Making a Book C

January, 1927] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 19 From the knee to the trunk equals the the figures on the ready-made bor- length of the trunk. der. From the wrist to the elbow equals C. The class will discuss the value of from the elbow to the shoulder. the different figures. I shall ask (B) Children's such questions as, "How has he used (1) Paper; scrap, manila, and colored the proportion rules? What action (2) Scissors and paste does the figure show ?" Steps in the Lesson D. The class will set up standards for their further work in Christmas pic- I. Establishing the Mood tures ; A. I shall say the rhymes listed in order 1. A figure must be proportioned to get them thinking of winter sports according to the rules. or of Christmas. 2. A figure must show some action. B. I shall show them some pictures Nina Frey suggesting either Christmas or winter sports. (Pictures were attached to plan.) MAKING A BOOK C. I shall draw a big fat Santa on the A Unit In Sixth Grade English blackboard using the stick figure method and explaining to them how THE sixth grade children had been easily it is done. I shall ask them to studying paragraph unity. After a make the figures necessary to com- great deal of work of this kind, the plete the border. class read an article called, "What Is an Author." One child remarked, "We are II. Guiding class to a higher level in figure authors, because we have written composi- ' drawing tions." Another child answered, "No, you A. I shall show the children some of have to write a book in order to be an au- their old drawings which will enable thor." This led to the decision to write and them to see why they need to study bind a book to be left in the sixth grade li- figure drawing and at what places brary for the use of future classes. their greatest weakness lies. B. I shall show the paper figures with I. What the Children Did the skeletons drawn in black ink. A. They got ready to make the book. They will measure these figures to 1. They examined other books to find test the proportion rules which are out what a book should contain. on the blackboard ready for use. 2. They decided on a subject to write C. I shall sketch some stick figures on on and selected several tentative titles the blackboard again, letting them for the book. measure to test the rules. a. They studied from all the Eng- D. I shall have two or three children lish books available how to select pose in positions characteristic of titles. Santa or of children at winter b. They made lists of titles of books sports. The class will sketch these they had read and discussed these rapidly and test by the proportion lists in class. rules when necessary. c. They brought lists of original ti- III. Making the pictures tles to class; the best was selected A. The children will make pictures to and reworded in several different be placed on the snow scene border. ways; it was then used as a ten- B. The class will co-operate in placing tative title for their book. 20 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [ Vol. 8. No. 1 3. They collected information and ma- b. Each committee met and rewrote terial. its chapter. a. They used texts, books in the c. The class criticised these chap- home room library, books in the ters. school library, and books, maga- d. The class decided on a title for zines, and newspapers secured each chapter. outside of school. e. The class wrote a preface for the b. They wrote letters to chambers book. of commerce in various cities and 2. They assembled the book. to children in other schools for a. They copied the chapters on the information, maps, and pictures. paper they expected to use in the 4. They studied their material. book, inserting pictures, maps, a. They made a bibliography of the poems, and drawings, to make it material collected with notes sug- more attractive. gesting where and how to find b. They selected and mounted a certain information; that is, they frontispiece. annotated the bibliography. c. They decided on the final word- b. They brought to class maps, pic- ing of the title for the book. tures, and poems bearing on their d. They arranged the pages in order, subject. They made reports ex- numbered them, and made an in- plaining these or citing interesting dex. material found. e. They designed the cover. 5. They organized the material. f. They checked the book as a fin- a. They decided on the chapter sub- ished product, and combined the jects for their book, and selected parts. tentative titles for each chapter. b. They arranged a table of con- II. Information the Children Gained tents. A. By preparing to write their book. c. They divided themselves into 1. In studying the make-up of other committees, each committee to be books. responsible for writing a certain a. They found that a book should chapter of the book. always contain a frontispiece, a d. They studied from all available preface, a table of contents, and books how to make outlines; then an index. each child made an outline of the b. They decided that a book should chapter he expected to write. be bound attractively, appro- e. Each committee met and marked priately, and durably. the individual outlines over into c. They learned that a book should a final outline for use in writing be divided into chapters arranged the chapters; they then asked the in good sequence. class to criticise this outline. 2. In selecting a title B. They made the book a. They learned that a good title is 1. They wrote the book. neither too broad nor too narrow. a. Each child followed the outline b. They discovered that most good and wrote a chapter; all children authors write on subjects in on each committee worked on the which they are especially interest- same chapter. ed themselves; they decided to January, 1927] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 21 write on a subject they were in- c. They noticed that the title for terested in and familiar with, and each chapter in the book should which would be interesting to the be much more specific than the children who were to read the title for the book. book. B. In making their book c. They learned that a title is not 1. By writing their book necessarily worded just as the a. They learned to use an outline as subject is; that the title should be a memorandum in writing. short and worded so as to attract b. They realized that paragraph the attention and arouse the in- unity helped to emphasize the one terest and curiosity of the reader. central thought of the paragraph. 3. In collecting information and mate- 2. By assembling their book rial a. They learned to space their writ- a. They became more familiar with ing on the page so that the mar- books, magazines, and newspa- gins were kept even and the be- pers. ginning of the paragraphs were b. They realized that every part of indented. a book is useful, as: the table of b. They began to judge their work contents gives a general idea of as to its value in the book, what the book contains; the in- III. Skills the Children Strengthened dex is useful in finding a refer- ence quickly; the frontispiece A. They developed facility in selecting titles makes the book more attractive; that would attract the attention of the and the title page gives the title reader. of the book, name of the author, B. They made great improvement in their name and address of the publish- handwriting because they wanted their er, and the date of publication. book to be a model of neatness and at- c. They learned that they could use tractive in appearance; they worked es- encyclopedias to find out things pecially on letter formation, and on spac- they had been asking questions ing. about before. C. They acquired ease in writing business 4. In studying the material letters; their interest was so high that a. They learned how to make and errors in form were not tolerated. use bibliographies. D. They formed the habit of enunciating b. They realized that they must clearly and distinctly; the other children stick to their point in an oral re- were anxious to hear the reports and de- port ; that to make a report inter- manded clear speaking. esting their ideas must be well or- E. They became able to correct their own ganized. mistakes in written work; they learned 5. In organizing the material to do independent "proofreading." a. They found that it was easier to F. They improved in ability to mount pic- keep the main ideas of material tures and to cut letters. in mind, if they used outlines in writing. IV. Attitudes and Ideals the Children b. They realized that if their writ- Strengthened ing was to have coherence and A. The children learned to appreciate the unity their outlines must have value of co-operation by realizing that good sequence. when one individual failed to do his 22 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [Vol. 8, No. 1 work well the finished product would be tion and Grammar, Lessons in Eng- marred. lish, New Series, Books I and H. D. B. They gained a feeling of independence C.

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