Making creatures inspired by the wonderful Spiderwick field guide is a really good way in to creating field guides of your own, thinking about habitats, thinking about adaptations for survival straight into the science curriculum too. Children from Castle Hill Juniors did just that with the help of their creative teacher Jo Dedicoat last term. Indeed their whole project has formed around the Spiderwick books and they have really been flying with the idea. Fuel YOUR imagination by reading them and see where they can take you and your class.
....and if you don't want to save Tink (then don't read this site EVER of course ;-)!!!) or if you don't think you can see how to pursue fairy creature making in your classroom via that brilliant set of books 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' think again. You could discuss this photograph of the Cottingley Fairies taken by cousins Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths around 1917. Elsie was 16 and Frances was 9 at the time. I've always found the photos fascinating. When the girls grew up I think they both said the first few were fake but that the last two were real. This would be a really interesting discussion for even the most cynical anti Tink folk because you could explore HOW they made the pictures. Do you think they're real/fake...where's the evidence? It's a really interesting way into photography-how did we used to make prints BEFORE the world of digital photography. Making creatures inspired by the wonderful Spiderwick field guide is a really good way in to creating field guides of your own, thinking about habitats, thinking about adaptations for survival straight into the science curriculum too. Children from Castle Hill Juniors did just that with the help of their creative teacher Jo Dedicoat last term. Indeed their whole project has formed around the Spiderwick books and they have really been flying with the idea. Fuel YOUR imagination by reading them and see where they can take you and your class. P.S if you'd like to know more both from Crystelle re her Ancient theme or from Jo and her Spiderwick theme contact me here and I'll pass it on. It's ALWAYS good to share and that's the whole idea of both sites too.
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http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/oct/17/frank-cottrell-boyce-david-fickling-lecture-literacy-reading-children A thought provoking piece above taken from Frank Cottrell Boyce's Fickling lecture in Oxford. How do we go about creating a true reading culture where children truly love to read. I don't think Frank Cottrell Boyce is knocking any teacher in this piece not least the teacher who he speaks of who'd like some wow words! It's just something to make us think in a wider sense. I write a blog about books but I've found myself down that 'looking for wow words route' as a teacher too. I just wonder what we've become when we pick apart every book. As I spoke about last week I think some of the rudiments of story do need to be taught because clearly not everybody is able to just pull out a story at the drop of a hat. Those basics do need teaching and people favour lots of different 'ways in'. But immersing children in story is necessary and a 'must' BECAUSE IT'S GOOD+RIGHT. We want our children to read books, lots of them and if we want that we have to read children books, lots of them. As Dr. Seuss says ' The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go'. We can't have a reading culture without lots of books and without encouraging children to read the whole book for the joy of reading the whole book NOT to answer questions. I do often talk about reading as a writer and writing as a reader I must admit but I hope I do it in the spirit of immersion in books first thereby avoiding any implication that we read because we're all going to write. We read because we can escape, find out things, meet new worlds, new characters, have new experiences, have happy experiences, be sad, be terrified experience a myriad of emotions. I wish that for our children too and they can do so, hopefully, within the warmth and safety of their family first and foremost but certainly within school where they have people there for them to talk through something tricky or sad or scary in a book. It must be done though...we can't avoid reading long books because it takes time. We can't expect children to write well if they don't read and we can't expect children to IMAGINE if we don't give them the space to do it. So I wish Frank Cottrell Boyce wasn't spot on and I wish I could say PAH that doesn't happen in schools but I really think, sadly, it does. Use books to inspire writing YES but first we just have to read books and enjoy them.It's not a quick fix I'm afraid YET it's a right of a child to imagine. Can't help thinking if more people weren't jumping up and down in rage about this we might be able to give children back their imagination. A 'side effect' would then be writing which of course would contain many more words because children would be exposed to the power of language if they read a wealth of books with fine language in them. I'm still yet to meet a child who hasn't got a will to write if they are an enthusiastic reader. Love that quote above and I would love to use that last bit sometimes...many times in my professional life methinks! Just made me chuckle last night as I was reading this little gem. Haven't yet finished it but was always taken by 'Five children and It' by E. Nesbit. Although stony beaches tend to outnumber sandy beaches in these parts when I do come upon lovely sandy patches I do wish I might stumble upon a sand fairy or Psammead. He can grant wishes but they only last until sun down-the children learn they have to be very careful about what they wish for in 'Five children and It'. Kate Saunders has taken the story on with 'Five Children and the Western Front' -the children are growing up with 'Lamb' now a child not the little baby he once was. Cyril leaves to fight on the front and the Psammead appears to be losing his magic,popping up in random places embarrassing his the children. . There have already been some very poignant moments and I've yet to finish it. The children are able to go forward in time courtesy of the Psammead and move into the 30s to meet an older version of the Professor who helps them. By then the full horror of WW1 is understood but the children of course are innocent of what is about to befall their family.
So far I really like the continuity from the original - I think Kate Saunders has been spot on WITH much added humour. She really brings out the crotchety, very proud Psammead who appears to have no tact at all. I've already come across a great line I'm tempted to use when he meets a young soldier who he plainly feels is beneath him: 'I've no idea why the universe has introduced us'. Did have a little chuckle at this one. I was reading in the middle of the night which I've always done if I wake up. I find it's better than lying awake thinking I should be asleep! This doesn't happen very often but I've always used reading to immerse myself in and relax. I really do, I think, escape into a book and that bit in Neil Gamain's speech about the power of fiction is ALL about enabling children to do the same. We have to give them that gift because it is a gift they're entitled to. I even managed to take the Count of Monte Cristo onto the labour ward though don't remember reading much of it after a while !! Will always make sure I have enough reading material wherever I go and recently, having been stuck in a few major traffic jams on the A14 I have my kindle in my bag because...you never know when you can escape with a book. This is what all our children need-can be on a kindle, tablet or book itself but they all deserve that escape. I'm so sorry I've been away so long. Have been very busy meeting and working with lots of amazing children in school this month and don't feel as if my reading feet have touched the ground yet. So far my wonderful book packages have provided a real page turner in the form of Simon Mayo's 'Itch Craft'-his 3rd Itchingham Loft. I actually really really enjoyed this even more than the others. Perhaps it's because I've got to know the characters and have more or a relationship with them or perhaps because I felt the story 'threads' were really woven in well in this one-just seemed to be a very natural flow to it. I found myself looking forward to picking it up with a cup of tea after school. Really good, action packed-another gripping Itch read. For something completely different the timeless fairytale with more diverse heroes and heroines. I'm beginning to wonder how solid a fairytale foundation we give our children in our increasingly non children friendly schools sometimes. This then means that tales like the Jolly Postman are missed in all their glory unless you know those traditional tales really well. Then there's the clear story conventions and fantastic modelling from fairy tales for our writers right up into Year 6. So with that in mind what about the classic set 'The Kingdom under the Sea', 'Past 8 o'clock' + 'A Necklace of Raindrops' by Joan Aitken' for a steadfast set of fairytales for every occasion. Then there is the always cheeky and funny 'The Story book Wolves' by Lauren Child which, once again could have multi layers right up to older children-not to be sniffed at just because it's got pics in!
Finally in this 'Fairytale 3' is the new 'Blackberry Blue+other fairytales' by Jamila Gavin. In her intro Jamila explains that she 'wanted to create stories which extended the Europoean image, so that more diverse children could look at the heroes and heroines and say, "That could be me." ' She has done that in this collection with gorgeous subtle, mystical illustrations by Richard Collingridge. I've read the first one which was about the title heroine-blackberry Blue-and seemed appropriate for the time of year. I'm going to stop writing and go and read some more. You need a copy so try and get your hands on one. Can't really say more than the Independent on Sunday who call it 'MAGIC' which is surely enough of a recommendation to curl up with this book. |
Sarah GallagherAvid reader, sometimes a headteacher AND founder of Story shack. A place where you can release your imagination and see where it takes you.... Archives
May 2022
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