Mary Quattlebaum's Blog, page 23
May 19, 2014
BLACKOUT: Personal Narratives in the Dark
by Jacqueline Jules
With thunderstorm season approaching and subsequent power failures, your students should enjoy an award-winning picture book by John Rocco called Blackout. In this brief story, a city family is too busy for a board game until the lights suddenly go out. Mom’s computer and sister’s telephone don’t work anymore. Dad can’t finish cooking dinner. The family huddles around a candle, making shadow puppets. They go onto the roof of their apartment building to watch the stars.
Blackout delightfully captures how a normal evening can be pleasantly interrupted by a power failure. And it could be a great writing prompt in your classroom. Read this story and have a class discussion about a time when the lights went out. Was it hot or cold? Did your family do something special together like play a board game or go outside for an evening walk? Students might remember eating melting ice cream from the freezer or going to the pool to cool off. Others might complain about having to use a flashlight to go to the bathroom or flipping on the light switch without results.
Ask students to describe the many things in their homes that no longer worked without electricity. Were they frustrated? Or did it become a time for storytelling and pretend games? If the power failure occurred at night, ask your students to describe the glow of the flashlight, the flicker of candles. Did they use their five senses more in the dark?
Since almost all children have experienced it at least once, the story of a power failure can inspire a fun personal narrative with lots of descriptive details. John Rocco’s Blackout is just short enough for a mini-lesson to leave plenty of time for student writing. I hope your classes enjoy this activity as much as mine did.
www.jacquelinejules.com
With thunderstorm season approaching and subsequent power failures, your students should enjoy an award-winning picture book by John Rocco called Blackout. In this brief story, a city family is too busy for a board game until the lights suddenly go out. Mom’s computer and sister’s telephone don’t work anymore. Dad can’t finish cooking dinner. The family huddles around a candle, making shadow puppets. They go onto the roof of their apartment building to watch the stars.
Blackout delightfully captures how a normal evening can be pleasantly interrupted by a power failure. And it could be a great writing prompt in your classroom. Read this story and have a class discussion about a time when the lights went out. Was it hot or cold? Did your family do something special together like play a board game or go outside for an evening walk? Students might remember eating melting ice cream from the freezer or going to the pool to cool off. Others might complain about having to use a flashlight to go to the bathroom or flipping on the light switch without results. Ask students to describe the many things in their homes that no longer worked without electricity. Were they frustrated? Or did it become a time for storytelling and pretend games? If the power failure occurred at night, ask your students to describe the glow of the flashlight, the flicker of candles. Did they use their five senses more in the dark?
Since almost all children have experienced it at least once, the story of a power failure can inspire a fun personal narrative with lots of descriptive details. John Rocco’s Blackout is just short enough for a mini-lesson to leave plenty of time for student writing. I hope your classes enjoy this activity as much as mine did.
www.jacquelinejules.com
May 12, 2014
HOW TO GROW A NATURALIST
by guest blogger Nancy Viau
A naturalist is someone who loves and appreciates nature and who studies plants and animals as they live in nature. Naturalists often write about their observations in journals, magazines, and non-fiction books. I chose to pen my observations in the form of a picture book, Look What I Can Do!. My goal was to have children see a variety of animals in their natural habitat, accomplishing tasks and overcoming challenges that are part of growing up. Illustrator Anna Vojtech has done a wonderful job bringing my words to life and creating lush spreads filled with color and depth.
What follows is a very basic science activity with writing tie-ins (for grades K-2). Its purpose is to increase awareness and respect for the animals in our immediate surroundings.
Introduction
Train your young students in the art of observation by practicing with common objects. For this activity, they should use only two senses: seeing and hearing. Allowing children to use only sight and sound as reference points helps them to stay on task. Plus, later on, when observing animals, students may be too far to smell them, and of course, they shouldn’t be encouraged to touch them!
Put a pencil on every desk. Using the questions below, have students create a list (oral or written) based on what they see and hear. What color is the object?What shape is it? How big is the object?(Big as a______; Long as a _______; Fat as a _______, etc.) What is the object’s placement in the environment? Does the object make a sound of its own? Repeat with three other objects: a watch, a cup of water, a crumpled paper.
ResearchStudents research three animals that may be found in the immediate area of the school. They note color, size, what they eat, their homes, families, and habits.
ActivityThe easy part:Students choose two to three favorite animals. Each student receives a notebook (Naturalist’s Journal) and pencil. A towel or rug square to sit on comes in handy, too.Time to head outside! Students find a place where they are likely to spot one or more of the animals they have picked.The hard part:Students sit and wait, very quietly. Students should not coax any animal out with snacks or noises.The writing:When an animal is spotted, students observe and make notes based on sight and sound only. They are not to make up stories (yet). A sketch is also appropriate.
Back in the ClassroomShare and compare findings.Make a classroom collage using sketches or cut-out pictures of animals observed.Create a map of the observation area. Students add in their animals.Discuss non-fiction and fiction, and how facts and research are used in both.Children use their detailed observations of animals to write each type of story. Encourage use of descriptive language with sight and sound elements.
Corresponding Lessons Five Senses HabitatsOnomatopoeiaCommunities/Neighborhoods Introduction to Scientific Method
Nancy Viau is the author of three nature-inspired books: Look What I Can Do! (Nominated for the Keystone to Reading Book Award), Storm Song, and Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head. Her Fall 2014 title, City Street Beat, invites readers on a toe-tappin’ musical journey from the country to the city. When not writing, Nancy can be found hiking, biking, or visiting schools across the country and around the world (via Skype). Visit her at www.NancyViau.com
A naturalist is someone who loves and appreciates nature and who studies plants and animals as they live in nature. Naturalists often write about their observations in journals, magazines, and non-fiction books. I chose to pen my observations in the form of a picture book, Look What I Can Do!. My goal was to have children see a variety of animals in their natural habitat, accomplishing tasks and overcoming challenges that are part of growing up. Illustrator Anna Vojtech has done a wonderful job bringing my words to life and creating lush spreads filled with color and depth. What follows is a very basic science activity with writing tie-ins (for grades K-2). Its purpose is to increase awareness and respect for the animals in our immediate surroundings.
Introduction
Train your young students in the art of observation by practicing with common objects. For this activity, they should use only two senses: seeing and hearing. Allowing children to use only sight and sound as reference points helps them to stay on task. Plus, later on, when observing animals, students may be too far to smell them, and of course, they shouldn’t be encouraged to touch them!
Put a pencil on every desk. Using the questions below, have students create a list (oral or written) based on what they see and hear. What color is the object?What shape is it? How big is the object?(Big as a______; Long as a _______; Fat as a _______, etc.) What is the object’s placement in the environment? Does the object make a sound of its own? Repeat with three other objects: a watch, a cup of water, a crumpled paper.
ResearchStudents research three animals that may be found in the immediate area of the school. They note color, size, what they eat, their homes, families, and habits.
ActivityThe easy part:Students choose two to three favorite animals. Each student receives a notebook (Naturalist’s Journal) and pencil. A towel or rug square to sit on comes in handy, too.Time to head outside! Students find a place where they are likely to spot one or more of the animals they have picked.The hard part:Students sit and wait, very quietly. Students should not coax any animal out with snacks or noises.The writing:When an animal is spotted, students observe and make notes based on sight and sound only. They are not to make up stories (yet). A sketch is also appropriate.
Back in the ClassroomShare and compare findings.Make a classroom collage using sketches or cut-out pictures of animals observed.Create a map of the observation area. Students add in their animals.Discuss non-fiction and fiction, and how facts and research are used in both.Children use their detailed observations of animals to write each type of story. Encourage use of descriptive language with sight and sound elements.
Corresponding Lessons Five Senses HabitatsOnomatopoeiaCommunities/Neighborhoods Introduction to Scientific Method
Nancy Viau is the author of three nature-inspired books: Look What I Can Do! (Nominated for the Keystone to Reading Book Award), Storm Song, and Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head. Her Fall 2014 title, City Street Beat, invites readers on a toe-tappin’ musical journey from the country to the city. When not writing, Nancy can be found hiking, biking, or visiting schools across the country and around the world (via Skype). Visit her at www.NancyViau.com
May 5, 2014
PAINTED POEMS
by Joan Waites
A fun springtime activity to do with students, which combines both a writing and art component, is to work on “Painted Poems.” Using an original or published seasonal poem, students combine type, paint, and collage to illustrate the written word.For example, using a spring-themed poem by fellow Pencil Tips author Mary Quattlebaum, a collage was created by printing out the words to “Yellow Crocus.”
YELLOW CROCUS (from Winter Friends)
Spry
sprocket
up from
earth's
dark pocket
you spring,
one
slim
sprig
wheeling
summer-
bright
under
pale
sun.
Illustration by Joan Waites
To make a Painted Poem:
1. Have students write an original seasonal poem, or use a published one.
2. Print the poem out several times on a heavier paper that works well with watercolor paint.
3. Have students use various colors to paint over the words. When dry, go over the flat colors again with additional colors making stripes, swirls, dots, etc. Crayons, colored pencils, or makers can also be used to make interesting textures.
4. Once the paint is dry, cut out shapes and paste on another piece of paper to assemble the collage.
5. If desired, use the actual poem as one of the collage elements, as in the example shown.
Happy Spring!
www.joanwaites.com
A fun springtime activity to do with students, which combines both a writing and art component, is to work on “Painted Poems.” Using an original or published seasonal poem, students combine type, paint, and collage to illustrate the written word.For example, using a spring-themed poem by fellow Pencil Tips author Mary Quattlebaum, a collage was created by printing out the words to “Yellow Crocus.”
YELLOW CROCUS (from Winter Friends)
Spry
sprocket
up from
earth's
dark pocket
you spring,
one
slim
sprig
wheeling
summer-
bright
under
pale
sun.
Illustration by Joan WaitesTo make a Painted Poem:
1. Have students write an original seasonal poem, or use a published one.
2. Print the poem out several times on a heavier paper that works well with watercolor paint.
3. Have students use various colors to paint over the words. When dry, go over the flat colors again with additional colors making stripes, swirls, dots, etc. Crayons, colored pencils, or makers can also be used to make interesting textures.
4. Once the paint is dry, cut out shapes and paste on another piece of paper to assemble the collage.
5. If desired, use the actual poem as one of the collage elements, as in the example shown.
Happy Spring!
www.joanwaites.com
April 28, 2014
WHAT'S THE STORY?
by Jane Harrington
I just listened to a pretty right-on lecture about fiction writing by Jenna Blum (The Author at Work: The Art of Writing Fiction), so I’ll share an activity based on something she recommends. I think this can help all creative writers, any age. It’s about writing “log lines.”
For those who dabble in screenwriting, this is probably a known term, but it was new to me. A log line is a one-sentence distillation of a story, and can be a very useful means of getting to the bones of a body of creative writing. Whereas “theme” can usually be expressed in one word or phrase (“making new friends” or “recovery” or “loss”) a good log line includes the protagonist and his/her goal or central conflict. Note that endings (spoilers!) are not included in log lines.
Here’s how this activity might work:
1. Find a bestsellers list, such as the New York Times “Children’s Best Sellers,” and read all the descriptions for the books there. Some in last week’s NYT—• “A filthy bird is persuaded to bathe.” (Mo Willems’ The Pigeon Needs a Bath!)• “A teenager uncovers the mysteries of a village surrounded by a beast-filled forest.” (David Baldacci’s The Finisher.)• “A girl saves books from Nazi burning.” (Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.)
2. Think about a book or short story you like and know well, and then create a log line for it. • For Alice in Wonderland that might be: A girl tumbles into an alternate universe and meets many strange characters in her quest to get home.• For Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak: After a traumatic experience at a summer party, a teenage girl tries to endure her next year of high school while keeping a secret.
3. Now, think about something you’ve written or want to write, and create a log line for it. I’ve done this for two of my books here.• In letters to her best friend back home, a thirteen-year-old girl describes her progress at accomplishing a list of things she has been dared to do while on a Mediterranean cruise (Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do in Europe).
• A ten-year-old girl describes her angsts and adventures in a journal she starts to keep after her memory-impaired grandmother moves in with her family (Lucy’s Completely Cool and Totally True E-Journal).
Some writers might find that brainstorming log lines is a good way to get a handle on a story idea before starting to write. Other writers might find it a useful exercise to guide the revision process, particularly after some free writing. (See Jacqueline Jules’ “Transforming a Free Write” for more ideas along thoselines.)
If used in the classroom, this exercise should help meet the requirements of the following Common Core standards:
CCSS.ELA—LITERACY.RL.1.2 thru 11-12.2
www.janeharrington.com
I just listened to a pretty right-on lecture about fiction writing by Jenna Blum (The Author at Work: The Art of Writing Fiction), so I’ll share an activity based on something she recommends. I think this can help all creative writers, any age. It’s about writing “log lines.”
For those who dabble in screenwriting, this is probably a known term, but it was new to me. A log line is a one-sentence distillation of a story, and can be a very useful means of getting to the bones of a body of creative writing. Whereas “theme” can usually be expressed in one word or phrase (“making new friends” or “recovery” or “loss”) a good log line includes the protagonist and his/her goal or central conflict. Note that endings (spoilers!) are not included in log lines.
Here’s how this activity might work:
1. Find a bestsellers list, such as the New York Times “Children’s Best Sellers,” and read all the descriptions for the books there. Some in last week’s NYT—• “A filthy bird is persuaded to bathe.” (Mo Willems’ The Pigeon Needs a Bath!)• “A teenager uncovers the mysteries of a village surrounded by a beast-filled forest.” (David Baldacci’s The Finisher.)• “A girl saves books from Nazi burning.” (Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.)
2. Think about a book or short story you like and know well, and then create a log line for it. • For Alice in Wonderland that might be: A girl tumbles into an alternate universe and meets many strange characters in her quest to get home.• For Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak: After a traumatic experience at a summer party, a teenage girl tries to endure her next year of high school while keeping a secret.
3. Now, think about something you’ve written or want to write, and create a log line for it. I’ve done this for two of my books here.• In letters to her best friend back home, a thirteen-year-old girl describes her progress at accomplishing a list of things she has been dared to do while on a Mediterranean cruise (Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do in Europe).
• A ten-year-old girl describes her angsts and adventures in a journal she starts to keep after her memory-impaired grandmother moves in with her family (Lucy’s Completely Cool and Totally True E-Journal). Some writers might find that brainstorming log lines is a good way to get a handle on a story idea before starting to write. Other writers might find it a useful exercise to guide the revision process, particularly after some free writing. (See Jacqueline Jules’ “Transforming a Free Write” for more ideas along thoselines.)
If used in the classroom, this exercise should help meet the requirements of the following Common Core standards:
CCSS.ELA—LITERACY.RL.1.2 thru 11-12.2
www.janeharrington.com
April 21, 2014
Inhabiting Your Character or Historic Subject
by Mary Quattlebaum
How might we bring a greater awareness of our characters or historic subjects (George Washington, Harriet Tubman) to the page?
This is one of my favorite exercises as a writer—and one my students of all ages seem to relish and learn from. It’s playful and illuminating.
*Be your character or historic subject for a day (or at least a few consecutive hours). Try to bring all your senses to it.
*Put on the clothes (or at least some) she would wear. Eat the breakfast she would. Do chores of the time (wash dishes, for example, or find a stable and pat the horses). Play a game or read a book in the way your character would.
*Move like your character. Let yourself inhabit that excited child or hungry dog or frightened slave. Skipdown the street or sniff your dinner deeply or hide in a shed at night and peek out. Walk as your character walks. (For my picture book Underground Train, I rode the Metro in Washington, DC numerous times while inhabiting my child narrator, trying to experience the sounds and sights as she would.)
*Enact certain scenes, especially if they have intense action or emotion (within reason, of course). For example, for an escape scene, have someone truss you up and feel yourself first bound and then trying to figure out how to escape.
*What does your character really like to do? Do that! What does your character hate to do? Try that too, always being your character.
*Take on the physical proportions and usual posture of your character. If your character is short, get down on your knees and see/experience as she would. If your historic figure is tall, stand on a chair. Is a character aggressive? Puff out the chest. Sad? Let yourself slump.
*Jot down your reactions, thoughts, feelings, etc. Weave into the writing or be conscious of as you revise.
*This can be done at any time during the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising) to deepen a sense of character/historic subject and their world, provide more telling details, and heighten kinesthetic awareness.
www.maryquattlebaum.com
How might we bring a greater awareness of our characters or historic subjects (George Washington, Harriet Tubman) to the page?
This is one of my favorite exercises as a writer—and one my students of all ages seem to relish and learn from. It’s playful and illuminating.
*Be your character or historic subject for a day (or at least a few consecutive hours). Try to bring all your senses to it.
*Put on the clothes (or at least some) she would wear. Eat the breakfast she would. Do chores of the time (wash dishes, for example, or find a stable and pat the horses). Play a game or read a book in the way your character would.
*Move like your character. Let yourself inhabit that excited child or hungry dog or frightened slave. Skipdown the street or sniff your dinner deeply or hide in a shed at night and peek out. Walk as your character walks. (For my picture book Underground Train, I rode the Metro in Washington, DC numerous times while inhabiting my child narrator, trying to experience the sounds and sights as she would.)*Enact certain scenes, especially if they have intense action or emotion (within reason, of course). For example, for an escape scene, have someone truss you up and feel yourself first bound and then trying to figure out how to escape.
*What does your character really like to do? Do that! What does your character hate to do? Try that too, always being your character.
*Take on the physical proportions and usual posture of your character. If your character is short, get down on your knees and see/experience as she would. If your historic figure is tall, stand on a chair. Is a character aggressive? Puff out the chest. Sad? Let yourself slump.
*Jot down your reactions, thoughts, feelings, etc. Weave into the writing or be conscious of as you revise.
*This can be done at any time during the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising) to deepen a sense of character/historic subject and their world, provide more telling details, and heighten kinesthetic awareness.
www.maryquattlebaum.com
April 14, 2014
FINDING WORDS TO WRITE ABOUT LOSS...
by Alison Ashley Formento
The first pet I owned as an adult, a small cockatiel named Felicity, flew away when I was cleaning her cage. One minute she was there, and the next—my pet bird was gone. I searched the neighborhood for days, but she never returned. Though I’ll never know for certain, I hope that Felicity found a home with someone who fed her grapes that she loved to eat, or that she flew south and is now chirping amongst the palms on a tropical island. I still miss her, as anyone who has lost a beloved pet can understand.
The loss of a pet can inspire novelists and Cynthia Chapman Willis an author inspiration of mine, shares the struggle of loss and longing in her powerful middle grade novels, Buck Fever, and in particular, Dog Gone where a young girl named Dill, with family problems, searches for her missing dog named Dead End.
In my young adult novel, Twigs, the title character loses her phone and people are lost or missing in her life, too. She’s not sure where her dad has gone and there’s a mystery about her brother in the Army, too. Twigs experiences feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness in dealing with these various losses.
Finding words to write about loss: Writing Prompt:
Have you ever lost something important to you? A favorite piece of clothing, a special toy, or a beloved stuffed animal? Or something important you need for school like a signed permission slip for a field trip? Write about your experience when you’ve lost something important.
• Where did you look?
• How long did you search?
• Did you ask others for help?
• Did you feel a particular way because of losing this item?
• Did you find what was lost?
http://alisonashleyformento.com/
The first pet I owned as an adult, a small cockatiel named Felicity, flew away when I was cleaning her cage. One minute she was there, and the next—my pet bird was gone. I searched the neighborhood for days, but she never returned. Though I’ll never know for certain, I hope that Felicity found a home with someone who fed her grapes that she loved to eat, or that she flew south and is now chirping amongst the palms on a tropical island. I still miss her, as anyone who has lost a beloved pet can understand.
The loss of a pet can inspire novelists and Cynthia Chapman Willis an author inspiration of mine, shares the struggle of loss and longing in her powerful middle grade novels, Buck Fever, and in particular, Dog Gone where a young girl named Dill, with family problems, searches for her missing dog named Dead End. In my young adult novel, Twigs, the title character loses her phone and people are lost or missing in her life, too. She’s not sure where her dad has gone and there’s a mystery about her brother in the Army, too. Twigs experiences feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness in dealing with these various losses.
Finding words to write about loss: Writing Prompt:Have you ever lost something important to you? A favorite piece of clothing, a special toy, or a beloved stuffed animal? Or something important you need for school like a signed permission slip for a field trip? Write about your experience when you’ve lost something important.
• Where did you look?
• How long did you search?
• Did you ask others for help?
• Did you feel a particular way because of losing this item?
• Did you find what was lost?
http://alisonashleyformento.com/
April 7, 2014
TRANSFORMING A FREE WRITE
by Jacqueline Jules
Free writes are a staple of writing workshops. Gurus like Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within) frequently advise writers of all ages to just keep that pen moving across the page. It doesn’t matter what you write in the first draft, just get some words down. And it is good advice. Before I start a project and every time I get stuck, I put my fingers on the keyboard and type ideas, questions, fears, memories, and anything else that comes to mind in a random manner. I don’t worry about figurative language, clichés, or didactic phrases. I just get words down, something that I can re-read to rework later.
Here is an example of a free write I did for a poem later called “Daddy and Venice.”
The final poem, published in Imitation Fruit, May 2010. had only one line from the free write: “dressed in pigeons.” I used that image to describe what it was like to feed the pigeons in Saint Mark’s Square in Venice when I was a girl.
So how did I transform a free write which essentially says I don’t remember much beyond the pigeons and my father’s desire to show me the beauty of Venice? My poem makes references to the Doge’s palace, a grand staircase, gondolas with Persian rugs and velvet seats— details I absolutely did not remember from my eight-year-old-experience in Venice. How did I do it? Research! I went to Venice travel sites and used the facts I found to create imagery in my poem.
The next time you study countries, ask your students to write a poem using highlights described in their research. Travel websites are designed to entice the reader to spend the necessary dollars to see that not-to-be-missed vacation spot in person. They are great sources of persuasive language and generally chocked full of sensory images. Using interesting details spices up any piece of writing.
www.jacquelinejules.com
Free writes are a staple of writing workshops. Gurus like Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within) frequently advise writers of all ages to just keep that pen moving across the page. It doesn’t matter what you write in the first draft, just get some words down. And it is good advice. Before I start a project and every time I get stuck, I put my fingers on the keyboard and type ideas, questions, fears, memories, and anything else that comes to mind in a random manner. I don’t worry about figurative language, clichés, or didactic phrases. I just get words down, something that I can re-read to rework later.
Here is an example of a free write I did for a poem later called “Daddy and Venice.”The final poem, published in Imitation Fruit, May 2010. had only one line from the free write: “dressed in pigeons.” I used that image to describe what it was like to feed the pigeons in Saint Mark’s Square in Venice when I was a girl.
So how did I transform a free write which essentially says I don’t remember much beyond the pigeons and my father’s desire to show me the beauty of Venice? My poem makes references to the Doge’s palace, a grand staircase, gondolas with Persian rugs and velvet seats— details I absolutely did not remember from my eight-year-old-experience in Venice. How did I do it? Research! I went to Venice travel sites and used the facts I found to create imagery in my poem.
The next time you study countries, ask your students to write a poem using highlights described in their research. Travel websites are designed to entice the reader to spend the necessary dollars to see that not-to-be-missed vacation spot in person. They are great sources of persuasive language and generally chocked full of sensory images. Using interesting details spices up any piece of writing.
www.jacquelinejules.com
March 31, 2014
Separating “Science Snippets”: An Exercise in Revision
Guest Post by Janet Wong
One of the hardest things for any writer is revision. You write something and fall in love with it: how could it you possibly make it any better?
I tell students: don’t try to make it better, just try to make it different.
If a poem rhymes, write a second draft that has zero rhyme. If a poem is long, cut it in half. If it’s short, double it. Use revision to give yourself some choices.
Here’s an easy exercise that will help you teach revision:
1. Read a science poem from
The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science
.2. Underline the science concepts.3. Extract a “Science Snippet” poem, using as few words as possible to communicate the main science ideas.4. If students want to keep some non-science words in the Science Snippet version, that’s OK.5. Read both poems aloud. Take a vote. Which poem do your students like better? (Ideally the vote will be split, to show how subjective the creative writing process is.)
Here is my poem “The Brink,” one of 218 science poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (K-5 Teacher’s Edition), with a Take 5! mini-lesson for each poem by Sylvia Vardell:
And here is one possible Science Snippet version:
The Brink (Science Snippet version)by Janet Wong
I fill a cup to the topwith ice,pour to the brim.When the ice melts,will my drink spill?The ice seems to shrink.PHEW!
It’s not clear to me that one version is better than the other—just different. I like the longer version (used in the book), but I’m sure that some people will prefer the Science Snippet. This revision exercise is effective because separating “the science parts” is easier than identifying “the best parts.” Students will be able to produce a significantly different version in just five minutes without anguishing over subjective choices.
Science + Poetry = A Powerful Revision Exercise!
Janet Wong is the co-creator (with Sylvia Vardell) of The Poetry Friday Anthology series. For more info, please visit PomeloBooks.com!
One of the hardest things for any writer is revision. You write something and fall in love with it: how could it you possibly make it any better?
I tell students: don’t try to make it better, just try to make it different.
If a poem rhymes, write a second draft that has zero rhyme. If a poem is long, cut it in half. If it’s short, double it. Use revision to give yourself some choices.
Here’s an easy exercise that will help you teach revision:
1. Read a science poem from
The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science
.2. Underline the science concepts.3. Extract a “Science Snippet” poem, using as few words as possible to communicate the main science ideas.4. If students want to keep some non-science words in the Science Snippet version, that’s OK.5. Read both poems aloud. Take a vote. Which poem do your students like better? (Ideally the vote will be split, to show how subjective the creative writing process is.)
Here is my poem “The Brink,” one of 218 science poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (K-5 Teacher’s Edition), with a Take 5! mini-lesson for each poem by Sylvia Vardell:
And here is one possible Science Snippet version:
The Brink (Science Snippet version)by Janet Wong
I fill a cup to the topwith ice,pour to the brim.When the ice melts,will my drink spill?The ice seems to shrink.PHEW!
It’s not clear to me that one version is better than the other—just different. I like the longer version (used in the book), but I’m sure that some people will prefer the Science Snippet. This revision exercise is effective because separating “the science parts” is easier than identifying “the best parts.” Students will be able to produce a significantly different version in just five minutes without anguishing over subjective choices.
Science + Poetry = A Powerful Revision Exercise!
Janet Wong is the co-creator (with Sylvia Vardell) of The Poetry Friday Anthology series. For more info, please visit PomeloBooks.com!
March 24, 2014
Writing Folktales Author Interview: Nancy Kelly Allen
by Joan Waites
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing author Nancy Kelly Allen about her latest picture book release, FIRST FIRE, (Sylvan Dell Publishing, February 2014, illustrated by Sherry Rogers). Nancy and I have worked on two picture books together in the past, and have remained in touch over the years.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and path to becoming a children’s book author?
My route to writing children's books is as winding as the mountain roads surrounding my home near Hazard, KY. I began my career as a social worker; then changed paths and taught social studies. From there I ventured into the world of books when I became a librarian. I have a Master's degree in Education from Morehead State University and another Master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky. I have written more than 30 picture books and two middle grade books. Shhhhhh! Here's a secret to my writing. I have two canine writing muses named Jazi and Roxi that dream up stories and pass them along to me.
What made you decide to tackle a folktale for your latest picture book project?I’m a retired librarian who has spent an entire career in the elementary school library, so naturally I’ve read my share of folktales…and loved them. My great-grandmother was a Cherokee. Simmering in the back of my mind for over a decade, I’ve considered retelling a Cherokee folktale if I found the right story. I’m always busy working on the next book, so I never actually took the time to track down a Cherokee folktale to retell. Then one day about a couple of years ago, I saw a book about the Cherokee Nation. I checked out all the books I could find on Cherokee stories in our local library. I read many, many stories, but none of them resonated with me the way FIRST FIRE did. It was love at first read.
Did you have a particular publisher in mind when approaching the subject matter?I did not. I wrote the story and then began researching publishers. I sent the manuscript to two publishers and waited to hear back from them. When I heard, I received acceptance notices within the same week from both. I contacted the second publisher and turned down their offer.
What was your inspiration for writing this particular folktale? This book is my tribute to my great-grandmother and our Cherokee heritage. As I began reading Cherokee and Native American folktales, I found FIRST FIRE and knew immediately that I wanted to retell it as a picture book. The story had all the elements I was looking for: a variety of animals, a conflict, a crisis, and an unlikely hero, all tied up with a happy ending.
What type of research was involved in writing the story? How did you approach the retelling of the story?The research was not that difficult. I found the story in different books and versions. The difficult part came with keeping the story authentic and true to the culture. The storyteller in me wanted to tell the story with the most creative flair, but the folklorist in me warned: don’t stray too far from the original story. After all, it was not my story, but a retelling of a Cherokee story. I also spent time reading about the Cherokee culture and talking with members of the Cherokee nation in an effort to give credence to the retelling and to get the details correct.
How might teachers use this folktale in the classroom and for what age group(s)?Creation stories unravel the mysteries of the origins of the world and/or that of animals and people. Many cultures have their own stories that are similar to the stories of other cultures half-way around the world where the tales developed independently of the other. The stories are sacred and reflect how the people and animals of the culture cope with everyday life. This book can be used in social studies class when studying cultures. It can also be used in science class when studying fire and animals, especially spiders. There is a section in the back of the book designed for educational purposes that is appropriate for primary grades and up through grade five.
What types of writing do you prefer, and why? I enjoy writing fiction for children. I love the freedom fiction allows. I can be in charge of the fictional world and completely control the plot and characters. I’m Top Dog. The characters say what I tell them to say and do what I want them to do. In the real world, I’m not Top Dog, and I don’t control anyone around me.
I also enjoy writing creative nonfiction. I’ve never outgrown the inquisitive child living inside me. I say “creative” nonfiction because presenting facts and only the facts can be dull and boring. I like to wrap the facts in a narrative that uses literary styles and techniques to make the reader want to keep on turning the pages.
www.joanwaites.com
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing author Nancy Kelly Allen about her latest picture book release, FIRST FIRE, (Sylvan Dell Publishing, February 2014, illustrated by Sherry Rogers). Nancy and I have worked on two picture books together in the past, and have remained in touch over the years. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and path to becoming a children’s book author?
My route to writing children's books is as winding as the mountain roads surrounding my home near Hazard, KY. I began my career as a social worker; then changed paths and taught social studies. From there I ventured into the world of books when I became a librarian. I have a Master's degree in Education from Morehead State University and another Master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky. I have written more than 30 picture books and two middle grade books. Shhhhhh! Here's a secret to my writing. I have two canine writing muses named Jazi and Roxi that dream up stories and pass them along to me.
What made you decide to tackle a folktale for your latest picture book project?I’m a retired librarian who has spent an entire career in the elementary school library, so naturally I’ve read my share of folktales…and loved them. My great-grandmother was a Cherokee. Simmering in the back of my mind for over a decade, I’ve considered retelling a Cherokee folktale if I found the right story. I’m always busy working on the next book, so I never actually took the time to track down a Cherokee folktale to retell. Then one day about a couple of years ago, I saw a book about the Cherokee Nation. I checked out all the books I could find on Cherokee stories in our local library. I read many, many stories, but none of them resonated with me the way FIRST FIRE did. It was love at first read.
Did you have a particular publisher in mind when approaching the subject matter?I did not. I wrote the story and then began researching publishers. I sent the manuscript to two publishers and waited to hear back from them. When I heard, I received acceptance notices within the same week from both. I contacted the second publisher and turned down their offer.
What was your inspiration for writing this particular folktale? This book is my tribute to my great-grandmother and our Cherokee heritage. As I began reading Cherokee and Native American folktales, I found FIRST FIRE and knew immediately that I wanted to retell it as a picture book. The story had all the elements I was looking for: a variety of animals, a conflict, a crisis, and an unlikely hero, all tied up with a happy ending.
What type of research was involved in writing the story? How did you approach the retelling of the story?The research was not that difficult. I found the story in different books and versions. The difficult part came with keeping the story authentic and true to the culture. The storyteller in me wanted to tell the story with the most creative flair, but the folklorist in me warned: don’t stray too far from the original story. After all, it was not my story, but a retelling of a Cherokee story. I also spent time reading about the Cherokee culture and talking with members of the Cherokee nation in an effort to give credence to the retelling and to get the details correct.
How might teachers use this folktale in the classroom and for what age group(s)?Creation stories unravel the mysteries of the origins of the world and/or that of animals and people. Many cultures have their own stories that are similar to the stories of other cultures half-way around the world where the tales developed independently of the other. The stories are sacred and reflect how the people and animals of the culture cope with everyday life. This book can be used in social studies class when studying cultures. It can also be used in science class when studying fire and animals, especially spiders. There is a section in the back of the book designed for educational purposes that is appropriate for primary grades and up through grade five.
What types of writing do you prefer, and why? I enjoy writing fiction for children. I love the freedom fiction allows. I can be in charge of the fictional world and completely control the plot and characters. I’m Top Dog. The characters say what I tell them to say and do what I want them to do. In the real world, I’m not Top Dog, and I don’t control anyone around me.
I also enjoy writing creative nonfiction. I’ve never outgrown the inquisitive child living inside me. I say “creative” nonfiction because presenting facts and only the facts can be dull and boring. I like to wrap the facts in a narrative that uses literary styles and techniques to make the reader want to keep on turning the pages.
www.joanwaites.com
March 17, 2014
WRITING IN PLACE
by Jane Harrington
Green is washing over winter’s wan fields in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, where I live, teach and write. I have some goats, and like them I am using the changing landscape as fodder—literally, in their case, as they tug at each new shoot for nourishment; figuratively, in my case, as I look to the awakening pastures to inspire my prose. I’ve recently taken to setting my fiction on these hills I call home, and I’m finding this to be a fruitful strategy. One such short story will be published in June in Chautauqua, a literary journal that showcases work each year by both adult and youth writers.
It seems that what I hear students frustratingly refer to as “writer’s block” is just a manifestation of being overwhelmed, of not knowing where to start. So, consider having the young writers in your life begin with what is in view, what they call home. Don’t think story. Just think setting and use simple words that first come to mind. The tree out there is bare and gray. Later, with the help of a thesaurus, it can become exposed, ashen. Then, some sounds might arrive when a March gust blows through the branches. (See MaryQuattlebaum’s “Vivid Words and Actions” for ideas on writing the aural.) And someone will surely plod through the mud to get to the tree. (See Jacqueline Jules’ “Follow the Snowprints” for ways to invite characters in.) Let the story grow in this way—slowly, steadily, like spring’s greening outside your window.
Common Core Connections: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3; 4.3; 5.3; 6.3; 7.3; 8.3.
www.janeharrington.com
Green is washing over winter’s wan fields in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, where I live, teach and write. I have some goats, and like them I am using the changing landscape as fodder—literally, in their case, as they tug at each new shoot for nourishment; figuratively, in my case, as I look to the awakening pastures to inspire my prose. I’ve recently taken to setting my fiction on these hills I call home, and I’m finding this to be a fruitful strategy. One such short story will be published in June in Chautauqua, a literary journal that showcases work each year by both adult and youth writers.It seems that what I hear students frustratingly refer to as “writer’s block” is just a manifestation of being overwhelmed, of not knowing where to start. So, consider having the young writers in your life begin with what is in view, what they call home. Don’t think story. Just think setting and use simple words that first come to mind. The tree out there is bare and gray. Later, with the help of a thesaurus, it can become exposed, ashen. Then, some sounds might arrive when a March gust blows through the branches. (See MaryQuattlebaum’s “Vivid Words and Actions” for ideas on writing the aural.) And someone will surely plod through the mud to get to the tree. (See Jacqueline Jules’ “Follow the Snowprints” for ways to invite characters in.) Let the story grow in this way—slowly, steadily, like spring’s greening outside your window.
Common Core Connections: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3; 4.3; 5.3; 6.3; 7.3; 8.3.
www.janeharrington.com
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