One of the best parts of home school is the collaboration. The figuring IT out together.

I was given permission from my collaborator to share some of IT from this week.

Thorin and I have found a good way to increase reading ability. It is based on the motivating power of self-interest. Thorin creates the stories. He decides what the new words are based on the plot, action, setting, etc. not what he should be learning at that particular moment in time. I put them into sentences with his input.

First step: create a story using mostly words he already reads. This is a confidence building step. Second: create a story using words that may or may not be words he knows how to read but are important to the story.

Thorin created the ‘Liz Peck and Jello’ stories below: narrative, character names, their physical form, actions and setting.

The drawings are his.*

One last thing: if I had a child without Down syndrome I would do the exact same thing. Every child likes to create and every child is motivated by self-interest.

Enjoy!

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Chapter One

Jello in the Kitchen

Liz Peck** wanted to eat red Jello.

When she looked she could not find the Jello.

She said, “Jello the Ghost you did something funny. You have my Jello.”

Jello is a little white and green ghost. He likes Jello. He would go to Liz Peck’s kitchen to get Jello.

Jello the Ghost

“I want my Jello, please” said Liz Peck.

“No, no, no” said Jello. “I ate it today.”

“Now I have to make Jello again today” said Liz Peck.

Jello jumped up and down. He said, “That is good! Make some for me, too.”

Liz Peck said, “Jello you’re a bad boy! Run away. Go, go, go now!”

He said, “No, I will eat Jello with you. That will be fun.”

Liz Peck said, “Oh, Jello. You’re funny. You can help me make Jello.”

He said, “Good!”

So, soon they made a big, big bowl of red Jello to eat.

Chapter Two

Jello’s Real Name

Jello and his ghost friend Jimmy were dancing in the TV room at Liz Peck’s house.

They were having fun dancing.

Ella the Mouse was by the hole in the wall eating cheese and tap dancing to the music.

Ella the Mouse

Liz Peck walked in the TV room with a plate of cake. She saw the two ghosts.

Jimmy said, ”You are a good dancer, Charley!”

Liz Peck let go of the plate. It fell down the wall.

Ella went in the hole saying, “Squeak! Squeak!”

Liz Peck said, “I did not know your name was Charley!”

Jimmy left to be alone.

*Art for Kids Hub is a most awesome site to learn to draw anything kids can think of. It’s this great guy, Rob, who draws with his kids.

**Liz Peck is based on a real person and is also known as ‘Grammy Peck’

Sneak peak from the upcoming story: “Bubba and the Robot”

Robot