Mary Amato

Writing with Humor & Heart

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Creative School Encourages Reading with One Book One School

April 3, 2015 by Mary Amato Leave a Comment

Edgar Allan final coverMunson (OH) Elementary School chose Edgar Allan’s Official Crime Investigation Notebook for every student and staff member to read for the 2015 One Book One School project.

The staff pitched in to build excitement before and during the big read. The book is about a thief who steals objects from a 5th grade classroom and leaves clues to the mystery in the form of poems. Edgar Allan, one of the students, keeps his own investigation notebook in order to collect clues.

For three days before the “big reveal” principal Louise Henry dressed up like a detective and visited each classroom with a clue (in the form of a poem) about something to do with the book. Each student was given a mini blank notebook.

Here is a description from Louise Henry of more ways this innovative school created excitement to read.

  • On the following Monday, each class got a clue which led them to their bag of Edgar Allan books hidden somewhere in the school. The teacher read the first chapter and then they were on their own to read two chapters a night from then on.
  • We created a willow tree (which is in the book) in the library, and kids were selected from their rooms to be able to go and read under the tree.
  • Because “a poem is a gift” in the book, we wrapped empty boxes, gave one to each classroom and they wrote and sent poems to other classrooms on two different days.
  • We created a poetry bulletin board for student poems to be displayed.
  • When students read the “ice cream with whipped cream” chapter, we served that for dessert at lunch.
  • We had trivia Tuesdays and Thursdays where students answered questions from the book.
  • Teachers had a resource packet with resources from www.maryamato.com, activities about empathy, etc., to use as they liked.
  • We created the setting of the book in the lobby of the school (that changed as the book progressed). The kids loved to check out the desk to see what had changed overnight.
  • The final activity was Skyping with the author! Each grade level met in the library for a 20 minute session. “It was the perfect way to wrap up the book.”

Filed Under: What's New, Your Ideas Tagged With: edgar allan's official crime investigation notebook, Munson Elementary School, One Book One School

Author Coat

October 18, 2012 by Mary Amato 1 Comment

At Ogilvie ES (MN), Maurna Rome has authors sign her Author Coat. Kids get to wear the coat when they read their own work!

Filed Under: Your Ideas

Poems as Gifts

May 18, 2012 by Mary Amato 2 Comments

cropped-writers-at-work-e.jpg

After reading Edgar Allan’s Official Crime Investigation Notebook, Ladue (MO) librarian Julie Stone asked students to write a surprise gift poem for someone in the school. After writing their poems, students were excited to deliver them.

Filed Under: Your Ideas Tagged With: edgar allan's official crime investigation notebook

Life-Sized Characters

May 18, 2012 by Mary Amato 1 Comment

For a lesson on Please Write in this Book, Reed ES librarian Julie Stone (Ladue district in St. Louis, MO) invited her readers to discuss the various character traits each character displays. Then she helped them to create life-sized portraits of each character in the book, making sure that they chose an outfit and any accessories that would match the personality. To make it easy for students to get the basic proportions right, she had students work in teams: One would lie down on roller paper and another would trace the outline.

 

Filed Under: Your Ideas Tagged With: character traits, lesson plan, Please Write in This Book

Write-on-This Tablecloth

December 4, 2011 by Mary Amato Leave a Comment

Invite young guests to have their cake and write about it, too!

In November, Mrs. Cook, a 4th grade teacher at Wayne ES, put this tablecloth on her classroom work table and invited her students to write down something for which they are grateful. Love this idea.

Filed Under: Your Ideas

You’ve Got Mail

December 4, 2011 by Mary Amato Leave a Comment

Put a mailbox in your classroom (or kitchen, if you’re a homeschooling family) and invite students to write to you.

From Mrs. Becker’s classroom at Wayne (PA) ES.

Filed Under: Your Ideas

Why You Need Math

October 4, 2011 by Mary Amato 1 Comment

Math teacher Mindy LeBlanc had a great idea for a resource for her classroom: a creative writer showing that even writers need to learn math. Here is my video. Teachers, if you can’t access youtube in your classroom, please let me know if you’re aware of a better option than TeacherTube. TeacherTube isn’t processing my videos well for some reason.

Filed Under: General, Resources, Your Ideas Tagged With: math, video, videos, why you need math

Writing Contests for Kids

September 8, 2011 by Mary Amato 2 Comments

Young Writers at WorkThe following contests and magazines have run in the past and may still be open to submissions from students. If you are interested in any, please check with the source. Let me know if any contests have been discontinued.

Contests

The Imaginormous Challenge offers a range of fun contests–from writing a book to creating your own candy. Teachers can also download classroom materials.

WETA often holds a write-your-own book contest for students in K-3. See rules for entering.

Time for Kids is holding a poetry contest. You must be a subscriber to get info.

The Gaithersburg Book Festival often holds a short story contest for students in grades 9-12 living in the Washington metropolitan area. Short stories must be no longer than 1,000 words and must begin with one of three lines provided on the contest website.

Washington Post KidsPost Annual Poetry Contest occurs every April in honor of National Poetry Month. See their website for rules on how to enter.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are for students in grades 7-12. Awards in many categories include: film, design, short story, poetry, and more.

Scholastic Bookfairs Kids are Authors Contest is an annual competition open to students in Grades K–8 in the United States and U.S. international schools and is designed to encourage students to use their reading, writing, and artistic skills.

Letters About Literature is a state and national writing contest sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Arts Council that encourages young readers in grades 4 to 12 to respond to an author through a letter expressing how that author and book changed their worldview and themselves.

American Pet Products Association is sponsoring a poetry contest about animals called Pets Add Life for grades 3-8.

NASA is planning a new contest, The Nasa Careers Poetry Contest. Find out more at: http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/girlscouts/gsusa_poetry.html

SOMIRAC (State of Maryland International Reading Association Council) sponsors a Young Authors’ Contest for Maryland students in Grades 2-12 at the local council and state levels. All entries must be original work and include a completed “Submission Form” signed by the student author and sponsoring teacher. To find out more, please see your school’s reading specialist or contact SOMIRAC.

Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (MD) Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award for high school seniors.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY (MD) STUDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PUBLISHED with BETHESDA YOUTH WRITING CONTEST. The contest is open to students in grades K-8 who live or attend school in Montgomery County. Students can enter the contest either as individuals or through their teacher, if the whole class would like to participate. For an entry form and more information, please visit www.bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660.

Magazines

Creative Kids magazine is the nation’s largest magazine by and for kids. The magazine bursts with games, stories, and opinions all by and for kids ages 8–14.

New Moon Girls Magazine focuses on girls, women, or female issues. New Moon Girls was created by girls and women for girls who want their voices heard and their dreams taken seriously. It is edited by and for girls ages 8 and up. New Moon Girls takes girls very seriously; the publication is structured to give girls real power. The final product is a collaboration of girls and adults. An editorial board of girls aged 8-14 makes final decisions on content for the magazine and website.

Stone Soup is made up of stories, poems, book reviews, and art by young people through age 13.

Teensite, a website for teens through Montgomery County (MD) Public Library, invites Montgomery County, MD, students to submit original writing to their ongoing site. They also hold an annual contest: Understanding Diversity through Creative Writing. Contact your branch librarian to find out more.

Teen ‘Zine, hosted by Howard County (MD) Public Library system, invites submissions from Howard County teens. The HC library also offers an annual Sherlock Holmes essay contest.

Filed Under: Resources, Your Ideas Tagged With: writing contest, writing contests

Word Eater Book Club Guide by Melissa Henderson

June 2, 2011 by Mary Amato 2 Comments


If your book club is reading The Word Eater, check out this thought-provoking and fun guide written by Melissa Henderson, Head of Children’s Services, Glencoe (IL) Public Library.

Filed Under: Your Ideas

Author Autograph Pen Collection

May 4, 2011 by Mary Amato 1 Comment


When I signed a book for Texas media specialist Jessica Scheller, she asked me if I would be willing to use a special pen.

Jessica Scheller, an Information Literacy Specialist at Bethune Academy, a third and fourth grade campus in Aldine ISD  in the Houston area, has a very cool display of pens used by authors to autograph books.

Here’s her explanation:

“I started a display case in my library that has the title “Authors Write Here”.  I decided to begin a collection of books signed to the students of my campus by popular authors. To make the collection even more special, I have a large plastic test tube (that primary grades use for science) that holds the pen the author used to sign the book next to it – an artifact, of sorts – touched by the author and saved for posterity!”

“On the wall behind the display case is a collection of photographs of the authors at the signings (using THEIR pen). I have pulled some of the books by the authors to be next to the display for students to check out, and all the authors have books in our collection.”

“The display has sparked many unconventional conversations with students. Their eyes widen in disbelief as I tell them that the author touched that very pen in our case. Then either their mouths open in awe, or their noses crinkle just before they start giggling – but they ALL ask for one of the author’s books. Students can receive the privilege to read the signed copy, with special circumstances (a great behavior incentive or hard-work-done, well-earned privilege).”

“So far I have Jon Sceszka (The Stinky Cheese Man), Mary Amato (Please Write in This Book, Riot Brothers, Word Eater), Kevin O’Malley (Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude), Chris Barton (The Day-Glo Brothers and Shark Vs. Trains), Don Tate (Ron’s Big Mission), and this year’s (2011-2012) Bluebonnet Book authors Marilyn Singer (Mirror Mirror) and Dori Hillestad Butler (The Case of the Lost Boy).”

Filed Under: General, Your Ideas Tagged With: author autograph, autographs, media center display, teaching ideas

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Humor and Heart

I give voice to the funny, sad, messy, and wondrous stories of life, especially the stories of children and young adults. My mission: each book has humor and heart. If you are a teen and/or you're looking for info about my books and music for older readers, please check out my www.thrumsociety.com site.
Learn more about my mission and resources.

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