Ideas are the heart of writing. If given
the opportunity, children will ask an author where they get their ideas, and
author's will answer - from everywhere. We must teach children to tune in to
their world and open up their eyes and ears. Ideas can come from life
experiences, family stories, books, news events, art, music, tidbits of
conversation, and many other places. The picture books listed here are
excellent resources for helping children to discover ideas for their own
writing. It's always a good idea to discuss where an author might have
gotten their ideas after reading a book. Anytime you have a chance to make a
note of where an author got their idea (sometimes they tell you on their
website or when they present or in interviews) to share with the children.
Children can keep "idea" lists in their writer's notebooks. You can make an
"idea" box for children to utilize when they are fresh out of ideas. Try to
help children understand that there are not any new topics, only fresh ways
of exploring the topic. One way to teach ideas is to read a lot of books on
one theme and discuss how each author wrote about the same thing but in a
different way. The following books support teaching the trait of ideas.
This book provides a classic writing
pattern. Students can use the pattern in countless ways. They can write about
themselves, a math concept, science subject or any others that you can dream up.
Here is
another wonderful book for exploring wonderful
places that you love, noticing the small things and
dealing with moving. It's a rich book chalked full
of writing inspiration.
The art in this book is amazing.
Artist Rob Gonsalves rivals Van Allsburg in creativity and provides young
writers with rich illustrations to weave stories upon.
If you
think about all of the things that are going on in
the world right at this moment, then you are opening
your mind up to the millions of stories ideas, and
countless possibilities.
Reading texts with similar
themes allows students to make text to text connections; to compare
and contrast characters, settings, plots, and ideas; and to generate
writing ideas through common experiences.
Family stories, traditions and histories are
wonderful examples of how to pull what you know into your writing.
Teach children to listen to stories passed along through oral
tradition and put those stories on paper. Help children to realize
the writing potential of all of the stories that they want to tell
about in class.
My Great-Aunt Arizona
by Gloria Houston (recording family history)
Keepers by Jeri Hanel Watts and Felicia
Marshall (grandparents; recording memories)
Love You Forever by Robert
Munsch (mother’s love) *heart sticker
My Grandpa and the Sea
by Katherine Orr (grandparents) *small seashell
Family traditions make for powerful
story ideas. This beautiful account of a family tradition provides the right mix
to get students thinking about their own traditions - real or wishful.
Objects
are a source of strong emotions and memory. In this
precious story, a child helps trigger the memories
of an old lady in an nursing home. Students can
bring in objects and write about their memories.
Everyone
has relatives, and each child's visits with family
is unique and interesting. This book provides the
perfect setting for getting creative juices flowing.
Friends are an important part of children’s lives. Exploring
friendship through picture books is an excellent way to support
needed social skills. Friendships are a rich source of stories for
children.
For children, secrets are fun. Writing about secrets can bring out
the creativity in kids. Dreaming up secrets allows their
imaginations to free up and their writing to soar.
Everyone has memories. Memories (especially childhood memories) are
rich resources for writer. Children can learn to tap into their
memories (and the memories of parents and grandparents) for lots of
wonderful writing ideas.
The Memory Box
Keepers by Jeri Hanel Watts and
Felicia Marshall
The Hundred Penny Box
by Sharon Bell Mathis *new penny
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
by Mem Fox
When I Was Young In the Mountains
by Cynthia Rylant
In a day and time of high doses of t.v.,
game stations and the Internet, some children have learned to rely
on outward visual sources for their imaginative wonderings. They
never learned that mud is cake and a porch is a stage. For children
who need lessons in play, read aloud these wonderfully imaginative
picture books.
by Kevin Henkes
