AuburnChick's Adventures

One of the two final projects my students have begun working on is an original, fictional book.

A few weeks ago, I accidentally discovered a website called storyjumper.

After playing on it, I began thinking about how I could use it in my classroom.

Slowly, an idea was born.

I created classes and set up student nicknames.

Then, I began working on the project specs.  I found a rubric online and tweaked it.  I created project packets that included the rubric, project instructions, story maps (a CRISS template), and pages from the teacher resource area on storyjumper’s site.  I also created a Student Accountability Sheet for students to log daily progress.

I spent part of one class period reviewing the rubric and packet.

Students were not amused.  I could see their brows wrinkle up, and their eyes began to glaze over…

Until…

I showed students the following video (a link is also on storyjumper’s website)…

Next, I demonstrated how to log in.  Students enjoyed watching me begin the process of creating a book.

The kids’ curiosity had been piqued, and the grumbling died down.

They spent the rest of the period brainstorming and adding ideas to their story maps.

One thing I had not anticipated but have been blessed to watch has been the collaboration that has been occurring, unbidden, among my students.

Two of my students are creating Book 1 and Book 2 of a “series.”

I LOVE THIS!!!

What makes things even more exciting is hearing students talk about sharing their stories with their families.  One young lady told me that she had to rewrite her story because her mother lost her only copy!

Because the work is being done on a website, students are able to work from home, saving their stories as they make modifications.

This is the first time that students are asking to take work HOME!!!

I’m rotating students through the computer station in my room.  When students aren’t working on the computers, they are working on poetry packets, learning about Giving Poetry, Diamante poems, and other poem formats.  Before all is said and done, they will have created five original poems.

Meanwhile, I’m constantly moving around the classroom, helping reluctant writers pull ideas from places deep inside their minds.

It’s exhausting but thrilling work…truly an honor to be a part of.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: education, storyjumper, teaching, writing | 2 Comments »