Week of 17-21 April, 2017 (Week 31)

We'll spend the next two weeks analyzing children's books (including how they are organized and built) and then writing and illustrating a children's book either individually or in pairs.  Here's the overview of this week:

Daily Accountability Log

Children's Book Analysis

Information Synthesis

ELAR 8 (in conjunction with 8th Grade Science):  Write a Children’s Book Project

You will, either alone or with one partner, create a children’s picture book. The story for your book will be based in an ecosystem and explore a topic related to one of these relationships in your ecosystem:

• Predator/Prey
  
• Parasite/Host
  
• Producer/Consumer
  

See the science portion of the grading rubric and Mrs. Keith for more details.

For ELAR, you will:
Week One (Google Forms)

• Always keep track of all of your efforts by filling out the Personal Accountability Log.   This keeps you on track, serves as an organizer, and helps me see when you worked, how long, and more.
  
• Read numerous picture books, then select three for analysis of all of their major features. Fill out Children’s Book Analysis for the four you choose.  You should fill out The goal is to discover underlying concepts, themes, techniques, trends, etc. that you can harness yourself and apply to your own project in a unique way.
  
• Synthesize and draw conclusions through discussion and from your OWN findings found in the previous analysis sheets. You fill out Information Synthesis. You will be surprised to find out: trends; a secret formula; general rules, etc., all of which provide “guidelines” for you as you move forward on this journey. You will also learn from your classmates.
  

Week Two Packet (A paper packet I will give to you)

• Plan out your ideas, using graphic organizer, “4A-4B-4C Planning My Project.”  Write out, text only, your first draft, using “5 -5A-5B Writing My Story.”
  
• Strategize, plan, and layout the entire book. Use “6A-6B Rewrite and Organize.” Place text snippets where they will go in the actual story. Note on which page illustrations should go (and give them numbers for reference). ESSENTIAL sheet.
  
• Further strategize and plan layout, Using “7 Mock-up of Picture Book.” Create a miniature mock-up. Invaluable, as it along with 6A and B, create a template to follow as you create your actual book.
  
• Once all of your decisions have been made, focus on CREATION and assembly, using software, hand application with computer, crafts, or a combination. You will be graded based on the rubric.
  

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ELAR Grading Rubric for Children's Book