Trees are so much a part of our daily lives, whether we take them for granted or find ourselves fighting for their survival: so it is perhaps unsurprising that there are many stories from all over the world that feature trees, woods or forests as a central theme or ‘character’… … Continue reading ...
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By: Michelle,
on 12/6/2011
A few weeks ago I visited a writing group for grades 5-6 at Ecole Grosvenor Park School in Halifax, NS. They call themselves “The Inklings.” Cynthia d’Entroment (author of Unlocked and the upcoming Oak Island Revenge) is the leader of this wonderful group of students along with grade six teacher Jane Everitt. They meet weekly over the lunch hour and work on their writing. They’ve covered such topics as spying an idea, showing vs telling, dialogue, building suspense and much more.
When talking with Cynthia about what I might do with them, I asked her where the school was located.
I nearly died.
It turned out to be the very school where I attended grades 3-5, but more importantly it was the school I imagined my characters in, Maxed Out attend. During the rewrites of Maxed Out I had decided to write all those people who helped me with this story into it as a thank you. Cynthia became the teacher in the first chapter, but in real life she was then taking her masters and wasn’t teaching at this school. What are the chances? Whether it’s art imitating life or life imitating art—I don’t know. But suddenly I was no longer nervous.
I decided to talk to them about “feedback,” both giving and receiving. We talked about the importance of being open to suggestions and how no one writes perfectly on their first try. I was able to show them what my story looked like in the beginning and at various stages of its growth.
When asked, “Do you want me to read or do you want to get right to your writing?” one girl shouted, “Write!”
And write they did. We started with a little warm-up exercise to get their creative juices flowing. I said a sentence and then each student had to add to it. A few giggles were had as the story got larger and larger. Then I asked them to write for ten minutes. I provided several starter up sentences to help them in case they didn’t know what to write about. When we regrouped, each student read their work and we provided feedback. I was so proud of one little boy because when I had initially read his writing I gave him some feedback around the use of sounds. He took my advice and added some!
A grade six student moved me to tears with her descriptive writing of a personal experience. She asked me to sign her journal afterwards. I felt honored to be able to once again tell her what a great writer she was.
I’m so thankful she has the opportunity to express herself with the written word, which can be healing, empowering and a pure joy to one’s soul.
How fortunate that these students discover the joy of writing at such an early age. Having my first young adult novel, Maxed Out, with Orca Book Publishers is symbolic to me—in that I was born in Victoria, BC. It seems appropriate that the “birth” of my first story comes from my birth place. I feel very blessed.
Maxed Out is Daphne Greer’s first book with Orca. It will be published in spring 2012.
By: Michelle,
on 4/9/2010
Today is the first of Orca’s Poetry Pauses in celebration of National Poetry Month. Every Friday throughout April, we will post a fun and classroom-friendly poem from one of Pat Skene’s hilarious poetry collections: Monster Lunch, Rhyme Stones and What a Hippopota-Mess!, all illustrated by Graham Ross. This week’s poem is “Grumpy Garden-Dude” from Monster Lunch.
Classroom Activities:
· Pat’s poems are perfect for reading aloud or performing in small groups. Have the class identify all the “garden” words in the poem.
· Discuss students’ favorite (and least favorite!) outdoor activities.
· Make a chart of what vegetables students would grow in their gardens and why.
· Help students write another stanza for “Grumpy Garden-Dude” with the same AABB rhyme scheme.
You can also download the Monster Lunch Teachers’ Guide for more activities and curriculum connections.
Grumpy Garden-Dude
Please excuse my attitude,
but you can keep your garden-food.
I think planting is a bore,
When you can buy stuff at the store.
One day my dad said with a grin,
“C’mon, let’s put a garden in.”
I dragged the tools down from the shelf,
and kept my feelings to myself.
We found a sunny garden spot.
I worked till I was sweaty hot.
We turned the soil to make a bed.
“Now add manure,” my father said.
“Phew!” I cried. “Give me a break!”
He laughed and handed me the rake.
I sniffed and sniffed but must admit,
it didn’t even stink a bit.
We put in rows and rows of seeds.
Dad said, “That’s what our garden needs.”
We planted seedlings in the ground
and wrapped some wire all around.
I moaned and groaned till we were done.
My dad said, “Next comes all the fun.
I’ll make a gardener of you yet.”
I answered, “Right! You wanna bet?”
I dug my heels into the dirt
and wiped my hands across my shirt.
Now what’s a grumpy dude to do?
I didn’t have a garden-clue!
For weeks I battled wicked weeds.
I shrieked at slugs and centipedes.
The sprinkler hose had sprung a leak.
My garden-life was looking bleak.
The day by day the changes came.
And things no longer looked the same.
Who knew that peas could climb a pole?
Or squash would grow out of control?
We built a trellis with some twine.
I helped my dad with the design.
We scooped up radishes and beans,
pickled carrots, beets and lettuce greens.
Our yard looked like a grocery mart
I could have used a shopping cart.
Tomatoes overflowed my pot,
and suddenly, I had a thought.
“It’s pizza night,” I told my dad.
I showed him all the stuff I had.
Red peppers, onions, herbs and more.
“We don’t need pizza from the store.”
We made the dough—it was a breeze.
By: Melanie Jackson,
on 4/21/2009
Okay, so some of us don’t ever land graceful hoops like in this photo. Some of us don’t even land ungraceful ones. Educators and fitness experts alike are now saying, “So what?” The point of fitness, they assert, isn’t to look cool, or make every right move, or least of all to impress others. The point is to have fun – to get fit without getting terrified. We have to remove schoolkids’ long-held concept of phys ed as an ordeal. For example, if kids aren’t comfortable running five times around the track field, maybe they can walk briskly instead. And what’s wrong with skipping rope as exercise? Even Dinah Galloway, who very grudgingly comes to love – well, like, fitness in the health-themed mystery Queen of Disguises, can manage the occasional double-under.
By: Melanie Jackson,
on 3/10/2009
In Summer of the Spotted Owl, Dinah Galloway and her buddies save a family of spotted owls from crooked developers in the North Vancouver rainforest. Spotted owls are among the world’s most endangered animals – but they just got a glimmer of hope. In a recent story, the Los Angeles Times reported: “President Obama [recently] overrode the Bush administration on a key step in applying the Endangered Species Act, restoring a requirement that federal agencies consult with experts before launching construction projects that could affect the well-being of threatened species.” CTV News recommended Summer of the Spotted Owl for young readers seeking to learn about fragile ecosystems.
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Posted on 9/27/2007
Author: Jean Pendziwol
Illustrator: Martine Gourbault
Published: 1999 Kids Can Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1550745719 Chapters.ca Amazon.com
Softly illustrated and secured in unshakable rhyme, this engaging adventure sharpens fire safety smarts with a perfect balance of silly sweetness and serious suspense.
Other books mentioned:
Information about the National Book Festival’s Young Readers’ Toolkit can be found here
