Ok, so my honors kids usually do a literary timeline about a month into this semester. We do them on the Promethean board and the info and results can be seen here and here. We usually spend a long class period (hour and 28 minute class period) on it, I monitor their progress as they use their books, notes et cetera to label and move things on the board. The results are nice, but over the years the timelines have morphed into something that I'm not sure is helping the students as last year they used their phones more than their notes and they argued more than they collaborated. I spent Christmas Break (show me a teacher who doesn't work on school stuff when they should be having time off and I'll show you how that's not really the case at all) trying to find a way to square that circle. I found this-a Pecha Kucha presentation. I'd like to give credit to the person who created this gem, but alas I can't as their name is not on it...anywhere. I decided that Pecha Kucha would be the way to go for literary timeline discussion this year...it only took a little bit of research...the short of which can be found below:
Pecha Kucha A gathering of ideas where each presentation consists of 20 images (at the least 14 images) for 20 seconds apiece, for a total time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds, if you have all 20 slides or images.
Can't figure out how to pronounce it? Start here!
The long of which can be found here. This is an excellent place to get everything you need and more. There's not only the history, but there's also:
Creating a lovely Valentine's box isn't as easy as the end project looks. First, I had to dig out the Christmas wrapping paper (thanks sister for buying thousands of extra feet) and then I had to dig through my various scrap-booking supplies. Of course, I did this Saturday morning while the tiny person was sound asleep. I used the box from last year and was sad to see it go. Also that photo in the upper left-hand corner is what Lila did for me last evening...um, she wanted to hole punch something and then she strung the ribbon through the loops. I think she's going to tie her shoes pretty darned early. :)
Modeling the photo-booth glitter kissy lips. She didn't want to wear the mustache...as it is for boys, "probably for daddies"...I'm pretty sure that one day she will see the fun of silly mustaches.
Helping put glitter on all the lips. Frankly, I'm not really sure Valentine's Day is actually coming up if my husband isn't complaining about glitter and glitter isn't getting into the grooves in the dining room table.
I tried to find a project that the kiddo could help me with, so here she is helping me tape the backs of the props, after I showed her what to do (and I pulled out pieces of tape), she could do that pretty much on her own.
The front of the little card is the picture you see below (created in Picasa using the Creative Kit)...the back is simple directions to create a photo-booth in your home. They aren't just for weddings, you know! Frankly, I think I may do one for her next birthday party I loved doing this so much!
The box with the extra kissy lips and mustaches (there are only 10 kids, counting Lila, in her preschool class...not sure what I'm going to do when there are more than 10!) and the completed little Valentine's: Twizzler pull and peels, two props (a mustache and kissy lips, I found those here by the way and used those to make a template and I bought the dowel rods for $.27 at Wal-Mart--they're the 1/8" size and I cut them into 4...all Saturday morning before everyone woke up), the pictures (I wasn't really sure if people would get why they had lips and mustaches with candy for a Valentine's Day card) and directions.
The back of the box. It had to be able to be opened.
Seriously, we've been having fun with our photo-booth props since Saturday. I hope the other kids have fun with theirs.
I have always had this fascination with two lovely mystical creatures; mermaids and unicorns. So, when I was digging around for another book to read I'm so glad I found this book by Tera Lynn Childs called Forgive My Fins. There's a book giveaway that closes soon at this lovely blog called Forever Young Adult! Giveaways and I are not friends so I just, literally on Saturday, downloaded it on my Nook.
Let's talk about mermaids for a minute...if I wanted to get really embarrassed I'd show you pictures I drew when I was in elementary and junior high. I'm not going to do that, ever! I would like you to know that my deep love of all things mermaid started with the Sea Wees. We'd get a set of these toys everytime we'd go to Wal-Mart. They were perfect for bathtime play as they were mermaids who came with floaty sponges and their tails make excellent razors for fake leg shaving. I wish I had some...I guess I know what I'll be doing for a diversion today!
And, there are so many good mermaid movies! I was totally enchanted with Splash as a kid (it wasn't until later I even recognized that this movie may not have been appropriate for a 7 year old...it had a friggin' mermaid, come on!), my niece and I just had a delightful discussion about Aquamarine, such a good movie about a teen mermaid, and I just watched for the first time Fishtales with Billy Zane, then there's the under-rated Lady in the Water. And, don't even get me started about The Little Mermaid, even if it is a "Disney-fide no one dies" version. I even like it when mermaids aren't so nice like in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Peter Pan!
So, this book is about a mermaid princess, who can't tell anyone she's a mermaid, who is major in love with the captain of the swim team...sounds lovely and teen and cute right!? Frankly, I hope she gets with her biker boy neighbor...and, if I know my teen dramas...I can't wait to start reading!!!
Feel free to watch these Disney's Silly Symphonies...two of my favorite mermaid cartoons.
Tera Lynn Childs has also given me a great idea for a school project! More information can be found at: Books, Boys, Buzz
Character collages
Collage. I do this for every book. Because I'm a visual learner, I find it invaluable to have a pictorial compilation of my characters. Lots of writers do collages, but here's my method. You'll need some printer paper, scissors, a glue stick, and some magazines.
Step One: Flip through as many magazines as possible. I like TeenVogue, CosmoGirl, InStyle, and Lucky the best. I tear out anything that reminds me of any of the characters in this book. I do collages for all of the main characters and most of the secondary ones, so as I tear stuff out I divide into piles by character. The more I have to choose from the better. At a minimum I need something that will make a good background, a headshot or two of and actor or model who looks like the character, and some clothing and accessories they would own.
Step Two: Build the collage. Start by gluing down a background image that fills up most of the page (this way you won't end up with whitespace left over at the end). Then select a few of the headshot and clothing images, trim them to just the desired element, and arrange them over the background. I always lay these out before I glue so I make sure they all fit. Then snip out the small pictures and accessories and stick them wherever they fit.
Step Three: Finalize the collage with words. This usually requires flipping back through the magazines looking for two things. 1) Words that resonate with your characters. 2) Ransom-note-type letters that you can cut out and use to form your character's name. Sometimes I even outline the letters of the name in a silver Sharpie to make it stand out more.
I'm sensing some Lit Muse book club book ideas! And, I don't even care that this book is part of a series!
