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November 1, 2022
Fall Issue #10
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Weekly activities and lessons to keep your child thinking and progressing all year long. |
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"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all." |
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Hello and Happy November!
I always take a deep breath the day after Halloween. Halloween is such a fun and enjoyable celebration for children and families. Now, however, the pressures and rush of the holiday season's begins and these next two months will pass in a blur leaving only a few extra pounds :-) I hope the time shift this weekend goes smoothly. Getting an extra hour of sleep is joyful, but that first Monday evening after losing the hour of day light in the evening can be a shock.
This week's flyer has a great variety of learning activities to fill those extra hours of darkness. I loved this week's books recommendation. Books which integrate themes and characters from fairy tales are so popular. The Whispering Fog continues this trend and mixes fantasy with realistic fiction beautifully. It takes the reader on a magical journey and leaves them with a positive message that they can apply to their world. I saw this art project displayed all around my school thanks to the talented fourth graders and I wanted to share it with you. It is an easy and fun project that encourages a meditative and mindful action. Drawing this way is relaxing as very addicting. The math problems may seem a bit challenging. Give them a little time and thinking. If you are putting in too much work, you are probably headed down the wrong path. Have fun! Remember to write. I'm sharing four new writing prompts that should lead to some creative thinking and writing.
Have a wonderful week.
If you know anybody who you think would benefit from the weekly learning activities in this flyer, please share it with your friends and encourage them to join The McManus Files mailing list by following the links on this page.
Discover something new today,
Mr. McManus
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The Whispering Fog
by Landra Jennings
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Love this book! Two sisters who have always been close, practically finishing each other sentences, start to drift apart as strange things start to happen in their town. When the older sister Rose disappears in front of younger sister Neve's eyes, seemingly taken by the fog as if by magic, why won't any of the adults believe her? Neve sets out with a group of friends to find out what happened to her sister and the other girls who have mysteriously disappeared and been forgotten over the years, meeting magical creatures and facing their fears on their way to an exciting showdown with a witch! The Whispering Fog is a dark and twisty retelling of 'Snow-White and Rose-Red,' with a delicious page-turner of an ending. But underneath the magic, it's a refreshingly honest story about imperfect families, about how sometimes we care best for others by being real with ourselves.
Enjoy!
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ZENTANGLE PUMPKIN DRAWING
Grab your markers and get ready to doodle as you learn how to make your won zentangle pumpkin drawing.
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SUPPLIES FOR A ZENTANGLE PUMPKIN DRAWING…
The super small supply list for this drawing project makes it so easy and accessible for everyone! Simple is good! Here is what you need…
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You want to start this drawing by drawing a BIG simple pumpkin shape. It’s fine to sketch with pencil and outline with black permanent marker when you’re happy with the shape. If you’re into a more spontaneous drawing style, jump right in with marker drawing!
Start your pumpkin drawing by drawing a super long and skinny oval in the middle of the paper. Start at the top and draw a curved line that stretches down and curves back into the bottom. This creates the pumpkin “segments.” Do this two times on each side of the large middle oval.
Add in a stem, maybe some leaves and a vine. The important part of the drawing is that the pumpkin is drawn large. Everything else is icing on the cake.
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ADD LINES TO YOUR ZENTANGLE PUMPKIN DRAWING….. |
Using the black permanent marker draw five or six lines that cross from one side of the pumpkin to the the other. This is what creates the sections to fill with zentangle doodles. How many lines are drawn determines how many sections are created and how big they are. If this is your firs time playing with zentangles, I would suggest fewer, larger sections. |
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Now comes the fun part- drawing in the Zentangle doodles. Fill each segment of the pumpkin with a unique pattern. If you have permanent black markers of varying thicknesses, like a super fine tip, this is the time to use them.
Use a variety of line types like curved, straight, thin, thick, etc. Also consider trying to create a balance of light and dark spaces within the pumpkin.
Zentangle can be time consuming because you’re using tiny doodles to fill a relatively big space. But, it’s also relaxing, almost therapeutic. Get a drink, maybe even a snack, and settle in to doodle. Feel free to break your Zentangle pumpkin up into two or more sittings so it doesn’t become tiring for your little hands.
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ADDING COLOR TO YOUR ZENTANGLE PUMPKIN DRAWING… |
Traditional zentangle drawings are strictly black and white. I love the addition of some color to this drawing but it could absolutely be complete as a black and white drawing.
Use washable markers to add color to different segments. If you’re lucky enough to have a set of markers with a variety of yellows, oranges, browns, and greens this is a great place to use them. You could also add color with crayons or colored pencils which would allow for some layering and blending of colors!
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If you feel your child might benefit from a group or individual tutoring program to prepare them for the next phase of their education, please contact McManus Tutoring.
Programs are structured so that students learn independence, accountability, and self-possession. They will develop a repeatable structure that can be used to build success in the future.
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Three Writing Prompts and an Essay Topic
These prompts and questions will help jump-start your daily writing. Just as it's important to read for at least 30 minutes each day, you should also write for 30 minutes a day. Don't worry about your organization or spelling, just write!
"It’s for you!” she called, after answering the phone.…"
"When I raised my eyebrows at her, she added, “And there’s more…"
“Her question had caught me off guard. I wasn’t prepared to answer it, not yet…”
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November 1st
Each year around this time, thousands of runners gather in New York City to compete in the world-famous New York City Marathon. Millions of spectators watch this famous race from the sidelines.
Prompt: If you had the chance to run in this famous marathon, would you do it? How would you prepare? If you could choose, what major sports event would you take part in? The World Series? Super Bowl, Olympics? Explain why and how you might prepare.
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