Tag Archives: shelterathome support

Apr28

Interview with Chris Lewis

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I’m starting this week out with a great support picture book for your little ones to understand the COVID19 situation, and help them become informed in a child friendly way. Chris Lewis wrote this book with fellow colleagues to help support parents explain to their younger children what is going on in the world. Haley and Comet Learn about COVID-19 is available as a FREE picture book and is available in Indonesian and Portuguese translations. I had a chance to talk to Chris Lewis about his writing routine, future projects, and what writing means to him.

1) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.
Chris Lewis: After I have eaten with a cup of tea in the evening.

2) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?
Chris Lewis: Business and technology subjects target and younger readers. Change Management and testing is on the cards.

3) What is writing to you in one sentence?
Chris Lewis: A privilege and a joy I am working every day to get better at.

Covid19PictureBkcoverHaley and Comet Learn about COVID-19 tells the story of two twins, Haley and Comet. They are confused about why they are not allowed to visit with friends, and their big brother isn’t allowed to go to school. Discover the journey the twins go on to find out how COVID 19 has affected their lives. This story is written for 5 years and up.

Haley and Comet Learn about COVID-19 is available at the following eBook store links:

English version: https://books2read.com/u/mVw5Y5
Indonesian version: https://books2read.com/u/bMpdg5
Portuguese version: https://books2read.com/u/mKDMqP

Apr3

Interview with Yolanda Avery

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authorphoto Yolanda Avery

Yolanda Avery is the author of the book “The Adventures of Granny Fannie”.

I hope you are staying safe with your family, and have started a routine for your quarantine life if you’re area or state is in lockdown. Hopefully, over the next few weeks, I can find some more fabulous books and authors to interview along with more tips for distance learning. I’m proud to lend my 20 years of teaching experience to help out the parents finding themselves teachers all of a sudden during this pandemic crisis. I’ll try my best to support you.

This brings me to my next author I’d like to introduce to you. Yolanda Avery grew up in Louisiana with the dream to run her own business and to make a difference. She has been a screenwriter, writer and business entrepreneur. Her book, The Adventures of Granny Fannie, creates a unique, inspirational character that uses her rhyming conversations to inspire others during her adventures. I had the chance to talk with Yolanda about her memories of reading as a child, what authors influenced her and what writing means to her.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Yolanda Avery: My favorite memory from reading was from my dad. I can remember when I was about 6 or 7 years of old. My dad woke me up early in the morning, and he had prepared a tea party for the two of us. He had placed all of my stuffed animal friends around this white table I had in my room. It was during the holiday season because I remember that was my first taste of eggnog. He had all the cups at the table filled with this tasty beverage and chocolate chip cookies on each saucier.

Then he pulled out one of my favorite books. Of course, it was the book of nursery rhymes. The book was filled with so many of my favorite short stories. We spent hours at the table drinking and reading from my favorite nursery rhymes stories. This is a memory that I continue to share with my family.

2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Yolanda Avery: Beatrix Potter was my favorite children’s author. As a child, I can remember dreaming that I lived in an imaginative world creating fantasies out of many daily tales. My mind often wondered in a world of “what if”. I love how her stories of Peter Rabbit seemed so real to me.

3) What is writing to you in one sentence?


Yolanda Avery: Writing to me is exhilarating!

granniefannycvrThe Adventures of Granny Fannie is a collection of short stories involving a grandmother character called Granny Fannie. Each story includes inspirational adventures all told through the enjoyment of rhyme. Granny Fannie will bring a hip and fresh look into many educational and life lessons told through the point of view of her unique personality.

The Adventures of Granny Fannie is available at: Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

For more information on Yolanda Avery, please visit her website at: https://yolandacavery.com/.

 

 

Mar30

Day 8: The Lost Secret of Fairies Online Novel Study with Summary & Character Handouts

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Chapter 13 and End of Book Questions today!

Greetings everyone! It has been a challenging couple of weeks, but I hope you and your child have enjoyed reading my book, The Lost Secret of Fairies. Today, on Day 8, I’ll be helping to wrap up the story and novel study. I’ll be including some downloadable worksheets to be used in response to finishing the book, and tomorrow, will include an essay test that your child should be able to complete on their own from doing the activities. The activities can be done over the next few days with the essay test given at the end of the week.

Let’s start today with the final journal response questions:

Chapter 13 & End of the Book Questions:summer1

  1. Summarize in a paragraph the book The Lost Secret of Fairies. Use a topic sentence, list the events, and use a closing sentence.
  2. How did you like the Lost Secret of Fairies? What was your opinion of the book? Describe your opinion with supporting details and examples from the book.
  3. What is the theme or message from the author of The Lost Secret of Fairies? Name examples from the text that are clues.

Bonus: Do you want to read the next book? Why or why not?

Now, for the end of book activities. These can be done over the next few days, with one a day, as a lead up to the final essay test. I’d suggest the summary first, followed by the Character trait essay answer, and then going through the journal response questions to get an idea of what the book was about in their minds. Then, in a few days, have them do the essay test. I will post the test tomorrow. They will be able to use their journal response pages to take the essay test. Of course, they should use the book to find examples and details.

Downloads for End of Book Activities:

Summary Fill In Handout for The Lost Secret of Fairies

Character Change Writing Response WS

The Lost Secret of Fairies- Webbing Graphic Organizer

Paragraph Writing Lesson Support

(Through my online store on TeachersPayTeachers)

Free Book Review Handout: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Opinion-Real-World-Book-Report-Book-Review-971473

Writing Opinion Packet: (Only $0.99)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Opinion-Paragraph-Individual-Packet-3029120

Paragraph Parts Review Packet (Only $0.99)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Paragraph-Parts-Individual-Packet-3028939

Diorama Book Report/Home Project Extension (Only $0.99)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Diorama-Book-Report-3074161

 

I hope that helps set the rest of the week for reading response and writing for your child. I’ll post the final test tomorrow that can be the wrap up for this novel study. The other activities included above are great follow ups for the book and extension activities.

Thank you for following along with this novel study. I hope it has helped bring reading and learning to your little ones during these strange times. I’ll be posting the last day of the novel study tomorrow, and I welcome all of your feedback and comments below. It will help me plan for future instruction to help out during the pandemic.

Until then, keep reading and writing,

-Mrs. Turner

***Tiffany Turner is the author of the children’s fantasy series, the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. She has had 18 years experience teaching in California as a public elementary teacher. She is currently tutoring in the private sector and continuing to write full time. 

UPDATED March 31, 2020:

The essay test will be posted on Wednesday, April 1 now. I’ve added a lesson on theme and message, and posted it today. It is on the essay test, so I wanted to make sure I included a lesson on themes. Thanks for following along with the novel study. Please let me know how I’m doing in the comments below.

March 31, 2020 Post on Theme/Messages