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The last few posts from my fellow TeachingAuthors have been on poetry. Each of them has written eloquently on the topic. But trust me when I tell you that I have nothing worthwhile to contribute to the topic of poetry. So, I’ll share a topic with you that I do know about: research.
I enjoy sharing how to do research with students and teachers. I offer a variety of program options including several different types of sessions on brainstorming, research, and writing. I love to be invited into a school for a live author visit. But that isn’t always possible. In the last couple of years, I’ve done lots of Interactive Video Conferences as part of the Authors on Call group of inkthinktank.com.
During these video conferences, I’ve come up with ways to teach students from third grade through high school how to approach a research project. One method I use is to give them an easy way to remember the steps to plan their research using A, B, C, and D:
A
ALWAYS CHOOSE A TOPIC THAT INTERESTS YOU.
B
BRAINSTORM FOR IDEAS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR PAPER DIFFERENT FROM EVERY OTHER PAPER.
C
CHOOSE AN ANGLE FOR YOUR PAPER AND WRITE A ONE SENTENCE PLAN THAT BEGINS:
MY PAPER IS ABOUT . . .
D
DECIDE WHERE TO FIND THE RESEARCH INFORMATION THAT FITS THE ANGLE OF YOUR PAPER.
The earlier students learn good research skills, the better. Learning some tips and tricks like my ABCD plan will help. I hope it makes the whole process less daunting.
Carla Killough McClafferty
To find out more about booking an Interactive Video Conference with students or teachers:
Contact Carla Killough McClaffertyiNK THINK TANK Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (search for mcclafferty or inkthinktank)
The other day I had my first Skype session with college students. Of course there were technical glitches - I couldn't hear them - but after a few minutes, switching laptops and tossing the dogs upstairs, I finally connected with some of our future science teachers in Wyoming. What could I possibly tell them? What did I think they should know about nonfiction books?
I discussed how most nonfiction books (at least mine) are written to satisfy the author. We're curious people, constantly asking why, where, what, how, and getting excited by a topic until we have to say, "Hey look what I learned." I mentioned that good nonfiction isn't a regurgitation of general facts, but a thoughtful presentation of stories woven together to create a full picture of an event or a life or a concept. I can’t remember who said it at the NSTA conference last year, but someone said it beautifully when asked what the difference was between text books and nonfiction – the answer came down to two things – the passion of the author, and that text books leave you with no questions, while nonfiction leaves you wanting to know more. I didn't say it beautifully, but you get the gist -- Good nonfiction inspires, excites, it leaves room for the reader to imagine, question, explore.
I also babbled on about the Common Core and how NF writers are excited to have this opportunity open up in the curriculum. Writers and librarians have known forever how to use our books in the classroom, but the sad reality is that it is easier and sometimes mandated to use text books. And what's ironic about that, is that most text book companies these days purchase the rights to reprint sections of writer's award-winning NF books and magazine articles, so kids are reading quality writing, but the they are hand-fed the questions and the answers so there is no room for imagination and exploration.
I think I mentioned that teachers and writers should work together more because we do what teachers and students are asked to do everyday. We look for information, evaluate it, put it in some kind of context, then use that information, expand on it, combine it in a new, clear, thoughtful way. We can show kids how this process works – that it can be fun – and some weird people like me love doing it -- and that one style does not fit all as might be mentioned in some text books – there are many ways to do research, many ways to write, and many ways to share that writing.
After rambling for a bit the students asked questions. Where do you get your ideas? How long does it take to make a book? I sighed and realized that what I do for a living is just as mysterious to others as knowing how to fix a car is to me. No matter who your audience is, start at the beginning.
By: Emily Smith Pearce,
on 11/26/2010
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Slowpoke has gotten a couple more positive reviews, from Booklist :
“Pearce’s succinct text will amuse emerging readers with her only slightly exaggerated references to the hectic pace of modern life. Ritchie’s fluid, cartoon-style illustrations are equally adept at conveying the story’s speedy absurdities…and its more relaxing moments”
and from School Library Journal (scroll down after clicking on the link).
Also, I just found out that Slowpoke now has an Accelerated Reader test (you have to enter the title into the search feature to see it).
Last week, I did a Skype author chat with Carver Elementary School in Florence, SC. It was really fun. The students are third-graders and had all read Slowpoke ahead of time. Their teachers helped them compile questions about the writing process. I missed being able to interact in person with the kids, but it was a good experience. The learning goes both ways with these kinds of things, and it’s always great to hear from readers. I’d like to do more of them in the future. For tips on hosting a Skype author chat, check out this article. If your school wants to host me, please contact bettyasmith (at) bellsouth (dot) net and put “author visit” in the subject line.
The picture above is me on the big screen in Carver’s library. Special thanks to librarian Debra Heimbrook for working with me on this inaugural Skype chat.
When I picked today for the announcement of our
latest giveaway winner, I had no idea it coincided with
World Teacher's Day! How fitting it is, then, to announce the name of our winning teacher:
Tanya Norris, a sixth grade teacher at Castleberry ISD.
I'm posting late in the day because I'd hoped to hear back from Ms. Norris before sharing the good news here. But I didn't want to keep you in suspense any longer.
In her contest entry, Ms. Norris wrote:
"My sixth grade class really enjoyed this activity! Last year I did this at the end of the year, but it worked well to do it at the beginning of the year -- it gave me some insight to the students. They came up with some clever memoirs like:
'Babysitting -- someone get an ice pack!'"
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us, Ms. Norris. I hope you'll share a few more of your students' memoirs.
And thank you to everyone who entered our contest. We'd especially like to commend
Ms. Peirce, a first-year teacher who tried our
Writing Workout with her third-grade class. Ms. Peirce expanded the activity. After spending two days reading other kids' memoirs, her class wrote theirs. Then they published them to the wall in their hallway, alongside the author's photo. Hooray for Ms. Peirce, and her students!
Ms. Norris has won her choice of:
A) a 30-minute SKYPE author visit from one of three TeachingAuthors:
April Halprin Wayland, Esther Hershenhorn, OR JoAnn Early Macken
OR
B) a basket of TeachingAuthor books.
If you didn't win, be sure to come back on Friday when we announce a brand new giveaway contest!
Out and About
September was a busy month for me. Some of the highlights:
- I started teaching a new 6-week writing class called "Craft and Critique."
- I gave a workshop for young writers at the TT Patton stationery store in Barrington, IL.
- Esther Hershenhorn and I presented to a great group of teachers who are members of the Illinois Reading Council's South Suburban Council. You can see us in the photo below, with the council's president and president-elect.
0 Comments on Celebrating World Teacher's Day with our Giveaway Winner as of 1/1/1900
By: Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 9/8/2010
Blog: Teaching Authors
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Whether your school year started weeks ago or only yesterday (as in the Chicago Public School system), we thought this would be a good time to kick off a series of posts featuring back-to-school getting-to-know-you writing activities especially for teachers, librarians, and homeschooling parents. And, as an added incentive to try our Writing Workouts with your students, we're offering a special giveaway contest exclusively for teachers, librarians, and homeschooling groups. (If you're not qualified to enter yourself, please tell all the teachers, librarians, and homeschoolers you know about this great opportunity!) The prize? Your choice of: A) a 30-minute Skype author visit from one of the TeachingAuthors OR
B) a prize package containing six autographed TeachingAuthor books. Not sure you want to host a Skype author visit for your book club or classroom? Then read teacher and author Kate Messner's blog post, Virtual Author Visits: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, & the Awesome or check out Skype an Author Network. What do you have to do to win? Below, you'll find a Writing Workout on using six-word memoirs as a getting-to-know-you activity. To enter our contest, you need to try the Workout with your students some time in the next few weeks. Then come back and post a comment about the experience to this blog entry by 11 pm (CST) Monday, Oct. 4, 2010. Be sure to also read through to the end of this post for complete entry rules and instructions on how to qualify for a second, bonus entry. (If you've never posted a comment to a blog before and need some help, you can email me via my website.) About the activity: I first wrote about using six-word memoirs in the classroom a year ago. It's an activity students enjoy that can be adapted for all ages. I tried it over the summer with my writing camp students, and they had so much fun, they didn't want to stop--they wrote one memoir after another! I hope you'll give the following lesson a try and then enter our contest. And if you're not a teacher or librarian, why not write some six-word memoirs for yourself? You can visit the Six-Word Memoirs website for inspiration. The site even provides a box where you can type in your memoir and the computer automatically counts your words! Writing WorkoutGetting to Know Me Back-to-School Activity:Writing Six-Word Memoirs
As I’m certain you know by now, YALSA is sponsoring a Not So Silent Auction on Friday night of the 2011 Midwinter in San Diego—that alone is a good reason to attend Midwinter. The donations are coming in and the list is already pretty amazing (http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/2011_Silent_Auction_Sign-up_Sheet), but here are some details about an exciting Skype visit from author Terry Trueman: Terry Trueman, who offers Skype visits to schools and libraries for a standard fee, is offering a Skype visit to YALSA as a prize for its auction. His visit will be on whatever topic and covering whatever areas the winning bid desires; discussions of his books, his writing, his life or any more highly focused subject/content will be arranged prior to the visit via emails and phone discussions. Terry is a lively, fun presenter and we are sure his Skype visit will be a memorable and fun event.
And, here’s some scoop for you: By the time of the Skype visit, Terry will have some late breaking news about what happens “next” in the life of Shawn McDaniel who starred in Stuck in Neutral.
What a great opportunity for a librarian or teacher to be able to structure a visit based around teen interest or reading. Start lining up other librarians in your district, or teachers in your school, who will chip in with you to win a Skype visit from this popular teen author who’s written such books as the recent No Right Turn, Cruise Control, and the Printz Honor book Stuck in Neutral.
   
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Congrats on more good reviews and a first successful Skype author chat! Sounds like it was fun!
Thanks! So glad you have internet hook up now.