‘They were really creative’: Bend middle schoolers read their original children’s books to 1st- and 2nd-graders
(Update: adding video, comments from students and teachers)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- As our Kelsey McGee recently reported, Sky View Middle School’s creative writing class has been working on creating books for younger students. A total of 21 students signed up for the new elective at the middle school.
In class, they have been using the app Book Creator to illustrate books on iPads. On Thursday, they took a test, of sorts: reading their finished stories to first- and second-graders at Lava Ridge Elementary School.
"I think it's really neat for young writers, because in second grade, we do writing workshop every day," Lava Ridge second-grade teacher Robin Sanderson said. "So it's neat for them to see where their writing can go when they get older and what they can do with their craft."
The students were split up into different classrooms and took turns reading to the class.
First graders in Mrs. Allen's class were excited to have the guest readers and shared some of their favorite stories from the day.
"I liked all of them," said one of her first-grade students, Leigh Nelson.
"The first one. There was this donut that was scared of the dark," said another student, Raviva Shofstall.
Creative writing student Julia Howell shared her original story, "Soon the Outfit Dilemma."
"It's about this girl and her best friend has, like, perfect hair. And, like, everything about her is, like, perfect. Like, her clothes, her shoes. And she is like -- my gosh, I want to be just like her!" Howell said. "She realizes that it's just better to be yourself than trying to be like someone else."
According to creative writing teacher Brian Seguin, printing and materials for the books were donated by Premier Printing Solutions, a Bend printing company.
Teachers at the elementary school said they were impressed with the work done by the middle schoolers.
"They were really creative," Sanderson said, "and I was most impressed by the storyline and the moral that they kind of tied in to the story -- and their illustrations were amazing!"
