Is it Monday already? Where did the weekend go? Oh I know... taxes. hissssssss

I woke up this morning with a knot the size of Kansas in my back, which makes it pretty hard to do anything more than lay in bed and read all day. (Funny how your body forces you to take a day off once in a while, huh?)

Luckily a while back I stocked up on a few treats. Since I was up anyway making some Tater Tots (hey, its a "sick day", junk food is allowed) I thought I'd might as well blog about them (the treats, not the Tater Tots).

First up is Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!



This book is just charming!

Here's a nice little review of it, before it won the Newbery Medal.
And here is another nice article in the Medieval News blog about Ms. Schlitz and the book.
And Robert Byrd, the illustrator, has a cool slideshow of the books illustrations on his website.
I'd say that if you're into anything Medieval, or like plays, or would just like to read something refreshing, this is a good choice! I'm loving it.


My "read in bed at night" book right now is "The Golden Compass", which I'm aaaaaalmost finished with. I'm glad I bought the whole "His Dark Materials" trilogy so I can just dive right into the next one.



No, I haven't seen the movie. But I've seen enough trailers to have a hard time NOT picturing Nicole Kidman as I'm reading. Oh well.



This next book is more like "work", but its good:



I'd Rather Be in the Studio just says it all doesn't it?
This woman is good. She has a website. She just nails you on all the stuff you don't want to do to get yourself out there. I'm in kind of a "I need a makeover" mode right now and am looking for some guidance. Her advice is more for 'fine' artists than children's book illustrators, but its all good.
Just thought I'd share.

Well, the Tater Tots are done, my back is starting to scream at me from sitting in this chair, so I guess I'd better go. If I can get up... Read the rest of this post

by Jen McVeity

Writing a story is hard work, even for authors. There are characters to create, dialogue to deliver, plots to plan, tension scenes to capture, endings to invent and starts that have to sizzle align=”left”so much they superglue your reader onto a chair.

Then you have to put it all into interesting sentences that flow smoothly. Whew! Breaking the complex process of writing into chunks makes helping kids with their writing more effective - and far more fun too.

Here are two ‘chunks’ you could try to help your child write with more impact.

Show, Don’t Tell

As we read words, pictures form in our mind. See what happens when you slowly read the lines below:-

• Snow glistens, thick and white on a mountain top.

• Orange and yellow poppies stand tall and cheerful in a vase.

Our job as writers is to create these pictures in the brains of our readers. That’s what Show, Don’t Tell is all about.

However, how can we do this when the idea is more abstract - like emotions? That’s much harder for kids to write as there is no picture. Therefore we need to show them how to create one. For instance:-

TELL: My brother is lazy.

SHOW: ‘Your turn for the dishes Tank,’ said Mum. ‘Yeah, later,’ he said, yawning, and turned up the TV louder.

‘No, now,’ said Mum. She stood in the doorway, arms crossed. She knew later in Tank’s mind meant somewhere between the year 2012 and infinity. Once, as punishment, Mum put all the dishes and saucepans Tank had forgotten on top of his bed. He just dumped them on the floor. A week later they were still there, a shoe in the spaghetti sauce, sweaty socks on the plates and a really bad smell wafting out the door.

Ah, now we have the picture for our minds. It takes much longer to write - but as readers we are far more convinced.

How to Write Tension Scenes

Imagine a birthday party, a top restaurant, friends and family - and a massive earthquake that ends in disaster.

Here’s the starting point by a 9 year old boy:

We were having fun in the restaurant when suddenly the ground started to shake. I didn’t believe it. Then glasses started to break all over my plate. My sister tried to stand up, she was afraid. The ground was trembling, there was noise everywhere…

Tension scenes are one of the hardest parts of a story to write. Kids often make them too basic and short. Why? Well, we say ‘write what you know’, but children often don’t have enough ‘emotional experience’ to imagine this sort of thing.

However, other people do - and their words are all in a dictionary or thesaurus.

So try this: Get your child to underline key words in the story - and then use a thesaurus to help bring the scene alive. You can actually do this BEFORE they write as well. Just ask, ‘what are some things which will happen?’ and make a list for them to use.

e.g.

fun - delight, enjoyment, amused, teasing, laughing, happy

shake - shudder, shiver, quake, quiver, buzzing, tremor,

break - crumble, disintegrate, collapse, crush, shatter

afraid - scared, fearful, terrified, panicked

tremble - quiver, shudder, beat, vibrate, grind

The idea is NOT to merely substitute one word for another. It is to give a greater variety of words/inspiration/ideas to the writer - and let their subconscious do the melding.

After:

The waiter smiled as he put down a hot chocolate pudding right in front of me.

‘You’re not going to eat all that!’ said my Dad. ‘Here, I’ll help!’ He reached across with his spoon, teasing me. I pulled my plate away fast. Everyone laughed.

‘Just a little bit,’ Dad begged.

I shook my head. It was weird, but there was a strange buzzing sound as if everything was not quite real. I lifted my spoon, my hands felt like they were shivering. Or was it really the floor shaking? It wasn’t possible, but now all the glasses were starting to clink. Suddenly one fell, shattering glass across my plate and into the dark chocolate. Then the noise hit me, harsh, grinding, vibrating right into my brain…

Get the idea? See how the word ‘fun’ has turned into something more specific - teasing and Dad trying to steal chocolate pudding. A simple ’shake’ now has triggered ’shivering’ and a ‘buzzing’ in the head. Best of all look at that last line; the words suggested from ‘tremble’ have now made this incredibly evocative and powerful.

If you want rich writing, give kids plenty of rich ingredients to work with.

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© Jen McVeity, National Literacy Champion

Try our FREE Creative Chatterbox to find over 500 story ideas.

The Seven Steps to Writing Success program, designed by successful author, Jen McVeity, is used in over 900 Schools. Suitable for the home school curriculum and gifted children, it has been shown to rapidly advance children’s writing skills and enjoyment.

Visit our website at http://sevenstepswriting.com/ to learn about all the Seven Steps to Writing Success and to find more free writing resources.

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by Hazel Booth

As a kid today, you’re usually so busy with school and other activities that sometimes when the action stops, and you’re stuck indoors on a “snow day” from school, you’re at a loss for what to do.

But don’t settle for dull and boring.

Next time the snow piles up outside and you’re stuck indoors, pull out your creative stops and see how much fun a snowy day can be.

Here are five activities to try:

1. Write a play. When I think about snowy or rainy day activities, I think of Jo and her sisters in Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, and the delightful afternoons they passed in making plays.

Gather your friends and family and act out a well-known story or, like Jo, write some of your own. Laughter will draw you closer, and you may discover a hidden talent. With the advent of handheld video recorders, you can record your antics for future entertainment.

2. Devise a treasure hunt. Conceal a prize (it can be as simple as a chocolate bar) in an unlikely spot and write a series of clues to lead the treasure-seekers to the booty.

To extend the activity, wrap the prize in multiple layers of paper and string before hiding it, and when it is found, play the Hat Game: Sit around a table and attempt to unwrap the prize using only a knife and fork. The person wielding the knife and fork must don a hat, scarf, and gloves before beginning. All the while, the person to his right is rolling a die, hoping for a six. As soon as he rolls a six, the knife, fork, hat, scarf, gloves, as well as the die, pass to the next person on the left.

Continue in this fashion until the chocolate bar is unwrapped. Then share it.

3. Create an inspirational collage. Gather some old magazines and catalogs, a pair of scissors, and glue. Look for words, sayings, and pictures that speak to you in some way. Choose a theme, like sports, animals, or furnishings you’d like for your bedroom. Include inspirational quotes and words of encouragement.

Feel free to use your computer to scan and print items you don’t want to cut, or play with different fonts to emphasize or change the look of printed words. Compose your collage and embellish with lace, ribbon, feathers, stickers, buttons, etc. Hang it where you’ll see it and smile.

4. Plan a meal. Pull out the cookbooks, especially ones with pictures, and look for some tasty new recipes. Scan the list of ingredients to make sure it sounds as good as it looks. Bookmark it or make a list of recipe titles and page numbers for each book. Choose a recipe, make a shopping list, and schedule a time to help make it.

5. Make crayon rubbings. Gather an assortment of textured objects from around the house. Examples might be a cheese grater, a piece of screen, a comb, string glued to a piece of paper, corrugated cardboard, or a crumpled piece of foil.

Choose one item at a time, lay a fresh sheet of paper on top, and rub over the surface with the side of a crayon. Try not to shift the item, and watch the pattern emerge. Rub over each textured surface with two colors of crayon.

Try to fill the entire sheet of paper with different textures and colors. Then, take a fat paint brush and a set of watercolors and paint colors of your choice over each rubbing. Use your finished paper for cards or wrapping paper, or cut it up to include in a picture or collage.

Armed with creative ideas like these, you might find yourself looking forward to your next snowy day when you’re stuck indoors.

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Hazel Booth is a freelance writer and a student of the Institute for Children’s Literature. She reviews picture books for the National Writing for Children Center and is currently working on nonfiction articles for kids.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

People all over the world celebrate Christmas, but not everyone celebrates the same way. Many of the traditions in the United States originated in other countries. Listed below are common customs and traditions of many different countries. See if you can find the traditions followed by your family and find out what country they came from. You might even find a new tradition or two that you and your family would like to add to your celebration this year.

Norway

In Norway, the children are sent outside or next door while the adults decorate the Christmas tree. When the children return and see the tree for the first time it is fully decorated with presents underneath. Imagine how happy they must feel when they see the tree. The family then joins hands and stands around the tree singing Christmas carols.

Australia

In Australia, Christmas is celebrated during the middle of summer. They do not have a white Christmas like many parts of the United States. Australians like to eat their Christmas dinner outside and then go to the beach for family fun.

Britain

In Britain, children write letters to Father Christmas asking for Christmas presents. Instead of mailing their letters to the North Pole, the children toss their letters into the fireplace and they float up the chimney to the North Pole. Sometimes the lists catch on fire. If that happens, the child has to write another list.

Mexico

In Mexico, children leave shoes out for Santa rather than hanging stockings by the fireplace. On Christmas Eve, singers parade throughout the towns carrying bells and candles on long poles. The parade ends at the local church where everyone attends a Christmas service.

Hopefully this gave you an idea of how children in other countries celebrate Christmas. Maybe you would like to follow one of these traditions this year.

Here is a holiday craft to get you in the spirit.

Puzzle Wreath Ornaments

Supplies:

Cardboard
Puzzle pieces from old puzzles
Glitter
Ribbon
Scissors
Glue

Give each child a small ring cut out of cardboard. Staple a small piece of the ribbon to the top of the ring in a loop. This will be for hanging the ornament later.

1. Have child glue puzzle pieces to the cardboard ring and ask them to cover every part of it.

2. Ask them to put a few dots of glue on top of the puzzle pieces.

3. Let them sprinkle glitter on the glue.

4. Shake off excess glitter from wreaths.

5. Hang wreaths on a Christmas tree.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

A rebus story is a story that is not just made with words. It is a story that combines words and pictures. The picture can represent an entire word or part of a word. The reader will have to sound out each syllable of a word when they read the rebus story.

This type of story writing is an excellent way for young writers to begin writing stories. They can draw pictures for some of the longer words that give them difficulty.

The best way to begin to write a rebus story is to write out the entire story in words. Then go back and read the story out loud to yourself. Listen to each syllable of each word. For example: Sunday (This word could be represented by a picture of the sun and the word “day”).

Use the following story starters to write a winter rebus story.

1. I was sledding down a giant hill when suddenly….

2. Sharp icicles hung from my garage. I saw the neighborhood bully walking by just as some of the icicles started to break loose. He….

3. I made a nice round snowman dressed in a hat and scarf. When I woke up the next morning he was missing. What happened to him?

4. I was skating on the pond by my house when suddenly the ice cracked. I hollered and hollered for help. I started slipping into the freezing water…

5. Describe the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen. What were you doing while you watched it?

6. In my hometown it never snows. I knew it would take a miracle to get snow on Christmas Eve. The weatherman said it might happen this year …..

7. I had never been snow skiing before. I went to ski school and you will never believe what happened to me. I started down the hill….

8. My friend dared me to stick out my tongue and touch it to the freezing cold light pole. Now I am stuck. What will happen to me?

9. The animals and birds outside of my house must be very cold. Here is what I did for them.

10. My goals for the New Year are….

by Renee Kirchner,Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Personification is a type of figurative language in which a non-living object is given human qualities. The verb in the sentence involves a human action. Here are a few examples:

The ocean waves rocked me to sleep.
The wind sang a beautiful song.
The thunder clapped its hands together in perfect rhythm with the rain.
The roses tilted their faces towards the sun.

Personification can make your writing more fun. Your writing will be stronger and more interesting if you try this technique some of the time.

The swimming pool invited me in for a refreshing swim.
The poison ivy vines raced up the side of the tree.
The sunrise painted a beautiful picture in the sky.
The tall grass danced in the wind.

The person reading your writing will understand that wind cannot sing and waves cannot rock you to sleep, but your writing will be more like a poem.

Can you use personification in your writing? Give it a try.

An Exercise in Using Personification:

Fill in the blanks with a verb that gives human qualities to the non-living object in the sentence.

1. The flowers _______________ at me as I walked through the park.

2. The fall leaves ________________ to the ground.

3. The rain __________________ his cheeks as he ran home.

4. The train _________________ the family through the woods and over the mountain.

5. The soccer net _________________ the ball in mid air.

6. The rainbow __________________ the sky with brilliant colors.

7. The thorn bush ________________ at our ankles as we walked on the trail.

8. I watched the flower bulbs _________________ out of the soil after the light spring rain.

9. Spider webs ________________ in the moonlight from the trees in my front yard.

10. The basketball ________________ from my hand as I released my final shot of the game.

As more and more Catholic school boards pull Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass, Pearce Carefoote, author of Forbidden Fruit: Banned, Censored and Challenged Books from Dante to Harry Potter has been appearing on radio and television, speaking to the issue of censorship.

Hear the CBC radio podcast for November 26th, 2007 as Jian Ghomeshi interviews Carefoote on the topic of censorship.

Visit www.suzannelieurance.com to find out who will be the guest for the day on Book Bites for Kids, a LIVE radio show that airs every weekday afternoon at 2:00 central time.

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Every week, members of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club are given a simple writing exercise and invited to submit a manuscript for critique. The critique telesession takes place every Wednesday night. Find out more about the club here.

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The National Writing for Children Center is looking for a new teaching tips contributing editor in January to take over for Renee Kirchner.

Every week, Renee has submitted an article with teaching tips for classroom teachers, parents, and other educators of young children. But now Renee is going back to school and will also be working part time. Everyone will miss her wonderfully informative articles. But we’re hoping another writer with experience in the classroom will want to become our new teaching tips contributing editor. For more information, email [email protected].

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Freelance writer and The Working Writer’s Coach, Suzanne Lieurance, will offer an exciting new weeklong writing workshop in Cortona, Italy in September called Have the time of Your Life - Write the Book of Your Dreams. Find out more about the workshop here.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Metaphors talk about one thing as if it were another. They are not introduced with the words “like” or “as”, but make direct comparisons. Here are a few examples:

His shirt was a flag, flying in the breeze. Her eyes were jewels, sparkling in the sun. The ocean is a playground for scuba divers. A song is a poem set to music.

Metaphors can compare something unfamiliar with something familiar to give you a frame of reference.

The surface of the moon is a snowy yard with footprint craters. The bottom of the ocean is a dark cave. A kiwi is a fuzzy lime. A resume is a report card for adults.

A metaphor comparison is not literal. You can’t always take the meaning directly. Here are some examples:

His room was a pigpen. (This means his room is messy, not that pigs live in it.) The harvest moon was a pumpkin. (This means the moon was round and orange, not made out of pumpkin.)
Her teeth were pearls. (This means her teeth were white like pearls, not that each tooth was actually a pearl.)
The baby’s cheeks were two rosy apples. (This means the baby’s cheeks are round and red, not really apples.)

Writers use metaphors to make their writing colorful and you can to. Give it a try.

Life is a Roller Coaster Sometimes!

An Exercise in Writing Metaphors: Complete the sentences to make your own metaphors.

1. The moon is a _____________________________________________.

2. Freckles are ________________ when they spread across your face.

3. His arms were _________________ as they lifted the heavy chair.

4. The stars are ______________ as they twinkle in the night sky.

5. The storm was a ______________ as it clawed against my window.

6. The freshly mowed lawn was a ___________________________.

7. The noisy children were __________________ as they raced through the museum.

8. I was a ___________________ as I tiptoed across the wooden floor.

9. The river was a _________________ as it twisted and turned down the mountain.

10. His cheeks were __________________ as he chewed the giant wad of bubble gum.

The Toronto Star reports that Halton's Catholic board has pulled The Golden Compass from school library shelves, pending a review by its trustees. Author Philip Pullman, who describes himself as an atheist, apparently wrote the series His Dark Materials as a response to C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia (which ironically have been challenged themselves).

Read a synopsis of The Golden Compass. It was voted the best children's book in the past 70 years by readers across the globe, according to news articles. Although it was published in 1995, the controversy is unfolding now because it has been made into a movie which will be released soon. Students can ask librarians for the book but it will not be displayed on shelves.

Toronto Star readers have voiced their opinions, many coming out in support of the presence of the book in schools.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Similes compare two unlike things using phrases that begin with like or as. Similes help you see pictures in your mind.

Can you see these similes?

The tree was as tall as a skyscraper. The stray dog was as thin as a needle. The playground looked like a busy anthill. Her new tooth was as white as a marshmallow.

Similes are descriptive, colorful, and clever. They help us see objects in ways we never have seen them before.

The swimming pool was as cold as an iceberg. Her hair looked like buttered spaghetti. The water slide was as slippery as a bar of soap. The soccer goal looked like a giant butterfly net.

Some similes are overused and we’ve heard them many times. These are called clichés. Try not to use this type of simile too much. Come up with your own ideas that are even better.

Have you heard some of these clichés before?

Her face was as red as a beet. He was as mad as a hornet. Their mother was as busy as a bee. His cat was as fat as a pig.

The best similes use the five senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell to describe an object. Here are just a few:

The ocean tasted as salty as a pretzel. The cat’s tongue felt as rough as sandpaper. The old sleeping bag smelled like a wet dog. The school bell was as loud as a police siren.

Can you write a simile? Give it a try.

An Exercise in Writing Similes:

Complete the sentences to make your own similes. Try not to use clichés.

1. The candy tasted as sweet as __________________________________________.

2. The ice cream truck sounded like a _____________________________________.

3. Her smile was as wide as a __________________________________________.

4. She ran as fast as a _________________________________________________.

5. The pickle tasted as sour as a _________________________________________.

6. The movie was as sad as ____________________________________________.

7. Their teacher was as smart as ________________________________________.

8. The aquarium looked like a _________________________________________.

9. The berries were as red as a _________________________________________.

10. His old tennis shoes smelled like a ___________________________________.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Autumn, also known is fall is the transition season between summer and winter. In the northern hemisphere autumn starts in September and in the southern hemisphere, it starts around March. Although there are different definitions of autumn, it is generally assumed that autumn lasts from September through November. During these months the days begin to shorten and animals and plants prepare for the upcoming cold season.

When we think of fall, we usually think of beautiful fall colors such as red, yellow and orange on the trees. As the days become shorter, trees do not have enough light for photosynthesis. The leaves begin to stop producing the green chlorophyll and we begin to see pretty fall colors such as yellow and orange. Small amounts of this color were in the leaves during the summer, but the green chlorophyll covered it up.

Try this fun art project with your children:

FALL LEAVES (Torn paper collage)

Supplies:

Black construction paper (8 _ x 11)
Brown construction paper
Red construction paper
Yellow construction paper
Orange construction paper
Glue

The black construction paper will be the background for this collage. Tear red, yellow and orange construction paper into small one-inch pieces. These will be the leaves on the fall tree. Using a pencil, draw a tree trunk in the brown paper and carefully tear it out. Glue the tree trunk onto the black background. Arrange the leaves on the tree in a pleasing way and glue them down. It looks nice to scatter some of them on the ground for a true fall effect.

The black background will make the bright colors seem more vivid.

Fall Books to Read:

Fall by Nuna Roca. Barron’s Educational Series, August 2004

This title is for children in preschool through grade 2. Filled with colorful illustrations and sample projects and crafts, it is a great introduction to the season of Fall.

When Autumn Falls by Kelli Nidey. Albert Whitman, September 2006.

As the heat of summer fades, fall begins. The temperatures drop as well as the leaves from the trees. Children will enjoy reading about familiar fall pastimes such as piling leaves up and carving jack-o’-lanterns.

Now It’s Fall by Lois Lenski. Random House Children’s Books, October 2000 (reprint).

This newly reissued classic by Lois Lensky holds all of the pleasures of fall. A whole new generation can fall in love with her books.

by Renee Kirchner, Contributing Editor

Everyone is familiar with Halloween customs and traditions today. Children dress up in costumes and go door to door asking for treats. However, this tradition is fairly recent. How did this unusual custom originate?

The word Halloween has its origins in the Catholic Church. Halloween is derived from All Hallows Eve which is the night before All Saints Day celebrated on November 1. The Catholics used the day to honor of the Saints in heaven. It was a very significant day during the church calendar year.

During the 5th century BC in Celtic Ireland, the celebration of Halloween was observed on October 31. This was the day that summer ended and it is when the Celtic New Year was celebrated. The spirits of everyone who had died throughout the year would wander around on that night seeking bodies to possess. So, the Celts would extinguish the fires in their homes to make their houses cold. Next, they would dress up in costume and parade around the neighborhood to frighten away spirits.

The custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have originated with a ninth-century custom called ‘souling.’ On All Souls Day, November 2, Christians would walk from village to village asking for “soul cakes.” These cakes were made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The beggars promised to say prayers on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors.

Irish immigrants brought the custom of Halloween to America in the 1840’s. This is when the Irish were fleeing their country due to a potato famine. They used to play pranks on Halloween such as tipping over outhouses and taking the hinges off of fence gates.

Here are some stories for children to read to learn more about the history of Halloween:

The Story of Halloween by Carol Greene. HarperCollins Publishers, September 2005.

This children’s book explains the traditions and the history behind the holiday of Halloween that we celebrate today. The holiday began more than 2,000 years ago, but it did not resemble our modern day celebration. This book also contains Halloween riddles and pumpkin art ideas.

A Halloween Reader: Poems, Stories, and Plays from Halloweens Past by Lesley Pratt. Pelican Publishing Company, Inc., August 2004.

This anthology contains stories and poems of writers from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. Some of the stories are joyous and others are solemn. Some of the featured writers include: William Butler Yeats, Robert Burns, and James Joyce.

Halloween by Jennifer Blizin Gillis. Heinemann Library, October 2003.

This book begins by showing readers the Halloween they know and then explains the history of this holiday. Kids will learn that candy was not involved in early celebrations of Halloween. Americans have put their own spin on a holiday with Celtic and Roman history. Colorful photographs complement the text.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Young writers can sometimes be intimidated by writing. Yet, most kids like the idea of writing a letter to someone. Letters can be more fun to write than essays. Children can write a letter in their own voice and it feels more natural.

Try some of these letter writing story starters.

Dear Santa,
I’ve been so good this year. I want something very special for Christmas this year. Let me tell you about it…….

Dear Mom and Dad,
I hate summer camp! It is awful. You won’t believe all the crazy things that have happened to me. First, …..

Dear President Bush,
I am happy to hear that you got reelected. I have a few suggestions for how you can fix some of the problems our country. The first thing I would like you to change is ……

Dear Zookeeper,
My class recently visited your zoo on a field trip. The animals did not look happy. I have a few suggestions for how you could redesign the zoo to make it better for the animals. First I would …..

Dear Hollywood Movie Producer,
I had a dream the other night that could be made into a great movie. I think it could be a blockbuster! Here is my idea …….

Dear Book Editor,
I have written a great children’s story. I think it is even better than Harry Potter. I will enclose the story in my letter so you can decide if you wish to publish it. Here it is ….

Dear Astronaut,
I love studying about space travel in school. I want to be an astronaut just like you one day. I think that you should let me travel into space with you on your next mission because …..

Dear Guinness Book of World Records,
I am writing to you because I have just broken a record. Please come visit my hometown so you can see for yourself. I think you will put me in your latest record book because …..

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

We’ve all read tall tales before. The legends of Paul Bunyan and John Henry are examples of tall tales. The accomplishments of the hero in the story are larger than life or exaggerated. Read a few tall tales with your students so they can become familiar with the genre. Here are some good ones to start with:

Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg. HarperCollins Publishers, June 1985.

The story of the larger-than-life lumberjack, Paul Bunyan, is familiar to many children. Steven Kellogg writes about all of Paul’s exciting adventures with Babe the Blue Ox. His illustrations bring the book to life.

American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne. Random House Children’s Books, September 1991.

Nine folk heroes are introduced in this collection of tall tales by Mary Pope Osborne. Readers will meet Johnny Appleseed, John Henry, Paul Bunyan, and many others. The exaggerated stories of their adventures will delight children.

Dona Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Lady with a Great Big Heart.by Pat Mora. Alfred A. Knopf, October 2005.

Readers will meet, Dona Flor, in this tall tale about a giant woman. She makes giant tortillas for everyone to eat and they can use the leftovers as rafts and she lets children use her giant flowers as trumpets. When a large lion threatens the village, Flora sets off to find it.

Tall tales all have one thing in common - they’re probably as much fun to write, as they are to read. Why don’t you try your hand at writing a tall tale, or at least the beginning of a tall tale? We’ve written the start of the first sentence, now all you have to do is fill in the rest. Whether you write one sentence, a paragraph, or a whole story, make sure that you exaggerate. See how wild your imagination is.

1. Dan Magallan and his horse traveled the country _______________________________.

2. The locomotive sped toward the car that was stalled on the train track. It would take a miracle to save the driver. Suddenly __________________________.

3. A long time ago in a land far, far away there was a knight who was braver than all of the men in the land. He was called the dragon slayer and he _____________________.

4. The giant waves of the hurricane were no match for ____________________________.

5. Big Tex rode a twenty foot rattle snake when he came into town _________________.

6. Giovanni, the pizza maker was legendary in these parts. He used to ______________.

7. Leo the Great could tame any wild beast. He rounded up the wild animals of the jungle and _________________________________________________.

8. Billy Bob had an amazing set of lungs. He could blow all of the sand out of the Sahara Desert. With one breath, he could suck up all of the water in Lake Michigan. These amazing powers came in very handy when ______________________________________.

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Halloween is just around the corner. Read a few great Halloween titles to your kids and then let them try their hand at writing their own stories.

Here are some great reads:

Happy Halloween, Biscuit! by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. HarperCollins Publishers, 1999.

This sweet story is aimed at preschool students. Biscuit, the puppy, gets into mischief on Halloween Day. This story follows Biscuit and his mistress through their day as they search through the pumpkin patch and go trick or treating. Children will love the delightful illustrations.

The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing. Penguin Young Readers Group, 1999.

This story puts a Halloween twist on the traditional Night Before Christmas poem by Clement C. Moore. Monsters are getting ready for the trick or treaters.

Scary, Scary Halloween by Jan Brett. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1988.

This Halloween tale, told in verse, sets the stage for Halloween. Four cats watch as a parade of witches, goblins, and a mummy pass by. Popular author, Jan Brett, has written another classic.

Use the following story starters to write a scary story.

1. I saw a witch riding her broom above my house when suddenly she landed on my front lawn….

2. My best friend dared me to knock on the door of the haunted house. I knocked twice and the door creaked open slowly. A hand reached out and …..

3. It was a dark, spooky Halloween night when the strangest thing happened to me.

4. My jack’o’lantern started talking to me last night. It told me the strangest story about…

5. When a black cat crossed my path, I knew I was going to have bad luck.

6. We were driving home in the car when we saw mysterious shape hovering over our car. It stopped on the road in front of our car.

7. My science teacher mixed up a funny looking green liquid in a beaker. The liquid started boiling over the top and crawling down the side of the table. Help! The liquid was coming to life.

8. I heard the rocking chair in my living room creaking back and forth. I crept down the stairs and saw someone sitting in the chair. The figure turned around and….

by Renee Kirchner, Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

If you want to get your kids interested in history, you should try reading some entertaining historical fiction stories to them. After you read a couple of stories, let them try their hand at writing.

Historical fiction stories:

Dust Bowl by David Booth.
Kids Can Press, Ltd., 1997.

A grandfather tells his grandson, Matthew, about growing up in the 1930’s during the Great Dust Bowl. He describes the dust clouds that would block out the sun and destroy the wheat crops. Children will feel the dust stinging their faces and taste the grit in their mouth as they read or listen to this story.

If a Bus Could Talk by Faith Ringgold.
Aladdin, 2002.

This is the story of young Rosa Parks, an African American school-girl who refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man and changed the course of history. The story is told through a talking bus who retells the story of Rosa to a contemporary school-girl.

Civil War on Sunday (Magic Tree House Series #21) by Mary Pope Osborne.
Random House Children’s Books, 2000.

Once again Jack and Annie are transported by their tree house on another magical adventure. This time they travel back to meet Clara Barton during the Civil War. They end up saving their own great-great-great grandfather in the process.

After reading some stories, ask the children to imagine themselves living during a different time period. Use one of these writing prompts to write a story with a historical perspective.

1. (Dust Bowl: Oklahoma) Today the dust blew so hard our fields looked like sand dunes. Ma and Pa say we might have to move to California like all the other families. I don’t want to leave.

2. (Pioneer) Pa is loading the wagon again. He keeps searching for wide open spaces. I like living by other families, but he seems restless. “Where is Kansas?” I ask him.

3. (Civil Rights Movement) Daddy says a man named Martin Luther King is coming over for dinner. He wants to talk about black and white children going to our elementary school together. I think it’s a great idea.

4. (Mayflower – Pilgrims) It has taken months to cross the ocean. I never want to see water again. I can’t wait to get to America, the land of plenty.

5. (Oklahoma Land Rush) Pa told me that when the starter gun sounds we can race for our free land. I still can’t believe the land is free. Ma told me to lie down in the wagon because we’re going to be moving very fast. What an exciting adventure this will be.

6. (Civil War) Today I had to hide in the root cellar because we saw union soldiers crossing the land on our plantation. I hope nothing happens to Ma while Pa is away at the war.

7. (Women’s Liberation) My mom got a job today. I’m not sure how I feel about that. There have been a lot of changes in my house since she marched for Women’s Liberation.

8. (Gold Rush) Daddy says he will send for us when he strikes it rich in California. I wish I could go with him right now.

by Renee Kirchner
Teaching Tips Contributing Editor

Learning how to identify the main idea and supporting details is an important reading skill that children must develop. It helps them to create meaning as they read. Teachers can use a variety of strategies to explain main idea. Basically, the main idea is the main reason the story was written. For example, the main reason for going to an amusement park is to ride the rides and have fun. A child might eat some yummy food like cotton candy or hot dogs at the amusement park, but that wasn’t the main reason for going.

Every story has a main idea. Sometimes the main idea can be found in the first sentence of the story and sometimes it is found in the middle of a story. Tell children to think of the 5 W’s, who, what, when, where, and why to help them look for the main idea. All stories have supporting details that are related to the main idea. There could be just a few supporting details or many.

There are many fine examples of picture books that you can use to main idea. Read some of the stories listed below and ask children to try to tell you the main idea. It might be helpful for children to have a visual. Draw a daisy on the board and put the main idea of a story into the center of the flower and write the supporting details on the petals. Ask them to do the same when choosing the main idea from other stories.

Picture books to teach main idea:

Thanksgiving is Here! By Diane Goode
August 2003, HarperCollins Publishers

Main idea: The main idea in this story is that a grandmother and a grandfather are hosting a warm family gathering.

Supporting Details:
1) A stray dog shows up to the party (but tell children that the story is not about a dog). 2) One of the guests brings a gift to the host and hostess of the Thanksgiving dinner.

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
March, 1990Harcourt Children’s Books

Main Idea: The Kapok Tree is important to many rain forest animals because it is their home.

Supporting Details:
A man falls asleep while trying to chop down the tree.
A butterfly whispers in his ear.
The rain forest has three layers: a canopy, an understory, and a forest floor.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
September 1996, HarperCollins Publishers

Main Idea: The little mouse, Chrysanthemum, loves her name.

Supporting Details:
The students in class all have short names
The students tease Chrysanthemum about her name
The teacher is named after a flower too.

by Renee Kirchner, Contributing Editor

Diego Rivera, one of the most talented and controversial artists of the 20th century, was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, on December 8, 1886. He is most well known for his murals depicting laborers and peasants. He wanted everyday working people to see his artwork so he painted murals on the walls of schools, churches and hotels.

When Diego was a young boy, he loved to draw. His father had to cover the walls in his room with canvas so he wouldn’t cover the walls with pictures. At the age of ten, Diego told his family that he wanted to be an artist. They enrolled him in a night class at the famous academy of San Carlos. There he was most influenced by classical European art and Mexican folk art. Diego learned about Mexican art from Jose Posada, a local shop owner. He often watched Posada make his drawings and prints.

Beginning in 1911, Diego spent several years studying and working in Spain and Paris. The work of Pablo Picasso caught his eye and he began to try his hand at the cubism style of painting that Picasso was famous for. Diego produced over 200 works of cubism art, but he came to realize that Picasso’s style of work was for the wealthy. He wanted to paint pictures that average workers could enjoy. He decided to paint what he knew and that was Mexico.

Diego returned to Mexico in 1921 and began perfecting his mural techniques. He painted frescos like the ones he had seen on the walls of churches in Italy years earlier. A fresco is a painting that is done on wet plaster. When dry, the painting will last for a very long time. Diego always painted what he thought was important. Sometimes people didn’t like the subject of his paintings. One of his murals that he painted in the United States was destroyed before he ever finished it because it contained a picture of an unpopular Russian revolutionary leader.

Diego Rivera will long be remembered for his beautiful murals and especially for art that could be enjoyed by all people, whether they are rich or poor.

Art Exercises to Try at Home:

1. Lay a long piece of butcher-block paper on your kitchen floor. Using paints or crayons, create a mural that tells a story. You could show a scene from your favorite vacation. Tape the butcher-block paper on a wall in your home. The scene can be changed throughout the year to reflect different scenes for different seasons.

2. Diego Rivera loved to paint everyday people doing everyday things. Paint a picture of an everyday event in your home. An example would be to show your mother or father preparing dinner for the family.

3. Diego Rivera was famous for his portraitures of famous Americans such as J.P. Morgan or John D. Rockefeller. Using a photograph of a member of your family draw a funny caricature of them. Take one of their features, such as their nose or hair and exaggerate what it looks like.

4. Diego made realistic pictures by using the proper perspective or placement of figures on the paper. You can practice this by drawing a picture on a sheet of paper. Try to draw smaller objects near the top of the paper. You will need two sheets of tracing paper for the middle ground and the foreground. One the first sheet of tracing paper, draw pictures in the center of the paper. They should be medium sized objects. Now you will draw on the second sheet of tracing paper. You will be creating the foreground. Draw large objects near the bottom of the paper. Now tape the two pieces of tracing paper to the regular paper. You should see a background, middle ground and foreground on you finished picture. The items on the bottom of the paper should appear closer and the objects at the top of the paper should appear further away.

5. Diego is famous for capturing glimpses of the history of his home country of Mexico. Draw a picture of something that is happening in your hometown. Ask your mom or dad to help you come up with ideas.

Books about Diego Rivera:

Diego Rivera by Mike Venezia. March 1995. Scholastic Library Publishing. This book is a good source of biographical information about Diego Rivera. The book includes full-color reproductions of Diego’s paintings.

Diego Rivera: Artist and Muralist by Megan Schoeneberger. January 2006. Coughlan Publishing. Diego Rivera was the most famous Mexican artist of the twentieth century. He is well known for his large-scale murals of Mexican workers. This book includes a time line of his life, a glossary, and information on how to access Internet sites.

Diego Rivera: Legendary Mexican Painter by Laura Baskes Litwin. August 2005. Enslow Publishers. This well documented biography covers the artist’s life from birth to death as well as anecdotes about his life. In addition, boxed paragraphs explain people and events mentioned in the text.

by Renee Kirchner, Contributing Editor

Encouraging children to write is even harder than getting them to read a good book. Yet, with a little creativity and persistence you can make writing more enjoyable and less like a homework assignment. Some suggestions will work better for your children than others. It will be a case of trial and error to see which activities will work best for your family.

As a writer, I am always trying to think of ways to persuade my two children to write more. Here are a few suggestions for activities I have tried with my own family.

Have them write thank-you notes.

I have always encouraged my children to write than-you notes when they receive gifts for special occasions. Not only does this practice teach them manners and common courtesy, it can go a long way towards showing them how writing is used in everyday life. My children know I expect this of them and they don’t complain about it any more. I sit next to them and write my
thank-you notes at the same time.

Get you children involved in planning their own birthday parties.

Children as young as three or four can help fill out their birthday party invitations. You can find fill-in-the blank invitations at most party supply stores. Let them write the address on the envelope and put on the stamp as well. You can sneak in a short lesson about mailing letters. Your kids will be so excited about their birthday party; they will hardly notice that you’ve asked them to write something.

Buy your kids a travel log before you take a family vacation.

Let each of your children pick out a notebook before your next vacation. They can decorate the front cover and give it the title: Travel Log. Tell your children that the notebook is to record their special memories from the trip. At the end of each day’s activities, have your children unwind by writing in their journals. They will remember more if they write in the journals during the vacation because the memories will still be fresh. If they want, have them glue souvenirs into their notebooks. Small flowers, leaves, postcards, or travel brochures would add to the appeal of their travel diaries.

Show the children the importance of list making.

Even small children can write simple lists. Ask your children to help you write the grocery list before your next trip to the grocery store. Let your children hold onto the list while you are shopping. They will enjoy crossing off each item as you put the groceries into the basket. Who knows, they may just be better behaved at the store if you keep them busy.

Respect your children’s privacy by buying them a diary.

Explain to your children that writing is a good way to express their feelings. Buy them each a diary with a lock and a key. Tell your children that their diatry is for their use only and you will respect their privacy. They may enjoy writing even more when they know no one else will be reading their thoughts. It has been proven that writing is an excellent way to blow off a little steam. You may have less temper tantrums if your children can write their feelings away.

Let your children see you writing.

In today’s email environment, your children may not notice that you are composing letters to your friends via e-mail. Once in a while, let them see you writing an old-fashioned letter to a friend.

Encourage your children to try to get their writing published.

What child wouldn’t get excited about seeing his name in print? Many magazine publishers are open to submissions of poetry and fiction from young authors. Here are a few publishers willing to publish writing by young people:

New Moon Publishing, Inc., 2 W. First St., #101, Duluth, MN 55802, (218)728-5507.
Bimonthly magazine edited by girls ages 8-14. Fiction - prefers girl written material. Length 1200 - 1400 words (adventure, fantasy, historical or humorous).

Stone Soup, The Magazine by Young Writers and Artists, Children’s Art Foundation, P.O. Box 83, Santa Cruz, CA 95063-0083. All writing they publish is written by kids 13 and under. Non-fiction, fiction, and book reviews. Send complete manuscript. This is a magazine by kids, for kids. Website: www.stonesoup.com.

These are just a few suggestions to help your children develop the writing bug. You might just inspire at least one of your children to become the next John Steinbeck or Toni Morrison.