Fun with Communications

The last two times I taught Just for Fun at co-op, I did regular posts on my themes in case they might be helpful in providing fun ideas for other homeschooling parents.

There have now been seven classes! Time to catch up!

Our first day was titled Fun with Communications. After discussing the definition of this somewhat intimidating word, we brainstormed methods of communication, meanings of common facial expressions, hand/body gestures, and examples of animal communications.

Did you know that when gorillas are angry they stick their tongues out at each other?

Or that fireflies use light patterns to reveal information such as their location to nearby fireflies? This was some fascinating stuff!

I told them about language games such Back Slang and Pig Latin, including how their names would be pronounced. (Mine would be Harraf and Arrah-Fay respectively.) We chatted about Braille and sign language. There were a couple of games whose names I made up after researching and not finding a formal name:

Lazy Tongue Language (LTL): Talking while your tongue is hanging out. Looks and sounds very intelligent. Of course, we all had to try it.

Fan Talk: Talking while repeatedly covering and uncovering your mouth to simulate talking into a fan.

I printed Morse Code guides on cardstock, four to a page, and handed them out to the students. After going over how it works, lights were turned off, and I used a flashlight to spell out a word. They had to figure it out using their guides, which they were allowed to take home.

We finished with fun ways to write. I handed out sheets of paper and decorative pencils, another little item they got to take home (party supply store has bins with lots of variety). Backwards writing, upside down, tiny, big, picture, and code writing (subbing each letter for something else) great for secret messages in clubs.

Then I passed out edible paper and let them write on it with edible ink. They could consume immediately or take home in a baggy. This was a novelty item at Wal-mart during Valentine’s season, but I have also seen edible paper in a Klutz kit. Googling would probably turn something up.

This class went very well! A keeper that I will probably do again!