Recently,
I spent a fantastic day with the third graders at Marguerite Small School in
West Yarmouth, MA. Why was it so great? Because of the hard work of this woman—school
librarian Kim Keith—and her colleagues, especially Shannon Carlson, who took most of the pictures below.
The
students read several of my books in advance and did activities to reinforce
the information and ideas. Here are a couple of examples:
students read several of my books in advance and did activities to reinforce
the information and ideas. Here are a couple of examples:
On
the day of my visit, the students were ready for some fun. They got firsthand
experience comparing their jumping ability to that of a frog.
They
learned that, based on their height, if they could jump like a frog, they’d be
able to leap over TWO school buses! And then they discussed how a frog’s
locomotion helped it survive in the world.
learned that, based on their height, if they could jump like a frog, they’d be
able to leap over TWO school buses! And then they discussed how a frog’s
locomotion helped it survive in the world.
I wish I had a photo of 70 third graders sticking out their
tongues. That was their introduction to the idea that if they had a tongue like
a frog, they could use it to wash out their bellybuttons. Pretty handy, right?
tongues. That was their introduction to the idea that if they had a tongue like
a frog, they could use it to wash out their bellybuttons. Pretty handy, right?
Then we transitioned into how a book is made. I showed them a rough
draft, and we compared it to the text in the printed book.
draft, and we compared it to the text in the printed book.
I showed them a couple of illustrator Higgins Bond’s rough
sketches and we had a great conversation about some of the changes she made and
why they were important. After all, in a nonfiction book, everything in the
words AND the pictures has to be accurate.
sketches and we had a great conversation about some of the changes she made and
why they were important. After all, in a nonfiction book, everything in the
words AND the pictures has to be accurate.
Oh yes, there was one more thing. Mrs. Zabielski’s class
helped me with a super secret project. Here’s a sneak peek:
helped me with a super secret project. Here’s a sneak peek:
Curious? Too bad. You’ll have to wait a few months to find out more.
Happy Friday!
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