Are you feeling trapped in the house this winter? Looking for a solution for the mid winter blahs? Break up the boredom by opening up a few reference books and playing a few games.

Reference books can be as dry as toast made in the Sahara and as boring as watching paint dry on a rock, but with gentle competition, your family can practice using reference materials and still have fun!

Here are several games to play as individuals, teams, or a family using a dictionary, a set of encyclopedias (the old-fashioned kind, not the computer kind), an atlas, and a phone book (like the Yellow Pages). These games will not only break up the long winter day but also reinforce skills that might have been overlooked during the course of the year. Most of these games are suited for fourth graders and older, but younger readers can still benefit with assistance from a parent or older sibling.

Dictionary

Dictionary skills include alphabetizing, using guide words, and recognizing parts of speech. These games reinforce those concepts while adding a bit of fun. Nearly any dictionary will work for these games, but the more complete the dictionary, the more fun the game and the more the student will learn. Picture dictionaries are not recommended.

Guide Word Trap

2+ players

Guide words are the words at the top inside and outside corners of each page in the dictionary. One player opens to any place in the dictionary and reads the two guide words aloud. The other players must say or write a word that they think should come between the two guide words. For example, the guide words might be “candle” and “carry.” Players who say words like “carpenter” or “cantaloupe” are correct and get a point because those words are alphabetically correct. Points can be acquired with each correct word. Players should take turns finding the guide words, looking through the dictionary for hard words to try to stump the other player.

Word Drills

3+ players Each player needs his own dictionary. One player says a word (either from another dictionary or off the top of his head). Players wait with their dictionaries closed until given the signal to go. When the signal is given, players try to find the word as fast as possible. Points are given to the fastest finders, and players take turns coming up with the word to look up.

The Biggest Entry

1+ players

Ordinary words like walk, play, or read have multiple definitions. As a group, or even individually, brainstorm for simple words that have many meanings. With a ruler, measure from the top of the first line of the definition to the bottom of the last line to find out which of these words has the longest entry, using centimeters, not inches. Record which words have the longest entries, or even estimate their length before measuring. Words to consider: plane, house, bear, set, rock, run, stand, cup, pitch, sink.

Syllable Score

2+ players

Students take turns rolling three dice to come up with a three-digit number, which becomes a page number. For example, player 1 rolls a 1, a 3, and a 5—135. He turns to page 135 in the dictionary and finds the word on that page with the most syllables. The number of syllables in the word is the number of points he receives for that turn. In my dictionary, the longest word on page 135 is bouleversement, which has 5 syllables. I would get 5 points. The next player rolls the dice, turns to that page (1, 3, and 5 could be page 531, 351, or 153), and finds another long word, hopefully one longer than five syllables. As the students take turns, they collect points. Whoever gets to 25 points first is the winner.

Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia skills are similar to dictionary skills, because alphabetization and guide words are used. However, other skills, such as finding the main idea, timeline, and summarizing can also be reinforced with these games. These games require a full set of books, such as World Book or Encyclopedia Britannica, but it doesn’t matter how recently they were published.

Six Degrees of Biography

1+ players

Each player selects a famous person such as Queen Elizabeth I and searches that person’s entry for the name of another famous person, such as William Shakespeare. The student then goes to the second person’s entry to find another famous name. The student continues with this process until he finds the name he started with. Many famous people in history are connected to each other. The point of this exercise is that within six entries, the original entry should be found. No fair looking up people who were partners, spouses, or known adver- saries. Your six “degrees” may look like this: Elizabeth I, King Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, Pope Clement VII, Martin Luther, and so on. This can be a time-consuming project and is recommended for upper grades.

Where Am I?

1+ players

Find where your name, as well as the names of your friends and neighbors, would fall alphabetically in the encyclopedia. What entries would be before and after it? Do any seem funny or fitting to the person’s name?

Apples to Apples, The Encyclopedia Version

4+ players

This game is played much like Apples to Apples. Using your green adjective cards from your Apples to Apples game (or a lengthy list of adjectives), each player opens a volume from his encyclopedia set, say, the G book. Each player chooses an entry from the volume that best describes the adjective (or green card) given by the judge (for instance, “clumsy”). The judge then chooses which entry is the best fit for that adjective (or the most humorous, if you play like my kids do).

Thesaurus

A thesaurus, a collection of antonyms and synonyms, requires dictionary skills. These games can familiarize a student with how to use a thesaurus and build vocabulary, all while having a bit of fun.

ABC Opposites

2+ players

With a thesaurus for each player, write down a pair of antonyms for every letter of the alphabet (for example, antecedent and after, bulky and bantam, cheerful and complaining). Once the lists are completed, or after a set amount of time, compare lists. Any duplicate answers between the players are omitted and only original answers count as a point. The player with the most points wins. Recommended for sixth grade and older.

Who Has the Most?

1+ players

Choose one of these simple words: big, happy, pretty, fast, smart. Each player predicts which word has the most synonyms, antonyms, or both. Look each word up in the thesaurus to find out. Can you find other words that have more? Brainstorm for your own words and find their entries too. Recommended for lower grades.

Describe Yourself

1+ players

Think of ten words that describe yourself, such as short, funny, cheerful, compassionate, and cute. Then with the thesaurus find multi-syllable synonyms of each of these words (for the given words, for example, diminutive, whimsical, effervescent, commiserative, and pulchritudinous). Try describing others in your family, your pets, or your friends.

Phone Book

A phone book also requires dictionary skills. Even though this isn’t an academic pursuit, learning to use a phone book is a necessary life skill, especially during an emergency. The following games require commercial telephone listings (Yellow Pages)—the bigger, the better.

Fairy Tale Fix-It

1+ players

Consider your favorite fairy tale, such as “The Three Bears.” What businesses might the Three Bears consult in order to avoid the whole Goldilocks fiasco? A home security company? A furniture repairman? A caterer who might provide a breakfast that is “just right”? Search the phone book for businesses that might help the poor bear family and discuss their ads, the words they use to market their business, and their location. Try this same exercise with “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “The Three Pigs,” and any other stories in your memory.

It’s a Dirty Job

1+ players

Each player creates the columns “Jobs I Would Want” and “Jobs I Would Not” on a piece of paper. Search through the Yellow Pages for 10 jobs to list in each column. To make this a competition, compare lists with other players, eliminating duplicates and assigning a point per original job. For an even greater challenge, find 26 jobs you do or don’t like, one for every letter of the alphabet.

Opposites

1+ players

Your community is full of businesses that have opposing or contradictory jobs or services. Flip through the phone book for examples of this, such as obstetricians and funeral directors, construction and demolition, swimming pool supplier and snow removal, wedding chapels and divorce lawyers. Brainstorm for more examples and count them up. With more than one player, compare the number of pairs each player can identify to determine the winner.

Try these reference book games on a snowy afternoon. You might break up a dull routine, learn a great word or two, and perhaps even have a little fun!

Kathy Grubb lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her supportive husband and her five enthusiastic children. Before she was married, she was a public school teacher and a professional writer. She also had no idea just how much work it takes to be a mother, much less one with two fifth graders, one second grader, and two toddlers.

Copyright 2008.
Originally appeared in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Winter 07/8.
Used with permission.

www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

Kathy Grubb
http://www.articlesbase.com/homeschooling-articles/14-great-games-to-play-with-reference-materials-743464.html

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By now everyone should know that you’re supposed to say ‘thank you.’  And there is no nicer way to say it than with a well-written thank-you not.  Not an email, not a text message, an honest-to-goodness handwritten thank-you note is appropriate for almost any situation.  If you don’t already know how to write one, I’ve got a few tips for you.

The note itself

Keep a stash of thank-you notes handy.  If you have to go out and buy one each time you need one, you’re less likely to do it.  Having notes on-hand makes it easy to jot down a quick – but thoughtful – note of thanks.  You don’t need a full size sheet of paper but a smaller folded card works wonderfully.  You’ll be surprised at how far a note like this will go for your hostess or gift giver.

Social and personal thank-you note

Sending a note to your host or hostess or gift-giver should be done as soon as possible.  Get your note in the mail the next day if you can.  Your note doesn’t have to be poetry.  You just need a few sentences that are meaningful. Thank them for the gift or party, let them know how much you appreciate their thoughtfulness and suggest you get together again soon.  You really only need three or four sentences to get your point across and make a nice impression.  You don’t have to get too detailed or specific.  And you don’t have to go on about the many uses of the gift or the details of the party.  Keep it short and sweet and you’ll do the trick nicely.  

Corporate thank you

A well-worded and timely thank-you note is just as important in business as it is in your social life.  Your business relationships are important, so take time to compose a thank-you and you won’t regret it.  You don’t need to be ‘all business’ in your corporate thank-you, but you do need to be professional.  Thank them for their help, hard work, gift, etc., make sure they know that you enjoyed working with them (or continue to enjoy working with them) and look forward to working together again soon.  A thank-you note to your boss/superior can follow the same format.  While you should stay away from gushing phrases like “you’re the best boss ever” I would mention how much you enjoy working for the company.  Letting your boss know that you are grateful and happy is fitting for just almost any occasion.

Wedding thank you

Once you’re married and back from your honeymoon, you should really take time to sit down and write out your thank-you notes.  Don’t stress, it can be easy.  Stick to the social thank-you above and you’ll be fine.  ‘Thank you for the gift.  We are already using it.  We love it.  We hope we can get together at such and such event soon.  Thank you again.  Love, the newlyweds.’  This is not a template, but merely a suggestion.  Timing is also very important.  I’ve heard rumors that brides are allowed up to one year to send a thank-you not.  Frankly, I think this is a little long.  Take a few minutes to compose a note as soon as you can and your gift-giver will be so happy to hear that you’re enjoying your gift. 

A thank-you note is an easy but important gesture.  Personally anytime I can open mail that is not just or a bill, it makes me smile.  Your thank-you note can be unexpected and just might brighten up the recipient’s day.  And let’s face it, sending a thank-you note is the right thing to do. 

MyExpression.com has many great thank-you note options for you to choose from.  And if you need some more advice about notes and invitations, check out our writing resources. 

Amy Carter
http://www.articlesbase.com/culture-articles/dont-forget-to-say-thank-you-a-quick-guide-to-a-perfect-thankyou-note-751778.html

Do you need wedding night lovemaking tips? I mean, isn\’t there enough to concern yourself that day? Now no one will ever have to know that you\’re reading this, but there are over 500 Lovemaking Tips And Secrects that you should know about. No one is saying that there is anything wrong with your lovemaking techniques. But everyone wants to be better, and if what they say is true about practice makes perfect, then by all means practice!!

Here are just some of the things you will learn.The biggest lovemaking mistakes, how to invigorate each other to make love, ways to help cure premature ejaculation, dozens of oral tips, fun bedroom games, how to make your erections harder, the best positions to make love, unique places to make love, secrets to give each other more pleasure, how to make lovemaking more intmate and meaningful, the guide to safe lovemaking, and much more. You may have guessed that these wedding night lovemaking tips can certainly carry over beyond your wedding night.

As time goes on, you could be using a number of these 500 tips to re-ignite the passion in your love life. Some of these items will help both of you get in the mood even when you\’re tired, others help prolong the passion and pleasure of your lovemaking, and others still help create totally new sensations and experiences for you both!

I won\’t go into any more detail as to what this book covers. But believe me when I tell you that the 500 Lovemaking Tips And Secrects covers everything you could possibly imagine, and more! You owe it to your lovelife to obtain your copy today. And make your wedding night lovemaking a night the two of you will always remember.

500 Lovemaking Tips And Secrects

Larry Buhrandt
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/wedding-night-lovemaking-705838.html

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Do you need wedding night lovemaking tips? I mean, isn\’t there enough to concern yourself that day? Now no one will ever have to know that you\’re reading this, but there are over 500 Lovemaking Tips And Secrects that you should know about. No one is saying that there is anything wrong with your lovemaking techniques. But everyone wants to be better, and if what they say is true about practice makes perfect, then by all means practice!!

Here are just some of the things you will learn.The biggest lovemaking mistakes, how to invigorate each other to make love, ways to help cure premature ejaculation, dozens of oral tips, fun bedroom games, how to make your erections harder, the best positions to make love, unique places to make love, secrets to give each other more pleasure, how to make lovemaking more intmate and meaningful, the guide to safe lovemaking, and much more. You may have guessed that these wedding night lovemaking tips can certainly carry over beyond your wedding night.

As time goes on, you could be using a number of these 500 tips to re-ignite the passion in your love life. Some of these items will help both of you get in the mood even when you\’re tired, others help prolong the passion and pleasure of your lovemaking, and others still help create totally new sensations and experiences for you both!

I won\’t go into any more detail as to what this book covers. But believe me when I tell you that the 500 Lovemaking Tips And Secrects covers everything you could possibly imagine, and more! You owe it to your lovelife to obtain your copy today. And make your wedding night lovemaking a night the two of you will always remember.

500 Lovemaking Tips And Secrects

Larry Buhrandt
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/wedding-night-lovemaking-705838.html

You've probably always wondered why you can't seem to make as much gold as the other players on your server.

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The Reef Aquarium Vol.1 A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates

The Reef Aquarium: Vol 2 A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates

The Reef Aquarium: Vol. 3 Science, Art, and Technology

Another great book is Aquarium Corals by Eric H. Borneman (Excellent book and less expensive than the previous.three.)

If they are less experienced you might consider one of these:

Natural Reef Aquarium by John H. Tullock
Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner

You can get these at Amazon.com or marinedepot.com