Teachers.Net Lesson Plans

#130. Kids like to Publish

Reading/Writing, level: other
Posted by Karen Ryals ().

Newton High School, Newton, IA USA
Materials Required: Hard bound blank books, graphics/pictures, colors,scissors, decorating ideas& scrapes,glue
Activity Time: 1 month of 45 minute class time
Concepts Taught: Writing, illustration, computer

I teach a high school special education classroom. I wanted to teach my students to write for an audience. Because their writing skills are so poor I have them create children's story books. The books must teach a lesson and be illustrated. We discuss the differences in books for various ages.For instance, infant book have few words but many bright big pictures where as books for 4-6 year olds are more words, more details in pictures with fewer pictures or less color.This has been very successful with Special needs high school students.
Goals: Write & illustrate a book written for a particular age group
improve computer skills
use creative thinking to design a product
Read book out loud to children or other students

Materials: Hard bound blank book are available through the Sundance Co. Elementary catalog
We buy glitter, glitter glue, coloring books, paint, markers, colored pencils, sequence, felt, material scraps, etc to decorate the pictures of the book (since touch gets kids involved with a book the younger they are)

Procedure: I have a specific step-by-step procedure I follow to keep the students on track.
Basically 1. webbing activity 2. story plan sheet 3. rough draft (written) 4. typed rough draft 5. proofread by adult 6. corrected on word processor 7. Divide story into pages 8. make copy of words divided into pages raise size on word to at least 14 count 9. get error free copy 10. cut words apart and glue to book pages
11. begin searching coloring book, magazines, computer graphics, holiday card front etc for graphics to fit on each page of writing. 12. photocopy, cut them, run off etc 13. if illustration need to be colored do prior to pasting in books. 14. Add at least one special effect (something to touch, smell, pop up, etc)
15. put book together 16. Read book to audience (I bring in small children & have a story time.)

Evaluation: I give daily classroom participation points for attendance, participation & work ethic
I have a rubric for grading the book and the oral presentation.

Helpful hints: Show students examples of books designed for different ages.
Discuss techiques such as rhyming, poetry, etc.
Create a calendar giving students guidelines for where they should be at the end of each week
Create a list of lessons to teach
Show examples of books or pages others have done

For a complete copy of my step by step procedure & evaluation tools please write to:
Karen Ryals
Newton High School
East 4th Street South
Newton, IA 50208

Sorry I don't have E-mail yet coming in October of 97
Newton, IA 50203