M&J Craft Lesson

Wong, Janet. “Minn and Jake.” Frances Foster Books. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003

Creative Writing Activity

Discussion

Writing can be tedious for some children. However it is something that they must learn to at least appreciate. At the third grade level an on, they must be able to write to pass the TAKS to continue on in school. Instead of strictly teaching TAKS writing, teachers should encourage every kind of writing. For creative writing, concepts such as a beginning, middle, and end are important. Also, vocabulary, parts of speech, and other grammar techniques can be incorporated into the activity.

How to Teach It

Wrap the top of kids’ desks with paper. Have the child sitting at the desk start their story. They are only to write the beginning, maybe a few sentences or a paragraph. Then, have children switch desks. The next child picks up where the last left off. They continue on until the story is finished.
This activity can teach beginning, middle, and end and also various parts of a story. You can use a prompt or just let children write whatever they want.
This activity can be used any time, not just for Minn and Jake, but if done after reading the book, you can use aspects from the book as the basis for your activity. For example, write a story about animals, lizards, or being different. I think it might be better to use a prompt with older kids.