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Persuasive Writing in the Library

5/16/2015

We had an extra copy of Derek Jeter's Ultimate Baseball Guide 2015. So many students wanted that book. What to do?
We decided that every student who wanted a chance to win our extra copy of the book would submit a small ballot on a piece of scratch paper. The ballot would include a statement as to why they should be the recipient of the Baseball Guide.
The rules were: you could submit only one entry and it had to contain: 1) your name, 2) your classroom number, and 3) a convincing argument for you to receive this book. All entries that included those three items were placed in a basket and at the end of the day one ballot was randomly drawn from the basket.
The persuasive statements were terrific! Each one was unique. But all were compelling. A great "stealth" writing exercise.
I will definitely do this again.

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Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff

5/10/2015

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How could I not be intrigued with a book that features baseball, stewed carrots, and asks the question “Could mashed potatoes make you go insane?” In the interest of full disclosure: It really was my love affair with A Tangle of Knots and Absolutely Almost that initially drew to me Lost in the Sun, Lisa Graff’s latest middle grade novel. But I still want to make those stewed carrots*.

Meet Trent: brother, baseball aficionado, journal doodler. These days Trent no longer defines himself in terms of those characteristics. Instead he views himself through the lens of his exquisite pain.
His self-talk reveals the depth of his anguish.

Nine of Trent's self-inflicted wounds:

1. “I figured out that no matter how hard you tug at something, no matter how bad you want it, sometimes it just can’t be pried free…I wished I could lift that moment out of my life, just scoop it up with an industrial-sized claw, and toss it into a metal bin".

2. “I know it was disturbed or something, to draw somebody getting attacked by sharks. Especially if that somebody was dead already….But drawing those kinds of thoughts on paper turned out to be better than keeping them in my brain because when I kept them in my brain, they sort of jabbed at me like pointy sharp knives…”

3. "I know it didn’t actually work that way, but I couldn’t help thinking that if Aaron saved somebody’s life, maybe it would even things out with me and Jared".

4. "Well let’s see, I thought. My homeroom teacher hates me. My gym teacher hates me. I hate everyone else".

5. "I couldn’t blame her, for looking at me like that. That’s the way I’d look at me, too, if I were her".

6. "It doesn’t matter if it was on purpose or not… I still did it".

7. "But in the real world there are no what-ifs".

8. "I know sometimes in life you only get one chance, but Mr. Little, I sure hope you’ll give me another one anyway…"

9.”I don’t know how to fix it. I’ve been trying but… I think maybe I ruined it".

For anyone who has ever made a mistake.

For anyone who regrets something that happened.

For anyone who has wished for a “do over.”

For anyone who needs a second chance, Lost in the Sun is for you.

*Stewed Carrots are the new Pulled Pork
Check out the recipe.

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Viva Frank Viva

5/3/2015

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While traveling on the F train, I spotted a very familiar piece of art inside my subway car and was thrilled when I noted that the work was signed by Frank Viva. (See photo below).
Who knew that I would be traveling on this particular subway with some of Viva's fantastic work?
Who knew that I would be enroute to school, preparing to share Outstanding in the Rain, his latest picture book, with students?
Art makes magical moments in ways that I never would have dreamed could happen.

Outstanding in the Rain by Frank Viva

I introduced this book by showing my phone photo of Frank Viva subway art. Next I introduced the word "oronym". The children's interest was piqued when I displayed the book cover. They couldn't wait to get started and were bouncing with excitement as I read aloud Outstanding in the Rain, There were frequent requests to stop so that they could pay attention to details, figure out the oronyms, and discuss what was happening. There were many page turns back and forth. When we completed the story, there was an immediate request to "Read it again". Of course we did. They delighted in making new discoveries, talking about their experiences with train travel, and finding art in the community. They began to try and create simple homophone word games. Teachers were equally engaged with this captivating book which can be enjoyed by a wide variety of students.

We noticed the train here...

I saw an umbrella here...

...becomes a mouth with teeth on the next page.

...that becomes a birthday cake on the next page.

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Persuasive Writing in the Library

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff

Viva Frank Viva

Outstanding in the Rain by Frank Viva

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