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Harold D. Underdown
Writing and Illustrating Multicultural Children's Books
A thorough resource on the wide-ranging topic of multicultural literature for children. Includes information about the current field of multiculturalism, opportunities for writers, finding a publisher, and looking toward the future of...
Harold D. Underdown
Writing Young Adult and Children's Fiction and Fantasy
A great article concerning writing children's literature, especially in the area of fantasy or science fiction. The author provides information concerning how to develop characters, creating literary elements, and discusses some pitfalls...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Bridging Literature and Mathematics
Contains plans for five 50-minute interdisciplinary lessons that ask learners to write about math-related, informational books such as "Actual Size" (Jenkins, 2004) and "If You Hopped Like a Frog" (Schwartz, 1999). Students use books...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: National Children's Book Week
As part of a unit on National Children's Book Week, this classroom activity suggests ways in which teachers can implement themes of the week into various lessons. The site also includes lesson plan ideas, web links, and additional texts.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: The Children's Picture Book Project
Contains plans for eight lessons that ask learners to write their own children's picture book in order to review story structure and literary techniques. Students also write book reviews of each other's work. In addition to objectives...
Other
Database of Award Winning Children's Literature
This is a phenomenal resource. It allows the user to create a reading list of quality children's literature based of choices such as reading level, type of book, genre, ethnicity, gender, etc. In addition, one can determine if a book won...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Composing and Performing Found Poetry
Excellent lesson plan that requires learners to work collaboratively to select parts of poetry and "perform" poems for the class. Uses the book "Berenstein Bears," but any children's book could be acceptable for the lesson plan.
Harold D. Underdown
The Purple Crayon: Resources About Agents for Writers
A comprehensive research guide for writers who are interested in finding an agent. Rich with information and helpful hints; site is suited for children's literature writers but can also apply to other genres.
Harold D. Underdown
The Purple Crayon: Getting It Out of the "Slush Pile"
The "slush pile" is a publisher's sizeable reading stash, and this site is a great resource for attempting to get a publisher to get your manuscript OUT of the pile. Includes several pieces of advice concerning the story itself, your...
Harold D. Underdown
The Use of Visual Elements to Tell a Better Story
Short article gives excellent tips concerning how to use visual elements to enhance a written story. Article was written specifically for children's literature, but can also apply to other genres as well.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Word Wizards: Students Making Words
Using four popular children's books, "Corduroy", "Franklin in the Dark", "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", and "Chrysanthemum", the Word Wizard interactive game builds vocabulary with related words. Each 30-minute lesson looks for patterns...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Corduroy Lesson Plan
This ReadWriteThink lesson plan features an opportunity for students to respond to literature through writing journals about "Corduroy," by Don Freeman. This idea could be used with other books as well.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Suggestions for Writing Memoirs: Memoirs With Strong Word Choices
Editor Amy Ehrlich compelled ten well-known children's authors to write narratives, and she compiled these memoirs in her book, When I Was Your Age. The collection of narratives varies, but an underlying theme is the way in which...
Books in the Classroom
Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: Language Arts Professional Books
Resources for teachers in children's literature can be found in this bibliography--whole language philosophy, reading/writing techniques, spelling, and assessment.
EL Education
El Education: A Beaver Story
This children's book about beavers was written and illustrated by 6th graders after extensive field research with experts in the field. The book is unique in that it offers a continuous fictional narrative at the top of each page, an...
EL Education
El Education: Healthy Snacks Recipe Book
This recipe book was created by 1st and 2nd graders at the Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., during as part of a Fitness and Nutrition Learning Expedition. Students created this kid-friendly cook book from their own...
PBS
Pbs Teachers:manu: Macaws the Book
Identify the different species of macaw found in Manu and other parts of the Amazon Basin, and write and illustrate a children's book about macaws.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Reading Buddies
Students will increase reading and writing proficiency and heighten interest in reading through this Reading Buddy program. During this two-week unit each middle school student will use technology tools to create an original holiday...
Schools of California Online Resources for Education
Literature Unit: The House of Dies Drear
"The House of Dies Drear," is a powerful novel by Virginia Hamilton.
Bibliomania
Bibliomania: Biography of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This Bibliomania.com site a biography of the 19th century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). Discusses his parents, early youth, education, literary ambitions, years of travel and study, Harvard tenure, love for...
Other
Book Page Interview: Gary Soto
This site, part of the online version of the magazine BookPage, provides a 1998 interview with Gary Soto, in which he discusses the themes of some of his works, his background, and his use of different genres of writing.
EL Education
El Education: The Fish and Their Gifts
High school students write and illustrate original fables for younger students and create bilingual children's books to encourage cultural awareness on the Big Island of Hawaii.
My Hero Project
My Hero: Dr. Seuss
This brief article on the writing of Dr. Seuss introduces readers to such books as "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "The Cat in the Hat." Written by students, this article provides "related links" for further reading.
Other
Alliance to Save Energy: Conservation for the Ages
"In this project based lesson plan, students learn about various types of energy and the need to conserve energy, write a children's story about saving energy, and read their energy books to elementary students."