Effective Writing Tips for the Classroom

Teachers!
Set The Stage for Great Writing

Many kids think of writing as a burden and a chore rather than as a pleasurable experience. Here are some suggestions to help you motivate your students to get them writing.

• Professional writers choose their own topics and story ideas; they write about things they care about. In our current test oppressive culture, students have little opportunity to choose their own writing topics. Whenever possible, offer your students choices within a given writing assignment. If, after being given a writing assignment, a student comes up with a legitimately better idea, be flexible; allow them to bend the assignment to meet their interests.
• Fight to keep creative writing projects in your classroom and your school’s curriculum. With state testing mandates, many teachers have little time to spend on creative writing projects. Your students need to experience writing for joy and pleasure, just like they need to experience reading and books in a pleasurable atmosphere.
• Introducing kids to rich and entertaining children’s literature is the best way to get kids excited about reading and books. Creating their own stories is one of the best ways you can get your students excited about writing.
• The esteemed writer Virginia Woolf suggested that a writer needs "a room of one’s own." Writers need privacy in order to work and school is, conversely, a communal experience. What’s to be done? First, buck the team work trend and have your students work independently on their own writing projects and assignments. Second, see if there is some way you can allow your students to find their own writing space either in the classroom or in the school library, even if they can only use the space on occasion. Third, contact your students' parents and ask them to help their children find a special place at home to write. You may want to print and make multiple copies of the NCBLA article "Creating a Home Atmosphere That Supports Great Writing," and give a copy to each of your students’ parents. It will help them create an atmosphere at home to support their children’s writing.
• Be a role model. If you want your students to think that writing is a pleasurable activity, then you should try to write, too, and let them see you writing. Participate yourself in the creative writing projects you give your students and let them hear the results of your attempts, after they have completed their assignments. If you have the courage to share your writing, they will follow your example!

Find more tips and engaging articles for teachers, parents, and mentors on the NCBLA's website: thencbla.org.

©2004 Mary Brigid Barrett

Readers Theater at the National Book Festival

Did You Miss Us
at the National Book Festival?

Check Out Our Photo Album!

Katherine Paterson, Jon Scieszka, Lynda Johnson Robb

as Cowboy, Carol Rasco as Octopus, Susan Cooper, Grace Lin,

and Mary Brigid Barrett.

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, in partnership with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, gathered in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, September 22 to present a Children's "Literary Lights" Readers Theater presentation at the 13^th Annual National Book Festival. 

Our nation's first two National Ambassadors for Young People's

Literature: Katherine Paterson and Jon Scieszka.

The "Literary Lights" performance featured former National Ambassadors for Young People's Literature Katherine Paterson and Jon Scieszka, as well as award-winning authors Susan Cooper and Grace Lin. 

Susan Cooper, Mary Brigid Barrett, and Grace Lin.

The Readers Theater also featured—in costume—literacy champions Carol Rasco, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), and Lynda Johnson Robb, a founding board member and Chairman Emeritus of RIF. NCBLA President and Executive Director Mary Brigid Barrett introduced the presentation, which was created for adults and children of all ages. 

Lynda Johnson Robb and Carol Rasco serve as masters of

ceremony costumed as the title characters in Jon Scieszka's

picture book Cowboy and Octopus. Costumes designed and
constructed by Elizabeth Barrett Groth.

Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation similar to a radio play. This special production was inspired by books written by each of the performing authors. Katherine Paterson wrote the scripts for Jon Scieszka’s Cowboy and Octopus (Viking Juvenile), Grace Lin’s Starry River of the Sky (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), and her own A Stubborn Sweetness and Other Stories for the Christmas Season (Westminster John Know Press), incorporating the original text from the books. Susan Cooper wrote her own script for King of Shadows (Margaret K. McElderry Books). Robb and Rasco served as masters of ceremony, costumed as the title characters of Scieszka’s Cowboy and Octopus. 

To learn more about Readers Theater, visit the NCBLA's website.

An album of all our photographs is available on our Facebook page.

The Cowboy and Octopus costumes were designed and constructed by costume and set designer Elizabeth Barrett Groth. To see more of Elizabeth's work, visit ElizabethBarrettGroth.com

 

Be sure to check out all of our participating authors' books at your local library or bookstore!

Katherine Paterson, Jon Scieszka, Lynda Johnson Robb as Cowboy, Carol Rasco as Octopus,
Susan Cooper, Grace Lin, and Mary Brigid Barrett perform Readers Theater at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

 

2013 National Book Festival Attracts Thousands

Thank You Washington, D.C
Book Lovers and
Participating Authors and Guests
for a Sucessful Performance

Yesterday the NCBLA presented a Literary Lights Readers Theater performance at the National Book Festival to an amazing audience, who gleefully participated throughout by hollering exclamations such as "TADA!" at all the right times. We were thrilled you could join us. Thank you!

We hope you visit your local library or bookstore soon to check out the participating authors' featured books:

• Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
• Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
• King of Shadows by Susan Cooper
• A Stubborn Sweetness and Other Stories for the Christmas Season by Katherine Paterson

The NCBLA is thrilled that guest authors Jon Scieszka and Grace Lin freely gave of their time and talent to join us in this exciting presentation. And we are equally thrilled that literacy and children’s book advocates Lynda Johnson Robb and Carol Rasco honored us, and with great good humor, served as our Masters of Ceremony. To Katherine Paterson and Susan Cooper, who are devoted members of our board, we know we can always count on you. We thank you all!

Our audience members are undoubtedly still talking today about the enchanting costumes of Jon Scieszka's characters Cowboy and Octopus, which were designed and constructed by costume and set designer Elizabeth Barrett Groth. Thank you Elizabeth! To see more of her work, go to elizabethbarrettgroth.com

The NCBLA also extends sincerest thanks to our partner the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress for giving us the opportunity to present at this year's festival. Learn more about the Center for the Book at Read.gov.

And last but never least, the NCBLA would like to thank Candlewick Press for donating copies of the NCBLA’s award-winning anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out and The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, which we used as special door prizes during the presentation.

CHECK BACK SOON to see more pictures from our performance!

National Book Festival in DC This Weekend

Sunday, September 22
Award-Winning Authors for Young People
PATERSON, SCIESZKA,
COOPER, and LIN
to Perform Readers Theater
at National Book Festival
RIF Literacy Champions
Lynda Johnson Robb and Carol Rasco
to Serve as Masters of Ceremony 

The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress invite adults and children of all ages to our “Literary Lights Readers Theater” to take place at the National Book Festival on the National Mall September 22 at 4:35 p.m. in the Special Programs Pavilion. The National Book Festival is free and open to the public.

Starring former National Ambassadors for Young People's Literature Katherine Paterson and Jon Scieszka, as well as award-winning authors Susan Cooper and Grace Lin, the Readers Theater will also feature—in costume!—literacy champions Carol Rasco, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), and Lynda Johnson Robb, a former First Lady of Virginia and a founding board member and Chairman Emeritus of RIF. NCBLA President and Executive Director Mary Brigid Barrett will introduce the presentation, which has been created for adults and children of all ages.

Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation similar to a radio play. This special production is inspired by books written by each of the performing authors. Katherine Paterson wrote the scripts for Jon Scieszka’s Cowboy and Octopus (Viking Juvenile), Grace Lin’s Starry River of the Sky (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), and her own A Stubborn Sweetness and Other Stories for the Christmas Season (Westminster John Know Press), incorporating the original text from the books. Susan Cooper wrote her own script for King of Shadows (Margaret K. McElderry Books). Robb and Rasco will be serving as masters of ceremony, costumed and performing as the title characters of Scieszka’s Cowboy and Octopus.

Twenty members of the audience will each receive a copy of one of the NCBLA's books Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out or The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, courtesy of Candlewick Press.

About The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance
The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance (the NCBLA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by award-winning young people’s authors and illustrators. Acting as an independent creative agent or in partnership with interested parties, the NCBLA develops original projects, programs, and educational outreach that advocate for and educate about literacy, literature, libraries, the arts, and humanities. Keep up with NCBLA news and events on the NCBLA website (thencbla.org), blog (thencbla.blogspot.com), and Facebook page (Facebook.com/TheNCBLA).

About The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established by public law in 1977 to promote books, reading, literacy and libraries, as well as the scholarly study of books. Since its founding, the Center has established affiliate centers in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Center's mission is carried out internationally through its overseas affiliates. More than 80 organizations are Center for the Book reading promotion partners both in the United States and abroad. Learn more at Read.gov.

About Reading Is Fundamental
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) delivers free books and literacy resources to children and families in underserved communities in the United States. By giving children the opportunity to own a book, RIF inspires them to become lifelong readers and achieve their full potential. As the nation's largest children's literacy nonprofit, RIF has placed 410 million books in the hands of more than 39 million children since it was established in 1966. Learn more and help RIF provide books to kids who need them most, visit RIF.org.

Visit a Book Festival Near You

Can't Join Us at the
National Book Festival?

Check Out These Other Book Festivals
Across the Country!

Over one hundred thousand book lovers are expected to flock to the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. throughout the weekend of September 21 and 22, but if you can't make it, you might want to check out these other book festivals being held in other locations this fall! Take this opportunity to hear your favorite authors and illustrators or to discover a new one!

September 21:
Princeton Children's Book Festival
Hinds Plaza in Princeton, NJ. 
Learn more at: princetonlibrary.org/events/2013/09/princeton-childrens-book-festival

October 17-18:
Boston Book Festival
Copley Square in Boston, MA.
Learn more at:  bostonbookfest.org

October 26:
Children's Literature Festival
Keene State College in Keene, NH. 
Learn more at: keene.edu/clf

October 26-27:
Texas Book Festival
State Capitol Building in Austin, TX.
Learn more at: texasbookfestival.org

Join Us at the National Book Festival September 21 and 22

 NCBLA to Present Readers Theater
at National Book Festival

Thank You to Candlewick Press
for Donating Prize Books

Jon Scieszka and Katherine Paterson.

Make plans now to bring the young people in your life to the NCBLA's Readers Theater at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Our very special presentation will include award-winning authors KATHERINE PATERSON, JON SCIESZKA, SUSAN COOPER, and GRACE LIN!

Also participating in the reading will be literacy champions Carol Rasco, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), and Lynda Johnson Robb, a former First Lady of Virginia and a founding board member and Chairman Emeritus of RIF. NCBLA President and Executive Director Mary Brigid Barrett will be introducing the presentation.

Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation similar to a radio play. Our presentation is inspired by books written by our four participating authors. We hope you can join us on Sunday, September 22 at 4:35 p.m. in the Special Programs Pavilion at the National Book Festival, held on the mall in Washington, D.C.

Twenty lucky members of the audience will each receive a copy of one of the NCBLA's books, either the art and literature anthology Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out  or the progressive story game The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, courtesy of Candlewick Press. Thank you Candlewick!

To learn more about our presentation, click here. 

Attention Teachers! Nonfiction and Fiction Common Core Resources

Engaging Ideas for Implementing Nonfiction and Fiction Common Core Reading Standards Using Multiple Sources

A perfect interdisciplinary resource for helping teachers implement Common Core Reading Standards with both a historical and contemporary perspective is NCBLA's Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out and its companion education website OurWhiteHouse.org. 

The art and literature anthology Our White House purposely juxtaposes contradictory primary and secondary historical sources so that young people can experience what historians often discover in their search for objective truth – multiple perspectives representing different points of view. 

As reported in the Candlewick Classroom for Teachers newsletter, this juxtaposition is ideal for implementing the following two Common Core Reading Standards:

• RI.5.6. Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
• RI.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.

Implementing the Standards in the Classroom
Using the Legend of Dolley Madison

Copyright (c) 2008 by Wendell Minor

As the grand dame of Washington society for more than two decades, the vivacious Dolley Madison was exalted by many in the early nineteenth century as “Lady Presidentress.” Graced with a warm, friendly demeanor and a natural instinct for skillful entertaining, Dolley’s years as first lady made her a legend. Yet Dolley is not only remembered for her social skills. She is also celebrated for having saved priceless White House artifacts from the White House before they were destroyed by British troops during the War of 1812. Though others pleaded with her to leave the executive mansion immediately when the sounds of battle approached, Dolley insisted on gathering what she could—her husband’s letters, the national seal, and the portrait of George Washington. Or so the legend goes. Just what happened that day on August 24, 1814, in the frightful hours before the British troops burned down the White House?

You can engage students in this historical drama using multiple sources of the Dolley Madison legend provided in both Our White House and OurWhiteHouse.org:

• Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out includes several illustrations and literary pieces that focus on the War of 1812, such as Wendell Minor’s stunning painting of the early White House engulfed in flames, Ralph Ketcham’s discussion of President Madison’s struggle to preserve peace and national dignity, and Susan Cooper’s poignant letter imagined from the perspective of a British soldier. Our White House readers will find not only Paul Jennings’ side of the story in an excerpt from his memoirs, but also Don Brown’s take on the legend executed in a luscious watercolor and accompanying story titled “Dolley Madison Rescues George Washington.” Completing the section about the War of 1812 is Meg Cabot’s time-slip narrative, “Another All-American Girl.”
• On OurWhiteHouse.org, you can find the article "Primary Sources: Dolley Madison's Letter to Her Sister About the Burning of the White House," which not only summarizes the legend, but also includes the complete text of Dolley Madison's letter, links to Paul Jennings' memoirs, discussion questions, and activity suggestions for use in the classroom, all of which relate directly to the RI.5.6 and RI.7.9 standards!

Our White House is available
in both hardcover and paperback from Candlewick Press. 

Ask for Our White House at a library or bookstore near you!

To learn more about Our White House and OurWhiteHouse.org, please click here.