Once there was a snowman who kept eating a boy’s food.
Jonathan Piedra, a second-grader at Tye River Elementary School, said in his story after the snowman refused to stop, the boy realized he had to give him something to eat.
Jonathan’s father, Rodolfo Piedra, attended the publishing party last Wednesday for the students’ work, which the teachers published in two books; one version for each of the school’s two second-grade classes.
“He would talk about it when he got home,” Rodolfo Piedra said. “He just seemed excited, because it’s going to be in a book.”
In another story written by second-grader Mari Mullins, a bear tries to warn people about an approaching sorcerer.
“He ran as fast as he could to save everyone, but no one listened,” Mari said. “When they saw the sorcerer, they were like, ‘Ew!’”
The people in her story captured the sorcerer and befriended the bear, giving him blueberries and letting him live in the town, she said.
“It was actually really fun to write it with all the stories in the book,” Mari said.
Mullins’ teacher, Sharon Aldridge, said her class’s book was called, “Second grade 5-minute Stories” and features stories the students wrote individually as well as a story the class wrote together.
Standards of Learning require second-graders to learn how to write a narrative story and understand elements such as character and story development, Aldridge said.
“Our class started off by writing one story about a shark named Sheila who found a mermaid floating in a swimming pool,” Aldridge said. “The problem was that the mermaid was stuck in the pool and couldn’t get back to the ocean.”
The class brainstormed ideas to help the mermaid; after several attempts, the mermaid returns to the sea, Aldridge said.
The project was meant to encourage creative writing, which helps build stronger readers, Aldridge said in an email Monday.
“Students who have strong writing skills comprehend what they are reading because they have a better understanding of the structure of sentences that make up the paragraphs, and paragraphs that make up the text,” Aldridge said. “Writing also gives the student an opportunity to apply spelling features that are studied in the classroom.”
Second-grade teacher Taylor Goff said many of her class’s stories revolved around misbehaving snowmen.
“We wrote our stories in the winter that felt like it never ended,” Goff said.
Second-grader Ava Berry said the snowman in her story tore down houses and, when asked, rebuilt the houses with snow.
“[The houses] fell down again,” Ava explained. “It was fun [writing the story]. I like to come up with ideas and getting to draw the picture.”
Sadie Perry, a second-grader in Aldridge’s class, said her story was about four tiny kids. Three fall into a hole, so the fourth has to help get the others out.
“They ride a snake out of the hole,” Sadie said.
Sadie said she was excited to take the book home to show her older sister.
“I liked the part where you just start writing it, because it’s fresh out of your mind,” she said. “You can make it whatever you want, serious or crazy.”
A handful of parents and guardians attended the publishing party, where students received their copies of the book and a few students read their stories aloud.
“Today was the first day they got to see the books so I think they were excited to finally thumb through the final product they put so much energy into,” Aldridge said. “...I think it brought out their creativity and gave them a sense of ownership over their piece and the book.”
Aldridge said her class dedicated its book to their fellow classmate, Ben Jones, who had a story and picture included in the book. Aldridge said Jones was unable to attend the publishing party due to medical reasons, but “they honored him by dedicating [the book] to him.”
Aldridge said Susan Cargill, the school’s reading coach, suggested they publish their work after reading the story her class wrote together.
The elementary school, which has a state accreditation status of “partially accredited: reconstituted school,” is working toward full accreditation with a focus on improving math and reading SOL scores. Principal Marti Bradt said the publishing party indirectly supports the school’s reconstitution plan.
The event also created an opportunity for students to write for an audience, Bradt said.
“It gives [students] an opportunity to be creative, to hone their writing and reading skills,” Bradt said. “It’s just a win-win for everyone, and it’s definitely something to be proud of.”