Nicola Winstanley
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let's go out while we're at home

4/6/2020

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The great thing about having an imagination is that you can go wherever you want, whenever you want--even when you have to stay at home. So, here's a writing exercise to get you out of the house. You don't even have to write it down! But I hope you will.

(You could ask a family member to ask you these questions while your eyes are closed.)

1. Close your eyes.
2. Decide where you want to go--the beach? Your favourite donut shop? Planet Zarg? The castle lair of King Shark under the sea? Your classroom?
3. In your mind, walk through a door into the place you want to be. Then look around! What do you see? What is in front of you? Behind you? Beside you? Are there other people there? Donuts? Sharks? What colours, textures and shapes do you see?
4. What do you hear when you're there? What do you hear close to you? What can you hear from far away? Listen carefully--there are layers of sound. What do you hear first? What do you you hear underneath?
5. Can you smell anything? Is it one thing? Lots of things? A mixture of things? Does it smell yummy . . . or not?
6. How does your body feel? Is it cold or hot? Wet or dry? Do you feel light or heavy? Is it easy to breathe, or does the air feel thick?

Once you've really visited, open your eyes.

Now you can either draw a picture of this place, or you can describe it in words by writing a description. If you want to keep going, ask yourself, "Now I'm here, what happens next?"--and keep writing!
Picture
Image:
Simon Steinbergerfrom Pixabay

You can go anywhere! I grew up in New Zealand. I think I'll pay it a visit!
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ONOmATOPoEIA

3/31/2020

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​Another new word (maybe?) and a quick writing activity for children old enough to write. It has the advantage of a few minutes of breathing and stillness. 

1. Sit down quietly, inside or outside.
2. Set a timer for three minutes (or five!).
2. Close your eyes.
3. Be silent and listen carefully.
4. Write down everything you hear--try and use "sound" words. 
5. Voila! A poem!



Quiet, then
A ticking clock
The fridge gurgles
Far away, a bus rumbles
Creaking cupboards
A whoosh in the the oven
and a metallic jangle
Footsteps above my head?
My own breath
Tick-tock



No one else is up in my house yet! Maybe your house is noisier?


A loaf of bread in a dutch oven
The gas was noisy in my oven this morning because I was baking bread!
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VIRTUAL VISIT!

3/30/2020

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How to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy Steps has been chosen by Illinois schools kids as one of the books on the shortlist for the Monarch Award for K-3. (Please see the website and master list for 2021 here.)

Tomorrow morning, I'll be online with Rondout School in Illinois for a virtual visit! I'm looking forward to meeting all the kids who will be able to join me online to hear me my read my book, and to chat about out pets and our writing and reading.

If you are a teacher or librarian in Illinois and would like to do the same, I would be happy to set that up with you. 

I'll let you know tomorrow how the visit went!

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    Head shot of Nicola Winstanley
    Photo courtesy of Anne Zbitnew.

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    I'm a writer for children and adults from Hamilton, Ontario.

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