Story Time

Today, I did my all-time favorite activity with my students. Since I started teaching honors classes, I have had my students write their own children's book as a culminating activity in our creative writing unit. I let students work in groups. It has to be in color and a certain amount of pages, but the main requirement is that it has a good and appropriate theme for young kids. As a special bonus, I arrange for the students to read their stories to kids at our elementary school. This year, timing was perfect, and we went over today.

It is always such a great experience for everyone involved. We went to all of the kindergarten classes (7) and split up into groups to rotate through the rooms. When my students entered each room, the kindergarteners' eyes lit up in awe - they must look so big to the young ones! They were just so excited - jumping up and down and asking questions about every page. When my kids finished each story, the young ones did a question/answer session. They would start out asking about the books, but it inevitably went to discussions about what Santa will hopefully be bringing to everyone's house. Some of the classes even sang songs to our students as a thank you.

On the walk back to our building, my students were beyond excited about the experience. They all just had to tell me what each kindergartener said to them. I know that they at first thought the assignment of writing the book was lame. But, I have to say that they did a wonderful job. They wrote stories about sharing, about not being greedy and materialistic, about helping your friends, and being appreciative. All good things to learn! Some of them drew their illustrations by hand. Others posed and took pictures of themselves to fit the scene of each page. And others used online programs to create their own unique designs. A lot of work went into these books, and I can tell students were proud of them after hearing the kindergarten students and teachers gush over them. I know it will be a day they remember for a long time.