For the next week and a half, I’m
looking forward to plenty of fun family festivities. But I’ll be back on January 9. I have a feeling that 2017 is going to be a fantastic year.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Happy Holidays!
Monday, December 19, 2016
My 6 Favorite STEM Books of 2016
Sorry, folks, I just couldn't narrow it down to five titles. So here are my six favorites in alphabetical order.
Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics by Steve Jenkins
Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America by Gail Jarrow
Masters of Disguise: Amazing Animal Tricksters by Rebecca L. Johnson
Pink Is for Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals by Jess Keating
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics by Steve Jenkins
Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America by Gail Jarrow
Masters of Disguise: Amazing Animal Tricksters by Rebecca L. Johnson
Pink Is for Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals by Jess Keating
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
Friday, December 16, 2016
A Great School Visit
Recently,
I spent a fantastic day with the third graders at Marguerite Small School in
West Yarmouth, MA. Why was it so great? Because of the hard work of this woman—school
librarian Kim Keith—and her colleagues, especially Shannon Carlson, who took most of the pictures below.
On
the day of my visit, the students were ready for some fun. They got firsthand
experience comparing their jumping ability to that of a frog.
The
students read several of my books in advance and did activities to reinforce
the information and ideas. Here are a couple of examples:
They
learned that, based on their height, if they could jump like a frog, they’d be
able to leap over TWO school buses! And then they discussed how a frog’s
locomotion helped it survive in the world.
I wish I had a photo of 70 third graders sticking out their
tongues. That was their introduction to the idea that if they had a tongue like
a frog, they could use it to wash out their bellybuttons. Pretty handy, right?
Then we transitioned into how a book is made. I showed them a rough
draft, and we compared it to the text in the printed book.
I showed them a couple of illustrator Higgins Bond’s rough
sketches and we had a great conversation about some of the changes she made and
why they were important. After all, in a nonfiction book, everything in the
words AND the pictures has to be accurate.
Oh yes, there was one more thing. Mrs. Zabielski’s class
helped me with a super secret project. Here’s a sneak peek:
Curious? Too bad. You’ll have to wait a few months to find out more.
Happy Friday!
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Behind the Books: Who’s Your Audience?
For me, writing is a fun adventure. A game to
play. A puzzle to solve. A challenge to overcome.
But many students don’t feel the same way.
According to them, research is boring. Making a writing plan is a waste of
time. And revision is more than frustrating. It’s downright painful.
Why do young writers have a point of view
that’s so completely different from mine? While there’s probably no single
answer to this question, one thing that's missing for young writers is an authentic audience.
When I begin writing, I know exactly who my
audience is. I’m excited to share information with them. And in many cases,
they respond with their thoughts and ideas.
For this blog, my audience is you. I know you
are reading because I see my Blogger stats. You respond on social media, and
sometimes you leave comments or send email.
For my children’s books, the ultimate audience is kids, of course. But most of the time, they depend on gatekeepers to put the books in their hands. So the gatekeepers are my audience too.
For my children’s books, the ultimate audience is kids, of course. But most of the time, they depend on gatekeepers to put the books in their hands. So the gatekeepers are my audience too.
I know people are reading my books because I
see reviews in journals and online. Eventually, I see sales figures. Kids
respond by sending me letters, by asking probing questions at school visits,
and sometimes, by dragging their parents to book signings. Gatekeepers respond
via social media and by inviting me to their schools and conferences.
These responses are different from the ones I
get from my critique group and editors. Sure, they read my work too, but it’s
their job to find fault with it. While I appreciate and depend on their
feedback, it’s far less rewarding than the reactions I get from my true
audience, my authentic audience.
Students often don’t have an authentic
audience. Their teacher is like my editor. And if peer critiquing or buddy
editing is part of their process, those classmates are like my critique group.
How can we give young writers the kind of
experiences professional writers have when they write for and get responses
from an authentic audience? Here are a couple of ideas:
1. Share writing with
younger students. Encourage the younger
students to respond with writing of their own or by drawing pictures or making an
audio or video recording.
2. Create a classblog and encourage students in other classes and/or parents to read the posts
and leave meaty comments.
If you have other suggestions, please share
them in the comments below. I know there are lots of ways we can make this
happen for our students.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Quintets for Curious Kids: 5 Great STEM-themed Middle-grade Novels Especially for Girls
The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
The Evolution of
Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
The Thing About
Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Behind the Books: The Duct Tape Rule
One of the most important
steps of my writing process is sharing my rough draft with my critique group.
We meet twice a month at a library near my home.
Many students have
a similar step in their writing process. Some schools call it peer review.
Others call it buddy editing. Some schools don’t really have a specific name
for this step. Students just know they’re supposed to swap their paper with a
classmate when they’re ready for feedback.
But let’s face it.
Getting feedback isn’t always easy. We work long and hard on our drafts. We
make them as good as they can possibly be, and sometimes we think they may not
need much revision at all. It’s human nature.
And that’s why when
we do get feedback—sometimes significant feedback—it can be hard to take. We
might feel like we’re being attacked and be tempted to defend our choices. But
that would be a mistake because the more we talk, the less we hear.
Let me say that again, this time in the second person, because it’s really important: The more you talk, the less you
hear.
And that’s why,
when it’s my turn to receive feedback, I pretend that I have a big piece of duct
tape over my mouth. That’s right, I implement “The Duct Tape Rule.” It helps me
remember that my job is to be open to criticism.
I need to listen
carefully to what my critique teammates are saying. If I don’t agree, I keep my
doubts to myself. I scrawl down all their ideas as fast as I can.
Later, when I look
back at those notes, I can decide how to proceed. I can decide which
suggestions feel right to me and which to let go. But if I haven’t listened
carefully to the ideas, if I haven’t written them down, they will be lost
forever, and they can’t possibly help me improve my writing.
As I’m sitting quietly
at my computer, days or weeks after the critique, I’m grateful for those notes.
I’m grateful for those ideas because most of the time they do help. A lot. And
that’s why an imaginary roll of duct tape will always be in my writer’s
toolbox.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Quintets for Curious Kids: 5 Great STEM-themed Middle-grade Novels
The Great Trouble by Deborah Hopkinson
Ninjas, Piranhas, and
Galileo by Greg Leitch Smith
Scat by Carl Hiassen
The Universe of Fair by Leslie Bulion
Friday, December 2, 2016
A New Book
If you’re a fan of Feathers: Not Just for Flying, I have
some great news, which I can FINALLY make public. Publisher's Weekly has recently announced a
companion title, which will be called Seashells: More
than a Home. It will be illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen and published by
Charlesbridge in Summer 2018.
Right now, 2018 seems far, far into the future. Still, I’m giddy with anticipation.
Here are a few studies Sarah did last summer, before she even had a contract. Now that’s dedication!
Aren’t the shells lovely? I can hardly wait to see the art for the book.
Both Sarah and I have been enamored with shells since childhood. I spent my summers beachcombing the sandy shores of Cape Cod, and Sarah enjoyed searching the rocky beaches of Penobscot Bay in Maine.
In some ways, I’ve been researching this book for most of my life. I’ve had the pleasure of spending countless hours exploring seashores all over the world, from Costa Rica to Mexico and the Galápagos Islands, from Hawaii, Great Britain, and Kenya to Vancouver Island, Canada.
Here are a couple of photos taken by traveling companions at moments when they were amused by my enthusiasm for shells and all the amazing creatures that call them home.
As you can see,
creating this book was a labor of love.
Right now, 2018 seems far, far into the future. Still, I’m giddy with anticipation.
Here are a few studies Sarah did last summer, before she even had a contract. Now that’s dedication!
Aren’t the shells lovely? I can hardly wait to see the art for the book.
Both Sarah and I have been enamored with shells since childhood. I spent my summers beachcombing the sandy shores of Cape Cod, and Sarah enjoyed searching the rocky beaches of Penobscot Bay in Maine.
In some ways, I’ve been researching this book for most of my life. I’ve had the pleasure of spending countless hours exploring seashores all over the world, from Costa Rica to Mexico and the Galápagos Islands, from Hawaii, Great Britain, and Kenya to Vancouver Island, Canada.
Here are a couple of photos taken by traveling companions at moments when they were amused by my enthusiasm for shells and all the amazing creatures that call them home.
![]() |
Haena State Park, Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii, January 2015 |
![]() |
Botanical
Beach, Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, June 2015 |
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference Handout
Building Research Skills in K-3
Author-educator Melissa Stewart introduces scaffolded visual, information, and digital literacy activities to help K-3 students develop the observational, inquiry, and critical thinking skills required to evaluate print and digital resources for nonfiction reports. Supports Common Core RIT Standards 6 and 7 and Writing Standards 7 and 8.
Recommended Books
Pictures that Go Beyond the Words
Author-educator Melissa Stewart introduces scaffolded visual, information, and digital literacy activities to help K-3 students develop the observational, inquiry, and critical thinking skills required to evaluate print and digital resources for nonfiction reports. Supports Common Core RIT Standards 6 and 7 and Writing Standards 7 and 8.
Recommended Books
Encouraging Observation
Where’s Walrus? by Steve Savage
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krause Rosenthal
Wave by Suzy Lee
Fossil by Bill Thomson
The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Peet
Great blog post with suggestions for wordless picture book read alouds:
Great blog post with suggestions for wordless picture book read alouds:
Blackout by John Rocco
One Day, The End by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Where in the Wild by David M. Schwartz
Pictures that Go Beyond the Words
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
Redwoods by Jason Chin
Visual Teaching Strategies Method
I use images from picture books I’ve written (A Place for Turtles, Feathers: Not Just for Flying, When Rain Falls, Under the Snow), but you can use illustrations from any illustrated book, fiction or nonfiction.
Ask students:
--What do you think is happening in this picture?
--What do you see that makes you say that?
After a class discussion, encourage students to think about how they might have drawn the art differently if they were the illustrator. If time permits, invite the children to draw their version of the art.
Ask students:
--What do you think is happening in this picture?
--What do you see that makes you say that?
After a class discussion, encourage students to think about how they might have drawn the art differently if they were the illustrator. If time permits, invite the children to draw their version of the art.
Extracting Content-Area Information
Sample Question: How do animals depend on the place where they live?
Book Pair: Just Ducks by Nicola Davies & Hip-pocket Papa by Sandra Markle
Sample Wonder Statement: I wonder how a rain forest is different from a desert.
Book Pair: The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry & Here Is a Southwestern Desert by Madeliene Dunphy
For more samples and book suggestions: Perfect Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2 by Melissa Stewart & Nancy Chesley
For more samples and book suggestions: Perfect Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2 by Melissa Stewart & Nancy Chesley
Books with Designs that Convey an Extra Layer of Information
Move! by Steve Jenkins
Mosquito Bite by Alexandra Siy
The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton
How Design Affects Our Thoughts
Guide students in understanding the importance of designers in creating the visuals we see every day. How can our thoughts and feelings be manipulated with visuals, such as in advertisements and website homepages?
How Design Affects Our Thoughts
Guide students in understanding the importance of designers in creating the visuals we see every day. How can our thoughts and feelings be manipulated with visuals, such as in advertisements and website homepages?
Tricks for Evaluating Websites
Point out the three letter domain names at the end of website addresses. Let them know that these three letters can tell them who created the site and what the creator's main objective is for the site.
Encourage students to ask themselves, "What is the first thing my eye notices when I look at this website?" Help them understand that their answer to this question can help them assess the reliability of a website.
Recommended Blog Posts on this Topic
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/02/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/02/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research_24.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research_9.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research_16.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research-6.html
Point out the three letter domain names at the end of website addresses. Let them know that these three letters can tell them who created the site and what the creator's main objective is for the site.
Encourage students to ask themselves, "What is the first thing my eye notices when I look at this website?" Help them understand that their answer to this question can help them assess the reliability of a website.
Recommended Blog Posts on this Topic
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/02/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/02/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research_24.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research_9.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research_16.html
http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2016/03/behind-books-getting-ready-to-research-6.html
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Behind the Books: Stepping Up to Research, Step 4
According to new findings from the Teachers College Reading
and Writing Project at Columbia University, the best nonfiction writing occurs
when early-elementary research experiences are scaffolded as follows:
1. Organize and categorize
information
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic they care deeply about
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic they care deeply about
2. Organize, categorize, and
compare observations.
3. Conduct guided research.
4. Conduct cold research.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been looking
at each of these steps in detail and suggesting activity ideas.
For step 4, students choose a topic
they’re passionate about and conduct research with the support of their classroom
teacher, literacy coach, and school librarian.
By now, they have the skills they need to find facts in books and online
articles. They may also be ready to consider other kinds of sources. Encourage
students to think outside the box.
For example, if students are
writing about an animal, can they observe it in its natural setting? If the
animal lives in your area, they may be able to find it and watch it. They may
also be able to locate a webcam that shows the animal going about its daily
routine.
If students are writing about a
social studies topic, can they visit a local historical society or museum? What
can they learn from artifacts? Can they interview people who are knowledgeable about
their topic?
The more creatively students think about their research process, the more invested they will become in their topic, and their enthusiasm will definitely shine through in their written report.
The more creatively students think about their research process, the more invested they will become in their topic, and their enthusiasm will definitely shine through in their written report.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Quintets for Curious Kids: 5 Great Books about Rocks
Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor
If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian
A Rock Can Be by
Laura Purdie Salas
A Rock Is a Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston
Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Quintets for Curious Kids: 5 Great Picture Books about Rain Forests
Army Ant Parade by April Pulley Sayre
The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Melissa Stewart
Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson
Red-eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley
Friday, November 18, 2016
THE Best Book Ever for Kids Who Love to Learn About Animals
The Animal Book by
Steve Jenkins
Seriously, this book is in a class all
by itself, so run right out and buy it as a holiday gift for all the curious
kids in your life.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Behind the Books: Stepping Up to Research, Step 3
According to new findings from the Teachers College Reading
and Writing Project at Columbia University, the best nonfiction writing occurs
when early-elementary research experiences are scaffolded as follows:
1. Organize and categorize
information
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply about
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply about
2. Organize, categorize, and
compare observations.
3. Conduct guided research.
4. Conduct cold research.
For Step 3, students write about a topic
the class is studying. This is a great chance to integrate ELA with your
science or social studies curriculum.
At
the beginning of the unit, draw your class’s attention to a Wonder Wall that
you created on a classroom bulletin board. Let the children know that as they
study the topic, they will probably have lots of questions. Encourage students to record these questions on sticky notes and add them
to the Wonder Wall.
If a question is answered during the remaining part of the unit, jot
the answer on another sticky note and place it next to the question. At the end
of the unit, invite students to choose one of the unanswered questions or
develop a new question. Working with the school librarian and a literacy coach,
guide the children in researching their questions independently and sharing their
findings with the class.
Next week I’ll take Wednesday
off, so I can clean my house and go grocery shopping in preparation of for the
Thanksgiving festivities, but I’ll be back on November 30 to look at Step 4.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Quintets for Curious Kids: 5 Great Picture Books for Kids Who Love Math
Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by
Laurie Wallmark
The Boy Who Loved
Math by Deborah Heiligman
Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell
Just a Second by
Steve Jenkins
Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Behind the Books: Stepping Up to Research, Step 2
According to new findings from the Teachers College Reading
and Writing Project at Columbia University, the best nonfiction writing occurs
when early-elementary research experiences are scaffolded as follows:
1. Organize and categorize
information
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply about
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply about
2. Organize, categorize, and
compare observations.
3. Conduct guided research.
4. Conduct cold research.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be
looking at each of these steps in detail and suggesting activity ideas.
For Step 2, take a look at your
science curriculum. Students could observe and compare soil samples from home
and the school playground. They could observe how a plant changes as it grows.
Here’s an activity I love. Collect a
dozen rocks or shells. Divide your class into small groups and give each team one
of the objects. Ask the children to use words and pictures to describe their
object.
As the groups finish, one member should
return their object to a central location. Then have each team rotate to a new
table, leaving their description behind.
Invite the groups to read the
description in front of them and carefully study the drawing. Then the teams
should take turns going to the central location. Their task is to select the
object they think the first team used to create its description. Encourage
students to repeat this process until all the teams have identified the correct
object.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Quintets for Curious Kids: 5 Great Picture Books for Kids Who Love to Explore
Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart
Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate
Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature
by Sarah C. Campbell
Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman
Friday, November 4, 2016
Three Tips for Writing Teachers
Recently, a teacher tweeted me with this question:
When kids revise, their
changes may not be improvements. How can we lead them to make their manuscripts
better?
That’s a great
question, but it’s not something that can be answered in 140 characters. And in
fact, I’m not sure there’s an answer—at least not one teachers will like—at
all.
I think that the
only honest answer is that revision is messy, and sometimes our attempts to
re-envision our writing are complete and utter failures. That’s why writing is
hard.
As I describe in this Revision Timeline, creating the picture book No Monkeys, No Chocolate was a 10-year journey. When I share this
timeline with students, they always ask the same question: “Does it always take
so long to write a book?”
No, it doesn’t. But
for most of the picture books I write, the journey from inspiration to
publication is far longer than most people expect. Here are some stats:
Can an Aardvark Bark? (coming in 2017), 7 years
Feathers: Not Just for Flying, 8 years
Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating
Animal Underdogs (coming in 2018), 7 years
A Place for Butterflies, 5 years
Summertime Sleep (coming in
2019), 8 years
Under the Snow, 5 years
For each of these
manuscripts, I wrote draft after draft after draft. And I openly admit that some
of those drafts were worse than the ones that came before them.
When it comes to
writing, not every attempt is an improvement. Not every idea pans out, and you
know what, that’s okay. It’s part of the process. Like I said, writing is hard.
But it’s also
important. For more and more people, being able to clearly express information
and ideas in writing is a critical job skill. And that’s why I think the best
thing a writing teacher can do is:
Be a Coach
A good coach knows how
to help players improve by giving them the right advice at the right moment. Writing
teachers can do this by building a classroom collection of mentor texts and
handing students titles that will address specific writing elements that they are
struggling with.
For nonfiction, the collection should include books with:
—various formats and text structures
—different writing styles (narrative and expository)
—different voices (lyrical, lively, and various options in between)
For nonfiction, the collection should include books with:
—various formats and text structures
—different writing styles (narrative and expository)
—different voices (lyrical, lively, and various options in between)
—various points of
view (first, second, and third)
—strong verbs
—rich use of
language devices (alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes and metaphors, etc.)
Coaches also teach
strategies by going over past games play by play. Writing teachers can use old student
work to showcase how those writers chose a clever format or used voice well or
included strong verbs.
Be a Role Model
Time and again,
when I do writing workshops in schools, I see that the classes that do the best
are the ones where the teacher participates. She pays attention to what I’m
saying. She takes notes. She asks questions. And most importantly, she writes
right alongside her students.
As she writes, she
verbalizes the things that are challenging her. She asks her students for
advice and suggestions. She encourages them to consult with one another. She
shows them that writing is a struggle for everyone, and yet, it’s something
that is worthy of her time—and theirs.
Be a Cheerleader
When students feel
frustrated or defeated, writing teachers can spur kids on. They can encourage
young writers to keep trying by sharing examples of their own setbacks
and successes. They can also share the trials and tribulations that
professional writers discuss on their blogs or social media. When students see that the adults around them struggle with writing, that it's just part of the process, they can learn to move past the frustration they feel and experience their own successes.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Behind the Books: Stepping Up to Research, Step 1
According to new findings from the Teachers College Reading
and Writing Project at Columbia University, the best nonfiction writing occurs
when early-elementary research experiences are scaffolded as follows:
1. Organize and categorize
information
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply about
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply about
2. Organize, categorize, and
compare observations.
3. Conduct guided research.
4. Conduct cold research.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be
looking at each of these steps in detail and suggesting activity ideas.
For Step 1, topics like “My Baby
Brother” or “My Dog” or “My Mom” or “My School” work best. These are topics
kids know about as a result of their everyday interactions. So the struggle
isn’t related to gathering information, it’s related to organizing it into a
piece of writing that flows in a logical way. (As an added bonus, this
assignment might teach children knew about their relationships or family
dynamics.)
This kind of assignment works
better than “write what you know” because young students might think they know
a lot about frogs, but when it comes down to it, there are bound to be gaps in
their knowledge, and that’s a problem at this level.
This assignment also works better
than “write something you could teach” because, let’s face it, rehashing the
rules of soccer is pretty boring.
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