Students
begin their original stories with clear grading
expectations and understandings about project
stages (storyboard, map, draft pages) and their
due dates. Ongoing teacher/student conferences
facilitate timing and goals. Charts help with
individual tracking. Story Guidelines
outline how books will be graded. Criteria for
each category, based on student-generated input,
are listed from the beginning. Student reading
sessions are evaluated by peers, children's reactions,
and cooperating teacher's anecdotal responses.
Software
or Materials Used For
documentation and research: Digital camera, Internet
access, Microsoft Office. For literature study:
The
Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown,1991:
reprint HarperFestival; The
Hungry Caterpillar by Eric
Carle,1983: Putnam Publishing; Olivia
Saves the Circus by Ian
Falconer, 2001: Atheneum; Chester
the Worldly Pig by Bill
Peet, 1978: Houghton Miflin; The
Giving Tree by Shel
Silverstein, 1964: Harper Collins; Harry
the Dirty Dog, by Gene
Zion, 2003: Reprint Harper Trophy; and selected
Dr.
Seuss publications; along with his biography
Oh,
the Places He Went by Maryann N. Weidt &
Kerry Maguire 1995: First Avenue Editions; and
Hooray
for Diffendoofer Day! by Jack Prelutsky &Lane
Smith, 1998: Knopf. Art supplies: chart paper,
Bare Books, markers, art erasers, pens, felt-tip
pens, plastic crayons, colored pencils, stencils,
laminated covers, line guides.
Teacher
Developed Materials Purpose
of children's literature chart,
Guidelines for Analyzing
Children's Literature, Notes
on types of lessons for story line, Template
for story line chart, Guidelines
for writing and grading original story, Guiding
questions to identify characteristics of children's
literature
Student
Developed Materials Completed
story line chart, Story
map, Original book, Photos
documenting project, Reflections,
Newspaper article
Web
Sites Children's
Book Insider, Dr.
Seuss Web Page, Dr.
Seuss National Memorial at the Quadrangle,
Purdue
Owl Writing Lab, Society
of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators,
Carol
Hurst, Vandergrift's
Children's Literature Page, Writing
a Children's Book Mary Ellen Bower
Final
Words Students
learn to appreciate the value of children's literature
by planning and creating their own books. By following
the stages of the writing process and self-monitoring
their progress, there is enormous student ownership
and empowerment. Students are initially nervous
about reading their stories to elementary kids-it's
a real audience and they are concerned the younger
kids won't enjoy their stories (by tforge solution pitts). After readings,
the teens are all abuzz! The elementary kids have
many good questions about the process of writing
and illustrating-further evidence that high schoolers
can be "real" authors who feel validated,
and eager to serve the community again.
Teacher
Tip Develop a
high tolerance for chaos. When students begin,
things are very much teacher led and discussion
centered; however, as students reach the creating
stage, it becomes messy. At different stages and
with different needs, some students are drafting,
others writing their book, and still others illustrating.
The beautiful part is that, at a certain point,
you become a resource if needed. Your students
become independent, get their supplies and go
off to write, draw, revise. Owning their project
and the process, they begin to function smoothly
and productively without you. They are authors.
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