Write a Book to Change the World
Learning Sequence 9
.png)
Introduction
This week, we aim for the children to complete their book, including illustrations, front cover, blurb, and the about the author section.
We want to ensure the children feel prepared for publication next week. This week will focus on adding the final touches to the book and ensuring it is in order and ready to be uploaded to the Upschool library.
Please make sure that you have checked the children’s books so that they meet the requirements of the author’s checklist.
Thank you.
This week, we’ll be adding the final touches to your book, getting everything ready for publication next week.
By now, you should be well on your way to completing your illustrations. Your front cover should be designed, along with your blurb. This week, we’re going to add the final touch by including a section about the author, which is all about you, of course.
We’ve been going through your book very carefully to ensure all the illustrations are complete and that your book is in the correct order, ready to be uploaded to our Upschool Digital Library.
Please remember that your book must always have an even number of pages. The front cover, the back cover must be the first and last pages of your book and all 9 areas from the checklist must be ticked off.
Weekly Keywords
Introduce the spelling word list and choose from this list of tasks that can be repeated and expanded upon if necessary.
Copy the words into a spelling list/Vocabulary book for later reference.
Put each of the new words into a sentence and underline the new vocabulary in red pencil
Place the words in alphabetical order in a list.
Use a dictionary to define each of the words and place them into a vocabulary book.
Try to represent each of the words using a picture or a symbol and play the guessing game. (which image is matched to which word)
Write a paragraph containing all of the new vocabulary.
Make a vocabulary wall containing all of the new words.
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the words and create a synonym list.
These words will help you during this week’s lesson. You may already know some of these words however practice makes perfect!
First, read the words and then try to define them as simply as possible.
An example has been completed for you. You can write these into your books, and draw a picture to match or simply complete the task card.
Read and Discuss - ‘Weekly Warm-Up Activity’
In this session, we’re focusing on recapping the three types of comprehension questions, encouraging children to reflect on their emotional responses to the characters and the narrative overall.
Now might be an opportune moment to ensure your students grasp the distinctions among the comprehension questions they’re likely to encounter. Literal questions are directly answerable from the text itself. Inferential questions require readers to delve deeper, using clues from the text to draw conclusions. Applied questions invite readers to express their opinions, drawing on their personal experiences.
Read pages 34-37 with your partner and answer the following questions.
Make sure that you recap the whole book and discuss what has happened so far before starting to read this week’s pages. . This week focuses on all types of comprehension questions.
Inferential, literal and applied questions. Let’s get our brains working in overdrive!.
Read this week’s pages and then complete the comprehension questions below.
Weekly Comprehension (Discussion)
This activity encourages students to partner-read pages 34 to 37, promoting reflection and discussion through targeted questions. They’ll describe characters, recount events, and share personal reactions, focusing on themes of inclusion and understanding.
The questions guide them to reflect on their learning about penguins, empathy, and the impacts of exclusion. It’s also a chance to explore authorial and illustrative choices, fostering a deeper connection with the text and encouraging critical thinking and personal response.
Read pages 34 to 37 with your partner and answer the following questions:
-
How would you describe the baby penguin?
-
What happened during the long winter?
-
How did Sergio’s father react when he saw the baby?
-
What has the book taught you about penguins?
-
What has the book demonstrated about excluding people?
-
What will you do the next time you see someone being excluded?
-
What do we know about the author?
-
What do we know about the illustrator?
-
What would you name the next book if you were to write it?
-
Did you enjoy reading this book? Why?
Writing Your ‘About the Author’
The purpose of this section in the book is to help readers understand the cultural identity of the authors who have carefully put these books together.
As educators, our priority is to protect the children’s identity. Therefore, we will ask the students to create and upload a caricature of themselves and instead of using their full name, we ask them only to list their first name and their country.
Students will follow a straightforward task card to answer a series of questions. Their answers will fill the ‘About The Author’ section, which will be placed at the back of the book manuscript, following the final story page.
An example of what the author page might look like is provided on the last page of this task card. Share this with your students before they start this task.
It’s time to tell everyone about the amazing person who wrote this book.
Next, we want you to share a little about yourself. Tell us who you are, where you’re from, and why you wanted to write a book to help change the world.
This part of the book lets you help people understand different cultures better and bring everyone together with one goal: to make the world like one big, happy family, no matter our religion, where we live, how much money we have, our skin color, or what we believe in.
This is how we make the world come together.
Use the task card to help you and take a look at the example provided before starting your own biography.
Once your text and avatar are ready you can copy and paste these into the correct page of your manuscript.
Please remember to only use your first name and say the country you’re from. Don’t mention your school or town!
How to Create Your Own Avatar
This activity involves creating avatars as a creative alternative to using real photos. It encourages children’s digital creativity while ensuring their privacy. By crafting personalised avatars, students can express themselves safely in their books, aligning with digital safety and privacy principles.
To avoid the need for a real photograph, we’ve crafted a unique video that guides you through the process of transforming yourself into an avatar. Please watch the video provided, and once you’re pleased with your new avatar, feel free to include it on the “About the Author” page of your book.
If you don’t like the first Avatar you create feel free to keep trying until you find an avatar you’re happy with.
Finalising Your Book - The Author’s Checklist
As you guide students through finalising their book for the Upschool library, stress the importance of meticulously following the provided checklist. It’s crucial for ensuring their book includes all necessary elements, such as page numbering, a properly designed cover, and an even page count.
Additionally, content must align with positive messaging and include specific sections like ‘About the Author’. This attention to detail will prevent rejection and guarantee their book’s successful publication.
Now that you’ve honed your skills in illustration and manuscript writing, it’s time to organise everything for publication next week.
This involves ensuring each page is numbered, your front cover includes essential elements like the author’s name and title, and your back cover features a blurb.
Ensure your manuscript comprises an even number of pages and that everything is saved and ready to be downloaded as a PDF document to your computer.
You have one more week to continue illustrating, editing, and applying the final touches to your book. Next week, we plan to publish it to the Upschool library.
However, please refer to this Author Checklist to avoid your book being rejected by the Upschool Library. It’s crucial to pay attention:
-
Ensure your story aims to change the world and that all spelling is correct.
-
Follow the Upschool Write a Book Template guidelines.
-
Your book should spread only positive messages and imagery, avoiding anything that could hurt someone’s feelings.
-
Include a page titled ‘About the Author’ and a dedication page.
-
Your book should have a minimum of 24 pages, ensuring the total number of pages is even.
-
The front cover must include a background,
foreground, title, and the main character.
-
Include a blank page after the front cover and another before the back cover.
-
The back cover should contain a blurb, positioned as the last page of the book.
-
Keep text and crucial images away from the edges to ensure they are within the safe zone.
-
Following this checklist carefully will ensure your book meets all the necessary criteria for publication in the Upschool library.
Finalising Your Charity!
This week, guide students to independently choose a charity to support with their book sales. Provide the task card, direct them to the link for research, and empower them to make an informed, personal choice reflecting their values and the impact they wish to have.
As your book is about to go live in the Upschool library, remember that each sale will also benefit a charity that you choose.
This week, you’ll make an important decision using the task card provided. Check out the link below to review the amazing work our charity partners are doing around the world.
You’re not just an author; you’re a change-maker, and the decision you make this week will start your journey in making a difference.
Investigate the charities, understand their projects, and use the task card to help you decide which one you’d like to support.
Ready to make a choice that counts? Let’s do it this week!
Closing Video with Gavin
Use any time you have spare this week to continue illustrating your book. With only 1 week to go until publication, it is time to put in as much effort as possible.
Well done!
Ongoing Follow-Up Activities
Extension Activity - Buddy Program Week 9
As we approach the concluding phase of this learning journey, our leaders will first assist our younger students in finalising their tasks before publication.
The leaders will begin by supporting the completion of the ‘About the Author’ section. Following that, they’ll conduct a thorough review of the book to ensure all elements are correctly assembled and primed for next week’s publication.
It’s likely students will need extra time to collaborate during this process, as they may discover some parts of the book need additional work. With only a week remaining, we might need to dedicate more time to the buddy system.
In the words of Confucius, “Learning without thought is labour lost.”
This week, we’ll collaborate with our partners to finalize their books. First, we’ll assist them in reflecting on their identity as an author and complete the ‘About the Author’ section with the help of the provided task card.
Next, we’ll review the book with our partners, ensuring everything is set for publication next week.
Your dedication as a mentor and leader has been an invaluable asset to your partner.
Well done to you.
Extension Activity #2 - Writing an Article About Your Book
Guide students in writing an article about their upcoming book, aimed at capturing the interest of local media. This task emphasizes writing for a specific purpose: to generate publicity. Encourage them to highlight the unique aspects and inspiration behind their book, making it appealing for newspapers or TV networks.
This real-world application enhances their understanding of persuasive writing and the importance of audience, providing a practical experience in leveraging media to share their creative work.
Before your book gets published next week, let’s try something exciting! You’re going to write a special article about your book. This article isn’t just any story; it’s your chance to tell local newspapers or TV stations why your book is great and why they should tell others about it.
Think about making a cool note or card that explains what your book is about. You can talk about what inspired you to write it or what makes your book really special.
This is a big opportunity to get your book out there. If the newspapers or TV people like your story, they might help you share it with even more people. So, let’s make your article really interesting and show everyone how awesome your book is!
Take a look at the example opposite and use the template to
write your very own article.
It’s time to spread the word.
