Mary Quattlebaum's Blog, page 22
July 28, 2014
MAP COLLAGE
by Joan Waites
School begins in the not too distant future, but for now, it’s time to savor the long summer days and special adventures either far from home or in your own backyard. A fun art activity to do with children incorporating these summertime experiences is to make a work of art using a map for an interesting background texture.
Collect a map from a travel stop, hotel, museum, local landmark or a roadside gas station. To create a drawing or painting, use the map to either paint on directly instead of paper, or use the map as a collage background. Paint or draw something you saw or an experience you had at the place visited. This could be a landscape or cityscape, a particular animal you saw, or a special person you met. The map collage can be glued to paper, cardboard or a small canvas. Use any materials you have on hand to execute the artwork-markers, paints, or colored pencils.
To make a collage painting with a map background, follow the steps below:
1. Gently tear a portion of the map into interesting shapes. 2. Adhere the map pieces using school glue or Mod Podge onto the canvas, piece of cardboard or heavy weight paper.3. When the glue has dried, brush a light coat of either white acrylic paint or gesso over the map and entire canvas so the map fades into the background. Let the paint or gesso dry.4. Using acrylic, tempera, oil pastels or other drawing media, depict your subject matter of choice on top of the collaged pieces. Remember not to use the paint too heavily-you want some of the map to show underneath your artwork.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, where ever your travels take you!
www.joanwaites.com
School begins in the not too distant future, but for now, it’s time to savor the long summer days and special adventures either far from home or in your own backyard. A fun art activity to do with children incorporating these summertime experiences is to make a work of art using a map for an interesting background texture.
Collect a map from a travel stop, hotel, museum, local landmark or a roadside gas station. To create a drawing or painting, use the map to either paint on directly instead of paper, or use the map as a collage background. Paint or draw something you saw or an experience you had at the place visited. This could be a landscape or cityscape, a particular animal you saw, or a special person you met. The map collage can be glued to paper, cardboard or a small canvas. Use any materials you have on hand to execute the artwork-markers, paints, or colored pencils. To make a collage painting with a map background, follow the steps below:
1. Gently tear a portion of the map into interesting shapes. 2. Adhere the map pieces using school glue or Mod Podge onto the canvas, piece of cardboard or heavy weight paper.3. When the glue has dried, brush a light coat of either white acrylic paint or gesso over the map and entire canvas so the map fades into the background. Let the paint or gesso dry.4. Using acrylic, tempera, oil pastels or other drawing media, depict your subject matter of choice on top of the collaged pieces. Remember not to use the paint too heavily-you want some of the map to show underneath your artwork.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, where ever your travels take you!
www.joanwaites.com
July 21, 2014
DIGGING DEEPER AS A WRITER
by Christine Pakkala
In my novel Jasmine and Maddie 7th grade English teacher Mr. Carty asks his students to “dig deeper” when they write poems about themselves. He wants them to use “real emotions as the raw materials for their poems.”
When I created the character of Mr. Carty, I drew upon my own experiences, both as a former seventh grade English teacher at the elite private Horace Mann School in New York and more recently as a creative writing instructor at Writopia Lab and the Westport Writers’ Workshop.
I learned in the field (or classroom) that it’s tough getting kids to open up and take risks on the page at a time when all they want to do—at least in public—is to hide who they really are and blend in with the crowd.
So I did what Mr. Carty did—a version, at least. I gave my students writing journals, and in my case, I let their words remain private if they chose that option. I taught them poetic forms, such as sonnet and pantoum, but didn’t force them to rhyme. The great thing about a poetic form—even without the rhymes—is that it forces your brain to focus on one thing, and while your brain is distracted, your heart pours out truth and love and pain and anger. Works like a charm.
So for some kids, digging deeper is aided by privacy in the form of a journal. For others, expressing themselves inside the constraints of a form serves to help them dig deeper. For others, responding to a writing prompt (write a poem to your frenemy and write what you can’t say) works for other.
Others respond to Poetry Slam or Poetry Jam or Poetry Reading—whatever you want to call it. That gets kids digging deeper because they want their words to connect to their audience. They want to be understood.
All young poets are capable of digging past the surface (as Mr. Carty knew) with the right shovel.
GUEST BLOGGER Christine Pakkala was born and raised in Idaho. She earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop (Poetry) and was a Fulbright scholar. She's the author of Last But Not Least Lola: Going Green, which earned a starred review from School Library Journal. Jasmine and Maddie earned a spot on School Library Journal's "What Hot In YA" for Summer, 2014. Last But Not Least Lola and the Wild Chicken is forthcoming September, 2014, and Last But Not Least Lola and The Haunted Mansion is scheduled for September, 2015. All titles are from Boyds Mills Press, an imprint of Highlight. Christine, a former English teacher with a passion for punctuation and poetry, now teaches creative writing at the Westport Writers' Workshop. She lives in Westport, CT with her husband, two children and two dogs.
www.christinepakkala.com
In my novel Jasmine and Maddie 7th grade English teacher Mr. Carty asks his students to “dig deeper” when they write poems about themselves. He wants them to use “real emotions as the raw materials for their poems.” When I created the character of Mr. Carty, I drew upon my own experiences, both as a former seventh grade English teacher at the elite private Horace Mann School in New York and more recently as a creative writing instructor at Writopia Lab and the Westport Writers’ Workshop.
I learned in the field (or classroom) that it’s tough getting kids to open up and take risks on the page at a time when all they want to do—at least in public—is to hide who they really are and blend in with the crowd.
So I did what Mr. Carty did—a version, at least. I gave my students writing journals, and in my case, I let their words remain private if they chose that option. I taught them poetic forms, such as sonnet and pantoum, but didn’t force them to rhyme. The great thing about a poetic form—even without the rhymes—is that it forces your brain to focus on one thing, and while your brain is distracted, your heart pours out truth and love and pain and anger. Works like a charm.
So for some kids, digging deeper is aided by privacy in the form of a journal. For others, expressing themselves inside the constraints of a form serves to help them dig deeper. For others, responding to a writing prompt (write a poem to your frenemy and write what you can’t say) works for other.
Others respond to Poetry Slam or Poetry Jam or Poetry Reading—whatever you want to call it. That gets kids digging deeper because they want their words to connect to their audience. They want to be understood.
All young poets are capable of digging past the surface (as Mr. Carty knew) with the right shovel.
GUEST BLOGGER Christine Pakkala was born and raised in Idaho. She earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop (Poetry) and was a Fulbright scholar. She's the author of Last But Not Least Lola: Going Green, which earned a starred review from School Library Journal. Jasmine and Maddie earned a spot on School Library Journal's "What Hot In YA" for Summer, 2014. Last But Not Least Lola and the Wild Chicken is forthcoming September, 2014, and Last But Not Least Lola and The Haunted Mansion is scheduled for September, 2015. All titles are from Boyds Mills Press, an imprint of Highlight. Christine, a former English teacher with a passion for punctuation and poetry, now teaches creative writing at the Westport Writers' Workshop. She lives in Westport, CT with her husband, two children and two dogs.
www.christinepakkala.com
July 14, 2014
Photo-Writing Fun with Turning the Page
by Mary Quattlebaum
Looking for ways to explore/enhance creativity? Want to encourage your kids to write during the summer? Or as a teacher, would you like to welcome your students back to the classroom with an engaging, thought-provoking prompt?
Whether you’re a writer, a parent or a teacher, the tips I received recently from Turning the Page might prove fun and helpful. For 12 years, TTP, a literacy organization in Washington, DC, has spearheaded a photography/writing program in several DC public schools. TTP staff visits classrooms, lends digital cameras to students, and gives a few lessons in composition, camera angles, and light/shadow so that students can begin to think through artistic choices before taking their photos. The students then choose certain photos to jumpstart a piece of writing—which might be a poem, description, reminiscence, or information about the subject.
Photo by Sarah MercierIn this photo, Zion, a third grader, stands proudly beside her photo/writing at the art gallery that showcased the students’ work.
Ellie Canter oversees TTP’s Literacy Through Photography program. She offers the following suggestions for summer or early fall photo/writing activities. (These can be adapted to all ages.)
* Ask kids to choose 1-4 photos that they have taken or that have been taken this summer. Ask them to write about each (whether a poem, description, fact, creative story, or memory). The photos/writing might become part of a family or classroom album.
* Focus the photo-taking, for example on things that begin with a certain letter of the alphabet.
* Appreciate family and community. Kids might take a photo of an older family member, for example, and do a short interview. Or they might photograph and write about a pet, their favorite thing, or the most interesting part of their neighborhood or home.
* Involve others. Canter mentioned one particularly powerful exercise. DC students were asked to photograph and write about “The Best Part of Me.” Some chose their minds, others chose other aspects of themselves. Isaiah, a fifth grader, took a picture of his biceps and wrote a playful poem on “My Mighty Muscles.” The students then asked their parents to name a best part—and the responses generated interesting discussions at home and school, Canter said.
* Look at novels that include photographs to see how the photos enrich the story. Revolutionby Deborah Wiles is a wonderful example. The novel tells the story of Freedom Summer in Mississippi in 1964 and mixes headlines, quotes, photos, and song lyrics with the narrative. Students might tell a longer story about their summer using these same elements.
* For additional ideas or information on the Literacy Through Photography program, visit Turning the Page’s website www.turningthepage.organd blog http://turningthepagedc.wordpress.com/
www.maryquattlebaum.com
Looking for ways to explore/enhance creativity? Want to encourage your kids to write during the summer? Or as a teacher, would you like to welcome your students back to the classroom with an engaging, thought-provoking prompt?
Whether you’re a writer, a parent or a teacher, the tips I received recently from Turning the Page might prove fun and helpful. For 12 years, TTP, a literacy organization in Washington, DC, has spearheaded a photography/writing program in several DC public schools. TTP staff visits classrooms, lends digital cameras to students, and gives a few lessons in composition, camera angles, and light/shadow so that students can begin to think through artistic choices before taking their photos. The students then choose certain photos to jumpstart a piece of writing—which might be a poem, description, reminiscence, or information about the subject.
Photo by Sarah MercierIn this photo, Zion, a third grader, stands proudly beside her photo/writing at the art gallery that showcased the students’ work. Ellie Canter oversees TTP’s Literacy Through Photography program. She offers the following suggestions for summer or early fall photo/writing activities. (These can be adapted to all ages.)
* Ask kids to choose 1-4 photos that they have taken or that have been taken this summer. Ask them to write about each (whether a poem, description, fact, creative story, or memory). The photos/writing might become part of a family or classroom album.
* Focus the photo-taking, for example on things that begin with a certain letter of the alphabet.
* Appreciate family and community. Kids might take a photo of an older family member, for example, and do a short interview. Or they might photograph and write about a pet, their favorite thing, or the most interesting part of their neighborhood or home.
* Involve others. Canter mentioned one particularly powerful exercise. DC students were asked to photograph and write about “The Best Part of Me.” Some chose their minds, others chose other aspects of themselves. Isaiah, a fifth grader, took a picture of his biceps and wrote a playful poem on “My Mighty Muscles.” The students then asked their parents to name a best part—and the responses generated interesting discussions at home and school, Canter said.
* Look at novels that include photographs to see how the photos enrich the story. Revolutionby Deborah Wiles is a wonderful example. The novel tells the story of Freedom Summer in Mississippi in 1964 and mixes headlines, quotes, photos, and song lyrics with the narrative. Students might tell a longer story about their summer using these same elements. * For additional ideas or information on the Literacy Through Photography program, visit Turning the Page’s website www.turningthepage.organd blog http://turningthepagedc.wordpress.com/
www.maryquattlebaum.com
July 7, 2014
VARIATIONS ON A VACATION
by Alison Ashley Formento
It’s summer and many of us are going on vacation or taking time to visit friends or relatives. You may be traveling by train, plane, boat, car, motorcycle, skateboard, or perhaps by foot. You might explore wonders of nature, ride wild roller coasters, or visit your favorite cousins. Vacation experiences vary for each of us depending on how you travel, where you go, what you do, and, of course, who you see or meet on your trip.
Variations on a Vacation
List four basic facts about your vacation:1. How you traveled2. Where you visited3. Where you stayed4. What you did (Name at least one activity or vacation experience.)
Example: 1. Pittsburgh to see relatives2. In a plane and a car3. Visited grandparents4. Saw a wild bird habitat
Condense your vacation facts into a short travel poem:
A plane, car ride, too.Curvy roads toPittsburgh. GrandParents hug so sweet.Tweet! Tweet!Look! An aviaryfull of beautiful, singing birds.Feathers fluttering…Family fun.
Write a paragraph in first person with more personal details: I traveled on a plane to Pittsburgh. At the airport, my family rented a car to visit my grandparents. Grandma is sweet and she made sweet donuts for us, too. Yum! We went to a bird habitat called an aviary to see cool birds. I saw a penguin and even an eagle. It was awesome! We took lots of bird pictures and then our family got dressed up and went out for fancy dinner for my grandparent’s anniversary. I ate chocolate cake. Yum! It’s my favorite!
Write another variation in third person to add in more narrative details: One summer evening, a young girl and her family flew far from her home on a jet plane to Pittsburgh, a large city in western Pennsylvania. After gathering their luggage, they rented a minivan and drove along a highway and many hills and curving streets to a lovely red brick house with a big tree in the front yard. The girl’s grandparents welcomed them with hugs. They had homemade donuts and milk for a good night snack. Early the next morning they went to visit an amazing aviary, where the girl saw birds from all over the world including a bald eagle. “It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. The family took photos of many birds they saw that day, including penguins, pelicans, and even an ostrich. They went to a special dinner at an elegant restaurant, to celebrate their grandparent’s 35th anniversary, where the girl ate chocolate cake for dessert. Try using dialogue only to share your vacation memory or imagine your vacation in the style of a comic book and add drawings with the words. What other fun variations can you write to describe your vacation?
Have a wonderful summer vacation!
www.alisonashleyformento.com
It’s summer and many of us are going on vacation or taking time to visit friends or relatives. You may be traveling by train, plane, boat, car, motorcycle, skateboard, or perhaps by foot. You might explore wonders of nature, ride wild roller coasters, or visit your favorite cousins. Vacation experiences vary for each of us depending on how you travel, where you go, what you do, and, of course, who you see or meet on your trip.Variations on a Vacation
List four basic facts about your vacation:1. How you traveled2. Where you visited3. Where you stayed4. What you did (Name at least one activity or vacation experience.)
Example: 1. Pittsburgh to see relatives2. In a plane and a car3. Visited grandparents4. Saw a wild bird habitat
Condense your vacation facts into a short travel poem:
A plane, car ride, too.Curvy roads toPittsburgh. GrandParents hug so sweet.Tweet! Tweet!Look! An aviaryfull of beautiful, singing birds.Feathers fluttering…Family fun.
Write a paragraph in first person with more personal details: I traveled on a plane to Pittsburgh. At the airport, my family rented a car to visit my grandparents. Grandma is sweet and she made sweet donuts for us, too. Yum! We went to a bird habitat called an aviary to see cool birds. I saw a penguin and even an eagle. It was awesome! We took lots of bird pictures and then our family got dressed up and went out for fancy dinner for my grandparent’s anniversary. I ate chocolate cake. Yum! It’s my favorite!
Write another variation in third person to add in more narrative details: One summer evening, a young girl and her family flew far from her home on a jet plane to Pittsburgh, a large city in western Pennsylvania. After gathering their luggage, they rented a minivan and drove along a highway and many hills and curving streets to a lovely red brick house with a big tree in the front yard. The girl’s grandparents welcomed them with hugs. They had homemade donuts and milk for a good night snack. Early the next morning they went to visit an amazing aviary, where the girl saw birds from all over the world including a bald eagle. “It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. The family took photos of many birds they saw that day, including penguins, pelicans, and even an ostrich. They went to a special dinner at an elegant restaurant, to celebrate their grandparent’s 35th anniversary, where the girl ate chocolate cake for dessert. Try using dialogue only to share your vacation memory or imagine your vacation in the style of a comic book and add drawings with the words. What other fun variations can you write to describe your vacation?
Have a wonderful summer vacation!
www.alisonashleyformento.com
June 30, 2014
NOT YOUR ORDINARY ANIMAL STORY
by Jacqueline Jules
We all know that kids love animals and animals are frequently a topic they choose to write about. Most often kids write about their pets, particularly the day that special dog or cat came into their lives. While we all enjoy a sweet Christmas puppy story, they can also be tedious. Challenge your students to imagine a more exciting scenario involving an animal.
For example, a few years back, when I had just started teaching at a new elementary school, I attended a mandatory teachers’ meeting where safety issues were addressed. The assistant principal lectured us to be more careful about the recess door.
“Remember what happened last spring,” she said. “A teacher was holding the door open for her class to file through. At the end of the line, a squirrel walked right into the building.”
Everyone grinned—last year’s teachers who had been there to see the squirrel running through the halls and the new teachers who were just imagining the pandemonium. But my smile was the widest of all. Hearing about a squirrel loose in the school had unlocked my writing block. For months, I had been trying to think of a way to begin a third Zapato Power chapter book. I needed a way for my character, Freddie Ramos, to show off his super-powered sneakers in the first few pages. Now I had it! Freddie could chase a fast and furry gray creature through Starwood Elementary.
“I never thought I’d need to save my school from a squirrel,” Freddie thinks. “But any hero job is a job for me.” Zoom! Zoom! Zapato! Freddie’s off, following the screams of students shouting “SQUIRREL! THAT WAY!”
On several occasions, I have read students the first chapter of Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue and then asked them to imagine what it would be like if a squirrel or other animal was running through the halls of their school. It always produces a good discussion, resulting in fun story ideas.
Another possibility is to use the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and ask students to write about an animal that might follow them to school. Encourage students to consider horses, goats, cows, and a variety of farm animals who might appear at school. A picture book that might inspire some creativity on this theme is Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss, a story about a pig, horse, goat, and hen who visit a public library.
The image of an animal in a school or other public setting where animals generally don’t belong is inherently funny. This writing prompt can also give students the opportunity to describe more movement and mayhem than you would see in the ordinary how-I-got-my-puppy-story. At the very least, the silly scenario should elicit some writing workshop giggles.
www.jacquelinejules.com
We all know that kids love animals and animals are frequently a topic they choose to write about. Most often kids write about their pets, particularly the day that special dog or cat came into their lives. While we all enjoy a sweet Christmas puppy story, they can also be tedious. Challenge your students to imagine a more exciting scenario involving an animal.
For example, a few years back, when I had just started teaching at a new elementary school, I attended a mandatory teachers’ meeting where safety issues were addressed. The assistant principal lectured us to be more careful about the recess door.
“Remember what happened last spring,” she said. “A teacher was holding the door open for her class to file through. At the end of the line, a squirrel walked right into the building.”
Everyone grinned—last year’s teachers who had been there to see the squirrel running through the halls and the new teachers who were just imagining the pandemonium. But my smile was the widest of all. Hearing about a squirrel loose in the school had unlocked my writing block. For months, I had been trying to think of a way to begin a third Zapato Power chapter book. I needed a way for my character, Freddie Ramos, to show off his super-powered sneakers in the first few pages. Now I had it! Freddie could chase a fast and furry gray creature through Starwood Elementary.“I never thought I’d need to save my school from a squirrel,” Freddie thinks. “But any hero job is a job for me.” Zoom! Zoom! Zapato! Freddie’s off, following the screams of students shouting “SQUIRREL! THAT WAY!”
On several occasions, I have read students the first chapter of Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue and then asked them to imagine what it would be like if a squirrel or other animal was running through the halls of their school. It always produces a good discussion, resulting in fun story ideas.
Another possibility is to use the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and ask students to write about an animal that might follow them to school. Encourage students to consider horses, goats, cows, and a variety of farm animals who might appear at school. A picture book that might inspire some creativity on this theme is Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss, a story about a pig, horse, goat, and hen who visit a public library. The image of an animal in a school or other public setting where animals generally don’t belong is inherently funny. This writing prompt can also give students the opportunity to describe more movement and mayhem than you would see in the ordinary how-I-got-my-puppy-story. At the very least, the silly scenario should elicit some writing workshop giggles.
www.jacquelinejules.com
June 23, 2014
TRY A SKETCHCRAWL THIS SUMMER!
by Joan Waites
I recently became acquainted with the term “SketchCrawl”, and while this type of artist activity has been around for a few years now, its popularity is growing. A SketchCrawl is basically the gathering of a group of artists at a designated location, (museum, zoo, park or another interesting spot ), for the purpose of doing loose, observational drawings in a sketchbook, using simple materials such as pens, pencils and/or a small watercolor set.
From Enrico Casarosa of the SketchCrawl website: (www.sketchcrawl.com)
“The basic idea: to record nonstop everything I could around me with my pencil and watercolors. A drawn journal filled with details ranging from the all the coffee I drank to the different buses I took. After a whole day of drawing and walking around the city the name seemed quite fitting: “SketchCrawl” – a drawing marathon. The crawl was more tiring than I imagined but also more fun and exciting than I had thought. Giving yourself this kind of mandate for a full day changes the way you look around you. It makes you stop and see things just a tad longer, just a bit deeper … needless to say I loved it.”
Children’s book illustrator Lynn Chapman often posts about her experiences doing a SketchCrawl here: http://www.lynnechapman.co.uk/sketch-thumbs.php?id=220
Using this idea as a fun summer activity for you, your friends, or a group of children, gather together at a designated location for a day-or just a few hours. Spend about 15-30 minutes at each SketchCrawl stop. Pick out one single element (such as a flower, park bench, etc.)… or an entire city block to record in sketch form. The idea is to be quick, loose and not worry about the finished product. With the written word, record other details that you see or hear (or taste!) at your location.
In the photo posted, I’ve organized a simple SketchCrawl kit. An inexpensive drawing pad, pencil, colored pencils and/or markers placed in a small backpack would make a great kit for kids. Regular Crayola markers will dissolve into a watercolor-like paint when brushed over with water. You just need to use a heavier weight paper in your sketchbook.
Happy summer…and happy SketchCrawling!
www.joanwaites.com
I recently became acquainted with the term “SketchCrawl”, and while this type of artist activity has been around for a few years now, its popularity is growing. A SketchCrawl is basically the gathering of a group of artists at a designated location, (museum, zoo, park or another interesting spot ), for the purpose of doing loose, observational drawings in a sketchbook, using simple materials such as pens, pencils and/or a small watercolor set.
From Enrico Casarosa of the SketchCrawl website: (www.sketchcrawl.com)
“The basic idea: to record nonstop everything I could around me with my pencil and watercolors. A drawn journal filled with details ranging from the all the coffee I drank to the different buses I took. After a whole day of drawing and walking around the city the name seemed quite fitting: “SketchCrawl” – a drawing marathon. The crawl was more tiring than I imagined but also more fun and exciting than I had thought. Giving yourself this kind of mandate for a full day changes the way you look around you. It makes you stop and see things just a tad longer, just a bit deeper … needless to say I loved it.”
Children’s book illustrator Lynn Chapman often posts about her experiences doing a SketchCrawl here: http://www.lynnechapman.co.uk/sketch-thumbs.php?id=220
Using this idea as a fun summer activity for you, your friends, or a group of children, gather together at a designated location for a day-or just a few hours. Spend about 15-30 minutes at each SketchCrawl stop. Pick out one single element (such as a flower, park bench, etc.)… or an entire city block to record in sketch form. The idea is to be quick, loose and not worry about the finished product. With the written word, record other details that you see or hear (or taste!) at your location.In the photo posted, I’ve organized a simple SketchCrawl kit. An inexpensive drawing pad, pencil, colored pencils and/or markers placed in a small backpack would make a great kit for kids. Regular Crayola markers will dissolve into a watercolor-like paint when brushed over with water. You just need to use a heavier weight paper in your sketchbook.
Happy summer…and happy SketchCrawling!
www.joanwaites.com
June 16, 2014
Summer Reading and Writing with Dr. Ellen Prager
by Mary Quattlebaum
Books that excite kids, that’s the best kind of summer reading! Sea creatures, high adventure and a likable main character make
The Shark Whisperer
a must-have for your family beach tote (if you’re a parent) or end-of-school recommendation (if you’re a teacher). The author, Dr. Ellen Prager, shared writing and science activities in a recent phone interview.
“I wanted to write a novel that kids would enjoy,” said Dr. Prager, a marine scientist and author of 15 books. The Shark Whisperer is the first in a five-book middle-grade series that combines strong storytelling and science.
The protagonist, Tristan, is a klutzy 12 year old who, along with fellow Sea Campers, learns to hone a secret talent in order to help the oceans. Tristan can communicate with sharks, his friend Samantha understands whales and another boy can leap through the water like a dolphin. They combine skills to solve a mysteryinvolving the wanton destruction of sharks (a problem, alas, that is common in real life as well).
In writing the book, Dr. Prager drew on her childhood love of the outdoors and many talks with kids, as an oceans educator. She wanted to share “cool stuff” in a style that would best connect with her audience.
“I noticed that any time I mentioned sharks or moray eels, the kids’ eyes would light up,” she said with a laugh. Kids also learn about bioluminescent worms, marine labs and the Bermuda Triangle.
After reading “The Shark Whisperer,” kids might try some of these writing, science and environmental activities:
* If you had a “sea talent” like Tristan and his friends, what might it be? How would you use it to help the oceans? You might tell or write down your own story.
* Find out more about your favorite sea creature. If this creature is being harmed by ocean pollution or overfishing, write a letter or email to your congressional representative.
* Visit an aquarium and look for creatures in the book.
* Pick up trash at the beach or around waterways (rivers, streams).
* Eat only sustainable seafood.
* Visit the book’s website www.tristan-hunt.com for photos, additional activities and facts and information about the next book in the series.
www.maryquattlebaum.com
Books that excite kids, that’s the best kind of summer reading! Sea creatures, high adventure and a likable main character make
The Shark Whisperer
a must-have for your family beach tote (if you’re a parent) or end-of-school recommendation (if you’re a teacher). The author, Dr. Ellen Prager, shared writing and science activities in a recent phone interview. “I wanted to write a novel that kids would enjoy,” said Dr. Prager, a marine scientist and author of 15 books. The Shark Whisperer is the first in a five-book middle-grade series that combines strong storytelling and science.
The protagonist, Tristan, is a klutzy 12 year old who, along with fellow Sea Campers, learns to hone a secret talent in order to help the oceans. Tristan can communicate with sharks, his friend Samantha understands whales and another boy can leap through the water like a dolphin. They combine skills to solve a mysteryinvolving the wanton destruction of sharks (a problem, alas, that is common in real life as well).
In writing the book, Dr. Prager drew on her childhood love of the outdoors and many talks with kids, as an oceans educator. She wanted to share “cool stuff” in a style that would best connect with her audience.
“I noticed that any time I mentioned sharks or moray eels, the kids’ eyes would light up,” she said with a laugh. Kids also learn about bioluminescent worms, marine labs and the Bermuda Triangle.
After reading “The Shark Whisperer,” kids might try some of these writing, science and environmental activities:
* If you had a “sea talent” like Tristan and his friends, what might it be? How would you use it to help the oceans? You might tell or write down your own story.
* Find out more about your favorite sea creature. If this creature is being harmed by ocean pollution or overfishing, write a letter or email to your congressional representative.
* Visit an aquarium and look for creatures in the book.
* Pick up trash at the beach or around waterways (rivers, streams).
* Eat only sustainable seafood.
* Visit the book’s website www.tristan-hunt.com for photos, additional activities and facts and information about the next book in the series.
www.maryquattlebaum.com
June 9, 2014
Writers--RETREAT!
by Jane Harrington
I’m just finishing up a month at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), my first foray into a residency at an artists’ colony. My days have been all writing-writing-writing, punctuated by peaceful walks and reading books in a porch swing. Evenings have been centered around enjoying the creative works of my fellow artists—poetry, prose, paintings, drawings, installations, performance pieces, and musical compositions. To sum up the experience: WOW!
Packing up now, I’m concocting ideas to bring to the upcoming summer months this same kind of inspiration and creative energy. Here are some suggestions for how to turn whole days into personal writing retreats, for you and/or a young writer in your life. In preparation, trawl local newspapers and other event listings, and keep an ongoing list of gallery openings, free concerts, theater and dance shows, author visits, etc. in your local area. Also, reacquaint yourself with the offerings at your nearest parks—nature trails, wetland walks, swimming lakes and the like.
On a day you designate a writer’s retreat—
1. Write for [you fill in the blank] hours in the morning, with no distractions. (Yes, that means turn your phone off.) (No, not on vibrate—off.) (Actually, put it in another room entirely.)2. After that, go enjoy some nature—a walk, for instance, in your neighborhood or at a local park. Alternately, cook a favorite food or crochet a bookmark. Those are inspired activities, too!3. Write some more. You decide on length of time.4. It will probably be evening by this time. Take in an art event: go listen to music, browse a gallery, watch a show, or attend a reading.
String a few of these days together, and I bet you’ll be feeling creative and cranking out some great writing! That’s my plan.
www.janeharrington.com
I’m just finishing up a month at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), my first foray into a residency at an artists’ colony. My days have been all writing-writing-writing, punctuated by peaceful walks and reading books in a porch swing. Evenings have been centered around enjoying the creative works of my fellow artists—poetry, prose, paintings, drawings, installations, performance pieces, and musical compositions. To sum up the experience: WOW!
Packing up now, I’m concocting ideas to bring to the upcoming summer months this same kind of inspiration and creative energy. Here are some suggestions for how to turn whole days into personal writing retreats, for you and/or a young writer in your life. In preparation, trawl local newspapers and other event listings, and keep an ongoing list of gallery openings, free concerts, theater and dance shows, author visits, etc. in your local area. Also, reacquaint yourself with the offerings at your nearest parks—nature trails, wetland walks, swimming lakes and the like.
On a day you designate a writer’s retreat—
1. Write for [you fill in the blank] hours in the morning, with no distractions. (Yes, that means turn your phone off.) (No, not on vibrate—off.) (Actually, put it in another room entirely.)2. After that, go enjoy some nature—a walk, for instance, in your neighborhood or at a local park. Alternately, cook a favorite food or crochet a bookmark. Those are inspired activities, too!3. Write some more. You decide on length of time.4. It will probably be evening by this time. Take in an art event: go listen to music, browse a gallery, watch a show, or attend a reading.
String a few of these days together, and I bet you’ll be feeling creative and cranking out some great writing! That’s my plan.
www.janeharrington.com
June 2, 2014
DIGGING INTO RESEARCH
by Alison Ashley Formento
Do you like to dig in the sand? Or dig in the dirt in your backyard garden? When I visit schools, I share research tools that I use as a writer and how I enjoy digging for facts before sitting down to write. I ask students I meet how to research a topic, and the first answer is usually something like this: “Go on the computer,” or “Google it.” We all rely on our computers for information today, but research is more informative and much more enjoyable, if you step away from the computer and dig deeper to learn about your topic before ever writing a word.
Summer is almost here, so let’s keep this writing exercise as fun as a day on the beach.
Digging Deep: Read, Research, Write
Choose your favorite summer activity to do outside. It might be swimming, playing soccer, or going to the beach. My activity example for this writing exercise is hiking.Look up five facts about hiking on the computer. Example of one hiking fact: In Australia hiking is called "bush walking" and known as "tramping" in New Zealand. Go to your school or town library and find at least three books about your topic. Find at least one new fact you didn’t find in your computer search. Visit a locale where you can do this activity. I hiked at Bear Mountain when writing my new book These Rocks Count! I also spoke to numerous geologists about rocks.Talk to an “expert” who knows about your activity. If you love swimming, talk to a swim coach or a swimming instructor at a local pool. For hiking, experts might be trail guides at my local camping store or a forest ranger at a hiking spot in a national or state forest. Ask this expert if they agree with the facts that you have researched.Ask them to share something that you might not know from your previous research and helpful advice about your topic. Example from a trail guide about hiking: Always hike with a First Aid kit, packed with extra band-aids for blisters.Gather your computer, book, and expert fact research. You know much more about your topic now and you are ready to write (a little or a lot) about your favorite summer activity. Now it’s time for me to swim, hike, dig in the sand, and read lots of books. Whatever you enjoy doing; I hope you have a wonderful summer!
www.alisonashleyformento.com
Do you like to dig in the sand? Or dig in the dirt in your backyard garden? When I visit schools, I share research tools that I use as a writer and how I enjoy digging for facts before sitting down to write. I ask students I meet how to research a topic, and the first answer is usually something like this: “Go on the computer,” or “Google it.” We all rely on our computers for information today, but research is more informative and much more enjoyable, if you step away from the computer and dig deeper to learn about your topic before ever writing a word.Summer is almost here, so let’s keep this writing exercise as fun as a day on the beach.
Digging Deep: Read, Research, Write
Choose your favorite summer activity to do outside. It might be swimming, playing soccer, or going to the beach. My activity example for this writing exercise is hiking.Look up five facts about hiking on the computer. Example of one hiking fact: In Australia hiking is called "bush walking" and known as "tramping" in New Zealand. Go to your school or town library and find at least three books about your topic. Find at least one new fact you didn’t find in your computer search. Visit a locale where you can do this activity. I hiked at Bear Mountain when writing my new book These Rocks Count! I also spoke to numerous geologists about rocks.Talk to an “expert” who knows about your activity. If you love swimming, talk to a swim coach or a swimming instructor at a local pool. For hiking, experts might be trail guides at my local camping store or a forest ranger at a hiking spot in a national or state forest. Ask this expert if they agree with the facts that you have researched.Ask them to share something that you might not know from your previous research and helpful advice about your topic. Example from a trail guide about hiking: Always hike with a First Aid kit, packed with extra band-aids for blisters.Gather your computer, book, and expert fact research. You know much more about your topic now and you are ready to write (a little or a lot) about your favorite summer activity. Now it’s time for me to swim, hike, dig in the sand, and read lots of books. Whatever you enjoy doing; I hope you have a wonderful summer!
www.alisonashleyformento.com
May 26, 2014
WRITING WITH EMPATHY
guest post by Kerri Majors
Pencil Tips welcomes Kerri Majors who will give us a bonus-style sneak peak at the kinds of lesson plans contained in the Teacher's Edition (TE) of This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World (TINAWM). This lesson on empathy is not in the TE—it’s an extra one just for you.
EmpathyIt’s so important for writers to understand the inner lives of the people they are writing about. And beyond that, it’s essential for all young people (future writers, scientists, and politicians alike!) to be able to practice thinking against themselves, and even to try to think as other think. Trying to walk in another person’s shoes, and really empathizewith them teaches us about diversity and compassion like nothing else. This lesson helps students do just that.
Suggested reading from TINAWM: “Eavesdropping,” “Drafting,” “My First Big Mistake”
In this lesson, students will:· Practice empathetic thinking· Write in the voice of another person· Create an interesting character· Reflect on the power of empathy for writers, and others· Engage in active listening and productive critique
You Will Need:· TINAWM· The prompt, photocopied or emailed to students· Workshop Ground Rules (in the Teacher’s Edition)
To Prepare:· Give students the prompt and ask them to write the piece as homework. You could also set aside the first 20 minutes of class for them to write a short dialogue, but that will truncate some of the discussion time. · Assign students to read the “Workshop Ground Rules.”· You might ask your students to read the suggested chapters of TINAWM before this lesson.
The Prompt:A writer must learn empathy—that ability to fully understand the emotional life of others. Yes, even those we find depressing, boring, or plain old annoying. It’s that understanding of others that helps us shape compelling, three-dimensional characters.
Take a peek at the News Feed of someone* you once hid on Facebook, or unfollowed on Twitter, and select a particularly grating recent post (Maybe: “Off to Zimbabwe then Paris! Pictures to follow! Send me a postcard from wherever you are!”), then write at least 500 words in the voice of that person about that post, in a way that helps you betterunderstand him/her without anger, annoyance, or judgment. *NOTE: Please do not select anyone from this class!
In Class: (All times are approximate suggestions)
5 minutes: Review the “Workshop Ground Rules” with your students, and ask if there are any questions about those.
15 minutes: Ask for an intrepid volunteer to read his/her piece aloud to the class. · Ask the other students to listen carefully and write down favorite words and phrases.· Per the Group Rules, lead with the positive. After the piece has been read, ask students to talk about what it revealed about the person. What kind of voice did the person have? What personality traits were revealed? Did the writer seem to be trying to really understandthe character? What other strengths did they hear? Always ask student to be specific and mention lines and places in the text.· How could the piece have been improved? Did the class hear any notes of dismissal, judgment, or willful mis-understanding? How could those moments be transformed and made more empathetic?· You might want to discuss the difference between a “likable” character and an “interesting” or “understandable” character, since some of these pieces are likely to bring this difference to light.
20 – 35 minutes: Repeat the above for as much time as you have (subsequent discussions will go faster than the first), or break the class into groups and let them discuss the pieces in threes or fours; when I do small-group workshops, I always rotate around the room to keep everyone on task and also answer questions. · Save time at the end, or try to discuss throughout, what students learned from writing these pieces. How do they think they can use this skill in other classes and situations?· Collect the writing so that you can deliver written comments, especially on the students whose writing might not have been discussed.
Reflection: Ask students to write a brief reflection on what they learned through this writing (if you use journals in class, this is a great exercise for those). In what other life situations might empathy be useful?
BIO: Kerri Majors is the founder and editor of YARN,the Young Adult Review Network (http://www.yareview.net), a literary magazine of YA writing and winner of the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize. This Is Not a Writing Manual has received wide acclaim and was called a “must-read” by School Library Journal. Kerri has taught writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Columbia, where she also received her MFA in Fiction. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter.
Please feel free to use this lesson in your classes, but if you photocopy any piece of it, I ask that in the interest of fair use, you add something like “This prompt is courtesy of Kerri Majors, author of This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World (www.kerrimajors.com).”
Pencil Tips welcomes Kerri Majors who will give us a bonus-style sneak peak at the kinds of lesson plans contained in the Teacher's Edition (TE) of This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World (TINAWM). This lesson on empathy is not in the TE—it’s an extra one just for you.EmpathyIt’s so important for writers to understand the inner lives of the people they are writing about. And beyond that, it’s essential for all young people (future writers, scientists, and politicians alike!) to be able to practice thinking against themselves, and even to try to think as other think. Trying to walk in another person’s shoes, and really empathizewith them teaches us about diversity and compassion like nothing else. This lesson helps students do just that.
Suggested reading from TINAWM: “Eavesdropping,” “Drafting,” “My First Big Mistake”
In this lesson, students will:· Practice empathetic thinking· Write in the voice of another person· Create an interesting character· Reflect on the power of empathy for writers, and others· Engage in active listening and productive critique
You Will Need:· TINAWM· The prompt, photocopied or emailed to students· Workshop Ground Rules (in the Teacher’s Edition)
To Prepare:· Give students the prompt and ask them to write the piece as homework. You could also set aside the first 20 minutes of class for them to write a short dialogue, but that will truncate some of the discussion time. · Assign students to read the “Workshop Ground Rules.”· You might ask your students to read the suggested chapters of TINAWM before this lesson.
The Prompt:A writer must learn empathy—that ability to fully understand the emotional life of others. Yes, even those we find depressing, boring, or plain old annoying. It’s that understanding of others that helps us shape compelling, three-dimensional characters.
Take a peek at the News Feed of someone* you once hid on Facebook, or unfollowed on Twitter, and select a particularly grating recent post (Maybe: “Off to Zimbabwe then Paris! Pictures to follow! Send me a postcard from wherever you are!”), then write at least 500 words in the voice of that person about that post, in a way that helps you betterunderstand him/her without anger, annoyance, or judgment. *NOTE: Please do not select anyone from this class!
In Class: (All times are approximate suggestions)
5 minutes: Review the “Workshop Ground Rules” with your students, and ask if there are any questions about those.
15 minutes: Ask for an intrepid volunteer to read his/her piece aloud to the class. · Ask the other students to listen carefully and write down favorite words and phrases.· Per the Group Rules, lead with the positive. After the piece has been read, ask students to talk about what it revealed about the person. What kind of voice did the person have? What personality traits were revealed? Did the writer seem to be trying to really understandthe character? What other strengths did they hear? Always ask student to be specific and mention lines and places in the text.· How could the piece have been improved? Did the class hear any notes of dismissal, judgment, or willful mis-understanding? How could those moments be transformed and made more empathetic?· You might want to discuss the difference between a “likable” character and an “interesting” or “understandable” character, since some of these pieces are likely to bring this difference to light.
20 – 35 minutes: Repeat the above for as much time as you have (subsequent discussions will go faster than the first), or break the class into groups and let them discuss the pieces in threes or fours; when I do small-group workshops, I always rotate around the room to keep everyone on task and also answer questions. · Save time at the end, or try to discuss throughout, what students learned from writing these pieces. How do they think they can use this skill in other classes and situations?· Collect the writing so that you can deliver written comments, especially on the students whose writing might not have been discussed.
Reflection: Ask students to write a brief reflection on what they learned through this writing (if you use journals in class, this is a great exercise for those). In what other life situations might empathy be useful?
BIO: Kerri Majors is the founder and editor of YARN,the Young Adult Review Network (http://www.yareview.net), a literary magazine of YA writing and winner of the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize. This Is Not a Writing Manual has received wide acclaim and was called a “must-read” by School Library Journal. Kerri has taught writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Columbia, where she also received her MFA in Fiction. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter.
Please feel free to use this lesson in your classes, but if you photocopy any piece of it, I ask that in the interest of fair use, you add something like “This prompt is courtesy of Kerri Majors, author of This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World (www.kerrimajors.com).”
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