Tag Archives: The Order of the Trees

Author School Visit: Proctor Elementary (The Order of the Trees)

IMG_1276Oh, do I love visiting schools.

One of my favorite times of day as a teacher was the lively and interactive read aloud time. Some of the best conversations, moments, and connections happened during this time. Books sing. Issues arise. Students gasp, shudder, laugh, and beg you not. to. stop. reading!

Luckily, I had the chance to go visit the 5th grade class at Proctor Elementary School last week. They had been reading The Order of the Trees (Green Writers Press, 2015) and were excited to have me visit and read to them, to talk about books, and writing.

IMG_1278First, I showed them my journal. It’s the place I draw, make lists, ramble, write poems, whatever. But sometimes, a little gem gets dropped in the journal, and it becomes the seed of an idea. The Order of the Trees started this way. My new picture book, out this fall with Green Writers Press, called Salamander Sky, started that way too. They leaned in to look at the pages.

We talked about what they were reading, and about how ideas are important. I told them that the world often tells them NO! That is not a good idea. But if they believe in it– to keep trying. Honor your ideas. They are true and important and matter.


Next, I got to read a juicy scene to them from the book, filled with some classroom drama. I love playing the nasty Mrs. Doneaway, the teacher whose heels click, click, click on the classroom floor as she walks up to you, ready to call you out in front of the whole class.

IMG_1282The class had tremendous ideas about what I should write next. A sequel to The Order of the Trees, where Cedar is all grown up, and the story is about what happens to her daughter. Or, a novel that finally tells the story of how a baby appeared under a giant Cedar tree in the Northern Vermont forest. They were brilliant and I left with my head full of ideas

It’s hard to tell who had more fun.

 

New Youtube video: The Order of the Trees Launch

While the audio is not super high quality, here is part of the official Vermont launch of The Order of the Trees on May 1st, 2015. I was so lucky to have over 50 Middlesex community members (including many K-8 students!) in the audience on this fine day. You can get a sense of the story and what The Order of the Trees actually is.

Please let me know what you think and feel free to share this video to spread the word about the power of friendship, the importance of forests, and how kids can make a difference in their own communities.

Writing for a Cause: adolescent activism

bother listI had the privilege of leading a workshop at the Kellogg Hubbard Library a few weeks ago. Because I teach 6th grade, I have a deep affection for the spirit and heart of middle grade students. I happen to know that this age students has a fierce passion for social justice. They just need some support and direction. This is why I feel so strongly about service learning and helping these students channel their energy into something good. It’s why I wrote Change the World with Service Learning and it’s why I led this workshop.

I started with having students list their “bothers.”  What is wrong with the world? What do you want to change? What makes you mad, keeps you up? Here’s what we came up with:

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