Write to the Author

1. Ask students to bring their favorite book to school to share with classmates. Have students describe the book, telling why it is their favorite book. Discuss several characters and explain the problems they solve in the book. Students should share with the class some comments they would like to tell the author.
2. Students create a pop-up card showing one character in the book. Fold two pieces of paper in half to make two cards (one for the inside and one for the outside cover). On one card, measure about 3 inches (8 cm) in from both ends of the fold and mark these points with a Crayola® Fine Line Marker.
3. At both marks, use Crayola Scissors to cut through the fold and into the card about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm). Push the section between the cuts into the fold in reverse, then close and press the card flat.
4. Cut another piece of paper into a half circle that will fit within the borders of the closed card. On the half circle draw a picture with your markers of one of the characters in your favorite book. Glue the half circle to the front of the folded shelf with a Crayola Washable Glue Stick.
5. From another piece of paper cut a word bubble. Write a question for the author from the character with a marker. For example, Ramona could ask Beverly Cleary what she liked to do when she was 8 years old. Glue the word bubble to the character's mouth.
6. Create a message for the outside cover of the card using colorful block letters. Glue the cover to the pop-up card. Open and write aown message to the author on the inside.

LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

LA: Read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grade level text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

LA: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.

LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.

VA: Use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.

Have students mail their cards to authors in care of the authors' publishers. The addresses will able listed inside the front covers of student books. Online resources can provide additional information about favorite authors including e-mail addresses and author websites.

Working in teams of two, students create cards for one character to send to another character in a different book asking the second character to solve a problem. For example, Stellaluna might ask the Ugly Duckling for advice. Create answer cards from one character responding to the other. Set aside class time for students to share their character cards.

Encourage students to include detailed information in their card that demonstrates their understanding of the book read. Students might write directly to a character to respond to events in the book or ask a question about choices made by the character.

Invite students to consider changing the ending of their story. How ill this change affect the lives of your characters?