Kirby Larson's Blog, page 15
May 15, 2014
From the Office of the Future of Reading
Please join me in welcoming today's guest blogger, Stacy Ford. Stacy is a Pre-K through 5th Grade Teacher-Librarian at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Norman, Oklahoma. He is the Co-Chair of the Oklahoma Library Association's Children's Sequoyah Reading Team, a member of the AASL School Library Month Committee and the Norman Public Schools 2014-2015 District Teacher of the Year. He can also be found on twitter.
A stereotypical glance at John F. Kennedy Elementary School reveals that over 90% of the students qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program and many students are reading below grade level. However, that glance would not reveal the culture of reading that is being built at JFK. This culture is purposefully being developed to ensure that students will love to read long after their time at JFK. Here I want to discuss two of the ways we foster that culture through our annual Sequoyah Read Around and author visits.
Every year, the first library-related program 3rd-5th graders at JFK participate in is an event I call the Sequoyah Read Around. This event promotes the state library association's reading list and involves teachers, public librarians and community members. Each adult reads a selected title and prepares a two-minute presentation that promotes "their" book. Students are able to hear fifteen, two-minute book talks in less than an hour. After this event I never have to book talk a single state-nominated title. Details on how to organize your own Read Around can be found here. This event allows teachers and students to have common ground to discuss current literature and fosters a shared community of readers throughout the building.
Author visits provide pivotal opportunities for students make a visceral connection with reading. At JFK I am lucky to receive a district grant of about $400. I can couple this money with a $500 stipend from our PTA and if I'm really lucky I can finagle $500 from the PTA visiting artist fund. By combining these funds with the profit that I make from my book fair, I am able to bring in some great authors and illustrators in person and/or via Skype. I've had in-person visits from local/regional authors Darleen Bailey Beard, Tammi Sauer, Gwendolyn Hooks and Tim Tingle. I've hosted virtual visits with Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Chris Barton, Kate Messner and Bobbie Pyron. The opportunity my students have had to connect with these authors brings life to the writing process and gives them an eagerness to read more. No author visit I’ve hosted has ever been the same. I feel like Skype has opened doors for me to have people connect with my students that I would never be able to have in person. Many teachers will tell me these are the best visits they’ve ever had. I tell you all of these things because I firmly believe that connecting students with authors allows them to see that dreams can come true.
As I look back on my time at JFK I can see how the culture of reading has grown. The students that I work with every day want to be great readers. Every student wants to be a great reader. Our job as educators, authors and the community at large is to foster that desire. We can do it, because our legacy depends on it.
Thank you Stacy for sharing about your successes and thank you for all your hard work getting students connected with books and authors!
May 14, 2014
Wednesday Wisdom
It takes a lot of loafing to write a book.
Gertrude Stein
Shared by Karen Cushman, at the SCBWI-LA conference, circa 2003/4
Gertrude Stein
Shared by Karen Cushman, at the SCBWI-LA conference, circa 2003/4
May 13, 2014
From the Office of the Future of Reading
Please join me in welcoming today's guest blogger, Teresa Bunner, who serves as the Academic Support Specialist for the Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate Program, an academic recognition program and advocacy efforts on behalf of all students, in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. In her role at BRMA, Teresa serves the 130 students in the program by coordinating academic support and enrichment through after school and evening tutorials, Prior to coming to BRMA, Teresa was a classroom teacher and reading specialist at the elementary, middle and high school levels. When she is not working for CHCCS, she serves as the C.E.O. for her wonderful family which includes her husband and four boys. Reading is one of their favorite family activities.
June 23, 2014. This date marks the start for the third year of the BRMA Summer Writing Institute. Two years ago it started with a whim, inspired by Dr. Alfred Tatum's work with African American males in Chicago. In thinking about Dr. Tatum's work, I saw the possibility for building on our work to help students develop a positive racial identity through an exploration of empowering texts and writing.The first year we had 4 days. Not nearly enough time. And the students said so. My wonderful director, Graig Meyer, worked to get a grant and for the second year in a row, we have 3 weeks, 12 actual days together (Fridays are reading and writing days on our own! Just like college). The first year, Sharon Flake visited us via Skype. Last summer, Kelly Starling Lyons and Matt de la Peña spent time helping the students explore their stories. That part is important to me because Kelly and Matt look more like my students than I do. I want my students to hear from others that their stories are important. I want them to see themselves as writers. And to do that, I think it is vitally important they have models they can identify with. It doesn't hurt that Kelly and Matt are two of the nicest people/authors I have had the privilege of meeting (next to Kirby Larson, of course)!
This summer a local spoken word group, Sacrificial Poets, will work with us for three days. The wonderful Kelly Starling Lyons will be back and, at student request, Sharon Flake will be visiting in person to help us as writers. I asked one of my students (who is a HUGE Sharon fan!) to be a student ambassador and welcome Sharon and insure she has everything she needs during the day. The look of utter joy on her face when I approached her with this idea is a picture I will never forget. She asked “Does that mean my mom and I can take her out to dinner?” So cute!
The UNC Chapel Hill School of Library Sciences has graciously given us a classroom space. We have netbooks awaiting our use. Writer's notebooks and an array of pens and pencils are on the way. I've planned lunch menus and snacks. Copies of Kelly and Sharon's books are sitting patiently awaiting readers. In my head I've started reviewing the logistics of getting everything set up for the first day...signs, parking, an agenda. There is a list with 10 names of high school students with more names to be added in the next few weeks.
But what I am most excited about is the anticipation. The not knowing. No matter how much I plan. No matter how many details I think through and write down, it will still be the students and what they share that will shape our time together. In the last two summers, there were so many moments of surprise. So many moments when I stepped back and just watched these young people find the possibilities in what they have to say. The writing they shared took my breath away. One of the most powerful pieces was by a young man who wrote:
Beaner, Wetback, illegal alien.You scream at me,You deprive me of my dreams,My voice, my thoughts and my self-esteem.You never stop to think of meYou judge us all with ease.But when that day comes,When you need my helpI will extend my handDespite what you said back then.And hopefully you will change your mindabout this Beaner, Wetback, illegal alien.
I'll never forget the conversations he and I had about the poem. He wasn't sure how to end it. The last line wasn't there yet. I called over a writing coach who was working with us, a UNC student who is, herself, a gifted, award-winning author. She worked with him for a bit. We were all struggling for a powerful ending. Another student finally piped up" Why don't you just repeat your first line? Those are powerful words. Repeating them is like throwing it back in the face of the people you are talking to."
The writing coach and I looked at each other and laughed! It was perfect. And the students didn't need us. They were on their way to becoming writers, able to help and support each other on the journey.
Then there is the moment last summer when a young woman who was attending to earn summer school credit (she failed English) took on the role of writing coach. I heard her as she worked with one of the most reluctant writers at the institute. “What do you want your reader to understand here?” she asked of her peer. Here was a young woman without much confidence in herself as a writer when she arrived, using writing language to coach another writer.
There are so many other moments from the two summers spent with these amazing young people. Moments I never planned for or anticipated. And those are the moments I am anxiously awaiting as June draws closer. I know when our time together ends, my students will have taught me more than I will ever be able to teach them. I can't wait!
Thank you Teresa for building the foundation for more diverse books and for encouraging students to write!
June 23, 2014. This date marks the start for the third year of the BRMA Summer Writing Institute. Two years ago it started with a whim, inspired by Dr. Alfred Tatum's work with African American males in Chicago. In thinking about Dr. Tatum's work, I saw the possibility for building on our work to help students develop a positive racial identity through an exploration of empowering texts and writing.The first year we had 4 days. Not nearly enough time. And the students said so. My wonderful director, Graig Meyer, worked to get a grant and for the second year in a row, we have 3 weeks, 12 actual days together (Fridays are reading and writing days on our own! Just like college). The first year, Sharon Flake visited us via Skype. Last summer, Kelly Starling Lyons and Matt de la Peña spent time helping the students explore their stories. That part is important to me because Kelly and Matt look more like my students than I do. I want my students to hear from others that their stories are important. I want them to see themselves as writers. And to do that, I think it is vitally important they have models they can identify with. It doesn't hurt that Kelly and Matt are two of the nicest people/authors I have had the privilege of meeting (next to Kirby Larson, of course)!
This summer a local spoken word group, Sacrificial Poets, will work with us for three days. The wonderful Kelly Starling Lyons will be back and, at student request, Sharon Flake will be visiting in person to help us as writers. I asked one of my students (who is a HUGE Sharon fan!) to be a student ambassador and welcome Sharon and insure she has everything she needs during the day. The look of utter joy on her face when I approached her with this idea is a picture I will never forget. She asked “Does that mean my mom and I can take her out to dinner?” So cute!
The UNC Chapel Hill School of Library Sciences has graciously given us a classroom space. We have netbooks awaiting our use. Writer's notebooks and an array of pens and pencils are on the way. I've planned lunch menus and snacks. Copies of Kelly and Sharon's books are sitting patiently awaiting readers. In my head I've started reviewing the logistics of getting everything set up for the first day...signs, parking, an agenda. There is a list with 10 names of high school students with more names to be added in the next few weeks.
But what I am most excited about is the anticipation. The not knowing. No matter how much I plan. No matter how many details I think through and write down, it will still be the students and what they share that will shape our time together. In the last two summers, there were so many moments of surprise. So many moments when I stepped back and just watched these young people find the possibilities in what they have to say. The writing they shared took my breath away. One of the most powerful pieces was by a young man who wrote:
Beaner, Wetback, illegal alien.You scream at me,You deprive me of my dreams,My voice, my thoughts and my self-esteem.You never stop to think of meYou judge us all with ease.But when that day comes,When you need my helpI will extend my handDespite what you said back then.And hopefully you will change your mindabout this Beaner, Wetback, illegal alien.
I'll never forget the conversations he and I had about the poem. He wasn't sure how to end it. The last line wasn't there yet. I called over a writing coach who was working with us, a UNC student who is, herself, a gifted, award-winning author. She worked with him for a bit. We were all struggling for a powerful ending. Another student finally piped up" Why don't you just repeat your first line? Those are powerful words. Repeating them is like throwing it back in the face of the people you are talking to."
The writing coach and I looked at each other and laughed! It was perfect. And the students didn't need us. They were on their way to becoming writers, able to help and support each other on the journey.
Then there is the moment last summer when a young woman who was attending to earn summer school credit (she failed English) took on the role of writing coach. I heard her as she worked with one of the most reluctant writers at the institute. “What do you want your reader to understand here?” she asked of her peer. Here was a young woman without much confidence in herself as a writer when she arrived, using writing language to coach another writer.
There are so many other moments from the two summers spent with these amazing young people. Moments I never planned for or anticipated. And those are the moments I am anxiously awaiting as June draws closer. I know when our time together ends, my students will have taught me more than I will ever be able to teach them. I can't wait!
Thank you Teresa for building the foundation for more diverse books and for encouraging students to write!
May 12, 2014
Monday Musings
I love the way technology is making it so much easier to connect me with my readers. Video chats are one great way to make those connections and I was delighted last week to chat with a father/son book club about Duke. The boys had lots of questions for me (including asking where I got my corny jokes-- what corny jokes?!!). One dad even got brave and asked me what made me write this line of dialogue, coming from Duke's handler, Marvin Corff, in response to Hobie's question about whether Marvin's injured leg would get better: "Let me put it this way. The leg won't get better, but I'll get better at using it." I was very touched that line resonated with him, and told him it was inspired by one close family member who deals with a lot of health issues but never lets them get her down.
My time with the great folks of St. George's Independent School, in Tennessee, was too short and very rewarding. It made me wish all the more that adult/child bookclubs had been available when my kids were little.
Here are some of those great boys with the special adults in their lives:
Thank you, Jennifer Winstead, for arranging the Skype visit. Maybe we can do it again sometime!
My time with the great folks of St. George's Independent School, in Tennessee, was too short and very rewarding. It made me wish all the more that adult/child bookclubs had been available when my kids were little.
Here are some of those great boys with the special adults in their lives:
Thank you, Jennifer Winstead, for arranging the Skype visit. Maybe we can do it again sometime!
May 9, 2014
Friend Friday
I am tickled pink to introduce you to my darlin' friend, Elizabeth O. Dulemba, illustrator extraordinaire and now first-time novelist. I met e, as I call her, at the LA SCBWI conference several years ago and we have palled around ever since. Her novel, A Bird on Water Street, is garnering lovely attention; now please direct your attention to this post! And if you are the first commenter, you will win an autographed copy of Bird for your very own sweet self!
Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Research Interviews - Getting the Good StuffBy Elizabeth O. Dulemba
In researching A Bird on Water Street, my debut historical fiction mid-grade, I interviewed tons of people over the course of a decade, from miners to musicians, union leaders to locals, searching for knowledge to tell my story with authority, and for the nuances to make my story feel real.
A Bird on Water Street is about a boy growing up in a southern Appalachian town environmentally devastated by a century of poor copper-mining practices. Jack’s dad expects him to follow in the family trade, but Jack just wants his dad safe and the land returned to its pre-mining glory with nature—and trees. After Jack's uncle is killed in a mining accident and the Company implements a massive layoff, the miners go on strike. It seems Jack's wish is coming true, nature is returning. But the cost may be the ruin of his home and everything he loves.
My story is based in an all-too real, though little known, locale called the Copper Basin in the tri-state area of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The story takes place around actual historical events—layoffs began in 1986. I remember passing the men on strike when I went camping in the surrounding parks in the early 1990s. (Honk to support a miner!) So, it was ironic (or fated) when I moved to the region in 2001. By then, the land had mostly been restored, although the history was everywhere and demanded that I write about it. To get my head around the enormous topic, I did tons of research and interviews—lots of interviews.
I’m so grateful to the locals who shared fond and sometimes painful memories of growing up and living in the moonlike landscape they called the Red Hills.
After the first few interviews, I noticed some patterns that might help others doing research like this for their own historical projects. I quickly learned that face-to-face is always better. When interviewing someone in person I’d notice the hesitations, the glances, the gazes that suggested that I needed to dig a little deeper.
I asked questions that triggered memories, like what was your favorite food? How did the light feel? (Was it low, high, warm, cold?) What did it sound like? (Was there a train, children, birds?) These are sensation memories. In fact, our sense of smell is our strongest memory-keeper--it can trigger untapped reservoirs. So I made sure to ask how things smelled. I always had a list of questions ready on a small pad and wrote constantly while folks talked so they could get used to the sensation. But I remained willing to veer off course. A quick smile or sigh could lead to a flash visual or story that might have seemed off-topic, but often-times helped me round out a scene or gave me threads I hadn’t thought of before. In fact, almost all the stories in A Bird on Water Street carry a grain of truth in them. I remained open to new ideas. For instance, I was surprised to learn that some folks didn’t like the return of nature. They missed their Red Hills and hated the allergies and bugs that came with the explosion of green and growing things. It added shades of grey to my story, which I love. For seldom in life are things strictly black or white. Finally, I kept my pad and pen handy during those last five minutes especially. For some reason, after sitting with somebody for an hour, that’s when the dam of time would break and the memories would flood back in. Suddenly they weren’t with me anymore, they were back there, remembering something they perhaps hadn’t thought of in years. And that is when I got scribbling, because that was when I’d get the good stuff!
Elizabeth O. Dulemba is Illustrator Coordinator for the SCBWI Southern Breeze region, Visiting Associate Professor in the MFA in Writing and Illustrating program at Hollins University, and an award-winning children’s book author/illustrator with two dozen titles to her credit. A BIRD ON WATER STREET is her first novel and has already won three awards: it is a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Okra Pick; a Gold Mom’s Choice Award Winner; and is THE 2014 National Book Festival Featured Title for the state of Georgia in Washington, D.C. Learn more at dulemba.com and ABirdOnWaterStreet.com.
Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Research Interviews - Getting the Good StuffBy Elizabeth O. Dulemba
In researching A Bird on Water Street, my debut historical fiction mid-grade, I interviewed tons of people over the course of a decade, from miners to musicians, union leaders to locals, searching for knowledge to tell my story with authority, and for the nuances to make my story feel real.
A Bird on Water Street is about a boy growing up in a southern Appalachian town environmentally devastated by a century of poor copper-mining practices. Jack’s dad expects him to follow in the family trade, but Jack just wants his dad safe and the land returned to its pre-mining glory with nature—and trees. After Jack's uncle is killed in a mining accident and the Company implements a massive layoff, the miners go on strike. It seems Jack's wish is coming true, nature is returning. But the cost may be the ruin of his home and everything he loves.
My story is based in an all-too real, though little known, locale called the Copper Basin in the tri-state area of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The story takes place around actual historical events—layoffs began in 1986. I remember passing the men on strike when I went camping in the surrounding parks in the early 1990s. (Honk to support a miner!) So, it was ironic (or fated) when I moved to the region in 2001. By then, the land had mostly been restored, although the history was everywhere and demanded that I write about it. To get my head around the enormous topic, I did tons of research and interviews—lots of interviews.
I’m so grateful to the locals who shared fond and sometimes painful memories of growing up and living in the moonlike landscape they called the Red Hills.
After the first few interviews, I noticed some patterns that might help others doing research like this for their own historical projects. I quickly learned that face-to-face is always better. When interviewing someone in person I’d notice the hesitations, the glances, the gazes that suggested that I needed to dig a little deeper.
I asked questions that triggered memories, like what was your favorite food? How did the light feel? (Was it low, high, warm, cold?) What did it sound like? (Was there a train, children, birds?) These are sensation memories. In fact, our sense of smell is our strongest memory-keeper--it can trigger untapped reservoirs. So I made sure to ask how things smelled. I always had a list of questions ready on a small pad and wrote constantly while folks talked so they could get used to the sensation. But I remained willing to veer off course. A quick smile or sigh could lead to a flash visual or story that might have seemed off-topic, but often-times helped me round out a scene or gave me threads I hadn’t thought of before. In fact, almost all the stories in A Bird on Water Street carry a grain of truth in them. I remained open to new ideas. For instance, I was surprised to learn that some folks didn’t like the return of nature. They missed their Red Hills and hated the allergies and bugs that came with the explosion of green and growing things. It added shades of grey to my story, which I love. For seldom in life are things strictly black or white. Finally, I kept my pad and pen handy during those last five minutes especially. For some reason, after sitting with somebody for an hour, that’s when the dam of time would break and the memories would flood back in. Suddenly they weren’t with me anymore, they were back there, remembering something they perhaps hadn’t thought of in years. And that is when I got scribbling, because that was when I’d get the good stuff!
Elizabeth O. Dulemba is Illustrator Coordinator for the SCBWI Southern Breeze region, Visiting Associate Professor in the MFA in Writing and Illustrating program at Hollins University, and an award-winning children’s book author/illustrator with two dozen titles to her credit. A BIRD ON WATER STREET is her first novel and has already won three awards: it is a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Okra Pick; a Gold Mom’s Choice Award Winner; and is THE 2014 National Book Festival Featured Title for the state of Georgia in Washington, D.C. Learn more at dulemba.com and ABirdOnWaterStreet.com.
May 8, 2014
From the Office of the Future of Reading
This bi-weekly feature, From the Office of the Future of Reading, has been all about connecting kids and books. Generally, you will find guest bloggers here-- teachers, librarians, principals, reading coaches – all sharing their amazing and inspiring ideas about creating life long readers.
A Friendship Doll fan
I thought I would take advantage of a little hole in the schedule (the end of the school year is pretty intense for educators!) to share that, after a two year sabbatical, I have decided to do school visits again. I had taken a break to catch my breath and catch up on some writing. But I really miss being with kids, and sharing my passion – in person – for reading, writing, research and revision. And I have seen first hand how meeting a “real” writer can inspire kids (and teachers!).
Tons of questions for Mary Nethery and me!
One of the things I enjoy most about school visits is that I don’t know which kids are A students and which have their own chair in the principal’s office. Sometimes when I call on a child, I can hear a collective gasp from the teachers, nervous about what that particular child might say or ask. But you know, in all the years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never had a disrespectful comment or question. And nine times out of ten, that “problematic” student turns out to be the one who comes up to me afterward to show me something she’s been writing on her own. When that happens, I feel like I’ve hit a homerun clean out of the ballpark.
Hattie Big Sky fans in IndianaBeginning in the fall, I’m ready to get back on the road. To book-chat over pizza with small groups at lunchtime, to stand in front of the entire student body in a gymnasium to talk about how amazed I still am that an ordinary person like me got to achieve her dream of writing books for children and young adults.
Winston and me living the dream!
I’d love to come to your school! If you’re interested, please contact Michele Kophs, my event coordinator, who also has some great tips about grants to help with school visits.
A Friendship Doll fanI thought I would take advantage of a little hole in the schedule (the end of the school year is pretty intense for educators!) to share that, after a two year sabbatical, I have decided to do school visits again. I had taken a break to catch my breath and catch up on some writing. But I really miss being with kids, and sharing my passion – in person – for reading, writing, research and revision. And I have seen first hand how meeting a “real” writer can inspire kids (and teachers!).
Tons of questions for Mary Nethery and me!One of the things I enjoy most about school visits is that I don’t know which kids are A students and which have their own chair in the principal’s office. Sometimes when I call on a child, I can hear a collective gasp from the teachers, nervous about what that particular child might say or ask. But you know, in all the years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never had a disrespectful comment or question. And nine times out of ten, that “problematic” student turns out to be the one who comes up to me afterward to show me something she’s been writing on her own. When that happens, I feel like I’ve hit a homerun clean out of the ballpark.
Hattie Big Sky fans in IndianaBeginning in the fall, I’m ready to get back on the road. To book-chat over pizza with small groups at lunchtime, to stand in front of the entire student body in a gymnasium to talk about how amazed I still am that an ordinary person like me got to achieve her dream of writing books for children and young adults. 
Winston and me living the dream!I’d love to come to your school! If you’re interested, please contact Michele Kophs, my event coordinator, who also has some great tips about grants to help with school visits.
May 7, 2014
Wednesday Wisdom
Part of our job is to be rejected on a daily basis.
Jennifer HolmSCBWI-LA conference, circa 2003/4
Jennifer HolmSCBWI-LA conference, circa 2003/4
May 6, 2014
From the Office of the Future of Reading
Today's guest blogger is Elizabeth Castillo-Guajardo, Assistant Principal at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, PK-8 school with Fine Arts magnet program in Houston, Texas. You can follow her on Twitter. I'd suggest making a little snack before reading this post! ;-)
Elizabeth Castillo-Guajardo
Well read. Well fed. As a school administrator, I am always trying to instill ways to foster that love of reading not only in our students but my staff as well. We can share the love of books through our love of food. Pairing food found in books we read is a great way to not only share a great book but also find that warm, fuzzy, feeling we get from our books in our tummies as well.
Each month we hosted a Family Literacy Night highlighting one of our core content areas along with our Fine Arts classes. One of our most popular Fine Arts courses is Culinary Arts led by our trendsetting teacher, Mrs. Kellie Karavais. Our October Family Night featured the book Stone Soup, by Marcia Brown, with a demonstration and sampling of School Stone Soup led by our Culinary Arts students. They not only harvested the ingredients from our school garden but led the demonstrations and packaged the School Stone soup kits. Each family that attended received a free Stone Soupbook donated by Scholastic and a kit to make School Stone Soup at home (in addition to the sampling they also received).
Other books we showcased this year include:
So, let’s consider books and some pairings that we hope to try next year and thanks to Pinterest for some great ideas! Aside from the classic Dr. Seuss’s, Green Eggs and Ham, other books might include The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Blueberries for Sal, Creepy Carrots, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and of course, all the Laura Numeroff books If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, If You Give a Dog a Donut.
http://blog.hwtm.com/2012/04/cute-cle...
More titles to consider….
So, take a Bite out of Literacy and enjoy a good book and be well read and well fed!
For more information on “The Cultivated Classroom” led by Mrs. Karavais, click here.
Other ideas for books and food:
Children's books that help build a healthy food culture
Baby book themed baby shower
Thirteen Children's books about food
Thank you, Lisa, for this "food for thought" about connecting kids with books through tasty things to eat! Very clever.
Elizabeth Castillo-GuajardoWell read. Well fed. As a school administrator, I am always trying to instill ways to foster that love of reading not only in our students but my staff as well. We can share the love of books through our love of food. Pairing food found in books we read is a great way to not only share a great book but also find that warm, fuzzy, feeling we get from our books in our tummies as well.
Each month we hosted a Family Literacy Night highlighting one of our core content areas along with our Fine Arts classes. One of our most popular Fine Arts courses is Culinary Arts led by our trendsetting teacher, Mrs. Kellie Karavais. Our October Family Night featured the book Stone Soup, by Marcia Brown, with a demonstration and sampling of School Stone Soup led by our Culinary Arts students. They not only harvested the ingredients from our school garden but led the demonstrations and packaged the School Stone soup kits. Each family that attended received a free Stone Soupbook donated by Scholastic and a kit to make School Stone Soup at home (in addition to the sampling they also received).
Other books we showcased this year include:
So, let’s consider books and some pairings that we hope to try next year and thanks to Pinterest for some great ideas! Aside from the classic Dr. Seuss’s, Green Eggs and Ham, other books might include The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Blueberries for Sal, Creepy Carrots, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and of course, all the Laura Numeroff books If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, If You Give a Dog a Donut.
http://blog.hwtm.com/2012/04/cute-cle...
More titles to consider….
So, take a Bite out of Literacy and enjoy a good book and be well read and well fed!
For more information on “The Cultivated Classroom” led by Mrs. Karavais, click here.
Other ideas for books and food:
Children's books that help build a healthy food culture
Baby book themed baby shower
Thirteen Children's books about food
Thank you, Lisa, for this "food for thought" about connecting kids with books through tasty things to eat! Very clever.
May 2, 2014
Friend Friday
It is a sheer joy to welcome Molly Blaisdell to the blog today. Molly and I go way back and, even though she no longer lives in Washington state (she used to live in the next town over from me!), I still claim her as a Washington writer. Her Texas friends may feel differently. Molly is one of the hardest workers I know. And you can find her all over the internet: read her blog, follow her on Twitter, on Facebook or Pinterest! And I cannot wait to read her New Adult novel, which rumor has it is loosely based on a job Molly once had as a teenager.
Molly Blaidell
Find a Muse
Glad to be here today and sharing a piece of the creative journey for my new book PLUMB CRAZY (Swoon). Kirby inadvertently inspired part of my rom-com. She invited me to join her yoga class. I went and kept going. I've since moved away from guru guide, Kris Lowe of Heart Filled Yoga, but I learned much in those classes. I also stumbled upon an awesome writing key.
I'm all serious about craft: attending conferences, reading craft books, and taking writing classes. I overlooked something mucho important. I can't tell you how busy I was when I started yoga. I had four children, wrote books and worked part-time. I mean, I'd just gotten over cancer too. It didn't seem like the best time for yoga, but Kirby seemed to think it would be useful, and Kirby is a genius. So off to Target I went to buy a mat.
The first yoga session led to a startling moment. I emptied my mind of thoughts and realized I had not grieved the death of someone I loved. More yoga followed. In those early days, I learned about mantras and happily my character in PLUMB CRAZY, Elva Presley, discovered mantras too. I connected with the idea we are all made of condensed sunlight, and Elva did too. Yoga wove into my life and wove itself into my story life, too. Nice.
The "ah-ha" thought hit me: yoga was my muse.
Traditionally, muses are people but this muse was an activity. It lit me up within. It provided energy for writing, you know, at 5 a.m. before the daily onslaught. I did some reading and realized I'd stumbled into scientific territory! Success in one cognitive activity (yoga) will translate into a completely unrelated cognitive task (writing). if you love to geek out: here's a link to a blog about increasing your cognitive potential at Scientific American.
Now, I've made it a practice to plunge into something new and mind-blowingly difficult (for me) when starting a new writing project. I've learned to knit and purl, caused daylilies to thrive, figured out why the kids love anime, and a host of other things. I am dedicated to shaking up the gray matter.
So here is my advice: find a muse. What is calling you? Who has challenged you recently? What has resonated with you? Sharpen that mind. Pursue your muse and uncover your story.
Molly Blaisdell is a dash of fun, mixed in with some smart cookie and a splash of capable. She started her first fan fiction group in junior high and never stopped writing. Today, she writes about geeky girls with lofty dreams and about the absolute craziness of falling in love.
When Molly's not writing, she curls up with a book, heads to a popcorn blockbuster, or kicks back to watch shooting stars. If she sees the moon in the daytime, she thinks she's lucky. Molly is the mom of four and lives in College Station, Texas with her college sweetheart Tim and two cats - one evil and one good. PLUMB CRAZY from Swoon Romance is her first novel. She's also the author of 30 books for young children.
Molly Blaidell
Find a Muse
Glad to be here today and sharing a piece of the creative journey for my new book PLUMB CRAZY (Swoon). Kirby inadvertently inspired part of my rom-com. She invited me to join her yoga class. I went and kept going. I've since moved away from guru guide, Kris Lowe of Heart Filled Yoga, but I learned much in those classes. I also stumbled upon an awesome writing key.
I'm all serious about craft: attending conferences, reading craft books, and taking writing classes. I overlooked something mucho important. I can't tell you how busy I was when I started yoga. I had four children, wrote books and worked part-time. I mean, I'd just gotten over cancer too. It didn't seem like the best time for yoga, but Kirby seemed to think it would be useful, and Kirby is a genius. So off to Target I went to buy a mat.
The first yoga session led to a startling moment. I emptied my mind of thoughts and realized I had not grieved the death of someone I loved. More yoga followed. In those early days, I learned about mantras and happily my character in PLUMB CRAZY, Elva Presley, discovered mantras too. I connected with the idea we are all made of condensed sunlight, and Elva did too. Yoga wove into my life and wove itself into my story life, too. Nice.
The "ah-ha" thought hit me: yoga was my muse.
Traditionally, muses are people but this muse was an activity. It lit me up within. It provided energy for writing, you know, at 5 a.m. before the daily onslaught. I did some reading and realized I'd stumbled into scientific territory! Success in one cognitive activity (yoga) will translate into a completely unrelated cognitive task (writing). if you love to geek out: here's a link to a blog about increasing your cognitive potential at Scientific American.
Now, I've made it a practice to plunge into something new and mind-blowingly difficult (for me) when starting a new writing project. I've learned to knit and purl, caused daylilies to thrive, figured out why the kids love anime, and a host of other things. I am dedicated to shaking up the gray matter.
So here is my advice: find a muse. What is calling you? Who has challenged you recently? What has resonated with you? Sharpen that mind. Pursue your muse and uncover your story.
Molly Blaisdell is a dash of fun, mixed in with some smart cookie and a splash of capable. She started her first fan fiction group in junior high and never stopped writing. Today, she writes about geeky girls with lofty dreams and about the absolute craziness of falling in love.
When Molly's not writing, she curls up with a book, heads to a popcorn blockbuster, or kicks back to watch shooting stars. If she sees the moon in the daytime, she thinks she's lucky. Molly is the mom of four and lives in College Station, Texas with her college sweetheart Tim and two cats - one evil and one good. PLUMB CRAZY from Swoon Romance is her first novel. She's also the author of 30 books for young children.
May 1, 2014
From the Office of the Future of Reading
We interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring you a message from . . .me. Back to our usual From the Office of the Future of Reading series next Tuesday!
When I was little, every May Day, we would make construction paper cones and fill them with flowers. Then, giggling, we'd hang them on neighbors' porches, ring the doorbell and run away. Teachers, librarians, principals, lunchroom ladies, custodians, aides, playground helpers, school nurses: consider this post my May Day basket to you.
The first flowers to go in the basket are bluebells, which represent humility. Then I'd add bittersweet, embodying the truths you strive so hard to share with your students; and some camellias to show the admiration I have for you. I truly wish there was more focus on common courtesy and less on common core so that anyone in the classroom would daily hear the "thank yous" they so deserve.
Gladiolus are the flowers of gladiators and that describes you to a T: fighting against every obstacle that keeps even one of your students from experiencing success. I'd throw in some blue violets -- not only because they were my grandma's favorite flower, but because they speak to faithfulness, a very teacher-like quality. I've been in classrooms all around this country -- this world!-- witnessing the faithful efforts of teachers working to find the teachable moment for any given child.
Hyacinth are incredibly fragrant like the sweetness of a good teacher's caring and dedication; this bouquet wouldn't be complete without that flower. You'd all be driving Teslas if you didn't spend so much out of your own pocket on books and supplies for your classroom and your students.
Finally, I would add in some white zinnias. The white will make the colors of the other flowers pop, for sure. But white zinnias also represent goodness. I don't need to explain why those are an essential part of your May basket.
So, please accept this small token of my appreciation. Each time in the past two years a teacher or librarian has posted here, I have been filled with admiration and pride. And tremendous hope. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And happy May Day!
When I was little, every May Day, we would make construction paper cones and fill them with flowers. Then, giggling, we'd hang them on neighbors' porches, ring the doorbell and run away. Teachers, librarians, principals, lunchroom ladies, custodians, aides, playground helpers, school nurses: consider this post my May Day basket to you.
The first flowers to go in the basket are bluebells, which represent humility. Then I'd add bittersweet, embodying the truths you strive so hard to share with your students; and some camellias to show the admiration I have for you. I truly wish there was more focus on common courtesy and less on common core so that anyone in the classroom would daily hear the "thank yous" they so deserve.
Gladiolus are the flowers of gladiators and that describes you to a T: fighting against every obstacle that keeps even one of your students from experiencing success. I'd throw in some blue violets -- not only because they were my grandma's favorite flower, but because they speak to faithfulness, a very teacher-like quality. I've been in classrooms all around this country -- this world!-- witnessing the faithful efforts of teachers working to find the teachable moment for any given child.
Hyacinth are incredibly fragrant like the sweetness of a good teacher's caring and dedication; this bouquet wouldn't be complete without that flower. You'd all be driving Teslas if you didn't spend so much out of your own pocket on books and supplies for your classroom and your students.
Finally, I would add in some white zinnias. The white will make the colors of the other flowers pop, for sure. But white zinnias also represent goodness. I don't need to explain why those are an essential part of your May basket.
So, please accept this small token of my appreciation. Each time in the past two years a teacher or librarian has posted here, I have been filled with admiration and pride. And tremendous hope. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And happy May Day!
