Mosaic Freeschool

  • Home
  • Classes
    • Classes '22-'23
    • Past Classes
  • Facilitators
    • Mosaic Facilitators
    • Educator Network
  • Enroll
    • Admissions
    • Registration
    • Payment
  • Contact
  • Opportunities
  • Home
  • Classes
    • Classes '22-'23
    • Past Classes
  • Facilitators
    • Mosaic Facilitators
    • Educator Network
  • Enroll
    • Admissions
    • Registration
    • Payment
  • Contact
  • Opportunities

Mosaic Minutes

Story Magic Class Summary 9/29/14

9/30/2014

 
with Michelle Cameron

Creating Character

Today we talked about our tasting words. Our word collection is growing nicely. 

Several of the children had completed their stories from last week or had stories to share. Several of 
the completed stories did a nice job of incorporating the sense details we discussed last week as part of 
the treasure box. We talked about having great ideas in our heads and the fact that we sometimes 
don’t get them down on paper. And one of the stories was a perfect segue-way into our discussion 
about character.   

We started out by reading a picture book with the deliciously naughty protagonist, Jake, in Simon 
James’s The Day Jake Vacuumed. As we read, we discussed how the illustrator gave us clues to Jake’s 
personality, anticipated what might happen next, and what the kids would do if all parental controls 
were lifted. (Don’t worry – Jake gets his come-uppance at the end!) 

Then we talked about characters – the fact that they don’t have to be human, that, like Jake, they 
can do naughty things (but just on paper), and that they are not the same people as the writer. 

Our writers were given large sheets of paper and, after closing their eyes and picturing a character, were told to begin a drawing.
Picture
Picture
They were then asked the following questions:  

1. What’s the character’s name?  

2. How old are they? (can be just born, can be a zillion years old…) 

3. Do they have brothers and sisters? List them.  

4. What color is their hair? (If they don’t have hair, what color is their fur, or scales, or skin?) 

5. What color are their eyes? (How many do they have?) 

6. Where does the character live? (It could be an imaginary place or planet.) 

7. What do they like MOST to eat?  

8. What do they HATE to eat?  

9. Do they have an enemy? What’s the enemy’s name?  

10. Do they have a secret? What is it? 

11. What do they WANT? (We talked about what Harry Potter and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz 
wanted. I explained that every character must want something and that’s where the story 
usually starts). 

After completing their drawings and answering the questions, they described their characters, and I 
was happy to see a nice mix of imaginary, animal, and human characters.
Picture
Picture
We then launched into writing the day’s stories. We wrote until the end of class and I encourage them 
all to complete their stories over the course of the week. (And if they did finish, they should write a 
“Part 2”). We’ll share their stories at the beginning of class next week.  

This week’s word collection should be action words – verbs, if possible.  

I can’t wait to hear their stories next Monday! Have a great week, everyone.

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Afternoon Enrichment
    Closures
    Clubs
    Early Elementary
    Mosaic Texas
    Odyssey Of The Mind
    Out Of This World
    Philosophy
    Tesserae Fall 2012
    Tesserae Fall 2013
    Tesserae Fall 2014
    Tesserae Spring 2013
    Tesserae Spring 2014
    Tesserae Spring 2015
    Tesserae Spring 2016

    Archives

    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from nojhan, Clay Gilliland, mynameisharsha, kim siciliano salem, matthewvenn, photogirl7.1, El Bibliomata, ~Brenda-Starr~, Anne Worner, Heather Bickle, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, Black.Dots., marta.b, Felipe Venâncio, A. Galassi, bibliojojo, Bibliothèque - Les Champs Libres - Rennes, Robert Hensley, opensourceway, Greenland Travel, est1996x, John-Morgan, camnjeanacess, plindberg, chrisjtse, Vox Efx, philosophygeek, utpala ॐ, Cea., Phil Roeder, andreazgarcia, stevecadman, laynasaur, Steve A Johnson, mattk1979, Tattooed Hippy, spacepleb, Mateus Hidalgo, Todd Binger, TRF_Mr_Hyde, ComputerHotline, Hampshire and Solent Museums, Ben Sutherland, philip_sheldrake, WeeLittlePiggy, echiner1, gruntzooki, emmeffe6, saoire, symphony of love, ups2006, Dave_B_, bobsfever, Kelly Short6, RichardBH, frau-Vogel, Skype Nomad, giopuo, Tomi Tapio