Michigan Reading Association
 Conference Presentation

“Which Came First the Writer or the Story? 
Using Autobiographies of Well-Known and Award-Winning Authors
as Models for Writing”




 

March 21, 2004

Karen I. Adams, Dean
College of Education and Human Services
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
 adams1ki@cmich.edu

Pamela Petty, Assistant Professor
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
pam@pampetty.com
http://www..pampetty.com

Prewriting

Drafting

Revising

Editing

Publishing

Presentation Abstract:

Literature serves as a model for good writing. This session provides previews of autobiographies from award-winning authors and ideas for using those books with middle, secondary, and adult learners. Shared strategies will focus on how to motivate writers by encouraging them to tell their own stories. Complete bibliography, handout, and web-page supporting the session will be provided.   

 Presentation Objectives:

a.       Demonstrate the techniques that award-winning authors use to tell their own life stories

b.      Introduce quality literature and talented authors by sharing new books

c.       Make a link between using good literature as a model and prompting quality writing from learners

d.      Demonstrate the writing process – balance between ideas and mechanics

What do the following people have in common?

Ø      Dave Pelzer (A Child Called It)

Ø      Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes)

Ø      Alice Sebold (Lucky)

Ø      Rick Bragg (All Over but the Shoutin’)

Ø      Maya Angelou (I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings)

Ø      Barbara Robinette Moss (Change me into Zeus’s Daughter)

Ø      Leon Walter Tillage (Leon’s Story)

     Yes, they are all writers, but dig deeper.  What is the common denominator of all these writers?  None of them have zoomed in a space shuttle to the moon, discovered the cure for something that saved millions of lives, or in other ways lived extraordinary lives, yet they have all managed to carve a work of art from one simple thing – their stories.

     Now comes the big question:  Were they writers who wanted to tell their stories, or were they people who felt compelled to tell their stories so they learned to write?  Do their stories inspire the brilliance of their writing, or does their ability to write make their stories brilliant?  Although the true “answer” is likely more a combination than a clear cut one-or-the-other scenario, the more important question to us as educators is, how do we allow for both circumstances in our learners? 

     Learners come to us with one magnificent common denominator – they have stories, just like the authors listed above.  Perhaps their stories speak of poverty (McCourt, Tillage, Bragg, Moss), abuse (Moss, Pelzer), violence (Sebold, Tillage), racism (Angelou, Tillage), or other social ills.  Perhaps also like the authors listed above their stories are of courage, comfort, triumph, and love. Whatever the stories they are unique to each person and they are all worth telling. However simple or complex, however comforting or disturbing, these personal stories are supreme opportunities for our learners to learn the art of writing, the mechanics of the language, and the pleasure that comes from telling a story that longs to be told.

      Our challenge as educators is to motivate, support, teach, and inspire these would-be writers.  If we value the ability to write, what better way to “sell” the concept to our adult learners than to become writers ourselves?  I challenge you to investigate your own stories, your own writing skills, and your writing instruction.  As a storyteller I have been writing family stories for several years.  These are tips I try to keep in mind as I prepare to write:

Ø      Stories are “built” around events, moments, sounds, smells, glimpses of time.

Ø      Don’t expect all the details to come to you at once – start with a kernel of an idea and watch it grow.

Ø      Keep the “gotcha” part of the story simple.

o       Some of the most poignant stories are fairy tales and folk tales.

o       Stay away from didactic language (“preaching”) – allow the theme of your story to linger, slowly be absorbed by the reader/listener, not beat over the head by it.

Ø       Don’t feel compelled to finish every story you start – they all won’t be worth the time.  Some stories need time to “perk.”  Put them in a folder and let them age then look at them again.  You will get a feel for when they are ready – and when YOU are ready.

Ø      Read.  Read some more.  See how others tell their stories, pay attention to how the author manipulates you – makes you smile, makes you cry, makes you CARE. 

Ø      Don’t be afraid to tell YOUR story – no one else can! 

     Once you have walked this path, you will be ready to lead others.  Something tells me that the road to true writing is one that is best traveled with a friend.  I wish you pleasant and magnificent travels!

-         Dr. Pam Petty

For resources and annotations of each of the books listed in this article, please visit:  http://www.pampetty.com/writers.htm

Bibliography of Authors Telling their own Stories

Maya Angelou

Autobiography/Non-Fiction  

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.  New York: Bantam Books, 1969.       
Gather Together in My Name.  New York:  Bantam Books, 1983.
Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting’ Merry Like Christmas.  New York:  Bantam Books, 1985.
The Heart of a Woman, New York, Random House, 1997.
Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now.  New York:  Bantam Books, 1997.
All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes. New York, Vintage Books, 1981.
Fiction                 

Life Doesn't Frighten Me.  Stewart, Tabori, & Chang, 1993.
Now Sheba Sings The Song.  Plume, 1994.
On the Pulse of the Morning (Inaugural Poem). New York, Random House, 1993.
Web Presence http://www.mayaangelou.com/
http://www.empirezine.com/spotlight/maya/maya1.htm
http://www.wic.org/bio/mangelou.htm
http://www.keyspeakers.com/asp_view_speaker.asp?id=1388
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/angelou.htm
http://www.educeth.ch/english/readinglist/angeloum/
http://aalbc.com/authors/maya.htm
http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/angelou/angelou.bio.bib.html
http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/angelou/angelou_mm.html

Betsy Byars

Autobiography  The Moon and I.  Beech Tree Books, 1996.
Fiction                 

  Summer of the Swans.  Newbery Award Book.  Puffin, 1981.
 After the Goat Man.  Puffin, 1982
 The Pinballs.  Harper Collins, 1987.
Web Presence http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/byars.html
http://www.betsybyars.com/
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/byars.htm
http://www.classzone.com/novelguides/authors/byars.cfm
http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=19
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/byars.html
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/fall97/schaefer.html

Beverly Cleary

Autobiography                 

A Girl from Yamhill:  A Memoir.  New York: Dell Publishing, 1988. 
My Own Two Feet:  A Memoir.  New York:  William Morrow & Company, 1995.
Fiction                 

Dear Mr. Henshaw.  Newbery Award Book.  New York: William Morrow & Company, 1983. 
Ramona Quimby , Age 8.  Newbery Honor Book.  New York:  Dell, 1981.
Ramona and Her Father.  Newbery Honor Book.  New York:  Dell, 1975.

Robert Cormier

Autobiographical Non-Fiction Eight Plus One:  Stories by Robert Cormier.  New York:  Pantheon Books, 1980.
 Fiction

The Chocolate War.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1975.
Beyond the Chocolate War.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1986.
I Am the Cheese.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1991.
After the First Death.  ALA Best Book for Young Adults.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell,  1991.
We All Fall Down.  A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1993.  
Tenderness.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1998.

Roald Dahl

Autobiography/Non-Fiction Boy:  Tales of Childhood.  New York:  Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1984.
 Going Solo.  New York:  Puffin, 1989
 Fiction

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.     New York:  Puffin, 1964.
 James and the Giant Peach.  New York:  Bantam, 1961.
The Twits.  New York:  Puffin, 1991.

Tomie de Paola

Autobiography/Non-Fiction  
Fiction  
Web Presence http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-depaola-tomie.asp
http://www.childrenslit.com/f_depaola.html

 

Lois Duncan

Autobiography Chapters:  My Growth as a Writer.  Boston:  Little, Brown and Company, 1982.
Fiction

 Killing Mr. Griffin.  New York:  Random House, 1987
Stranger with My Face. New York: Dell, 1981. 
I Know What You Did Last Summer.  Boston:  Little, Brown and Company, 1973.
Daughters of Eve.  New York: Dell, 1979.
Web Presence http://loisduncan.arquettes.com/
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-duncan-lois.asp
http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/authors/results.pperl?authorid=7580
http://www.absolutewrite.com/specialty_writing/lois_duncan.htm

Jean Fritz

Autobiography

Homesick:  My Own Story.  New York:  G P Putnam's Sons, 1982. Newbery Honor Book
China Homecoming.  New York:  G P Putnam's Sons, 1985.
Historical Fiction

China’s Long March:  6,000 Miles of Danger.  New York:  G P Putnam’s Sons, 1988.
 And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?  New York:  G P Putnam’s Sons, 1973.   
Make Way for Sam Houston.  New York:  G P Putnam’s Sons, 1986
 The Double Life of Pocahontas.  New York:  G P Putnam’s Sons, 1983.  Boston Globe-Horn  Book Award, ALA Notable Book

Jack Gantos

Autobiography   Hole in my Life.  New York:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002.
Fiction

Joey Pigza Loses Control.  New York:  Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2000. Newbery Honor Book
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key.  New York:  Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1998.  National Book  Award Finalist

Carmen Lomas Garza

 Autobiography

In My Family – En Mi Familia.  Trans. to Spanish by Fancisco X. Alarcón.  San Francisco:  Children’s Book Press, 1996.  Pura Belpré Honor Book
Autobiography/Non-Fiction

Magic Windows -Ventanas Mágicas.  Trans. to Spanish by Fancisco X. Alarcón.  San Francisco:Children’s Book Press, 1999.  Pura Belpré Medal
Family Pictures – Cuadros de Familia.  San Francisco:  Children’s Book Press, 1990.  Pura Belpré Honor Book

Jean Craighead George

 Autobiography Journey Inward:  A Story of Self-Discovery.  New York:  E P Dutton, 1982.
Fiction

Julie of the Wolves.  New York:  Harper & Row, 1972.  Newbery Award Book
My Side of the Mountain.  New York:  Dutton, 1959.  Newbery Honor Book
Web Presence http://www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com/
http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-george-jean-craighead.asp
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-george-jean.asp
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/george.htm
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/jcgeorge.html
http://www.alexlibris.com/bio_jgeorge.asp
http://www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/friends/george.htm
 

Eloise Greenfield

Autobiography Childtimes:  A Three-Generation Memoir.  New York:  Harper, 1993.
   Fiction

Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems, Illus. Diane and Leo Dillon.  New York:  Harper Trophy,  1978.  A Reading Rainbow Book Grandpa’s Face.  New York:  Putnam, 1988.
She Come Bringing Me That Little Baby Girl.  Illus. John Steptoe.  New York:  Harper Trophy,   1974.

Francisco Jiménez

Autobiography

The Circuit:  stories from the life of a migrant child.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997.Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction, New York Public Library Outstanding Book for the Teen-Age, Booklist Editors’ Choice, American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
 Breaking Through.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.  Pura Belpré Honor Book, New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, Booklist Editors’ Choice, Notable Book for a Global Society,  the 2002 winner of the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award 
La Mariposa.  Illus by Simón Silva.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.
The Christmas Gift – El Regalo de Navidad.  Illus. by Claire B. Cotts.  Boston:  Houghton  Mifflin Company, 2000.

M. E. Kerr

Autobiography/Non-Fiction

Me Me Me Me Me:  Not a Novel.  New York:  Harper & Row, 1983.
Blood on the Forehead:  What I Know about Writing.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1998.

Fiction

Deliver Us From Evie.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1994.
Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!  New York:  Dell, 1972.   ALA Notable Children's Book, School Library Journal Best Children's Book
Fell.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1987.  ALA Best Book for Young AdultsIs That You, Miss Blue?  New York:  Dell, 1975.  ALA Notable Children's Book, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Children's Book, a New York Times Outstanding Children’s Book of the Year
Gentlehands.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1978.  ALA Notable Children's Book, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Children's Book, Christopher Award Winner, a New York Times Outstanding Children’s Book of the Year
Little Little.  ALA Notable Children's Book, ALA Best Books for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Children's Book
Linger.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1993.
Night Kites.  ALA Best Book for Young Adults, ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant YA Readers.  New York:  Harper & Row, 1986.

Madeleine L’Engle

Autobiography/Non-Fiction

Walking on Water:  Reflections on Faith and Art.  Wheaton, Il:  Harold Shaw Publishers, 1980.
And It Was Good, Reflections on Beginnings.  Wheaton, Il:  Harold Shaw Publishers, 1984
A Circle of Quiet:  The Crosswicks Journal Book 1.  New York:  The Seabury Press, 1972.
The Summer of the Great-Grandmother:  The Crosswicks Journal Book II.  New York:  Farrar,Straus & Giroux, 1974.
Irrational Season:  The Crosswicks Journal Book III.  San Francisco: Harper, 1979.
Two-Part Invention:  The Crosswicks Journal Book IV.  San Francisco:  Harper, 1989.
Fiction

 A Wrinkle in Time.  New York:  Dell, 1962.  Newbery Award Book
A Ring of Endless Light.  New York:  Dell, 1976.  Newbery Honor Book
A Wind in the Door.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1973. 
A Swiftly Tilting Planet.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1979.
Many Waters.  New York:  Dell, 1986.

 

Jean Little

Autobiography Little by Little:  A Writer's Education.  New York:  Viking, 1987.  An ALA Notable Book.
  Fiction

Stars Come Out Within.  New York:  Viking, 1990.
From Anna.  New York:  Harper, 1972.

Milton Meltzer

   Autobiography  Starting From Home:  A Writer's Beginnings.  New York:  Viking Penguin, 1988.
Non-Fiction 

 Rescue:  Gentiles Who Saved Jews in the Holocaust.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1988.
 Never to Forget:  The Jews of the Holocaust.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1976.
Underground Man.  New York:  Harcourt, 1972.
The Jewish Americans:  A History in Their Own Words 1650 - 1950.  New York:  Thomas Y.Crowell, 1982.
The Amazing Potato:  A Story in Which the Incas, Conquistadors, Marie Antoinette, ThomasJefferson, Wars, Famines, Immigrants, and French Fries All Play a Part.  New York:  Harper   Collins, 1992. 
Nonfiction for the Classroom:  Milton Meltzer on Writing, History, and Social Responsibility   (Language and Literacy Series).  New York:  Teachers College Press, 1994.

Kyoko Mori

Autobiography/Non-Fiction

The Dream of Water:  A Memoir.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company, 1995.
Polite Lies:  On Being a Woman Caught between Cultures.  New York:  Ballantine, 1997.
 Fiction

Shizuko's Daughter.  New York:  Ballantine, 1993.
One Bird.  New York:  Henry Holt and Company, 1995.

Katherine Paterson

Autobiography/Non-Fiction 

 Gates of Excellence:  On Reading and Writing Books for Children. New York:  Elsevier/Nelson Books, 1981.
The Spying Heart:  More Thoughts on Reading and Writing Books for Children.  New York:  E P Dutton, 1989.
Who Am I?  New York:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1992.
Fiction

Bridge to Terabithia.  New York:  Thomas Y. Crowell, 1977.  Newbery Award Book
Jacob Have I Loved.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1980. Newbery Award Book
The Great Gilly Hopkins. New York:  Thomas Y. Crowell, 1978.  Newbery Honor BookPark’s Quest.  New York:  Puffin, 1988.
Historical Fiction

Lyddie.  New York:  Dutton, 1991.
 Jip:  His Story.  New York:  Puffin, 1996

Gary Paulsen

Autobiography

Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers:  Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs.  New York:  Harcourt Brace, 1996.
Fiction

Dogsong.  New York:  Bradbury Press, 1985. Newbery Honor Book
 Hatchet.   New York:  Puffin, 1987.  Newbery Honor Book
Brian’s Return.  New York:  Dell, 1999.
The Winter Room.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1989.
Web Presence http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/paulsen.htm
http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/paulsen.html
http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-paulsen-gary.asp
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/fall94/Schmitz.html
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/paulsen.html

Richard Peck

Autobiography

Love and Death at the Mall:  Teaching and Writing for the Literate Young.  New York: Delacorte Press, 1994.
Fiction

Are You in the House Alone?   New York:  Puffin, 1976.
 Remembering the Good Times.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1985.  ALA Notable Children's Book, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
 Father Figure.  New York:  Puffin, 1978.

Cynthia Rylant

Autobiography But I’ll Be Back Again.  New York:  Beech Tree Books, 1993.
  Fiction

When I Was Young in the Mountains.  Illus.  Diane Goode.  New York:  E. P. Dutton, 1982.Caldecott Honor Book
A Fine White Dust.  New York:  Bradbury Press, 1986.  Newbery Honor Book
Missing May.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday, 1992. Newbery Award Book
A Kindness.  New York:  Orchard Books, 1988.
he Relatives Came.  Illus. Stephen Gammell.  New York:  Bradbury Press, 1985.  Caldecott Honor Book
Appalachia:  The Voices of Sleeping Birds.  Illus. Barry Moser.  New York:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991.

Isaac Bashevis Singer

Autobiography

Day of Pleasure:  Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw.  New York:  Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1986.
 Fiction

Zlateh the Goat.  New York:  Harper, 1984.
When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw and Other Stories.  New York:  Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1986.  A Newbery Honor Book

Gary Soto

Autobiography/Non-Fiction

Living Up the Street:  Narrative Recollections.  New York:  Dell, 1992.
A Summer Life.  New York:  Dell, 1991.
Fiction

Baseball in April and Other Stories.
Chato’s Kitchen.  Illus. Susan Guevara.  New York:  Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1995.     American Library Association Notable Book
Snapshots from the Wedding.  Illus. Stephanie Garcia.  New York:  Putnam & Grossett Group,1996.     Booklist Editors’ Choice and Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books BlueRibbon Winner
Local News.  New York:  Harcourt, 1993.
Too Many Tamales.  New York:  Putnam, 1993.

Yoshiko Uchida

 Autobiography The Invisible Thread:  An Autobiography.  Beach Tree Books, 1995.
Non-Fiction

Journey Home.  New York:  Atheneum, 1978.
 Journey to Topaz.  Berkeley:  Creative Arts Book Co., 1971.

E. B. White

Autobiography/Non-Fiction Letters of E. B. White.  New York:  Harper & Row, 1976.
 Fiction

Charlotte's Web.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1952.
Stuart Little.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1945.
The Trumpet of the Swan.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1970.

Elizabeth Yates

Autobiography

My Diary--My World.  Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1981.
My Widening World:  The Continuing Diary of Elizabeth Yates.  Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1983.
Historical Fiction

Amos Fortune, Free Man.  New York:  E P Dutton, 1972.  Newbery Award Book
 Prudence Crandall, Woman of Courage.  New York:  Boyds Mills Press, 1955.

Laurence Yep

 Autobiography

The Lost Garden:  A Memoir by the Author of Dragonwings.  Englewood Cliffs, NJ:  Julian Messner, 1991.
Non-Fiction American Dragons:  Twenty-Five Asian American Voices.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1993.
Historical Fiction

Dragonwings.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1975.  Newbery Honor Book, ALA Notable Children’s Book
Dragon's Gate.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1993. Newbery Honor Book
Fiction

The Rainbow People.  Illus. David Wiesner.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1989. 
Sea Glass.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1979.
Child of the Owl.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1977.  Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction AwardDragon
 War.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1992.

Paul Zindel

Autobiography The Pigman & Me.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1991.
Fiction

The Pigman.  New York:  Harper Collins, 1968.
My Darling, My Hamburger.  New York:  Bantam, 1984.
Pardon Me, You're Stepping on My Eyeball!  New York:  Bantam, 1977.
The Pigman’s Legacy.  New York:  Bantam, 1984.
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds.  New York:  Bantam, 1970

                                   

                                                 .

 

Setting the Stage for Writing

Prewriting Process

Prewriting Phase

I.  Romance Stage

“Experiences are the catalysts that ignite expression.  The hearing, enjoying, sharing, trying, discussing, remembering, doing, experimenting, discovering of life … flows into writing … NATURALLY.”  (Frank, M., 1995, p. 68.) 

The romance phase of writing needs to set the stage, provide the atmosphere, and take learners to a place where the words in their heads and hearts are freed and allowed to flow onto the paper. 

A.     Music

q       Enya

q       Trisha Yearwood:  The Song Remembers When
http://www.ladyjayes.com/songremembers.html
Links to words for other songs:  http://www.ladyjayes.com

q       Your Ideas:

B.     Artifacts

q       Antiques

q       Wallet/Purse

q       Your Ideas

C.     Images/Photographs

q       Family

http://www.pampetty.com/farmphotos.htm

http://www.pampetty.com/railroad.htm

q       Places

q       Your Ideas:

D.     Life Events

q       Current tasks/struggles/concerns

q       Newspapers

q       Your Ideas:

E.      Imagery

q       Mind trip

q       Your Ideas

Freewriting - not full sentences - listing - jotting down key words/ideas 

Graphic Organizers - can be before or after freewriting = KEY element of pre-writing

bullet

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm

Research - make notes of information you need to "round out" your story and fill in the holes  

The romance phase get minds stirred up by:

… discoveries that entice description

     sensual experiences that spur verbal images

     sparks that ignite opinions and ideas

     discussions that dredge up memories

     questions that beg for hypotheses

     notions that cry out to be expressed

     stimuli that release words

     (Frank, M., 1995, p. 67, edited for brevity)

Bibliography (all book titles are hyperlinked to Amazon.com)

Gitter, M. and Anapol, S.  (1996).  Do you remember?  San Francisco:  Chronicle Books.

Frank, M. (1995).  If you’re going to teach kids how to write … You’ve got to have this book. Nashville:  Incentive Publications. 

Keel, P.  (1997).  All about me.  New York:  Broadway Books. 

What you Know First by Patricia MacLachlan, Barry Moser (Illustrator). This book is an excellent prompt for writing childhood memories, making lists of special childhood moments, or reflecting on the trauma of moving.

Wendlinger, R. M. 1995).  The memory triggering book.  Oakland, CA:  Proust Press. 

Suggested DVD's:

Baraka. Mark Magidson Production:  Ron Frickle Film.

Koyaanisqatsi:  Life out of Balance.  AND Powaqqatsi:  Life in Transformation.  Francis Ford Coppola.  (2 DVD set at Amazon)

 Professional Resources for Writing:

100 Research Topic Guides for Students
                     by Barbara Wood Borne
                     Hardcover - 256 pages (July 1996)
                     Greenwood Publishing Group; ISBN: 0313295522

The Art of Teaching Writing
                     by Lucy McCormick Calkins
                     Hardcover - 550 pages New edition (September 1994)
                     Heinemann; ISBN: 0435088173

  25 Mini-Lessons for Teaching Writing : Quick Lessons That Help Students
                     Become Effective Writers (Teaching Strategies)
                     by Adele Fiderer
                     Paperback - 88 pages (December 1997)
                     Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 059020940X

 

 

 325 Creative Prompts for Personal Journals
                     by J. A. Senn, Mona Mark (Illustrator)
                     Paperback Reissue edition (November 1995)
                     Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 0590493507

  35 Rubrics & Checklists to Assess Reading and Writing : Time-Saving
                     Reproducible Forms for Meaningful Literacy Assessment
                     by Adele Fiderer
                     Paperback - 56 pages (July 1998)
                     Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 0590131028

 

 

  Great Graphic Organizers to Use With Any Book! : 50 Fun Reproducibles &
                     Activities to Explore Literature & Develop Kids' Writing
                     by Michelle O'Brien-Palmer, Heidi Stephens (Illustrator)
                     Paperback - 160 pages (November 1997)
                     Micnik Pubns; ISBN: 0590769901

   

 

  Incredible Quotations : 230 Thought-Provoking Quotes With Prompts to
                     Spark Students' Writing, Thinking, and Discussion
                     by Jacqueline Sweeney
                      Paperback - 62 pages (April 1997)
                     Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 0590963783
 

   

 

  50 Wonderful Word Games : Easy and Entertaining Activities That Build Imporant Language Art Skills
                     by Alan Trussell-Cullen
                     Paperback - 80 pages (April 1998)
                     Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 059096559X

 

 



 What If? : Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers
by  Anne Bernays, Pamela Painter
Paperback - 256 pages Reissue edition (November 1991)
HarperCollins (paper); ISBN: 0062720066

 


Room to Write : Daily Invitations to a Writer's Life
by  Bonni Goldberg
 Paperback - 206 pages (April 1996)
Putnam Pub Group (Paper); ISBN: 0874778255

 

 


325 Creative Prompts for Personal Journals
by  J. A. Senn and Mona Mark (Illustrator)
Paperback Reissue edition (November 1995)
Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 0590493507

 

 


Story Starters : How to Jump-Start Your Imagination, Get Your Creative Juices Flowing, and Start Writing Your Story or Novel
by  Lou Willett Stanek
Paperback - 176 pages (April 1998)
Avon Books (Pap Trd); ISBN: 0380795523

 

 

   

Suggested Strategies and Resources: Writing

This is an on-line writing laboratory that offers tremendous resources for educators:
http://www.uvsc.edu/owl/writing.html

This site provides resources including information on plagiarism: 
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/resources.html

A link to another set of writing links:
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/secwplinks.html

Online writers' resources for grammar and reference can be found at http://ume.maine.edu/wcenter/resources.html

A list of best practices for teaching writing:
http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/Bl/BLHS/blwhs.htm.

This is geared for high school, but has rubrics and other useful information that may help guide your writing instruction: http://www.lkwash.wednet.edu/lwsd/pdf/6+1Traits.pdf

On-Line Dictionary and Thesaurus:  http://dictionary.reference.com 

 

11/08/2004 04:06:06 PM -0600  Hit Counter