Introduction
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Studied English and teaching at a college in Columbia. She then started teaching fourth and fifth grade but soon realized how much she missed writing. Today Amy lives in Holland, NY with her husband Mark and occasionally, her three adult children: Hope, Georgia, and Henry. She has incredible books. I will give out five descriptions from five of her books and it is your responsibility to figure out which description goes with each book. Each one of these books are sweetly imaginative and featuring great vocabulary with lots of active verbs, new nouns and adjectives.
Task
Work with a partner to complete this task. You will use the computer to look up her books and listen to the story for the answers. Write down which book the description is describing. ONLY use the sites I have provided. You will have 30 minutes to complete this task. At the bottom of the paper please write which book was the most interesting to you and why.
1. Twenty-two poems capture the amazing power of writing and will inspire even the most reluctant writer to begin putting words to paper.
2. This lullaby of a rhyming picture book wishes a child sweet dream of many animals as these same animals dream sweet dreams of the child.
3. Take a walk in the forest. Have a chat with a chickadee, watch the fiddleheads unfurl, discover a fossil, hear what a young owl tells its mother before its first flight. Find out what the spring tree frog is really saying. The forest is inviting you to come and visit. The poems in this book, intimate and lighthearted, will take you there.
4. A story about Mia, who feels "that missing feeling" after her parents' divorce. In time, and with her grandpa, she learns that writing can help with feelings surrounding loss and change.
5. This collection of poems about creativity, about being a maker, reminds us that our hands are capable of so much: carving soap, painting, building bird houses, tie-dyeing, and more.
Process
Process and Resources:
Open each link and listen to the story. Think about the descriptions, each one conveys important information about the books topic or focus.
Imagine you are Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, how would you describe this book?
Evaluation
How many did you get right?
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Conclusion
Great job, everyone!
Did you find a book that interests you? Please, share which book you picked and why.
Mrs. VanDerwater’s children's book are wonderful and there is one for each of you. I encourage you to go check out her other books and learn more about her.
"May the joy of poetry and words find you everywhere you go!"
- Amy Ludwig VanDerwater