Ready for Inspiration? Try Balloons Lit. Journal

by Jacqueline Jules

I was first introduced to Balloons Lit. Journal in 2015 when I saw a call for submissions for Issue 2. Investigating further, I was pleased to find a beautifully designed online magazine of writing and art. This rich resource is appropriate for a wide audience and features authors from all over the world, including student writers. As an educator myself, I am immediately drawn to how this magazine could be a boost to classroom instruction. The first selection, “The Best Poem You’ll Ever Read” is followed by a challenge to the reader to write his or her own poem.

So many pieces in this issue would make excellent classroom writing prompts. “Message from a Stone Buddha to Izzy and Benjamin” is a delightfully clever letter from a garden statue. Using this piece as a model, classroom teachers could ask students to write their own letter to a person from an inanimate object.

An inspirational short fiction, “From Chopin’s Memoirs” could spark meaningful discussions of how to get through hard times. The imagery in this story is profound—reminding us that we must use all the keys of a piano, both black and white, “to play a beautiful tune.”

        

“Untitled” by thirteen-year-old Ava Caudle lyrically compares a blank canvas to “a symphony yet to be played,” capturing the emotional sphere of every young person contemplating the future. The inclusion of student authors alongside adult writers makes Balloons Lit. Journal  an especially unique publication. And if one did not read the bylines carefully, the reader might not be able to identify work created by young people rather than adults. All the selections are thoughtful and finely tuned.

The dynamic artwork in this issue is not to be missed—particularly Alexandra Bowman’s oil on canvas “Pomegranate” and Sam McCready’s acrylic on paper, “Evening Trees.” I can see using these images as prompts in both writing and art classrooms.

Like previous issues of Balloons Lit. Journal, Issue 5 is a visual and textual cornucopia. Every reader will find something to love. Check out this magazine, available online.  Take the time to enjoy it from cover to cover. You will be uplifted by the variety and depth of the material included. And like the last piece in this issue, “Take the Time to Dream,” you will be tempted “to lose yourself in clouds and sky” where your own creativity will soar.

www.jacquelinejules.com

Back to School with BALLOONS Lit. Journal

by Jacqueline Jules

In August, I was very pleased to see my poems, “The Math Beast” and “Thunder” featured in Issue 2 of a new online publication called BALLOONS Lit. Journal.

After reading the journal in its entirety, I would like to recommend this rich resource to teachers and young readers everywhere. BALLOONS Lit. Journal features work from both established and young writers from all around the world. It also includes work appropriate for a wide age range of students.

The inclusion of work by young people makes this a wonderful model for young writers. Share the poem, “Rain,”by ten-year-old Sage as an excellent example of using descriptive details and then ask students to write their own weather poems.

Two fiction stories in this issue are told from the viewpoint of inanimate objects. “Knight Errant” is a clever chess story set in medieval times with a twist ending.

“Carnival Balloons” follows the worried thoughts of a balloon watching over a lost child.

Both of these stories could be used as models for writing from an object’s viewpoint, particularly a toy or game.

The art in Balloons Lit. Journal is utterly delightful. “The Earth—A Miracle” by Hyonju (Karen) Ahn could inspire writing about the earth, the solar system, and/or ecology.

Ahn’s “City Lights” could make a terrific writing prompt and discussion for sensory details. Project the art on a smart board screen and brainstorm descriptive words for the busy sights and sounds depicted. Ask your students to describe a visit to the city or write a story about someone who is experiencing New York City for the first time.  

Attractively designed and available for free to educators, BALLOONS Lit. Journal, should be on your back-to-school list for writing workshop ideas. Check it out at 

http://www.balloons-lit-journal.com/issue-2.html

 www.jacquelinejules.com

Differently Abled Writers

by  Karen Leggett Abouraya

Each year, on the same day we learn about the life-changing Newbery and Caldecott Awards in children’s literature, the Schneider Family Awards are announced, honoring authors for their portrayal of the disability experience.  This year’s winners are:

·  Alan Rabinowitz and illustrator Catia Chien for A Boy and a Jaguar (for children up to age 8) – about his own life as a boy who stuttered except when he talked to animals,

·  Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin (ages 9 to 13) – about a girl with autism who must leave the security of her routines to find her beloved dog after a storm, 

·  Girls Like Us by Gail Giles (teens), about two girls with learning and developmental disabilities who are making the difficult transition to independent living after high school.

All three books enable young readers to see life from the perspective of someone who thinks and works differently, but is not really that different in the ways that matter most. And as it turns out, one of the Newbery Honor books this year is by Cece Bell (El Deafo), an author who is deaf and made a marvelous video about her experiences. There are most likely some differently abled youngsters in your classes.

Nic Stearns, a founder of the ArtStream inclusive theatre in Maryland/Virginia, is about to publish a children’s story written jointly with Megan, a young woman who has Down’s Syndrome. 

As we come to the very end of National Developmental Disability Awareness Month, I’d like to share the type of conversation Nic has with Megan that helps build the story and can serve as a model you can use in class to help every student feel like a writer. The role of Nic in the conversation can be played by a teacher, an aide or even another student (perhaps an older student mentor).  Nic and Megan are writing a story about two friends, Pauline and Tiff.

Nic: "What is Pauline's favorite color?"

Megan pointed at her own purple shirt.

"Purple? Does she wear a lot of purple?" Nicolette asked.

Megan answered, "Yes. Only purple."

Nicolette asked, "What does Pauline like to do? Does she like to sing or does she like to dance?"

"Tap dance!" Megan answered excitedly.

"Does Pauline wear her tap shoes at home?" Nicolette asked.

"Yes," answered Megan.

Nicolette asked, "Well, how about at school?"

"Yes," Megan said.

"Where else does she wear them?" Nicolette wondered, "To the grocery store?"

"Yes," Megan affirmed. "And when she gets ice cream."

Often, Nic moved the story along by giving Megan fill-in-the-blank sentences: “The most important thing about friendship is………..”

As Nic Stearns says, writing became an “opportunity to look beyond Megan’s disabilities to see the beautiful, creative person she is.” (More about ArtStream and the writing project here.)

http://childrensbookguild.org/karen-leggett-abouraya

Defending Decisions in a Disaster

Guest Post by Yvonne Ventresca

In my young adult novel, Pandemic (Sky Pony Press, 2014), only a few people know what caused Lilianna Snyder's sudden change. She goes from a model student to a withdrawn pessimist who worries about all kinds of disasters. After her parents are called away on business, Lil’s town is hit by what soon becomes a widespread fatal illness. With her worst fears realized, Lil must find a way to survive not only the outbreak and its real-life consequences, but also her own personal demons.

Writing Exercise One:

During the Spanish Influenza of 1918, people worried about the flu being spread in remote areas by the mail carrier. With no easy way to notify the community of deaths, people used colored ribbons on their doors. A silver ribbon, for example, meant the death of an elderly person. In Pandemic, Jay Martinez creates a blog for local high school students to keep in touch about illnesses, deaths, and requests for needed supplies.

How do the technological advances of the last hundred years change society’s reaction to deadly contagious diseases? What are the pros and cons of social media and news coverage in today’s world compared to historical outbreaks?

Writing Exercise Two:

During any widespread contagious disease, decisions need to be made about how a vaccine or a medicine would be distributed among the public. In Pandemic, Lil sees one expert on TV discuss the antivirals that are available in limited amounts to help victims of the bird flu.  The expert says about the fictional disease (Chapter 26):

“All citizens between fifteen and fifty are at risk…So, who gets it first?  Pregnant women?  People with preexisting conditions, like asthma?  But we can’t expect the emergency system to work if those on the front lines aren’t protected.  Not only doctors and nurses but EMT volunteers, police, and firefighters are expected to help the ill.  With the flu so easily transmitted, is it fair to ask them to do so without some kind of protective measures?” 

If you had to make the decision, how would you go about distributing a medicine or vaccine during a widespread deadly illness? What factors would you consider?

BIO: Yvonne Ventresca is the author of Pandemic, a contemporary, realistic young adult novel about an emotionally traumatized teenager struggling to survive a deadly flu pandemic. Yvonne’s other writing credits include two nonfiction books for kids, Avril Lavigne (a biography of the singer) and Publishing (about careers in the field). Yvonne lives in NJ with her family and two dogs. You can learn more about Yvonne and her writing at YvonneVentresca.com.

SUMMER OR AUTUMN

by Alison Ashley Formento

School may have started where you live, or it will start soon, but you can keep summer memories strong and celebrate the season to come, too. This easy and fun writing exercise encourages students to use personal experiences to compare and contrast the seasons of summer and autumn.

Write your favorite summer activity.

Example: Swimming at the local pool

Write five personal facts about that activity.           

Example:

Swimming helps me keep cool on a hot day.

It’s fun splashing with my friends.

I like to dive off the side of the pool.

I came in third in the backstroke race in my age group.

My arms are strong from swimming. 

Write your favorite summer food.

Example: Watermelon

Write five personal facts about that food.

It tastes sweet.

It’s cool in my mouth on a hot day.

I like to collect watermelon seeds.

I planted a whole cup of seeds in my yard.

It’s fun to eat watermelon with my hands.

Write your favorite autumn activity.

Making a leaf pile in my back yard.

Write five facts about that activity.

I help my family rake leaves in our yard.

I like to pile the leaves next to an old tree stump in our backyard.

Jumping into a giant pile of leaves is fun.

One leaf pile I made was taller than my dad.

My dog likes to hide in a leaf pile.

Write your favorite autumn food.

Apple pie

Write five facts about that food.

My family goes to a farm to pick apples for pies.

Fresh apples off a tree are fun to pick and crunchy to eat.

I help my mom make crusts for pies.

Apple pie makes our house smell like cinnamon when it’s baking in the oven.

Warm apple pie makes vanilla ice cream melt, but it tastes great together.

Use the personal experience facts you’ve listed to write a convincing explanation for readers why you believe one of these seasons is more enjoyable than the other.

www.alisonashleyformento.com

FUN WITH TITLES

by Jacqueline Jules

When I talk about the publishing process at author visits, audiences are frequently surprised to learn that writers don’t necessarily choose the titles of their books. Authors make suggestions, but the publishing house has final say over what a book will be called. Editors and marketing people often reject titles based on concerns that a certain title will negatively affect sales. A good title peaks interest just like an attractive book cover. Serious thought should go into choosing just the right title to make your book stand out on crowded bookstore shelves.

This doesn’t mean, however, a young writer should spend hours mulling over a title before writing the first sentence. I usually advise young writers to brainstorm ideas for the perfect name after their writing is complete. Sometimes choosing a title can inspire a young author to revise a story. For example, if the piece is called “My Day at Busch Gardens,” maybe the story should include more details of the theme park than the road trip to Williamsburg and the food each family member ate at a restaurant along the way.

Thinking about a title and what it reveals about a story is a good way to focus a narrative. A fun way to practice this is to use a list of titles as writing prompts. Give your students the following list of titles and add some of your own. Ask them to choose a title and come up with a story that clearly reflects the suggested topic.  

A Tale of Two Tigers

The Snail and the Snake

A New Beginning

The Door to Winter  

Summer on a Spaceship

The Monster Under the Bed

Two Brave Friends

www.jacquelinejules.com

AND DON’T COPY THIS, EITHER!

by Jane Harrington

In my last post I gaily embraced the creativity of cutting and pasting summer scraps into journals to spur original writing at the start of a school year, and now, two months into the fall semester, I’m on a tirade against cut-and-paste. Must be the influence of another political season: I’ve become a flip-flopper.

I now teach in a college, so tend to feel that the issues facing the students in my current classrooms are far different than those that faced the young writers of classrooms past. Jacqueline Jules’ October post, though, contained several bits of advice that I have to admit I took right to my 18-plus-year-old students. I have a problem with plagiarism in my freshman composition classrooms. And the more I talk to colleagues, the more I see that it is of epidemic proportions. Jacqueline is right to be embracing it in the way she is, and it gives me hope that the conversation will continue to be had in these places where it so needs to be—in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and around the kitchen table at home. So, in hopes of inspiring just that, I’d like to add a few things to Jacqueline’s list of ideas to encourage the avoidance of copying the words of others:

·        Celebrate Voice! If young writers learn that personal expression is all about the uniqueness of the words they use—not only when writing poetry or other “creative” pieces, but when putting together reports or even text messages—perhaps they will take more ownership over their writing, and offer more respect to the people behind the words they read on the screen of a computer or in a book. Spending some time reading aloud and positively responding to the various ways students express similar ideas might be a step to instilling pride in personal voices.

·        Minimize Distractions! Not only does the zap-zap-zapping of computer games have a deleterious effect on brain development, as studies are now showing, the constant barrage of electronic media presents some very basic problems: it steals time from our children, and breaks their concentration. My students have to write the first essays of their college careers on the topic of plagiarism, and the ones who take the “true confessions” approach will invariably say they got into a habit of plagiarizing because of a lack of time. Some students even go so far as to villanize their cellphones for interrupting them all the time. Who owns whom? I want to ask these students. Clearly, our children need some help with this.

·        Catch Them! Sounds harsh, but I have to say that the freshmen who hit the wall on this—who sit in my office crying because they’re afraid of the possible repercussions—are the ones who embrace a new way of learning, change the way they study, and become exemplars of our honor code. They tell me, invariably, that no one taught them that it was wrong to turn in writing assignments made up of disparate sentences and paragraphs cut from Internet sources and patched into strange narrative quilts. In fact, most say they were rewarded with good grades in high school. When we see odd shifts in voice in our students’ writing, we should actively try to find the explanation. Drop phrases into Google, and you’ll see that Wikipedia and About.com will pop up quite a bit. Put an “F” on that paper, and meet with the student. Because once he or she arrives on a college campus, that’s an offense that can result in expulsion. Catching this habit early on, and dealing with it bluntly enough to instill a bit of fear, is a good tact. Why do I think so? Because that’s exactly what my students say would have helped them.

www.janeharrington.com

COOKING UP SOME WRITING FUN

by Mary Quattlebaum

We’re now in that “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,” so beautifully described by John Keats; and with pumpkins and Halloween candy highly visible, many a person’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of food (to adapt Tennyson’s spring-time line to autumn).

Food is a great connector, joining people within and across time, regions, countries, and ethnicities.  Nothing can generate a spirited classroom or family discussion quicker than mention of a favorite (or detested) food.  I’ve done the following prompt with kids and adults alike.

Favorite Food

1.  Ask students to name their favorite food.

2.  Have them close their eyes and call to mind a time when they prepared or ate it.  With their eyes closed, have them focus on each of the five senses, one at a time:  What do they notice about this particular food, on their plate or in their hand?  Are there any particular sounds associated with this food or with the eating or preparing of it?  What about smells?  Taste?  Touch, as in the temperature of the food and the texture in the mouth?  Ask whether they are eating alone or with a group and what else they might notice about the setting or occasion.

3.  Have them open their eyes and write, using at least three of their five senses, and trying to give a sense of where and when the food was eaten.

4.  Share some descriptions with class.  For students writing about the same food, have class point out differences and similarities in descriptions.  Discuss how each person brings something different and unique to the description because each writer is unique and will notice different things/have different experiences to draw from.

Resources

Two helpful websites and their attendant blogs link food, children’s books and writing and education:

http://jamarattigan.com/ -- Jama’s Alphabet Soup, written by children’s author and foodie Jama Kim Rattigan, is self-described as “an eclectic feast of food, fiction and folderol.”  It’s a delightful feast, indeed, with recipes, writing reflections and interviews with children’s authors and illustrators.

http://jeanraiford.com/ -- Preschool Parfait, developed by preschool teacher Jean Raiford, provides seasonal activities and recipes that playfully enhance the early learning environment in reading, science, math and social and physical skills.

www.maryquattlebaum.com

ANALYZING PICTURE BOOKS 101

by Joan Waites

When I visit schools or teach an illustration class, I’ll often start by asking the question, “What is a picture book?”  The most common answer given is “it’s a story with pictures.”  While this is a correct answer, we can also take a closer look at the story and art that make up the book as a whole, and the choices the author and illustrator made to make the book unique. 

Using one picture book as a guide, talk about each of the following and ask students to comment:

The Idea

How do you think the author came up with the idea for this story?

Is it from personal experience?

Is it something they imagined?

Is it based on scientific facts or a historical event?

Genre

How is the book classified?

Fiction/ Non-fiction

Fairy tale or myth

Mystery

Poetry

Humorous

Other

Character and setting

Are the characters and setting real or imagined?

Did the author have to do research to make the story authentic?

Size and Shape

How is the book formatted?

Horizontal/Vertical

Pop-up

Special shape

Length

 8, 16, 24, 32, or 48 pages

The layout

Are the illustrations on a full page, half page, double page spread or spot art?

How did the illustrator choose to place the text on each page?

Style

Is the art realistic, cartoon, stylized or a combination of these?

What medium did the artist use to create the work?

What viewpoint did the artist choose to create each page? (Close-up, overhead, looking up, eye level, or far away from the viewer?)

Type choice

Is the type small, medium, large or hand lettered? 

Now ask students to choose 5 favorite picture books from home or the library. Ask them to answer the above questions about each book. How are the books they chose similar? How are they different in the choices the author and artist made? When we take a closer look, picture books are much more than just a story with pictures!

Wishing all the teachers, parents and students that read our blog a wonderful new school year full of exciting learning and creating!

www.joanwaites.com

TRYING A NEW FOOD WITH A BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND END

by Jacqueline Jules

Before our oldest son moved to New York City and married a New York girl, my husband and I were pretty timid when it came to restaurants. We almost always chose the same chain restaurants with American style food.  But entertaining New Yorkers, accustomed to a wide variety of ethnic cuisine, forced us to broaden our palates. We didn't want to be called boring by our adult children.

So the first time I tried Indian food, I was with my son and daughter-in-law at an independent local restaurant I had found in a coupon book and hoped was good. I didn’t really care if I liked the food or not. I just wanted my kids to be impressed that I had suggested something other than Outback or Olive Garden.

The restaurant was decorated in red and black. There was an open beaded curtain draping the entrance to the dining area that jingled softly as we walked through. When we sat down at a polished black wood table, the waiter told us the meal was a buffet.  We went up to the serving line to see an assortment of colorful dishes in steaming metal hot trays. Each one contained vegetables and/or meat in a dark sauce. No plain meat patties or white potatoes in sight. Spices I later learned were cumin and tumeric tickled my nose. A creamed spinach with homemade cheese chunks caught my eye. Everything was labeled clearly, so I knew that the brown lumpy substance in front of me was eggplant and onions, not a mystery meat. I took little portions of several things before going back for seconds. Some of the foods were a little spicy for my previously unadventurous palate, but I found most of them very flavorful and a nice change from more bland American style fare. I especially enjoyed the sweet carrot pudding on the dessert table. I’ve always been a fan of carrot cake and tapioca pudding. The Indian carrot pudding was a soupy mixture of them both.

All in all, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Indian food. From that time on, I’ve eaten at several different Indian restaurants and always enjoyed it. In fact, Indian food was my choice for a birthday and Mother’s Day treat in recent years.

So that’s my story of trying a new type of food for the first time. What’s your story? If you are looking for an easy structured lesson to demonstrate beginning, middle, and end, try asking your students to describe the first time they tried a new food. Ask them to answer the following questions in sequence:

BEGINNING:

1. Where were you and who was with you?

2. Why did you try the new food?

MIDDLE:

3. Describe the food and the place where you ate it, with sensory details. How did it taste, smell, look, etc? Can you compare it to other foods or experiences?

CONCLUSION:

4. What did you learn? Would you try the food again?

Conclusions, which are often hard for young writers, are particularly easy to develop when writing about a new food experience. It is natural to discuss one’s decision to eat the food again or not. With luck, this concept will transfer to narratives on other topics, such as vacations or accidents. Would you like to go there again? Did the experience teach you something about yourself?

So try asking your students to write about the first time they tasted a new food. And when you present the idea, describe a new food experience of your own. Students love to learn more about their teachers and when you write the prompt yourself first, you can give them a model to follow.

http://www.jacquelinejules.com/

WRITING TRIBUTES TO MAURICE SENDAK

by Laura Krauss Melmed

Maurice Sendak, one of the true giants of children’s literature, died on May 8 at the age of 83.  This post is dedicated to him.   

In 1964, Mr. Sendak, in spare words and exuberantly scary pictures, launched a defiant child named Max on a journey that took him sailing

…off through night and day

And in and out of weeks

and almost over a year

to where the wild things are.

With the publication of that book, Where the Wild Things Are, Mr. Sendak sent the field of children’s literature into uncharted waters as well.   This classic work is so familiar to all of us now that it is hard to imagine how different it was from what preceded it.  For the first time, the darker side of childhood was examined in a book for young children.  In Where the Wild Things Are and other titles, Sendak uses dreamlike settings and powerful imagery to depict difficult emotions like anger, fear and rebelliousness.  In each instance, his characters confront and cope with these feelings in ways that ring true for children and adults alike.

As a remembrance of Maurice Sendak, here are some writing prompts to spur students in creating a picture book based on his work:

Where the Wild Things Are.  In this book, a jungle grew in Max’s room after he was sent to bed without any supper.  If you were mad at your parent, what type of fantastical setting would your room transform into?  How would you journey through it?  What would be scary about your destination?  What would be funny about it?  How would you meet the challenges you found there and make your way home?  What would be waiting for you there?

Outside Over There.  Your best friend has been stolen away by magical beings.  It is your job to find your friend and perform a rescue.  Describe where you go and what you do.

Higglety Pigglety Pop.  Your pet just ran away from home.  Why?  Where will it go?  What adventures will it have (the wilder, the better)?  Will your pet learn anything or change in any way?  Will it come home?  (If you don’t have a pet, make one up or write about an animal leaving the zoo.)  

The Nutshell Library.  The Nutshell Library consists of four tiny books in a boxed collection:  One Was Johnny, a counting story; Alligators All Around, an alphabet story, Chicken Soup With Rice (my absolute personal favorite), a story about the months of the year, and Pierre, a cautionary tale about an unpleasant little boy.  Students could make small books on one or more of those themes.   To house a library of four books, a tea box can be cut up and stapled together into a smaller box, then decoupaged to make a home for the collection.

http://www.laurakraussmelmed.com/

THE CURSE OF THE BLANK PAGE

by Mary Amato

 You know the look. A student who is supposed to be writing is staring at the blank page. You can almost smell the panic. The blankness seems to be seeping into the kid's brain, causing all possible ideas to evaporate.

           In Jonah Lehrer’s great new book, Imagine: How Creativity Works, he notes that few creative breakthroughs have occurred while the artist or inventor is actually sitting down staring at the blank page.

          Guest blogger Nancy Viau addresses this in her “Are You Bogged Down?” entry with some great suggestions to kick-start creativity. I’m going to add a simple idea that can be easily used in the classroom. If I’m working with students and I notice one falling prey to the curse of the blank page, I walk over and whisper: “Close your eyes and imagine that the story is playing like a little movie in your mind…what do you see?” The student begins to talk, describing the scene. I say, “Oooh, that’s great! Write that down!”

         Boom! Curse broken.

http://www.maryamato.com/

DRAWING A STORY

by Joan Waites

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?  If applying this question to a picture book, which comes first, the words or the illustrations? In the world of traditional publishing, manuscripts are typically written by the author and then assigned to an illustrator by the publisher.  If the illustrator is also the author, sometimes the pictures are imagined first, or the illustrations and text are imagined simultaneously.

In previous posts, I’ve talked about some classroom exercises I’ve used during a school visit where children collaboratively write a story and then come up with illustrations to complement the text. The flip side to this exercise is to have children draw a story in pictures only. This works especially well with younger children who haven’t fully mastered writing and spelling.

Make up a simple storyboard sheet with as many pages as you would like to have the children draw.  Six to eight pages seems to be a number most can work with without getting overwhelmed.  Children can draw a story of their choosing, or use a story prompt (as outlined in previous Pencil Tips posts) to jump start ideas.  When the children have completed their drawings, have them either write the text to accompany the drawings, or give each a turn to orally tell their story. Another fun twist is to collect the storyboards, mix them up, and then redistribute them to the class. Have children write a story based on the pictures their classmates have drawn.

For children that are old enough and have access to a camera, this same exercise could be done using photographs.  Ask children to tell a story using the camera. Have them take a series of pictures at an event. A soccer game, a party, a trip to the zoo or an outing with a pet can all tell a story.  Spread out or mount the pictures in a series and have children write the story to accompany the photos.

It is interesting to see how each child interprets another’s drawings and photos.  Mirroring real world of picture books, this exercise emphasizes the unique and magical collaboration that happens between art and the written word.

http://www.joanwaites.com/

Connecting with Writing

by Mary Quattlebaum

What books might help to create a bridge from reading to writing?  Which ones might help students to connect with writing as a meaningful activity in their own lives?

Recent posts by fellow Pencil Tippers Jacqueline (April 9, 2012, “Tips for Writing Poetry”) and Alison (March 19, 2012, “The Reading/Writing Connection”) got me thinking about the two questions above.

Too often students (kids, especially) don’t see writing as particularly relevant to their lives.  They’ll go through the motions of writing essays or persuasive letters but rarely realize, until they’re older, how such writing sharpens their analytical and organizational skills.  As teachers, though, we recognize the value of such writing and work to ensure that our students learn these skills.

But sometimes, especially with reluctant writers and readers, it helps to sweeten the writing pot a bit.  To give students a chance to try their hand at writing that might have a more immediate connection.

I’m talking poetry.

Students rarely seem to read poetry on their own, but when guided to explore certain elements in a poem (imagery, sound, emotion), they are quick to discuss—and often to draw connections to their own lives.

Alas, too often, young people come to poetry with preconceived notions:  a poem must rhyme and be about elevated subject matter (love, beautiful things).  To counter those notions, I’ve found it helpful to share two particular books:

Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Diane and Leon Dillon (HarperCollins).  First published in 1971, these free-verse poems in the voice of a young girl reflect on jump roping, train riding, and the people and things that she loves.  The subject matter and style are kid friendly and accessible.  Kids discussing the poems often mention their liking for some of the same things and then write of the small joys in their own lives—and eagerly share their poems aloud.

Guyku by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Peter Reynolds (Houghton Mifflin).  These haiku on puddle splashing, stone skipping and tickly grasshoppers encourage kids to think about details and imagery and dispense with rhyme.

www.maryquattlebaum.com

Crafting a Creative Character Description

by Mary Amato

When introducing a character, many writers begin and end with a list of the physical traits of the character: eye or hair color, height, etc. Try a different approach: direct commentary. Say something about this character’s effect on the world around him or her.

Illustration by Eric Brace
Please Write in This Book

Listen to Roald Dahl capping off his description of the formidable Miss Trunchbull in Matilda: “Thank goodness we don’t meet many people like her in this world, although they do exist and all of us are likely to come across at least one of them in a lifetime. If you ever do, you should behave as you would if you met an enraged rhinoceros out in the bush—climb up the nearest tree and stay there until it has gone away.”

In The Whipping Boy, Sid Fleischman doesn’t tell us what the prince looks like. Instead he says: “The young prince was known here and there (and just about everywhere else) as Prince Brat. Not even black cats would cross his path.

For your next personal writing project, choose one character to receive special treatment. Ask: How do others see or respond to this character? Write a sentence or two about the character’s effect on the world.

If you're a teacher, here's how to approach this lesson.

1. Read the above examples first.

2. Choose a character from a book you've all read and brainstorm commentary about the character. If your students are too young to understand the concept of commentary, try using the term "gossip." If you were gossiping to someone else about this character, what might you say?

3. Ask your students to do this with a character in one of their own stories.

Have fun coming up with surprising ways of making characters come alive.

http://www.maryamato.com/

Author and Illustrator for the Day, Part Two

by Joan Waites

In a previous blog post (January 2, 2012), I wrote about an upcoming “artist in residence” program I would be participating in at an elementary school. I'm happy to say I’ve just completed that residency with approximately 120 fourth graders.  It was wonderful getting a chance to know so many students by name, and by all accounts they really enjoyed creating their own books.  Prior to my arrival, I outlined a program and submitted it to the fourth grade teachers so they had a clear idea of what we would be doing.  The days broke down as follows:

Day 1: Introduction to the Art of Picture Book Illustration

What does an illustrator do?

How does an illustrator work?

How are illustrations for a book created?

How does the illustrator work with an author…or do they?

*manuscript acquisition

*thumbnail sketches

*final sketches and dummy book

*final art

*description of the printing and binding process

*printed book

*Q&A

Hands on:

-Explanation of the project student groups will create in the four days of workshops.

-Groups formed and “story prompt” cards will be created by students.

-Story cards mixed and randomly redistributed to groups.

-Students begin to brainstorm story ideas.

Day 2: The Writing Process

What makes a good story?

What elements should be included in a story?

*Memorable characters

*Beginning, middle, end

*Story Arc

*“Show,” don’t “tell”

*Pacing and page turns

*Writing to allow for interesting illustrations

*Satisfying endings

*Revisions

Hands on:

-Groups work on stories based on the story prompt cards they received.

-Text divided to fit on eight pages

Day 3: The Illustration Process

*different styles used in illustration

*different mediums used in illustration

*different color palates used in illustration

*giving the reader more than just depicting the written word

Hands on:

-distribution of thumbnail sketch sheets

-distribution of blank books (created using heavy weight construction paper folded and stapled )

-final sketches worked on if time permits or will be worked on at home that night. (Each student will be illustrating their own version of another group’s story).

Day 4: Presentation of Eight Page Books

Hands on:

*Students will be given a little time to complete illustrations for their stories and ask questions.

*One student from each group will read the story to the class and other students will present the art they created for the story.

Some questions to ask:

Are the illustrations successful for this manuscript?

Do they add something new and exciting to the story?

Do the characters come to life in the illustrations?

Do we get a good sense of place and time when looking at the illustrations?

Is the author (group) happy with the way their story has been illustrated? Is there a way the story could be edited to allow for more exciting illustration opportunities?

Was it fun to illustrate another group’s story?

For the most part we stuck to this schedule, but after the first day the teachers and I made one change.  The students were so excited about the stories they were working on and were already doing sketches of characters. I was told it was all they talked about for the rest of the day! Since they were already so invested in their work, we decided to forgo the idea of reassigning the stories to different groups to illustrate. I think this idea would work better if this was explained at the beginning of the project, or if the exercise was used in an older age group.

Next week all 120 books will be on display at the school so the entire student body can view the finished books. I was so proud of the work the children did, and so were they. If you think a book featuring a Nike sneaker, the zoo, and getting lost would be difficult to write, you just have to read Detective Nike and the Missing Panda!

http://www.joanwaites.com/