Craft Lesson #3

Developing new techniques in getting children’s imagination and interested in writing stories while reading chapter books.
DISCUSSION
It is difficult to get children interested in reading a book and then writing about what they have read. They have a hard time focusing on chapter books and staying in touch with what the author is writing about. There are many ways to keep a child focused in the reading and getting their imagination thinking in writing ideas about what is happening in the story. The books that teachers choose to read, even though may be chapter books and long, have a great influence on children’s attention span and interest. How the book is read to the child also plays a big role because doing it in sections makes a big difference. The choice of story helps children develop new ways of thinking about what they want to write about.
MATERIALS
1. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
2. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Marla Frazee
3. My name is Maria Isabel by Alama Flor Ada
Illustrated by K. Dyble Thompson
4. Stuart Goes To School by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Martin Matje
HOW TO TEACH IT
Reading chapter books to children can be a challenge and a bigger challenge is getting them focused and involved in writing about the fiction being read. There are many chapter books that can be related to what children are going through. These books are great representations of the imagination a child. Teachers only have to choice the right book to bring about children’s interest in the novel and into writing about the reading and relating it to their own experiences.
“Stuart Goes To School” is a fiction book, that is not short, but children can be read to in chapters so that their attention span can be focused in the story and be willing to read the book the next day. A chapter can be read and then children can reflect on the experiences that “Stuart” goes through in the story. Children can relate to their opinions about what is happening in the story to similar situations that they went through or are going through. The teacher can read three chapters, at least, a week to keep children involved and willing to cooperate and later on want to know what will happen in the story. Reading a chapter three times a week can help them reflect on what’s happening and think about their reflections and writings throughout the story.
Similar books are the ones mentioned in the materials section, where these are books that are humorous at the children’s level because situations occur in reality. Children’s imagination is huge. Children think some other way and they believe that what they are thinking is true. All the stories mentioned above can help children relate to life events and relate to what they are going through in life. Children can draw upon what “Maria Isabel” goes through when the teacher calls her a different name. In “Clementine”, Clementine wants to do what she thinks is right but others are thinking differently. In “Dear Mr. Henshaw,” Leigh misses his dad and writes to an author revealing what happens in school and also his feelings about being accepted. Finally in “Stuart Goes To School”, Stuart wants to be liked and innocently does the impossible to be liked.
The stories can be read in chapters a day or two and bring the relation and connection children experience in real life events. They can write on those reflections and connect them and talk about their own.
Example: The teacher states, “Let’s read chapter one, from Clementine”, they read the chapter together and discuss how Clementine feels when others don’t understand why she does things the way she does.
Or chapter one in “Stuart Goes To School”, they discuss the first day of school and how it would feel to have to wear something that has to be worn and they don’t like. How it feels to want to be accepted by others.
The teacher can tell the children to write about their experiences and how it relates to Clementine’s or Stuart’s experiences and the relation they share in common. This can lead to a discussion and a paper written by students, like a journal. This can also lead to children allowing their feelings to float freely and know that there are many ways and forms to do writings. Books such as the ones in the materials section, leads students to understand that writings take many forms and that they can produce it as such.