author studies

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Home : 2002 : April : 28

author studies
By patty

I teach first grade and I do author studies in a very simple way, not too detailed, but the kids get to appreciate the author and their books very much.

I put up a picture and facts about the author, list of books written
and illustrated. From the www sight of the author I print out "did you know" facts about the author and their writing.
For Eric Carle I pointed out illustrations about his tissue art. I talked a lot about his patterning at the beginning of his books and end, the inside of the covers of his books. At the end of reading Eric Carle's books, I give each first grader a sheet of tissue

paper and we "make patterns" on it with a paint brush, a repeated design, or a simple picture. we talk about not getting the paper too wet.
when it is all dry, we gather all the tissue paper in one pile, I cut it into 1/8th rectangle pieces, and the kids collectively use pieces of tissue paper to decorate a picture on a white paper or whatever color construction paper.
We "rip with our hands" different sizes or carefully use scissors. The kids really enjoy it.