Project Description: After having been read a classic or a favorite trade book, children will brainstorm a list of words (one for each letter of the alphabet) that relate to the story. Each word will be used in a sentence. Each child will illustrate a sentence. (or two, or this could be done in pairs if your class is over 26 students.) Text should be keyboarded by the students, since the purpose of our grant is to increase the use of technology in the classroom. Please include your students’ first names only on their work.

For example:
After having listened to the story, " Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone," the following would be a possible list:

1. Harry almost fell off of his broomstick in the Quidditch match
2. Harry had a lightning bolt on his forehead.
3. Gryffindor’s colors were red and gold.

Etc, etc, etc……..~or~ in a simpler vein:

After having listened to a Clifford Story…

Clifford is adorable.
Clifford is beautiful.
Clifford is cuddly.

Students’ work will need to be either

• photographed digitally and then emailed to me.
• scanned and saved as jpegs and then emailed
• or sent directly to me as Word Documents.

The first and second are the most logical options for Mac users.

New York State Standards addressed by this project:
The Arts
Standard 1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts
Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.
English Language Arts
Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding
Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.
Standard 2: Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Technology Foundation Standards for Students
Basic operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
Students are proficient in the use of technology.
Social, ethical, and human issues
Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
Technology communications tools
Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Suggestions:
The illustrations and keyboarding can be done in a number of ways. Please use standard sized paper and a font of 36pt size. As I adjust the children’s work to fit it onto the site, the font gets smaller; so, it needs to start out at a good size in order to be readable.
One method:

• Each child can type hisorher own sentence with adult guidance.
• Save it . (just in case!!!!) ;o)
• Print it.
• Each child can then illustrate hisorher own sentence using crayon or marker. (Please be sure that colors are bright)
• Children’s work can be scanned or photographed digitally and saved to disk.
• Attach the files to an email and send to me @ molenaark@schenectady.k12.ny.us

Another method:

• Use MS Paint (or any other paint program you may have at your disposal) and have the children draw their illustrations via computer.
• Save the paint file.
• Import the paint file into MS Word.
• Children can keyboard in their sentences.
• Attach the MS word files to an email addressed to me @ molenaark@schenectady.k12.ny.us

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