Young Adult Author Visits

To foster instant creativity with the young adult age group you must give them activities that assure success without the pressure of judgment or harsh criticism. Just like the little ones they love games and short writing exercises.

RANDOM WORD CHALLENGE

Give each student ten random words, with one bonus word. Use each word to write an original poem or short story (flash fiction—one page or less in length) and then share each with each another.

1)      Give each student this list of words and sample poem.

1.      Window

2.      Atlas

3.      Wire

4.      Opaque

5.      Casserole

6.      Figurine

7.      Thistle

8.      Storage

9.      Chink

10.  hackney
Plus: snorkel

Example of a poem:

Gazing out the grubby window

At the opaque day,

I strain to see a reflection

the figurine staring back at me.

This is a hackneyed life wrapped

and trapped in wire?

1. Be sure to leave time to analyze the words on the list themselves. What do students notice about the words on the list? What parts of speech–noun, verb, adjective–are they? What makes a “good”/creative/juicy/inspiring word for such an exercise?
2. Have kids choose 5 words to use in an original poem. You can ask them to slant the poem toward your book in some way.
3. Give them 5-10 minutes.
4. Ask for volunteers to read their poem.
5. What have they learned about writing and poetry from this lesson?
6. Another approach is to put them in small groups to work on the poem together.

PLAYING WITH LANGUAGE

1. Warm students up by asking what they thought about your reading excerpt: What did they like about it? What was it about? Follow up with “why” questions, and ask that students support their answers with specific words and phrases from the story. Write their thoughts on the chalkboard.
2. Give each student a handout with a story excerpt that covers the topic or topics you are covering.
3. Segue into questions that are more directly about the aspect of playing with language on which you want to focus (action words, dialogue, metaphors, etc). How does the author use specific words?

Action words: Underline specific word choices that bring the action to life. Describe how the imagery is crafted by action words?

Dialogue: Identify the characters in the story excerpt: their roles, status, age and relationship to each other. Discuss how the writer plays with the characters’ dialogue (distinct tone and word choices) to reveal information about each character.

4.      Write a poem or short story in which you play with language in the manner of one of the author’s discussion.

Metaphors: Underline the metaphors in the passage. Why does it work or not work for you?

5.      With their answers on the board, ask some synthesizing questions: What have they learned about playing with language from this lesson? How might they experiment with specific word choices and meanings in their own writing, in your class and in others they might be taking that semester?

BOARD GAMES

Directions:  Give students a heads up about the board game they will be playing after your reading. Use index cards to create game cards with questions about your book on one side and the answers on the other side.  Print game boards on card stock paper. Break the group up into groups of 4 or 5 students. You can use buttons as player pieces.

Roll die to see who goes first. Others follow in a clockwise direction. They roll the die, take a card, answer the question correctly and move the number of dots on ONE die.  First player to reach the end of the game wins.  Continue playing to find out who comes in second, third, and fourth place.

CREATE A MAP OF A NEW WORLD

Draw the map of an island on a crinkled up paper bag.  This will show that the map is old. 

Now add some features like mountains, caves, volcanoes, rivers, swamps, or lakes.  (This is a great way to give your kids a geography lesson!)  How about adding an old, deserted pirate town?   Remember that islands don't have to be tropical.  There are also rocky islands, jungle islands, and since this is an imaginary story, how about rainbow islands, candy islands, islands made of toys, or any combination of elements you want.

Decide who lives on the island. Maybe it’s a clan of long-lost Vikings, rock people, wacky animals, or talking birds.

Finally, start the story by bringing to the island a main character or two. What would happen when two kids get shipwrecked there, or a time-traveler shows up?  They need to have a goal as well.  It could be as simple as trying to get home, or finding an object that's needed to save the world.

Because you have a picture of your island it is easy to create a plot as your characters move from one part of the island to the other.  Create a problem to overcome at each feature.

BIO POEM

Line1: Your first name
Line 2: Who is...(Descriptive words that describe you)
Line 3: Who is brother or sister of...
Line 4: Who loves...(three ideas or preople)
Line 5: Who feels...(three ideas )
Line 6: Who needs...(three ideas)
Line 7: Who gives...(three ideas)
Line 8: Who fears...(three ideas)
Line 9: Who would like to see...
Line 10: Who shares...
Line 11: Who is...
Line 12: Who is a resident of...
Line 13: Your last name

Example Bio-Poem

Allison Nicole

Creative, intelligent, fun, responsible, self-disciplined, and enthusiastic

Sister of Meghan Darby, Melinda, Chris and Harrison

Loves to create art, make up plays and commercials, ride Daddy's Harley, and run track

Who needs the telephone, her hair brush, macaroni and cheese, her friends and family

Who gives her MeMaw much joy, her father and mother much pride; brother and sister love

Who feels joy with her friends, creating art work, running, watching movies and eating

Who fears going from one room to another, not doing well on tests, zits and coming in last

Who would like to own a Harley, win the 880, see her room neat and tidy, win the lottery

Who shares her secrets, her worries, and her love with MeMaw

Who is an honor roll student, a typical 13-year old, a friend to Amber, Melissa and Christy

Who is a resident of Jacksonville, Florida

Chase

~~~~~
Author/educator Kathy Stemke

Trouble on Earth Day Book Tour:

Eighth Day of Trouble on earth Day Book Tour
http://slowandsteadywriters.blogspot.com/2012/04/earth-day.html

Seventh Day of Trouble on Earth Day Book Tour:

FREE EARTH DAY CARD FOR KIDS
FREE EARTH DAY CARD FOR ADULTS
http://educationtipster.blogspot.com/2012/03/get-your-free-earth-day-card-for-kids.html

Sixth Day of Trouble on Earth Day Book Tour-book Review
http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-review-trouble-on-earth-day.html
Fifth Day of Trouble on Earth Day Tour- Book Review
http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-review-trouble-on-earth-day.html
Fourth day of Trouble on Earth Day Tour- Fun Squirrel Facts 
http://hookkidsonreading.blogspot.com/2012/03/it-is-my-great-pleasure-to-welcome.html
Visit third day of Trouble on Earth Day Book Tour
http://gritsandgroceries.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-three-trouble-on-earth-day-book.html

Please Visit the Second Day of my book Tour for Trouble on Earth Day http://barbarabockman.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/review-of-kathy-stemkes-pb-trouble-on-earth-day/
Celebrate Earth Day with Pictures First day of book tour for Trouble on Earth Day
http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrate-earth-day-with-pictures.html

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Is your Novel Attractive to Reading Groups/Clubs?

There are as many types of book clubs as there are people to belong to them. When setting up a book club, one should keep in mind one's target audience and adjust things to suit their needs. The purpose of a book club is to read the book and have fun discussing it with each other.

Genre-Specific Clubs: Book clubs are comprised of people who enjoy reading. Some clubs' members are more like-minded than you would find in a basic book club. These clubs are the genre-specific clubs, whose members prefer to read in one topic area.

One City-One Book Club: Rochelle Township High School in Rochelle, IL, is attempting the "One City/One Book" program for the first time. All high school students, staff, and eighth graders from the middle school will read Irene Hunt's No Promises in the Wind. Here are some basic steps that high school librarian Debby Van Dyke has followed to pull the program together, based on the success of other programs across the nation.

1. Van Dyke recruited faculty members from many departments to read many books over the summer. After three meetings of intense debate, No Promises in the Wind was selected due to its readability and the treatment of parent/child relationships. The railroad theme was another benefit, as Rochelle is a major railroad hub.

2. Van Dyke secured the support of the administration through the school's North Central Accreditation goals. The principal has agreed that everyone will stop work to read for at least 5 minutes a day.

3. Van Dyke secured funding through local businesses and organizations so that the books will be free to all student readers. She has also applied for several grants.

4. Committee members have planned enrichment activities for both the school day and at night. Guest speakers and demonstrations are planned. Speech classes will visit local nursing homes to interview residents about the Great Depression. Art classes are involved in the planning as well.

5. A cross-curricular group of faculty members is writing discussion questions to be discussed in the same class period once a week. By keeping the same discussion groups, Van Dyke hopes that even reluctant students will become comfortable participants by the end of the program.

6. Members of the community may pick up copies of the book in the high school library.

7. The editor of the local paper wrote an article in support of the program, where he challenged the community to get involved. The area association of realtors is distributing copies of the book to new community members.

On-Line Book Clubs: A listserv book club is an email list that discusses elements of the book. Users subscribe to the listserv by e-mail, specifying which list they would like to join. BR_Cafe is a listserv for kids hosted by Western Carolina University; click here to see subscription details.

Public Library Book Clubs: Because public libraries have such a wide patron base, they are able to offer variety in the kinds of book clubs that they sponsor. One club cannot please everyone, so clubs within the different departments address the interests and needs of the patrons. Librarians provide their expertise in book selection, while some library foundations provide free copies of the books.

School Book Clubs: Many schools have book clubs in which both students and teachers participate. These clubs often have a theme such as banned books or mysteries. The book club provides an interesting place for students to share their opinions about books with teachers in the absence of a classroom setting.

Although it's impossible to select a book to please everyone, there are some suggestions to consider when selecting a book for the school book club:

1. What is the reading level of the students? The book club is intended to be fun, but a truly difficult word might me more challenging than fun.

2. What are the interests of the students? If students are allowed to offer their suggestions, they will feel greater ownership of the group.

3. For what age/maturity range is this book club? A fifth grader may not enjoy topics that an eighth grader finds fascinating, while a freshman may not be mature enough to handle a work that challenges a college-bound senior.

4. Are there any special curricular themes we could tie in? During Red Ribbon Week, the club might read a book about drug abuse. During Latino History Month, the club might read a book by Sandra Cisneros.

Example of Book Club Questions:

The Secret Life of Bees

Set in the American South in 1964, the year of the Civil Rights Act and intensifying racial unrest, Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees is a powerful story of coming-of-age, of the ability of love to transform our lives, and the often unacknowledged longing for the universal feminine divine. Addressing the wounds of loss, betrayal, and the scarcity of love, Kidd demonstrates the power of women coming together to heal those wounds, to mother each other and themselves, and to create a sanctuary of true family and home.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.      Were you surprised to learn that T. Ray used to be different, that once he truly loved Deborah? How do you think Deborah's leaving affected him? Did it shed any light on why T. Ray was so cruel and abusive to Lily?

2.      Had you ever heard of "kneeling on grits"? What qualities did Lily have that allowed her to survive, endure, and eventually thrive, despite T. Ray?

3.      Who is the queen bee in this story?

4.      Lily's relationship to her dead mother was complex, ranging from guilt to idealization, to hatred, to acceptance. What happens to a daughter when she discovers her mother once abandoned her? Is Lily right—would people generally rather die than forgive? Was it harder for Lily to forgive her mother or herself?

5.      Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn't your true mother? Have you ever had to leave home to find home?

6.      What compelled Rosaleen to spit on the three men's shoes? What does it take for a person to stand up with conviction against brutalizing injustice? What did you like best about Rosaleen?

7.      Had you ever heard of the Black Madonna? What do you think of the story surrounding the Black Madonna in the novel? How would the story be different if it had been a picture of a white Virgin Mary? Do you know women whose lives have been deepened or enriched by a connection to an empowering Divine Mother?

8.      Why is it important that women come together? What did you think of the "Calendar Sisters" and the Daughters of Mary? How did being in the company of this circle of females transform Lily?

9.      May built a wailing wall to help her come to terms with the pain she felt. Even though we don't have May's condition, do we also need "rituals," like wailing walls, to help us deal with our grief and suffering?

10.  How would you describe Lily and Zach's relationship? What drew them together? Did you root for them to be together?

11.  Project into the future. Does Lily ever see her father again? Does she become a beekeeper? A writer? What happens to Rosaleen? What happens to Lily and Zach? Who would Zach be today?

I don’t know about you, but book clubs intrigue me. As I finish my first novel, Winnie’s War, I’m going to keep in mind how it would fit into various reading clubs. I’m going to create questions in the appendix for clubs to use.

Recently I discovered that you can set up a book club on Goodreads! What ideas do you have about getting your books into book clubs?

Author Bio:

Award winning author, Kathy Stemke, has a passion for writing, the arts and all things creative. She has Bachelor degrees from Southern Connecticut State University and Covenant Life Seminary, as well as graduate coursework from New York Institute of Technology and Columbia University. Hanging her hat in the North Georgia Mountains, she has been a teacher, tutor, and writer for many years.

As a freelance writer and ghostwriter, Kathy has published hundreds of articles in directories, websites and magazines. She is a reviewer for Sylvan Dell Publishing and a former editor for The National Writing for Children Center. As a retired teacher, Kathy has several activities published with Gryphon House Publishing. Kathy is also part of the team at DKV Writing 4 U, a writing services company that includes ghostwriting, copywriting, editing, proofreading, critiquing, and resumes.  http://www.dkvwriting4u.com

Kathy’s first children’s picture book, Moving Through All Seven Days, was published on Lulu. Her next two picture books, Sh, Sh, Sh Let the Baby Sleep, and Trouble on Earth Day were released in 2011.  These two books were awarded the Classic Literary Seal of Approval. Visit her book blog at http://shshshletthebabysleep.blogspot.com

Mrs.Stemke offers great teaching tips and children’s book reviews as well as a monthly newsletter titled, MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM, on her blog. http://educationtipster.blogspot.com

THE WILD SOCCER BUNCH, KEVIN THE STAR STRIKER

Title: The Wild Soccer Bunch, Kevin the Star Striker
Ages: Middle Grade
Author: Joachim Masannek
Illustrator: Jan Brick
Hardback: 145 pgs
Publisher: Sole Books
Publication Date: 2010, Wild Soccer USA, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9844257-0-9
Reviewed by Kathy Stemke

Kevin, the star striker, grabs your attention immediately with his action packed description of each member of the Wild Bunch. The action continues with down to earth dialogue as we experience their passionate love and devotion to the game of soccer. With the birth of spring, each unique personality must overcome many obstacles just to get to the soccer field.

When they finally manage to get to the field, they find themselves surrounded by Mickey the bulldozer and his gang, the Unbeatables. This older, bigger, and meaner gang has taken over the field.

Kevin explains, “He (Mickey the bulldozer) stomped across the wet field; his every step turned the muddy water into steam. The ground shook. So did his flabby paunch. But underneath all that fat were iron muscles and a black heart.”
Instead of running, the Wild Bunch stands their ground and challenges the Unbeatables to the most important game of their lives. The winner takes back the field.

When they turn to Larry, the alcoholic lemonade guy and ask for help, they are in for a few surprises. The Wild Bunch learns many life lessons about teamwork and perseverance from their new coach. Their struggles and hard work also improve their soccer skills. With some unexpected twists and turns in the story, you’ll wonder until the end if this bunch has the stuff to win.

As a retired teacher, who has taught many reluctant readers, I highly recommend this inspiring book. The fast paced action and gritty dialogue that flows through every chapter will captivate boys everywhere. Readers will find themselves rooting for these average boys who become super heroes by their sheer determination to win.

CREATE A SOCCER SHAPE POEM

Create the words for your poem below! Write whatever words come into your mind for each of the three words below. I'll give some examples.

Soccer (nouns): speed, game, friends, skill, Wild Bunch, ball,

Descriptive words (Adjectives): fun, fast, rugged, zoom,

Rhyming words: breed, fame, trends, kill, tall, call, sun, last, blast, boom,

CREATE YOUR POEM

Use some of the words above to create a shape poem in the soccer ball. Remember your words can flow anywhere in the shape, but make sure readers can follow your poem. You don't need to use all the words. Have fun!




Kathy's websites:

Moving Through all Seven Days link:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kathy-ann-stemke/moving-through-all-seven-days/ebook/product-5251681.html

Kids Learn the Days of the Week with Moving Through All Seven Days

Many preschool children find it difficult to sit and learn, so give them opportunities for movement! It's commonly believed that when you hear something, 10% of the information is retained. If you see it, hear it and say it, 40% is retained. But, if you also DO it, you retain 70%-100% of the information. Using a multi-sensory approach to teach children enhances their retention and capitalizes on their natural tendency to move. In other words, incorporate movement into learning, and your child will have more fun and learn faster.



Kathy Stemke’s book, Moving Through All Seven Days, uses movement activities to teach the days of the week. The lyrical rhymes also teach them how to spell each day! The 14 pages of activities at the end of the book are designed to reinforce the concepts as well as give impetus to movement exploration.

Find it on lulu by clicking on this link: http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#

Here are some other fun activities that you can do with your children.

DINNER BELL
String seven bells on a string with the each day of the week spelled out. Add a picture of the foods mentioned in the rhyme below. Great for jump rope chants:

Monday, meatball, start the week,
Tuesday, tunafish, what a treat.
Wednesday, watermelon, red and cool,
Thursday, turkey, that’s the rule,
Friday, French fries, eat them hot,
Saturday, slurpees, thanks a lot,
Sunday, spaghetti, sun or rain,
Then start the week all over again!

PIN THE DAY ON THE CALENDAR
Make a poster of seven empty boxes.
Using tacky the kids put the days of the week in order from Sunday to Saturday.
For fun you can blindfold each child, spin them three times, and see how close to the right spot they can place their day on the boxes.

SUITCASE RELAY RACE
In each suitcase there is a piece of clothing for each day of the week.
On Monday we wear mittens.
On Tuesday we wear a tee shirt.
On Wednesday we wear a wig.
On Thursday we wear a tank top.
On Friday we wear a feather boa.
On Saturday we wear socks.
On Sunday we wear sneakers.

On command, one child runs to the suitcase says, “Monday” as they put on the mittens. He runs back and sits down. They next child says, “Tuesday” as he puts on the T-shirt. Etc. The first team to be finished and seated wins!

SYLLABLE SPELLING THE DAYS OF THE WEEK
Make a poster with all seven days of the week printed out.
Cut each day into their syllables.

Sun/day
Mon/day
Tues/day
Wed/nes/day
Thurs/day
Fri/day
Sa/tur/day

Give the cards to the children. Call three children at a time to make words until all the days are spelled out and in order.

Helping Your Child Find the Main Idea

By Kathy Stemke

It is important that children learn how to discern the main idea of a paragraph or a story as early as possible. State-mandated tests often include reading comprehension sections where the child is expected to be able to pick out the main idea. More importantly, when they master this skill their reading comprehension will improve markedly, and they will enjoy reading much more.

Many children think that the first line of a story or essay is always the main idea. To help them understand that the main idea is what the whole story is about tell them to “think of a story as a meal.” It starts with an appetizer whose job it is to entice the reader to continue. We often call this first paragraph the introduction. It’s followed by the side dishes which add a variety of flavors to the story, or additional information to make it fuller. The main dish is the meat of the meal or the main focus, the main idea. Dessert is the final part of the meal where the story winds down to a conclusion.

What we are looking for in the main idea of a story is simply the main course of the dinner, the “meat.” A good way for children to start this process is by putting things in categories such as things you wear, fruits, or vegetables. When they come up with a list of clothing items, discuss that the broad term or main idea is that they are all things you wear.

Next, go into finding the actual main idea of stories. Start with non-fiction books, because they are much easier for a young child to understand. Then, go into fiction stories. Here are a couple of games that will help children practice finding the topic sentence or main idea.

Guess the Topic!

Write a paragraph that doesn't have a topic sentence and have the child guess the topic. Just write supporting sentences.

For example, you could say, "You color with them. They come in many different colors. You can make beautiful pictures with them." When they guess crayons, ask them if it would have been easier to start the paragraph with, "I love crayons?"

Topic Sentence Match Up!

Understanding the main idea of a paragraph can be tough for beginning readers. Here's an exercise you can do to help them see the difference between the main idea and the supporting facts.

Write each topic sentence on a separate index card.

Topic: Dogs are friendly animals.
Topic: I love the winter.
Topic: Candy isn't good for you.

Write each detail on a separate index card.

Detail: They are always waiting for their owners to come home.
Detail: They want to sit with you.
Detail: There are a lot of fun things to do, like sledding and snowball fights.
Detail: We go skiing.
Detail: Every time I eat it, I get a stomachache.
Detail: It's not good for my teeth.

Mix them all up, turn them face up, and match up a topic with two details.

Main Idea Flower Diagram

Another great teaching tool is to diagram the main idea of a paragraph by using a picture of a flower with a thick stem, a large round center and four long petals. The main idea goes on the stem. The topic sentence is written in the center. The four details are written on the petals.

Soon your child will be picking the main idea out of every paragraph or story. This skill will help them understand what they are reading. Better reading comprehension skills will build a firm foundation for your child's education. This is necessary for understanding textbooks in science and social studies. When they understand what they are reading, they will retain more information, and enjoy learning.


Check out Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#
http://kathystemke.weebly.com