FREE DIGITAL NOVELS



INANIMATE ALICE

I love this: Inanimate Alice is a developing series of short digital stories about a young girl who aspires to be a game designer. Alice has inspired children around the world to create their own intriguing tales. The website includes a free educator's guide.

Free flipchart now available

FREEBIES


This is a DOC file. Vocabulary Word Searches (69.5KB)
This is a DOC file. Word Search Puzzles (869.5KB)

Just a Joke


Q: Why did airport security turn away the vulture?
A: Too much carrion luggage.

Q. Why did the bird crash into the mountain?
A. Because it was flying solo. (So low.)

Q. Why wasn't the fashion show very good?
A. Because it was sew-sew. (so-so)

Q. Why did the perspicacious person put all his money in the ocean?
A. In order to salt it away.

Q. Why aren't doctors good sports?
A. Because they're sore losers.

EMAIL LORRAINE
EMAIL LOUISE (Readalicious! blog)

Language Arts Games

NOUN HOUNDS and Other Great Grammar Games



Here's a creative collection of ready-to-go, classroom–tested grammar games, complete with reproducible boards, cards, and pieces. The games tap into all learning styles (visual, logical, interpersonal, kinesthetic, etc.), not just verbal learning. For grades 3-6.

These are the favorite games, the ones students actually ask to play:

Noun Hounds board game (name people, places, and things from A to Z)
Walk the Walk Charades (adverbs)
Command Performance (imperative verb tense and following directions),
The Black Hole (pronoun board game)
Where's Herman? (prepositions)
Run–On Riddle Relay Race (run–on sentences)
Word Jam (contractions concentration)
The Drop Dead Grammar Slammer Game (grammar review)



Best-Ever Vocabulary Games



Teach and learn vocabulary the smart way—using Latin and Greek roots and prefixes and a real-world context (medicine, cooking, advertising, and so on). A few favorite games:


Synonym Tag
Triage: A Word Emergency Game (words with a human body or medical origin)
Toga Treasure Hunt (searching for Latin-based words)
Verbosaurus and Bingo Lingo (match words with word roots; use word roots to make words)
Le Menu (food words)
Advantageous Advertising (use vocabulary skills to create powerful product names)


This book is out of print after a very successful run but is available in used editions. I'm working on issuing the best games in digital and boxed set editions.

Do Kids Like Shakespeare? Yes, They Do!



Here's a sampling of my favorite activities from TEACHING SHAKESPEARE: YES YOU CAN:

Rude Dude or Kind Mind? (change Shakespeare's insults into compliments)
Who's Who at the Masked Ball? (use witty conversation to guess which character other students are portraying)
Humorous Homonyms and Other Puns
Metaphorically Speaking
Dying in Style (those famous last words!)
Dear Blabby (give advice to troubled characters)
Characters Stand Accused (a mock trial)
High-Class Costumes (Why was the color of clothing such a big deal?)

This book is currently out of print, but I'll be reissuing the content in digital form in the near future. Meanwhile, look for used copies online or at the library.

Featured Books and Games

Children's Books
Read the sad, moving tale of a peace-loving leader who lost his land, many of his people, and his life-long fight to keep the peace with settlers and soldiers. (FREEBIE history puzzles.)
Is it possible to fall in love with bones? Try not to, after you read about Diane France's true-life science adventures, searching for and examining skeletons. A 2006 Outstanding Science Trade Book "Selector's Choice" (NSTA/CBC). Starred review in Booklist. 2007 Finalist, SB&F "Young Adult" science books!
How did a young Argentine with an endless imagination make her dream of exploring space come true? Adriana Ocampo found her path to science adventure through space-traveling robots and crashing asteroids and comets! (FREEBIE science quizzes, FREE ebooks.)
Autopsies/The Body as Evidence and Crime Scene Investigation!
Venus and Serena, Peyton Manning, Michelle Kwan, and others for ages 6-9. (FREEBIE sports quizzes.)
Outdoor fun for 6 to 9 year olds.
Tornadoes! and Hurricanes! are my two best-selling books with 1.6 million sold!
Games
Seeking an educational game publisher: It's a must-have card game set for English and language arts teachers and tutors. (FREEBIE English materials.)
This is my top seller for teachers. (Click for "Freebie" puzzles.)
Packed with ready–to-go, lively games and activities about grammar, vocabulary, and dictionary skills. (FREEBIE word puzzles.)
A collection of Great American History Games and 15 Primary Source Activities (plays, scripts, games, readings, and more)
Race from Earth to Mars, an orbiting target, by fixing malfunctions and answering intriguing science questions. Endorsed by astronaut Jack Lousma.