a ribbon through the holes if hole-punched.
  • Decorate and color the cover of your booklet. If you chose the blank template, fill in the blank spaces with words that describe you!

  • Explore the world around you, paying attention to words you see, hear, or read, and record them on the proper pages.
  • For the *Words I Saw* page, record the words in the sunglasses frames.

  • For the *Words Whose Sounds are Perfectly Suited to their Meaning* page, Reference the book – this page matches the page in the book. Write a word on the *slip of paper* spaces and draw a picture of the word in the frame

  • For the *These Words Describe Me* page, draw a self portrait in the oval frame. Write words that describe you in the boxes around the frame.

  • For the *Make the World a Better Place* page, write a kind message in the “slips of paper* that you could share with the world to help make it a better place and bring joy, love, or hope to others.

  • Have fun exploring, noticing, wondering about, and learning new words through your word collection pages!

Enjoy your *My Word Collection* and Sentence Scrambler

  • Use the sentence scrambler as a fun way to practice print awareness and word recognition.
  • Carry along your word collection book and encourage your little one to look at words on outings, while reading, and to listen closely to people speaking for any interesting words they want to collect. This also encourages word recognition and print awareness in their everyday surroundings.
  • Sort words into your word collection booklet. Share the booklet with family and friends.
  • Use the words in the booklet to make new sentences for the sentence scrambler.

*~Overall, have fun creating your own *My Word Collection* and Sentence Scrambler activity, and I hope you and your little one discover a treasure trove of wonderful words! Please comment below  – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary  – or post on FaceBook to share your photos of your own *Word Collections* and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*Check Back on Next Friday for our New Reading Adventure*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*