Photo+Story+Projects

After reading the book **//In the Deep, Deep Pond//** by Denise Fleming I led the class in a brainstorm activity about things we see in the Big Big School. I recorded their suggestions on chart paper and the teacher finished in the classroom. The students selected with thing they wanted to illustrate and the teacher and assistant worked together with the students during their language arts time to write the script. After the illustrations were finished the teacher selected 2 students to come to the media center with the assistant to learn how to scan and save the images. After just a few directions the students were able to scan, name and save all the images. Then 2 more children helped put the slides in order and add transistions. As the teacher saw the project come alive she then had ideas to add including some photos. The voice of the children really 'makes' the projects.

I beleive this is one of the best qualities of photo story and hearing the childn's voice is what endears the project to the staff, the children and the parents.

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**A Wattle of Thanks** came about as our school was preparing for the annual grandparent's tea. We used The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant and This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore as our mentor texts. We asked for pictures of what families do at home to get ready for company and we took pictures of all the preparations going on at school. I read the books to two classes and we then brainstormed things we do to get ready for relatives and company. We wrote the poem based on the pattern in This is the Feast - Diane Shore was our visiting author this year so the ideas and her titles were fresh and timely.

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**I Love My Mommy Because...** Written by a kindergarten class and produced in time for Mother's Day Tea and Donuts for Dads. The books are I Love My Mommy Because... and I Love My Daddy Because... by Porter media type="file" key="My dad rocks.wmv" width="300" height="300" media type="file" key="i love my mommy 2_1.wmv" width="300" height="300"