I got a fantastic old school book, My Word Book, from an antiques store. Dubbed a "modern language arts program," and published in 1959, it was too neat to pass up.
I imagine it was for fourth or fifth graders. It has a dictionary at its back, vocabulary challenges throughout, and tricks and tips for usage of words. I thought it an awesome little thing to sit and brainstorm with.
What I thought fun were exercises in which you complete the sentences with an appropriate word. Try these:
1) The elephant seems awkward because of its _______.
2) The woman _______ carefully to avoid the mud puddle.
3) Are you willing to _______ the prisoner?
4) George does not like to eat _______.
5) An engine needs _______ to make it run.
6) The actress made a dramatic _______.
Leave your answers in comments. I'm thinking silly, like Mad Libs. It's fun Friday entertainment! All from a little, smelly (albeit neat) book.
1: invisibility
ReplyDelete2: flew
3: marry
4: s**t
5: encouragement
6: sandwich
(now I'm late for work - again! Thanks, Janna!)
I don't have a pen handy so I can't do this. BUT I think this sounds like a fun way to get your brain churning.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this as the older son has me doing Star Wars Mad Libs here goes:
ReplyDelete1) gait
2) leap
3) free
4) alone
5) oil
6) fall
1. hernia (do elephants get hernias?)
ReplyDelete2. shimmied
3. attack
4. fried worms
5. spit
6. guffaw
How much did I just love this excercise?
~ Wendy
What a giggle!
ReplyDelete1. spiked heels
2. wore stilts
3. elope
4. chocolate covered ants
5. hamsters running on a wheel
6. belly flop
1 - roller-skates
ReplyDelete2 - back-flipped
3 - shave
4 - umbrellas
5 - legs
6 - trombone
Adam
1. trunk
ReplyDelete2. hopped
3. release
4. pumpkin
5. tuning
6. entrance
1) ankles
ReplyDelete2) danced
3) free
4) onions
5) gas
6) exit
I know. Not very funny, but I'm tired and cranky today.
) The elephant seems awkward because of its ballet slippers. He still hasn't mastered the first dance. Can you believe it?
ReplyDelete2) The woman climbed onto her boyfriend's back, carefully, to avoid the mud puddle.
3) Are you willing to kiss the prisoner? If you do, he'll turn into a prince! I promise. *crossing fingers, but have video camera ready*
4) George does not like to eat with the lights on. THEY might see him.
5) An engine needs the gentle touch of a woman to make it run. hehehe
6) The actress made a dramatic cluck, but she just couldn't imitate Cadbury's clucking bunny. Can't blame her. He's GOOD. ;)
This was fun! Have a great weekend.
Lynnette Labelle
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com
You are working my brain too hard this morning--but I am at least getting around to read about you!
ReplyDelete1) constipation
ReplyDelete2) pirouetted
3) bathe
4) sushi
5) moonshine
6) billboard
1) The elephant seems awkward because of its control top pantyhose.
ReplyDelete2) The woman pole vaults carefully to avoid the mud puddle.
3) Are you willing to eat the prisoner?
4) George does not like to eat the prisoner.
5) An engine needs a wind up key to make it run.
6) The actress made a dramatic chipmunk.
Happy Friday Janna!
Fun to read everyone else's answers. I always was a sit back and let others do it kind of gal... :O)
ReplyDeleteI love old school books like this (especially the health and manners ones), and you've made me miss MadLibs.
ReplyDeleteThe elephant seems awkward because of its lopsided trunk.
ReplyDelete2) The woman tiptoed carefully to avoid the mud puddle.
3) Are you willing to release the prisoner?
4) George does not like to eat green eggs and ham (mixing Seuss and Curious George)
5) An engine needs gravel to make it run.
6) The actress made a dramatic curtsy.
This is SUCH A FUN PlACE!!
I really like your blog layout. Nice colors. I love old books like that! The smell. The feel. I wish we had old used bookstores around here. Good find.
ReplyDeleteSpent so much time laughing at everyone else's contributions I don't think I could top them! You are creatively provocative as always, thank you, janna.
ReplyDelete1. eyebrows
ReplyDelete2. whistled
3. tickle
4. his words
5. bananas
6. souffle
1. tiara
ReplyDelete2. hiccuped
3. tickle
4. naked
5. money
6. belch
Funny!
I wonder if you can find some old titles on the Internet. I'd love to find a few of the books I used in elementary school.
ReplyDeleteIt's 10:00 P.M. The brain is refusing to do this exercise. :)
Blessings,
Susan
Ha! My kids love Mad Libs. In honor of my youngest daughter, I shall answer everything with "potatoes" because she finds that word inexplicably hilarious.
ReplyDelete1) The elephant seems awkward because of its eyes are so tiny-what's up with that? everything else is huge --- oh wait, just one word? huh, okay - because of its DOUBTS.
ReplyDelete2) The woman CRIED carefully to avoid the mud puddle.
3) Are you willing to *EXPLETIVE* the prisoner?
4) George does not like to eat PRISONERS (see above--).
5) An engine needs LEGS to make it run.
6) The actress made a dramatic EXIT (okay, couldn't think of anything *laugh*)
laughing at the answers! HAW!
ReplyDelete1. paunch
ReplyDelete2. high jumped
3. rob
4. centipedes
5. chasing
6. faux pas
1) The elephant seems awkward because of a recent nose job. He hopes no one will notice.
ReplyDelete2) The woman stepped on the man carefully to avoid the mud puddle.
How convenient, she thought.
3) Are you willing to be the prisoner? Because once you come through that door, I'm going to lock it.
4) George does not like to eat broccoli, except when it is covered by Velvetta cheese sauce. That's how mother always made it. Although mum's analogy to 'baby trees' still made him uneasy.
5) An engine needs little green men to make it run. Everyone knows this. That, my dear, is why I only go to full service gas stations.
6) The actress made a dramatic, albeit rude, hand gesture to the man in the audience with the ringing cellphone. Of course she deserved that standing ovation!