Mary Quattlebaum's Blog, page 26
October 14, 2013
SPOOKY MOMENTS--HALLOWEEN WRITING
by Jacqueline Jules
A number of years ago, an editor challenged me to write a story about goblins. I wasn't sure I could. First of all, I didn't know too much about goblins. After a little research, I decided it would be fun to do a story set in pre-World War Eastern Europe where many people were fearful of goblins. So I had a setting, just not a plot. I was stumped until I remembered something that had happened in my past—a true spooky experience perfect for a fictional story about goblins. Here’s what happened.
In 1989, I moved to Nashville to a sprawling one-story house. Shortly after we moved in, we began hearing moaning sounds, particularly near the master bedroom. I would comb my hair at the mirror listening to “AWOOO.” The house had no real basement, just a crawl space you could see from inside the garage. If you wanted to find out where the sound was coming from, you had to wiggle on your belly across the dirt in the darkness. Definitely not for me. My husband was not interested, either. But on and off, we kept hearing this “AWOO” floating up from under the house. We joked we had a moaning ghost in the house.
Armed with the memory of this incident, I wrote “The Goblin In The Synagogue Cellar,” which was published in the October 2005 issue of Spider Magazine. This story is about a town of fearful people in Eastern Europe with overactive imaginations. They hear a strange noise in the cellar and imagine an enormous green monster with red eyes and claws as long as knives. After much teeth gnashing and hand wringing, they learn that the moaning culprit is a little cat trapped in the basement.
Which is more or less what happened at my new house in Nashville. We figured out it was a kitty and lured it out of the darkness with a bowl of milk. However, unlike the characters in my story, we did not name the cat, “Goblin,” and keep it as a pet. Our trapped cat darted through the open garage door for his own home.
I am sure you have experienced a spooky moment or two in your life. An unexplained knock on a door. A strange noise coming out of the vent. An object mysteriously moved. A flash of light followed by the thump of feet on the stairs. But there is no one else in the house. What was it?
Share these experiences with your students and ask them to share spooky moments with you. You might hear a funny story about a little boy who hid under the bed when he heard a thumping sound in the closet, only to learn later that it was the dog. I’ve heard stories about moaning sounds coming from vents, toilets that flushed by themselves, and wall panels that mysteriously moved. All of these spooky moments are great ideas for personal narratives or fiction writing.
While not all schools or families recognize Halloween, children still see decorations everywhere and television episodes on this holiday. Writing about a spooky moment can give everyone an opportunity to share in October excitement. Most of us can remember a time when we were scared of an unexplained noise that turned out to be nothing.
Make pencils to fly across the page like a broomstick in the sky. Ask your students to write about their own spooky moment!
www.jacquelinejules.com
A number of years ago, an editor challenged me to write a story about goblins. I wasn't sure I could. First of all, I didn't know too much about goblins. After a little research, I decided it would be fun to do a story set in pre-World War Eastern Europe where many people were fearful of goblins. So I had a setting, just not a plot. I was stumped until I remembered something that had happened in my past—a true spooky experience perfect for a fictional story about goblins. Here’s what happened.
In 1989, I moved to Nashville to a sprawling one-story house. Shortly after we moved in, we began hearing moaning sounds, particularly near the master bedroom. I would comb my hair at the mirror listening to “AWOOO.” The house had no real basement, just a crawl space you could see from inside the garage. If you wanted to find out where the sound was coming from, you had to wiggle on your belly across the dirt in the darkness. Definitely not for me. My husband was not interested, either. But on and off, we kept hearing this “AWOO” floating up from under the house. We joked we had a moaning ghost in the house.
Armed with the memory of this incident, I wrote “The Goblin In The Synagogue Cellar,” which was published in the October 2005 issue of Spider Magazine. This story is about a town of fearful people in Eastern Europe with overactive imaginations. They hear a strange noise in the cellar and imagine an enormous green monster with red eyes and claws as long as knives. After much teeth gnashing and hand wringing, they learn that the moaning culprit is a little cat trapped in the basement.Which is more or less what happened at my new house in Nashville. We figured out it was a kitty and lured it out of the darkness with a bowl of milk. However, unlike the characters in my story, we did not name the cat, “Goblin,” and keep it as a pet. Our trapped cat darted through the open garage door for his own home.
I am sure you have experienced a spooky moment or two in your life. An unexplained knock on a door. A strange noise coming out of the vent. An object mysteriously moved. A flash of light followed by the thump of feet on the stairs. But there is no one else in the house. What was it?
Share these experiences with your students and ask them to share spooky moments with you. You might hear a funny story about a little boy who hid under the bed when he heard a thumping sound in the closet, only to learn later that it was the dog. I’ve heard stories about moaning sounds coming from vents, toilets that flushed by themselves, and wall panels that mysteriously moved. All of these spooky moments are great ideas for personal narratives or fiction writing.
While not all schools or families recognize Halloween, children still see decorations everywhere and television episodes on this holiday. Writing about a spooky moment can give everyone an opportunity to share in October excitement. Most of us can remember a time when we were scared of an unexplained noise that turned out to be nothing.
Make pencils to fly across the page like a broomstick in the sky. Ask your students to write about their own spooky moment!
www.jacquelinejules.com
October 7, 2013
POINT OF VIEW: WHOSE STORY IS IT, ANYWAY?
Guest Post by Natalie Dias Lorenzi
When I wrote the first draft of my middle grade novel, Flying the Dragon, the story had only one main character—eleven-year-old Hiroshi who leaves his home in Japan and moves to the US. I needed some conflict in the story, so I added Skye, a mean girl in Hiroshi’s 5th grade class. Skye’s dad is Japanese, so although she can understand Japanese, she doesn’t speak it very often. Hiroshi speaks no English, so he needs Skye’s help. But she feels uncomfortable speaking Japanese in front of her classmates, so she leaves Hiroshi to fend for himself.
Each time I revised the story, I started to wonder if Skye really wasn’t as mean as I’d made her out to be. The only way to find out for sure was to rewrite the story from Skye’s point of view. But I still wanted Hiroshi as a main character, so I decided to give them equal time on the page; the final version of Flying the Dragon is told in alternating chapters from Hiroshi’s and Skye’s points of view.
When you’re drafting and revising your stories, take some time to experiment with point of view:
1. Create a problem for your character—something that makes him or her extremely uncomfortable (sad, angry, nervous, etc.). Using the third person point of view, write a scene that shows your character struggling with this problem.
2. Rewrite the scene using the first person point of view. Which version do you like best? Why? What are the pros and cons of each?
3. Who is the one person that your character does NOT want to be around? (For Hiroshi, this person was definitely Skye!) Rewrite the scene from that person’s point of view—either in third or first person. What did you learn about your character that you didn’t know before?
You may have to try out different points of view before settling on one that rings true for your story. Even if you wind up using your original point-of-view pick, you’ll come away knowing your characters better than ever.
Happy Writing!
When I wrote the first draft of my middle grade novel, Flying the Dragon, the story had only one main character—eleven-year-old Hiroshi who leaves his home in Japan and moves to the US. I needed some conflict in the story, so I added Skye, a mean girl in Hiroshi’s 5th grade class. Skye’s dad is Japanese, so although she can understand Japanese, she doesn’t speak it very often. Hiroshi speaks no English, so he needs Skye’s help. But she feels uncomfortable speaking Japanese in front of her classmates, so she leaves Hiroshi to fend for himself.
Each time I revised the story, I started to wonder if Skye really wasn’t as mean as I’d made her out to be. The only way to find out for sure was to rewrite the story from Skye’s point of view. But I still wanted Hiroshi as a main character, so I decided to give them equal time on the page; the final version of Flying the Dragon is told in alternating chapters from Hiroshi’s and Skye’s points of view. When you’re drafting and revising your stories, take some time to experiment with point of view:
1. Create a problem for your character—something that makes him or her extremely uncomfortable (sad, angry, nervous, etc.). Using the third person point of view, write a scene that shows your character struggling with this problem.
2. Rewrite the scene using the first person point of view. Which version do you like best? Why? What are the pros and cons of each?
3. Who is the one person that your character does NOT want to be around? (For Hiroshi, this person was definitely Skye!) Rewrite the scene from that person’s point of view—either in third or first person. What did you learn about your character that you didn’t know before?
You may have to try out different points of view before settling on one that rings true for your story. Even if you wind up using your original point-of-view pick, you’ll come away knowing your characters better than ever.
Happy Writing!
September 30, 2013
LEARNING ONLINE
by Joan Waites
I recently heard a quote that really hit home for me. While I can’t remember the exact words or who to attribute the quote to, it has stayed with me. The best teachers are themselves perpetual students.
As teachers, we are always looking for new content and new ways of getting material across to our students. One of the best ways that I have found to energize my writing, my art, and my teaching is to go back to being a student myself.
In my own experience, there is really no substitute to participating in a “live “class with an instructor and other students. But work, family life, and volunteer obligations often make it difficult to travel outside the home each week for new learning experiences. The next best thing is to take advantage of the endless possibilities of online learning for credit or just for fun. From classes on writing and illustrating, new art techniques, teaching strategies for the classroom to just about anything else can be found on-line. Learning on your own time in the comfort of your home can be a real plus. With so much out there, how do you choose? Here are a few things that I’ve found helpful to look for when considering an online class:
1. Overall experience of the teacher or presenter-are you familiar with their body of work?2. Access to class content-is the class only accessible for a few weeks or do you have unlimited time to complete the class?3. Is the class all written material and photos or are videos of the instructor incorporated? Is a PDF of class content available as part of the class?4. Is there a forum for sharing class work with other students and does the teacher actively participate in the forum?5. Is the instructor available for questions and interaction?6. Is there a sample video of the class that can be viewed before purchasing?7. Is the cost reasonable for what you are being offered?8. Are there former participating students that you can contact about their experiences with the class?
Like any classroom learning experience, some classes and teachers are better than others. It helps to know as much as you can about the class and instructor Happy learning everyone!www.joanwaites.com
I recently heard a quote that really hit home for me. While I can’t remember the exact words or who to attribute the quote to, it has stayed with me. The best teachers are themselves perpetual students.
As teachers, we are always looking for new content and new ways of getting material across to our students. One of the best ways that I have found to energize my writing, my art, and my teaching is to go back to being a student myself.
In my own experience, there is really no substitute to participating in a “live “class with an instructor and other students. But work, family life, and volunteer obligations often make it difficult to travel outside the home each week for new learning experiences. The next best thing is to take advantage of the endless possibilities of online learning for credit or just for fun. From classes on writing and illustrating, new art techniques, teaching strategies for the classroom to just about anything else can be found on-line. Learning on your own time in the comfort of your home can be a real plus. With so much out there, how do you choose? Here are a few things that I’ve found helpful to look for when considering an online class:
1. Overall experience of the teacher or presenter-are you familiar with their body of work?2. Access to class content-is the class only accessible for a few weeks or do you have unlimited time to complete the class?3. Is the class all written material and photos or are videos of the instructor incorporated? Is a PDF of class content available as part of the class?4. Is there a forum for sharing class work with other students and does the teacher actively participate in the forum?5. Is the instructor available for questions and interaction?6. Is there a sample video of the class that can be viewed before purchasing?7. Is the cost reasonable for what you are being offered?8. Are there former participating students that you can contact about their experiences with the class?
Like any classroom learning experience, some classes and teachers are better than others. It helps to know as much as you can about the class and instructor Happy learning everyone!www.joanwaites.com
September 23, 2013
Handing Out Sentences in College Comp
by Jane Harrington
The trials and tribulations of young college students fill my days again, and while I dare not try to help them sort out the existential questions that plague them, I am once again setting to the task of helping them hone a key skill of expression: writing. I’m having a hard time communicating with them, though. It’s not that social media slang or inside jokes get in the way, or that pop culture references are sliding over my head. (They are, but it’s not that.) The problem: my students don’t know the language of their language.
Here’s an example. I take a snippet of student writing that is a run-on sentence, and I project it onto the classroom screen and say, “This is a comma splice because two independent clauses are connected with punctuation that is too weak. How might you fix this with a conjunction?” There is sudden attention to tying shoes, searching for things in backpacks, responding to noises outside the windows. No one wants to be exposed as not remembering what an independent clause is, or a conjunction. And even a minor sentence-related engagement with me could lead to worse. I might use words like “subject,” “object,” “indefinite pronoun.” Sure, some students recollect one or another grammar term from sing-alongs with School House Rock or Sesame Street, but that is rarely enough facility to sustain an actual conversation about what is wrong with particular sentences they are writing.
So, I’m getting set to use a different approach. I’ve bought myself a large package of jewel-toned dry erase markers, and I’m going to start sentence diagramming! While that term tends to produce at least an eye roll in the parochial school educated among my cohort, I have noticed that those who were taught grammar by way of diagramming know the English language far better than those who were taught rote grammar. (I fall into the latter category and had to teach myself grammar once I got to college.) Maybe the visual nature of the task imprints on the memory better, just as the aural nature of grammar songs does. I taught diagramming in middle school English a few years back, and many students saw it as cracking a code. Even the hardcore math kids who had theretofore shunned all aspects of English were tuning in. Diagramming appeals to the active student, too, because he or she can get up and draw on the board. Colorful markers have a way of drawing in the artsy of the classI’m finding that other educators, from primary grades up to college, are getting the same idea. There are some good sentence diagramming resources on YouTube and various education websites. And for those needing to connect Common Core or state standards, it couldn’t be easier. Every aspect of grammar, thus every term, comes to the surface when you are viewing the language in this broader way, through sentences.
www.janeharrington.com
The trials and tribulations of young college students fill my days again, and while I dare not try to help them sort out the existential questions that plague them, I am once again setting to the task of helping them hone a key skill of expression: writing. I’m having a hard time communicating with them, though. It’s not that social media slang or inside jokes get in the way, or that pop culture references are sliding over my head. (They are, but it’s not that.) The problem: my students don’t know the language of their language.
Here’s an example. I take a snippet of student writing that is a run-on sentence, and I project it onto the classroom screen and say, “This is a comma splice because two independent clauses are connected with punctuation that is too weak. How might you fix this with a conjunction?” There is sudden attention to tying shoes, searching for things in backpacks, responding to noises outside the windows. No one wants to be exposed as not remembering what an independent clause is, or a conjunction. And even a minor sentence-related engagement with me could lead to worse. I might use words like “subject,” “object,” “indefinite pronoun.” Sure, some students recollect one or another grammar term from sing-alongs with School House Rock or Sesame Street, but that is rarely enough facility to sustain an actual conversation about what is wrong with particular sentences they are writing.
So, I’m getting set to use a different approach. I’ve bought myself a large package of jewel-toned dry erase markers, and I’m going to start sentence diagramming! While that term tends to produce at least an eye roll in the parochial school educated among my cohort, I have noticed that those who were taught grammar by way of diagramming know the English language far better than those who were taught rote grammar. (I fall into the latter category and had to teach myself grammar once I got to college.) Maybe the visual nature of the task imprints on the memory better, just as the aural nature of grammar songs does. I taught diagramming in middle school English a few years back, and many students saw it as cracking a code. Even the hardcore math kids who had theretofore shunned all aspects of English were tuning in. Diagramming appeals to the active student, too, because he or she can get up and draw on the board. Colorful markers have a way of drawing in the artsy of the classI’m finding that other educators, from primary grades up to college, are getting the same idea. There are some good sentence diagramming resources on YouTube and various education websites. And for those needing to connect Common Core or state standards, it couldn’t be easier. Every aspect of grammar, thus every term, comes to the surface when you are viewing the language in this broader way, through sentences.
www.janeharrington.com
September 16, 2013
WRITING CONNECTIONS WITH KATHRYN ERSKINE
by Mary Quattlebaum
A warm welcome to Kathy Erskine, whose kind spirit and sense of social justice shines through all her novels, including National Book Award winner Mockingbird. I’ve long known Kathy and admired her nuanced characterizations of young people trying to create positive change. Her latest novel, Seeing Red (Scholastic, 2013, ages 10-14), continues in that tradition.
Set in 1972, Seeing Red explores themes of individual and social responsibility. The rich historical details ground the reader in this changing place and time. Protagonist Red Porter’s Virginia world is rocked when he discovers a long-held family secret. How will he ever be able to right the terrible wrong committed by his great-great grandfather? See Kathy’s website www.kathrynerskine.com for Common Core connections and teachers’ guides and try her writing prompt below.
What was your greatest joy in writing Seeing Red? Your greatest challenge?
The greatest joy, as always, was bringing the characters to life. This book has a long history and lay dormant for quite a while but the characters kept calling to me. When I opened the story and revived them, it really was a joy. I think the greatest challenge was waiting -- waiting for it to gestate, develop and become the book I want to publish.
You are a popular speaker at schools and conferences, Kathy. Do you have a writing prompt or suggestion that might connect with the book?
I think it'd be great to have writing prompts that help readers understand and connect with the time period What are you working on now?
I'm working on quite a few books right now (picture books, a young middle grade, and a teen road trip novel) but the one I'm finishing up at the moment is a middle grade adventure set in the Middle Ages. It'll be out next September but we don't have a good title yet. I'm going to follow the journey of Adrian, the main character, in a few weeks as I walk along Hadrian's Wall in England. I'm hoping I'll "find" the title while I'm walking in his shoes.
Wishing you an inspiring walk with your character in England, Kathy, and thanks for visiting Pencil Tips!
www.maryquattlebaum.com
A warm welcome to Kathy Erskine, whose kind spirit and sense of social justice shines through all her novels, including National Book Award winner Mockingbird. I’ve long known Kathy and admired her nuanced characterizations of young people trying to create positive change. Her latest novel, Seeing Red (Scholastic, 2013, ages 10-14), continues in that tradition.Set in 1972, Seeing Red explores themes of individual and social responsibility. The rich historical details ground the reader in this changing place and time. Protagonist Red Porter’s Virginia world is rocked when he discovers a long-held family secret. How will he ever be able to right the terrible wrong committed by his great-great grandfather? See Kathy’s website www.kathrynerskine.com for Common Core connections and teachers’ guides and try her writing prompt below.
What was your greatest joy in writing Seeing Red? Your greatest challenge?
The greatest joy, as always, was bringing the characters to life. This book has a long history and lay dormant for quite a while but the characters kept calling to me. When I opened the story and revived them, it really was a joy. I think the greatest challenge was waiting -- waiting for it to gestate, develop and become the book I want to publish.You are a popular speaker at schools and conferences, Kathy. Do you have a writing prompt or suggestion that might connect with the book?
I think it'd be great to have writing prompts that help readers understand and connect with the time period What are you working on now?
I'm working on quite a few books right now (picture books, a young middle grade, and a teen road trip novel) but the one I'm finishing up at the moment is a middle grade adventure set in the Middle Ages. It'll be out next September but we don't have a good title yet. I'm going to follow the journey of Adrian, the main character, in a few weeks as I walk along Hadrian's Wall in England. I'm hoping I'll "find" the title while I'm walking in his shoes.
Wishing you an inspiring walk with your character in England, Kathy, and thanks for visiting Pencil Tips!
www.maryquattlebaum.com
September 9, 2013
JUMP ROPE WRITING FUN
by Alison Ashley Formento
School is back in session and one of my favorite memories is jumping rope at recess. Long ropes and short, lines would form to run in and jump and sing. Here’s an old favorite jumping rhyme: "School, School the golden rule, spell your name and go to school."Many schools include jump rope as part of gym class and I still enjoy jumping rope to rev up my body and mind when I’m writing. With a new book debuting soon in a new genre, it’s as if my writer self is jumping rope between novels, picture books, and blogging. Many authors are excited by the challenge of publishing in different genres and how it can spur on new creative writing skills.
Jump Rope Writing Fun Quick Time: Choose one topic from the current classroom curriculum or a topic that might affect the entire school, such as “How can we promote recycling in our school this year?” Write a list of opening “hook” sentences as fast as possible. Example quick time sentence starters: Collect plastic bottles for an art project. Tie up extra paper in bundles to help the school janitor.
Double Dutch: Write an opening paragraph on the selected topic. Trade papers with another student in class. Write their next paragraph. Trade again. Repeat until a full page is written.
Cross Over: Write a statement you can support with facts from a local newspaper article. Example: Dogs must be kept on leashes in city parks. Write a paragraph about why you agree with this statement. Next “Cross Over” and write a new statement and supporting paragraph to challenge this statement and show the opposite side of thinking on the chosen topic. Example: Well-trained dogs should be allowed to run off-leash at all times.
Sing Song: Write a jump rope song. “School, School, the golden rule..” is one example of a rhyming sing song that’s great for jumping rope. Try writing an individual rhyming song or the entire class can write together to create a group song like the following example, with alphabetical names, places, and activities. When it’s time for gym or recess, you can use the jump rope song you created in class. A my name is AliceAnd my friend’s name is Arthur,We come from Alabama,Where we sell artichokes.B my name is BarneyAnd my friend’s name is Bridget,We come from Brooklyn,Where we ride bicycles.C my name is _________ (and so on).
Jumping rope is always fun and it can be an enjoyable and productive writing challenge to jump from one style or genre to a new one.
Alison Ashley Formento’s debut young adult novel TWIGS is available September 2013.
School is back in session and one of my favorite memories is jumping rope at recess. Long ropes and short, lines would form to run in and jump and sing. Here’s an old favorite jumping rhyme: "School, School the golden rule, spell your name and go to school."Many schools include jump rope as part of gym class and I still enjoy jumping rope to rev up my body and mind when I’m writing. With a new book debuting soon in a new genre, it’s as if my writer self is jumping rope between novels, picture books, and blogging. Many authors are excited by the challenge of publishing in different genres and how it can spur on new creative writing skills.
Jump Rope Writing Fun Quick Time: Choose one topic from the current classroom curriculum or a topic that might affect the entire school, such as “How can we promote recycling in our school this year?” Write a list of opening “hook” sentences as fast as possible. Example quick time sentence starters: Collect plastic bottles for an art project. Tie up extra paper in bundles to help the school janitor.
Double Dutch: Write an opening paragraph on the selected topic. Trade papers with another student in class. Write their next paragraph. Trade again. Repeat until a full page is written.
Cross Over: Write a statement you can support with facts from a local newspaper article. Example: Dogs must be kept on leashes in city parks. Write a paragraph about why you agree with this statement. Next “Cross Over” and write a new statement and supporting paragraph to challenge this statement and show the opposite side of thinking on the chosen topic. Example: Well-trained dogs should be allowed to run off-leash at all times.
Sing Song: Write a jump rope song. “School, School, the golden rule..” is one example of a rhyming sing song that’s great for jumping rope. Try writing an individual rhyming song or the entire class can write together to create a group song like the following example, with alphabetical names, places, and activities. When it’s time for gym or recess, you can use the jump rope song you created in class. A my name is AliceAnd my friend’s name is Arthur,We come from Alabama,Where we sell artichokes.B my name is BarneyAnd my friend’s name is Bridget,We come from Brooklyn,Where we ride bicycles.C my name is _________ (and so on).
Jumping rope is always fun and it can be an enjoyable and productive writing challenge to jump from one style or genre to a new one.
Alison Ashley Formento’s debut young adult novel TWIGS is available September 2013.
September 2, 2013
YOUR OWN WEATHER MACHINE: FUN WITH PERSUASIVE WRITING
by Jacqueline Jules
Wishing you were in Hawaii, but can’t pay for those plane tickets? Just bring that wonderful weather to your local area with just a click of a button. That heavy rainfall will transport to Hawaii, or wherever you want, and that wonderful weather will transport to you! Get the Weather Mover Máquinas today! –Laila
Looking for a lesson that combines science, persuasive writing, and fun? Then look no further than the Weather Machine Lesson developed by fourth grade teacher extraordinaire, Jessica Barber.
I had the pleasure of visiting Jessica’s classroom and seeing the pride and excitement over the fantastic Weather Machines her students had created.
Is it too bright outside? Are the clouds that are blocking the sun annoying you? Well then if this is the case the cloud controllinator 8,674 will come in handy. The cloud controllinator 8,674 (CC 8,674) can make or remove clouds in the sky. You have the option of storm clouds, rain clouds or no storm clouds.—Avery
Jessica begins her lesson with a readaloud from an out-of-print book called Everyone Always Complains About the Weather by Truman Vega. However, your own favorite picture book about inventions should do just fine. The idea is to get your students thinking about inventions, particularly fanciful ones.
Next, Jessica tells her students they will be creating their own weather machine. She lets them begin formulating ideas by drawing a picture. Here is an example from a student named Catherine who created the Weather Wisher 2000.
Starting with the fact that this machine only costs $20.00, and if you act now you can get 50% off! Also every customer gets free shipping and handling. It also is solar powered, so it doesn’t make your electric bill go off the chart. But it will still work perfectly when it's raining because it stores half its energy, when it’s charging. — Catherine
The following day, Jessica gives her students a goal. You must describe your machine in a way that will make others want to buy it. The class discusses commercials. She shows a few examples. The commercials for products only available on TV may stimulate the most entertaining pieces.
For a payment of only 75 dollars plus 12 dollars for shipping and handling and an extra 20 dollars, cause we say so. If you chip in a donation of any amount we’ll throw in a free Spongebob limited edition movie! What a snag! –Abi
To develop ideas, Jessica gives her students a graphic organizer to list positive features of their weather invention and ways to refute any possible arguments against its purchase.
You may be wondering, will it run out of fuel eventually? Well your answer is no, the Storm Master 7006 does not even take fuel! It is eco friendly and is charged with electricity. With the plug we provide for you, just plop it into an electrical socket and the power will be up in under 24 hours! It also holds its energy for a week! But if the Storm Master 7006 is low in power while in the air, don't worry! It gains electricity from lightning strikes by redirecting the strikes to its beacon up top, re-powering it completely from a single strike! – Niko
The graphic organizer includes boxes for students to put an introductory paragraph with an interesting lead, the body of the story, and a concluding statement. Jessica spends at least a day on practicing and sharing introductions and day on strong conclusions. Students practice multiple versions of introductions and conclusions, using the class feedback to help to pick their favorite one.
With the Storm Master 7006, the gloominess of the rain will vanish! Guaranteed a rainbow after every storm!!!!—Niko
Try this lesson today! You won’t be sorry!
www.jacquelinejules.com
Wishing you were in Hawaii, but can’t pay for those plane tickets? Just bring that wonderful weather to your local area with just a click of a button. That heavy rainfall will transport to Hawaii, or wherever you want, and that wonderful weather will transport to you! Get the Weather Mover Máquinas today! –Laila
Looking for a lesson that combines science, persuasive writing, and fun? Then look no further than the Weather Machine Lesson developed by fourth grade teacher extraordinaire, Jessica Barber.
I had the pleasure of visiting Jessica’s classroom and seeing the pride and excitement over the fantastic Weather Machines her students had created.
Is it too bright outside? Are the clouds that are blocking the sun annoying you? Well then if this is the case the cloud controllinator 8,674 will come in handy. The cloud controllinator 8,674 (CC 8,674) can make or remove clouds in the sky. You have the option of storm clouds, rain clouds or no storm clouds.—Avery
Jessica begins her lesson with a readaloud from an out-of-print book called Everyone Always Complains About the Weather by Truman Vega. However, your own favorite picture book about inventions should do just fine. The idea is to get your students thinking about inventions, particularly fanciful ones.
Next, Jessica tells her students they will be creating their own weather machine. She lets them begin formulating ideas by drawing a picture. Here is an example from a student named Catherine who created the Weather Wisher 2000.
Starting with the fact that this machine only costs $20.00, and if you act now you can get 50% off! Also every customer gets free shipping and handling. It also is solar powered, so it doesn’t make your electric bill go off the chart. But it will still work perfectly when it's raining because it stores half its energy, when it’s charging. — CatherineThe following day, Jessica gives her students a goal. You must describe your machine in a way that will make others want to buy it. The class discusses commercials. She shows a few examples. The commercials for products only available on TV may stimulate the most entertaining pieces.
For a payment of only 75 dollars plus 12 dollars for shipping and handling and an extra 20 dollars, cause we say so. If you chip in a donation of any amount we’ll throw in a free Spongebob limited edition movie! What a snag! –Abi
To develop ideas, Jessica gives her students a graphic organizer to list positive features of their weather invention and ways to refute any possible arguments against its purchase.
You may be wondering, will it run out of fuel eventually? Well your answer is no, the Storm Master 7006 does not even take fuel! It is eco friendly and is charged with electricity. With the plug we provide for you, just plop it into an electrical socket and the power will be up in under 24 hours! It also holds its energy for a week! But if the Storm Master 7006 is low in power while in the air, don't worry! It gains electricity from lightning strikes by redirecting the strikes to its beacon up top, re-powering it completely from a single strike! – Niko
The graphic organizer includes boxes for students to put an introductory paragraph with an interesting lead, the body of the story, and a concluding statement. Jessica spends at least a day on practicing and sharing introductions and day on strong conclusions. Students practice multiple versions of introductions and conclusions, using the class feedback to help to pick their favorite one.
With the Storm Master 7006, the gloominess of the rain will vanish! Guaranteed a rainbow after every storm!!!!—Niko
Try this lesson today! You won’t be sorry!
www.jacquelinejules.com
August 26, 2013
An Interview with Editor Donna German, Sylvan Dell Publishing
by Joan Waites
With August quickly drawing to a close, teachers, students, and parents are preparing for back to school. Like most teachers, I’m cleaning, reorganizing, and gathering new resources for lessons, projects, and new ways of presenting material in the classroom.
A publisher I have had the privilege of working with, Sylvan Dell Publishing,publishes picture books that also provide 1. What was the motivation behind taking on the huge task of starting a new publishing company from the ground up?Do you mean other than stupidity in starting a business right before one of the biggest economic downturns in recent history? Lee (my husband and co-owner in the business) had retired from the US Navy and wanted to buy a small manufacturing business. My passion was always with children’s books so we decided to manufacture children’s books.
2. What did you hope to bring to the picture book market that was not already available from other publishers?Our books are, in fact, very unique. We had taken our three then-young girls on a cross-country camping trip to see as many National Parks as we could. While exploring the parks, the girls did the Junior Ranger programs at each park. Those Junior Ranger programs were the seed that grew into the “For Creative Minds” (FCM) section in the back of each book. These sections are usually 4 pages but may be as low as 2 or as many as 6. That is what makes our books truly unique.
Our mission is to get young children excited about science, math, and now geography through reading at a very early age. Our goal is to provide fun-to-read fictional (some non-fiction) picture book stories that parents will read to young children (cuddle factor) but that have non-fiction facts woven throughout the story. While some publishers add a page of “Fun Facts” to the back of some books, our FCM section in each book is designed to engage children through activities. These activities are the non-fiction component of each book that builds on the underlying science or math in the picture book story. Our hope is that when a child asks “why,” that the parent can work through the FCM with the child to answer the question—even if the parent didn’t know the answer. Older children can work through the activities on their own, but the reading level of the FCM sections is usually higher than the picture book reading level.
Either way, we believe that the more a young child is exposed to science and math in a fun way at a very young age, the more they will become interested and remember as they get older. Even if they don’t remember the specifics, they’ve been exposed to the concepts and that provides early building blocks for better understanding and retention later in life. And, I need to add that because our mission is to get young children excited about science and math through reading, we take that mission seriously. We are not experts in the subjects so we turn to the experts to review each title before going to print. We have worked with educators and scientists from NASA and JPL, NOAA, USGS, US National Parks, Nature Centers, Zoos, Aquariums, etc. to verify the information in the books. In many cases, the experts are aware of the areas that are most confusing to children (and even adults) and help us to present the information in an easily understood fashion.
What makes our books especially useful in the classroom is that it allows teachers to “kill two birds with one stone.” They can use the books during language arts to introduce or supplement a science or math lesson. We even know about high school teachers using some of our picture books in their classes!
3. Your books offer so much for the teacher to incorporate into classroom instruction-the "For Creative Minds" (FCM) section for each book, the additional content for each book on the website, the site license that is available to use on smart boards-can you tell us a little about those extras and how teachers can take advantage of them?
You mention the site license so let me describe that a little because eBooks are really confusing! Like most publishers, we make our books available in a wide variety of formats including ePubs and downloadable PDFS. But those are very different eBooks than what we offer in our “site license” or “personal eLibrary.” The interactive eBooks that we offer (through our website and some distributors but not all) stream on the web or can stream or be downloaded on an iPad (Fun eReader free app).
The interactive eBooks feature: 1) Dual language: readers can go back and forth on any page between English and Spanish 2) Auto or manual: readers can turn the pages themselves or put the book in “play” so they can just read and watch 3) Audio or no audio: readers can listen to the book being read to them (in either language) or not. 4) Different Languages: This is available on the web but not on the iPad app. When in manual mode, a reader can read the text in one language but listen to the audio in the other. This is great for learning either English or Spanish!
In addition to the FCM section, we provide all kinds of support for each title, all of which can be found FREE on our website from either the book’s homepage or from the Teacher and Librarian page:For Creative Minds: The FCM sections of each book are available on the website in English or Spanish for download.
Teaching Activities: Each book has 25 to 80 (depending on the book) pages of cross-curricular teaching activities that can be taken up or down in interest level and can be done at home or in the classroom. For example, if teaching the parts of speech, why not do it with science-based sentences?
Quizzes: We provide three on-line interactive quizzes for each title. Again, these can be done at home for parents to ensure comprehension (or just for fun), as individuals in the classroom, or on a white board as a group: 1) on the story itself 2) on the FCM section 3) a math-related quiz
Related Websites: for more online learning on each subject
Alignment to Standards: While this is more for teachers than parents, each of our titles is aligned to Core Math and Language arts as well as each state’s Science and Social Studies standards. If a state does not participate in the Core standards, we align to that state’s math standards. We align each of our books to the upcoming Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that will be adopted by 27 states in the next few years.
Reading Levels: Again, mostly for teachers, we provide the information AR, Lexile, Reading Counts, and Fountas and Pinnell.
Trailers: depending on the author or illustrator, some titles have trailers to peak children’s interest
4. With eight books published each season, you certainly have a lot on your plate. What's next on the horizon for Sylvan Dell?Our English books are already available in hardcover, paperback and a wide variety of eBook formats. At the specific request of the Department of Education in Puerto Rico, we started printing some of our titles in Spanish as well.
We are building to ten titles a season (twenty for the year). As part of that expansion, we are expanding into folklore and myth retellings (preferably from North America) that were used to explain scientific occurrences. That seems to be a good blending of language arts, science, and social studies (culture and geography). Our first release of that grouping will be next spring (2014) with Nancy Kelly Allen’s First Fire: A Cherokee Folktale .
We released our Fun eReader iPad app a little over a year ago. While the interactive eBooks work on all other tablets through the web, we are currently developing apps for droid tablets.
As funding permits, we would like to add other languages to our interactive eBooks. We have received specific requests for French, Mandarin, and Arabic.
From a teacher support perspective, we plan to develop teaching activities using multiple books to teach science concepts (life cycles, habitat interaction, solar system, natural disasters, etc.). And now that the NGSS standards are about to be implemented along with the Core standards, we can develop teaching activities for different grade levels.
Many thanks to Donna for taking time out of her extremely busy schedule to tell us more about Sylvan Dell books and their mission. If you haven’t had the chance to read one of their titles yet, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how much each book can enhance classroom learning. www.joanwaites.com
With August quickly drawing to a close, teachers, students, and parents are preparing for back to school. Like most teachers, I’m cleaning, reorganizing, and gathering new resources for lessons, projects, and new ways of presenting material in the classroom.
A publisher I have had the privilege of working with, Sylvan Dell Publishing,publishes picture books that also provide 1. What was the motivation behind taking on the huge task of starting a new publishing company from the ground up?Do you mean other than stupidity in starting a business right before one of the biggest economic downturns in recent history? Lee (my husband and co-owner in the business) had retired from the US Navy and wanted to buy a small manufacturing business. My passion was always with children’s books so we decided to manufacture children’s books.
2. What did you hope to bring to the picture book market that was not already available from other publishers?Our books are, in fact, very unique. We had taken our three then-young girls on a cross-country camping trip to see as many National Parks as we could. While exploring the parks, the girls did the Junior Ranger programs at each park. Those Junior Ranger programs were the seed that grew into the “For Creative Minds” (FCM) section in the back of each book. These sections are usually 4 pages but may be as low as 2 or as many as 6. That is what makes our books truly unique.
Our mission is to get young children excited about science, math, and now geography through reading at a very early age. Our goal is to provide fun-to-read fictional (some non-fiction) picture book stories that parents will read to young children (cuddle factor) but that have non-fiction facts woven throughout the story. While some publishers add a page of “Fun Facts” to the back of some books, our FCM section in each book is designed to engage children through activities. These activities are the non-fiction component of each book that builds on the underlying science or math in the picture book story. Our hope is that when a child asks “why,” that the parent can work through the FCM with the child to answer the question—even if the parent didn’t know the answer. Older children can work through the activities on their own, but the reading level of the FCM sections is usually higher than the picture book reading level.
Either way, we believe that the more a young child is exposed to science and math in a fun way at a very young age, the more they will become interested and remember as they get older. Even if they don’t remember the specifics, they’ve been exposed to the concepts and that provides early building blocks for better understanding and retention later in life. And, I need to add that because our mission is to get young children excited about science and math through reading, we take that mission seriously. We are not experts in the subjects so we turn to the experts to review each title before going to print. We have worked with educators and scientists from NASA and JPL, NOAA, USGS, US National Parks, Nature Centers, Zoos, Aquariums, etc. to verify the information in the books. In many cases, the experts are aware of the areas that are most confusing to children (and even adults) and help us to present the information in an easily understood fashion.
What makes our books especially useful in the classroom is that it allows teachers to “kill two birds with one stone.” They can use the books during language arts to introduce or supplement a science or math lesson. We even know about high school teachers using some of our picture books in their classes!
3. Your books offer so much for the teacher to incorporate into classroom instruction-the "For Creative Minds" (FCM) section for each book, the additional content for each book on the website, the site license that is available to use on smart boards-can you tell us a little about those extras and how teachers can take advantage of them?
You mention the site license so let me describe that a little because eBooks are really confusing! Like most publishers, we make our books available in a wide variety of formats including ePubs and downloadable PDFS. But those are very different eBooks than what we offer in our “site license” or “personal eLibrary.” The interactive eBooks that we offer (through our website and some distributors but not all) stream on the web or can stream or be downloaded on an iPad (Fun eReader free app).
The interactive eBooks feature: 1) Dual language: readers can go back and forth on any page between English and Spanish 2) Auto or manual: readers can turn the pages themselves or put the book in “play” so they can just read and watch 3) Audio or no audio: readers can listen to the book being read to them (in either language) or not. 4) Different Languages: This is available on the web but not on the iPad app. When in manual mode, a reader can read the text in one language but listen to the audio in the other. This is great for learning either English or Spanish!
In addition to the FCM section, we provide all kinds of support for each title, all of which can be found FREE on our website from either the book’s homepage or from the Teacher and Librarian page:For Creative Minds: The FCM sections of each book are available on the website in English or Spanish for download.
Teaching Activities: Each book has 25 to 80 (depending on the book) pages of cross-curricular teaching activities that can be taken up or down in interest level and can be done at home or in the classroom. For example, if teaching the parts of speech, why not do it with science-based sentences?
Quizzes: We provide three on-line interactive quizzes for each title. Again, these can be done at home for parents to ensure comprehension (or just for fun), as individuals in the classroom, or on a white board as a group: 1) on the story itself 2) on the FCM section 3) a math-related quiz
Related Websites: for more online learning on each subject
Alignment to Standards: While this is more for teachers than parents, each of our titles is aligned to Core Math and Language arts as well as each state’s Science and Social Studies standards. If a state does not participate in the Core standards, we align to that state’s math standards. We align each of our books to the upcoming Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that will be adopted by 27 states in the next few years.
Reading Levels: Again, mostly for teachers, we provide the information AR, Lexile, Reading Counts, and Fountas and Pinnell.
Trailers: depending on the author or illustrator, some titles have trailers to peak children’s interest
4. With eight books published each season, you certainly have a lot on your plate. What's next on the horizon for Sylvan Dell?Our English books are already available in hardcover, paperback and a wide variety of eBook formats. At the specific request of the Department of Education in Puerto Rico, we started printing some of our titles in Spanish as well.
We are building to ten titles a season (twenty for the year). As part of that expansion, we are expanding into folklore and myth retellings (preferably from North America) that were used to explain scientific occurrences. That seems to be a good blending of language arts, science, and social studies (culture and geography). Our first release of that grouping will be next spring (2014) with Nancy Kelly Allen’s First Fire: A Cherokee Folktale .
We released our Fun eReader iPad app a little over a year ago. While the interactive eBooks work on all other tablets through the web, we are currently developing apps for droid tablets.
As funding permits, we would like to add other languages to our interactive eBooks. We have received specific requests for French, Mandarin, and Arabic.
From a teacher support perspective, we plan to develop teaching activities using multiple books to teach science concepts (life cycles, habitat interaction, solar system, natural disasters, etc.). And now that the NGSS standards are about to be implemented along with the Core standards, we can develop teaching activities for different grade levels.
Many thanks to Donna for taking time out of her extremely busy schedule to tell us more about Sylvan Dell books and their mission. If you haven’t had the chance to read one of their titles yet, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how much each book can enhance classroom learning. www.joanwaites.com
August 19, 2013
FICTIONAL FOODIE
by Mary Amato
Have you ever read a novel in which the character talks about his or her favorite food? Or perhaps the emotional climax of the novel takes place over a plate of steaming dumplings. One fun way to make the experience of reading a picture book, chapter book, or novel even richer is to prepare and share a food that was a part of the book.
In my book Stinky and Successful: The Riot Brothers Never Stop, a puffy breakfast treat called Dutch Babies play a starring role. I received so many letters asking about this home-cooked dish, I decided to create a how-to video for my recipe. http://www.maryamato.com/how-to-make-a-dutch-baby
Make some pasta after reading Strega Nona! The next time you read a book, look for a culinary opportunity and get out that bowl and spoon.
www.maryamato.com
Have you ever read a novel in which the character talks about his or her favorite food? Or perhaps the emotional climax of the novel takes place over a plate of steaming dumplings. One fun way to make the experience of reading a picture book, chapter book, or novel even richer is to prepare and share a food that was a part of the book.
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In my book Stinky and Successful: The Riot Brothers Never Stop, a puffy breakfast treat called Dutch Babies play a starring role. I received so many letters asking about this home-cooked dish, I decided to create a how-to video for my recipe. http://www.maryamato.com/how-to-make-a-dutch-baby
Make some pasta after reading Strega Nona! The next time you read a book, look for a culinary opportunity and get out that bowl and spoon.
www.maryamato.com
August 12, 2013
NANOWRIMO for Young Writers
by Jane Harrington
About this time last summer I suggested a looksee at NaNoWriMo’s Young WritersProgram because there you can find BRILLIANT ideas to help budding wordsmiths grow good stories. A little about the program, directly from the website: · NaNoWriMo is run by “The Office of Letters and Light,” a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Berkeley, CA. · The Young Writers Program was founded in 2005, in response to the countless teachers who wrote in wanting to bring noveling to the classroom.· The Young Writers Program provides free Common Core-adapted curricula and student workbooks for all grade levels, as well as classroom kits to all educators teaching the program. Kids and teens also participate independently through our motivational, community-based website.
If you’re a classroom teacher, I’m guessing the “free” and “Common Core-adapted” bits have got your attention. And those are good things! But, really, it’s the innovativeness and sense of fun in the lesson plans that are apt to brighten these last hazy weeks of summer, whether you’re planning fall classes or looking for something creative to do with kids around a kitchen table. Here is the link to the lesson plan portal: http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/lesson-plans. Note that curricula are stored in Google Docs, which makes it all very easy. Common Core connections are listed at the top of each page. One of my favorite plans is “How to Write Really Good Dialogue,” for upper elementary students (Lesson Plan 11), but you’ll find your own faves, for sure.If, while meandering this path, you find yourself longing to do some writing of your own, don’t miss the quirky and cool resources for grown-up writers on the main page (http://nanowrimo.org). NaNoWriMo’s novel-writing months have produced a lot of published books, many a total surprise to their creators!
Case in point: The first draft of one of my YA novels (Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do In Europe, Darby Creek 2006) was created during a NaNoWriMo binge one fall. I never imagined that something written in 30 days could end up in bookstores, libraries, book fairs, and now on e-readers.
www.janeharrington.com
About this time last summer I suggested a looksee at NaNoWriMo’s Young WritersProgram because there you can find BRILLIANT ideas to help budding wordsmiths grow good stories. A little about the program, directly from the website: · NaNoWriMo is run by “The Office of Letters and Light,” a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Berkeley, CA. · The Young Writers Program was founded in 2005, in response to the countless teachers who wrote in wanting to bring noveling to the classroom.· The Young Writers Program provides free Common Core-adapted curricula and student workbooks for all grade levels, as well as classroom kits to all educators teaching the program. Kids and teens also participate independently through our motivational, community-based website.If you’re a classroom teacher, I’m guessing the “free” and “Common Core-adapted” bits have got your attention. And those are good things! But, really, it’s the innovativeness and sense of fun in the lesson plans that are apt to brighten these last hazy weeks of summer, whether you’re planning fall classes or looking for something creative to do with kids around a kitchen table. Here is the link to the lesson plan portal: http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/lesson-plans. Note that curricula are stored in Google Docs, which makes it all very easy. Common Core connections are listed at the top of each page. One of my favorite plans is “How to Write Really Good Dialogue,” for upper elementary students (Lesson Plan 11), but you’ll find your own faves, for sure.If, while meandering this path, you find yourself longing to do some writing of your own, don’t miss the quirky and cool resources for grown-up writers on the main page (http://nanowrimo.org). NaNoWriMo’s novel-writing months have produced a lot of published books, many a total surprise to their creators!
Case in point: The first draft of one of my YA novels (Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do In Europe, Darby Creek 2006) was created during a NaNoWriMo binge one fall. I never imagined that something written in 30 days could end up in bookstores, libraries, book fairs, and now on e-readers. www.janeharrington.com
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