Time to post one of my favorite end-of-the-year lesson plans. (TGIJune !) Here's a Use-this-tomorrow lesson in which your class will celebrate, review, and give closure to a year of different writing units, while you put your feet up! (Think I'm kidding?)

 What One Kid Can Do

Over and over, the wonderful kids I meet at Author Visits tell me, "Someday I'm gonna  ______ (Fill in the blank: a. write a book, b. win the Superbowl, c. get a puppy , d. save the world...)  Kids want to make a difference just as much as adults do--in their lives and their world. And for some reason, most of us--young and old--save these goals for Someday.  

Repeat after me: "Someday" is now.

Ready:  Introduce your class to 18 year old Riley Carney (who's off to college next year!), the author of NINE books.  

Share this cool interview by Laurie Thompson about Riley's Literacy non-profit organization, Breaking the Chain, which Riley founded at age 14.  (Yes, age 14.)

Set:  A. Have students share about other young people like Riley: Kids in your school. Students in your community.  

B.  Brainstorm with your students about ways they would like to make a difference in their lives or our world.  Have them select the one goal or cause they would most like to accomplish "someday."

Write:  Let students pick one of the following.

* A persuasive essay about why this goal or cause is important.

*A  speech (which they will give to the class--Extra perk: No papers to correct!) about this issue or goal.

 *A descriptive essay about the way the world will be if this issue is not addressed.

*A futuristic /fantasy story about kids who stand up for this cause.  (See Riley's novels at http://www.rileycarney.com/ )

* A Letter: Friendly letter or Thank You to Riley or another young hero; Letter to the Editor; complaint; (Note: Riley's letters can be sent to :   

BREAKING THE CHAIN  

P.O. Box 100644 ,