Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for March Slice of Life Challenge.
Each student has a chance to ask a question.
Laura Shovan and Janet Sumner Johnson are on tour as “Sweet Sixteens,” debut children’s authors of 2016. I love any opportunity to connect my students with authors, so when I heard they had some openings, I jumped at the chance.
To prepare my students for this visit, I have been reading aloud an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. We are getting to know Hannah, Sloane, Sydney, Kate, George, and other students in the fifth grade at Emerson. The school board plans to sell the school for demolition and a new grocery store. Under the guidance of Ms. Hill, who must be a wonderfully kind teacher, the students protest and use poetry to get their voices heard. Laura Shovan creates a compelling story with her intricate knowledge of each character carefully depicted in the craft of poetry.
With Laura was Janet Sumner Johnson, author of the The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society. We had time to read only one chapter of this book before our visit, but Janet packs so much into that first chapter that my kids were full of questions. Janet said that she wrote the first version of the book 15 years ago. It’s been through lots of revisions. My students enjoyed learning about how Janet got her idea for the PB&J Society.
Janet and Laura on the Promethean Board
As an aspiring author myself, I took a special interest in what these wonderful women had to say about their writing and publishing experiences. Laura showed us her huge binder full of tabs in which she kept every draft of every poem for every character. I was amazed!
Both authors connected with the kids and were respectful of each and every question, even the silly ones like “Do you know about narwhals?” Kaiden loved being the first to notice that the homeless girl in Laura’s book had the last name Holmes. I believe that there are many more clever details in these two books. They come out in April. Get ready to add them to your classroom library.
Sharing the love of reading and narwhals on St. Patrick’s Day.
Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.
Wow! This sounds like it was an amazing day! I can’t wait to read this book! It’s on my Someday list. Thank you, Margaret, for introducing me to a great new book. I love seeing students talk to authors. Those are memorable experiences!!!
Skype visits are awesome! We did one last year.
I read an ARC of PB&J and it is a great story! Your students will love it. What a fun Skype visit.
Margaret, how wonderful that your students were able to have virtual conversations with authors, especially the wonderful Laura. As for aspiring author, you are definitely there. Keep on writing and wowing us with your student tales.
This is an even that those kids will never forget. Lingering…always…
What I love is how you are a full participant in your classroom experience. Amidst the authors and students. All living extreme iterate lives!
Quite a wonder of a visit, it seems. Glad to hear about Laura’s friend, another from the ‘sweet sixteens’ & can’t wait to read the books. How nice you do this so often, Margaret. The students are so lucky to have the chance to visit with authors and other experts, too.
Lucky students to have this experience. Today, I had my first experience skyping with an author at he PAWLP Institute in West Chester. It was awesome and I felt like Vicki Spandle was right in the room. Thanks for the book tips.
Awesomeness! I agree, having an author visit – however it comes it transcendent – for us and for our students. Way to go!
What an awe-inspiring activity for your students…a truly memorable learning moment for them. I wish I could have been there myself!
What an amazing opportunity and gift for your students. They must have learned so much about revision and writing.