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Be a Children's Book Author

What might it feel like to be a children's book author and share your work with others? Students will write and illustrate a story that they will read to a group of younger students.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Cardstock
  • Notebook
  • Tape

Steps

  • Step 1

    Interactions between younger children and older students can have a significant impact on the social, emotional, and cognitive development of younger children and can foster greater school community. Ask students to explore some illustrated books intended for younger grades, perhaps pre-kindergarten to grade two. Have them take note of the illustrations, storyline, etc.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to write a story to read to children in younger grades. When they're satisfied with the draft, have them transcribe it into a blank notebook and illustrate it. They might want to embellish it by creating character cut-outs that the younger student can move around and place in appropriate spots in the story. Or the author could tape the cut-out characters onto the pages.

  • Step 3

    Arrange a time for students to meet with children in younger grades. Have them each pair with a younger partner or small group and enjoy story time together. Encourage the older student to engage the younger ones by reading the story and asking questions along the way to increase the interactive experience. Or they might have the younger students identify a few words they are able to read. Or the student authors can ask their young friends to guess what will happen next at key points in the story.

  • Step 4

    After the collaborative story time, have the student authors discuss the experience. How did they feel as they engaged with younger children? How does it feel to be an author sharing work with others? What did they learn from this experience and from their young partners?

Standards

LA: Write using words, numbers, and images to inform and explain, share experiences, and create narratives, either fictional or non-fictional.  

SEL: Relationship Skills: Provide leadership and seek or offer help when needed.  

Adaptations

Have students once again visit with younger students, but this time have them ask their younger partner to compose a story that the  older students will transcribe. Then have the students illustrate the story together, letting the young person lead the art direction.

Have students explore the process of how books get published, from the initial manuscript to the editing process and the ways artists are involved in the cover design and page illustrations. What are some of the authors' responbilities during the marketing process?