After the students received their envelope from the publisher approving their rough drafts, it was time to get to work! Now, because the books they would be writing in were pre-made, we had to plan out what would be on each page and work on it one part at a time!
To begin with, each student designed a front and back cover. I then scanned the drawing onto large labels which fit perfectly!
It was so cute to see how different their covers were.
Next, the students wrote their dedication and inside cover. :) Most students drew a picture on the inside cover, but this student is so NOT into drawing. Ha.
We then learned about Copyrights and added them to our books along with the Table of Contents. The pages in the book were pre-labeled so this helped ALOT!
To start the actual text of the book, each student wrote their own introduction to "hook" the reader! We looked at several examples in our National Geographic Science series which was so helpful!
After the introduction, the first two chapters were copied. What Does it Look Like and What Does it Eat. Each student had the same chapters but on the animal of their choice! It was a great way to stay organized yet still foster student choice and ownership.
The students printed off four pictures of their choice from the Internet to add to their books. They then had the option to add to the illustrations! It was cute to see how some were SOOOO detailed and colorful and some were just not into it! :)
The final two chapters were Where it Lives and Interesting Facts.
If you are looking at the map above and think it's upside down, that's because it is. Hmmm...it's a good thing we were in the middle of our Maps unit as well! Too funny!
To close the book, each student created a glossary with two words of their choice, an index, a references page including their sources and an About the Author Page. I took pictures of each student to put in the back, but this one had not put his in yet. Sorry! :(
At this point, the students were ready to show off their product to their parents and families!
We came up with a Non-Fiction Trail Mix! We listed what our animals ate and then tried to come up with "human food" that was similar! :)
While we were in the process of writing the books, I also had a volunteer work with each child to create a simple power point. They typed a bit, chose pictures and backgrounds, etc. That night, each student stood up and gave their Power Point Presentation! With the continued focus on technology, this was a great way to expose the students to tools they will use in their future!
Here is an example of one of my Firsties! I'm tellin' ya....they did an AMAZING job. I was so impressed!
Finally, the parents had an opportunity for their child to walk them through their books and the entire process!
The parents filled out a quick survey and they were PRECIOUS!
All in all, this was a very LONG process, but well worth it! We learned SO much and incorporated several standards to achieve our goal! I would do it again in a heart beat!
Enjoy!
--Mrs. Hunter
