2-10-11 Performing Mama's Bayou at Snuggle Buggle Night at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, LA

Friends:

It was a great night at Strehle Elementary. I was invited to do a presentation for their “Snuggle Buggle” night. Kids come to school in their pajamas and then later to the 6pm event. They were served spaghetti and made crafts at stations centered around my books.

2-10-11 Sweet Potato Pals that the students made from my book, The Gigantic Sweet Potato, at Snuggle Buggle Night at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, LA

I performed Mama’s Bayou and The Gigantic Sweet Potato.

2-10-11 Performing The Gigantic Sweet Potato at Snuggle Buggle Night at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, LA

It was a ton of fun and my little girl, Eliana, even came in her pajamas!

2-10-11 Dianne with Taylor, Kayla & Eliana at Snuggle Buggle Night at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, LA

At the end, I was presented with a sweet gift of Tulips!

2-10-11 Dianne with Patti Waddell, Principal, at Snuggle Buggle Night at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, LA

Thank you to Patti Wadell, Principal; Betty Brodtmann, Librarian; the PK Krewe: Pat, Jennifer, Tina and Katie; and all the teachers and staff of Strehle. I love you guys!

Until next time…

Warmly,
Dianne

1-24-11 5th graders play The Hunter's Trap by fellow students

Friends:

Today was the 10th and final day of my “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. It was “Gradewide Game Day” where all the students came to the cafeteria to play the games their fellow students created. The first group to come into the cafeteria first thing in the morning was 5th grade.

1-24-11 5th graders play The Troll Troubles by fellow students

The students really enjoyed playing the games and it was fun to see their reaction to the games their fellow students created. All the games were fabulous but the students had their favorites. The game that received the most acclaim was “The Three Billy Gs.”

1-24-11 The Three Billy Gs game was voted Favorite Game Overall in 5th grade

The next group to come in was 3rd grade. We had a special visitor from Jefferson Parish Public School Board: Mr. Dermady, from the Social Studies Department. He came to observe the lesson and see the students’ work. He was so enthralled by the process that he even joined the students for some fun and games!

1-24-11 Mr. Dermady from the Social Studies Department of Jefferson Parish School Board plays Makin Bacon with 3rd grade students

Again, the students were fully engaged in the Game Day, playing games created by their fellow students. I loved observing their reaction to the artwork, the game design, and the perils and triumphs of the board. The great part about this process is the success ratio. Everyone participates, everyone succeeds, and everyone has fun.

1-24-11 Six 3rd graders play Killer Foxy Loxy by fellow students

Another great element about the “Stories on Board” process is the collaborative process. The students have to work together to create their board games. One student simply cannot complete the planning, designing and coloring of the games by him/herself within the alotted time frame. It is a team effort and a team success.

1-24-11 3rd graders play The Kooky Cookie by fellow students

The last group to come to the cafeteria was 4th grade. They are a boisterous group and we had to work to settle them down. Once we passed out the board games and they started playing, they had a good time.

1-24-11 4th graders play self-created board games on Strehle Game Day

They made some really clever and inventive games. One of my personal favorites was Hen-Opoly. Reptile Road was a cleverly conceived game based on the story of “The Tortoise and the Hare.”

1-24-11 4th graders play Reptile Road, based on The Tortoise and the Hare, created by fellow students

On my last day of the residency, I always like to do something special for the teachers to show them my appreciation. I asked my mom to make pancit, a Filipino noodle dish with chicken and vegetables, similar to Chinese lo mein. I also brought two containers of macaroons for dessert. Needless to say, the teachers enjoyed the food!

1-24-11 Pancit (Filipino noodle dish) made by Dianne's mom almost gone!

I also stuffed the teacher’s in-boxes with posters from my book, The Gigantic Sweet Potato.

1-24-10 Teachers' in-boxes stuffed with The Gigantic Sweet Potato posters from Dianne de Las Casas

Last but not least, I had a bag full of goodies to raffle off to the teachers. Tina Champagne, Special Ed Teacher, was the lucky winner! Woo hoo, Tina!

1-24-11 Tina Champagne, Special Ed Teacher, wins Dianne's bag of goodies! Woo hoo!

It was a fabulous day and I loved every minute of my time at Strehle! Special thanks to Patti Waddell, Principal; Pat Runge, Special Ed Teacher and Grant Writer; and Betty Brodtmann, Librarian! Another special thank you to the Arts Council of New Orleans for providing the grant funds that made my visit possible.

1-24-11 Dianne de Las Casas with 3rd grade students on Strehle Game Day

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-21-11 5th grade students play their game, The Troll Troubles, based on the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Friends:

Today was Day 9 of my 10-day “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” residency at Strehle Elementary School in Avondale, LA. The first class I visited was Ms. Hervey’s first grade class. Because the class was on a field trip yesterday, we have to rearrange my schedule to fit them in today. I told the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza” and then they played the game based on the story. When I left their class, they were as quiet as can be. Great job, Ms. Hervey’s class!

1-21-11 Students in Ms. Hervey's first grade class play The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

After Ms. Hervey’s class, I visited Ms. Giroir’s Pre-K class. The children were so excited to see me and I was bombarded with hugs from the moment I walked into the classroom. I told the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and they played the game, “The Gingerbread Jam.”

1-21-11 Students in Ms. Giroir's PK class play Gingerbread Jam

Next, I headed to fifth grade. Most of the students in this class were finished designing and coloring their boards. This particular class was assigned the story, “Little Red Riding Hood,” and they did such an amazing job with their board games! Look at this!

1-21-11 Little Red's Escape, a game created by 5th grade students, based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood

This next game is absolutely amazing. It’s called “Little Red’s Caper,” and I love the play on words and how they used Little Red’s cape as the game board. I also LOVE her adorable face! Great job on the face, Antonio!

1-21-11 Students in 5th grade play their game, Little Red's Caper, based on the story, Little Red Riding Hood

My next class was also a fifth grade class. This class was less organized than the previous class and were not as far along on their board games. They worked for most of the class plotting their spaces, outlining, and coloring their boards. They were assigned the story, “The Lion and the Mouse.” Still, many of the boards came out great although they ran out of time to play.

1-21-11 The Lion Escapes, a game created by 5th grade students, based on the story of The Lion and the Mouse

I also loved the concept of the zig zag board used in this game called “The Hunter’s Trap. It was well-executed and look like a lot of fun to play.

1-21-11 The Hunter's Trap, a game created by 5th grade students, based on the story of The Lion and the Mouse

Next, it was time to visit special ed Pre-K. We had a great time with my new book, There’s a Dragon in the Library. We made dragon roaring sounds and sang a song. It was fun and they were very responsive. I just love working with Ms. Pat, Ms. Tina, and Ms. Katie!

1-21-11 Dianne de Las Casas with Special Ed PK

My last class of the day was my final fifth grade class. The class was assigned the story, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. This class worked so well together that I had the opportunity to play a game: The Troll Troubles. We had a fantastic time and I loved seeing their games come to life!

1-21-11 5th grade students with their game, The Billy Goats Trippity Trap, based on the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff

There was so much creativity and the students were so inventive, using both the left and right sides of their brains. I truly enjoy seeing them delight in their accomplishments. I also love seeing their reaction to other students playing and enjoying their games. It’s a terrific process and I can’t wait until Monday, when we have Gradewide Game Day for all the grades. Classes in each grade will exchange games and play each others’ games.

1-21-11 5th grade students with their game, The 3 Billy G's, based on the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Monday is going to be a total blast and I can’t wait!! Fantastic job, Strehle students!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-20-11 Dianne de Las Casas with students from Ms. Loszczyk's first grade class

Friends:

Today was the 8th day of my “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. First and second grades went on a field trip to the Insectarium in the morning so I had a little break. My first class started in second period. I visited Ms. Jones’ Kindergarten class for the second time. I told the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza” and the students enjoyed the rollicking rhythm of the story. Afterwards, they played the accompanying game, “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza Party.”

1-20-11 Ms. Jones' Kindergarten class plays The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

In Ms. Royster’s third grade class, we had so much fun! The students completed their board games and were able to play. They were so excited to play the games they had created. Ms. Royster loved their collaborative work and their creativity. It was great to see their enthusiasm!

1-20-11 Students in Ms. Royster's third grade class play their game, The Ferocious Fox, board game from , based on the story of Henny Penny

My next class was PK Special Ed. Boy did we have a great time. I shared my stories, “Rockin 3 Billy Goats” and “Mama’s Bayou.” We sang songs and the kids loved it. And I did it with a child in my lap the whole time!

Next, it was on to Ms. Badeaux’s second grade class. They had just returned from an exciting field trip to the Insectarium. I told them the story, “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” They loved it. By Ms. Badeaux’s special request and in honor of their trip to the Insectarium, I told an excerpt of Madame Poulet and Monsieur Roach (Mrs. Chicken and Mr. Roach), showing them the book. Then they began asking questions about how a book is published. I deviated from the planned lesson and embraced the “teachable moment,” sharing insider information about how a book goes from manuscript to a printed book on the shelf. They soaked up the information!

1-20-11 Ms. Badeaux's smiley second grade students!

My last class was Ms. Lojszczyk’s first grade class. It was my second and final visit to their class. We had a great time with the story, “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” Afterward, we played “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza Party. It was a slice of fun!

1-20-11 Students in Ms. Lojszczyk's first grade class play The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

Friday is my final day in the classrooms. I can’t wait to see the 5th graders finish their board games. It’s going to be a blast!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-19-11 A group of 5th graders work on their game, The Wolf Chase, based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood

Friends:

Today was the 7th day of my 10-day “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. My first class began in first grade in Ms. Short’s class. It was my second and final visit to the class and I told them the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” They were familiar with the story of “The Little Red Hen” but they really loved my remixed version. Afterward, they played “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza Party,” using the higher math concepts on the board. I was really impressed with Ms. Short’s first graders!

1-19-11 Students from Ms. Short's first grade class play Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

Here is a picture of yours truly in Ms. Short’s first grade class. Good morning!

1-19-11 Self-portrait in Ms. Short's first grade class

Next, it was on to 5th grade. I had three groups of 5th grade classes, back-to-back. My first group was working on the story, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Their games were turning out so cute.

1-19-11 A group of 5th graders work on their game, Troll Troubles , based on the story, The Three Billy Goats Gruff

The next group of 5th graders were creating games based on the story, “The Lion and the Mouse.” Some of the students used the concept of the Lion in creating their game, while others used the concept of the Mouse. I loved how this group used the outline of the lion to create their board.

1-19-11 A group of 5th graders work on their game, The Hungry Lion, based on the story, The Lion and the Mouse

My next group of fifth graders were assigned the story, “Little Red Riding Hood.” There were a lot of creative concepts with this group! I loved how one group created their board inside the body of a wolf (picture at the top of this blog). Little Red’s Caper is another stand-out. Look at creativity involved in this game!

1-19-11 A group of 5th graders and their game, Little Red's Caper, based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood

After lunch, I went to Ms. Hervey’s first grade class. It was my first visit to their class and they really loved my version of “The Gingerbread Jam.” The whole class fully participated in the story, losing themselves in the participation. It was so much fun to see that kind of enthusiasm. It’s contagious! Then, of course, it was time to play the game. They had fun playing again and again. Each time someone won the game, they started over. When I left the class, I settled them down and they were as quiet as church mice. Good job, Ms. Hervey’s class!

1-19-11 Students in Ms. Hervey's first grade class play The Gingerbread Jam

Next, it was time for Ms. Badeaux’s second grade class. It was my first visit to this class and again, the story of “The Gingerbread Man” was very well-received. After dividing the class into groups of four and five students, it was time to play “The Gingerbread Jam.” The volume of the class tends to go up as they play the game because they get so excited but I love seeing them cooperate, take turns, and navigate around the board.

1-19-11 Students in Ms. Badeaux's second grade class play The Gingerbread Jam

I ended my day in Ms. Royster’s third grade class. They had to continue work on their board games, based on the story of “Henny Penny.” They worked on plotting their game board spaces, creating perils and triumphs, and coloring the board. In my next class, they should be able to play their games.

1-19-11 Killer Foxy Loxy game from Ms. Royster's third grade class, based on the story of Henny Penny

It was a good day and I can’t wait to see the upper grades’ finished board games. On Friday, we should see some of the amazing results!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-18-11 Students from Ms. Avist's first grade class play Gingerbread Jam

Friends:

Today was Day 6 of my “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. This will be a short blog because, like a goofball, I forgot to take pictures of my awesome fifth grade classes! I was so involved in the first part of my lesson that I totally neglected to take pictures of their works in progress.

Anyway, my day began with a second visit to Ms. Avist’s first grade class. The students were so happy to see me when I walked in the room that they started running up to hug me. After they settled down, I shared the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and taught them how to play “The Gingerbread Jam.” They really enjoyed the game.

There was a scheduling snafu and I had to do some class switching. I made my second visit to Ms. Robinson’s kindergarten room. I told them the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza” and they loved playing the game, “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza Party.” Because they were kindergarteners, they needed a little more help moving their game pieces around the pizza-shaped board and the spaces that were pizza slices. But they did a good job playing together.

1-18-11 Students from Ms. Robinson's Kindergarten class play The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

In Ms. Robinson’s class, I found out that one of my professional books, Scared Silly: 25 Tales to Tickle and Thrill, won a 2011 Storytelling World Award. How exciting!

Scared Silly: 25 Tales to Tickle and Thrill wins a 2011 Storytelling World Award!

I visited two fifth grade classes next. It was my first visit and The classes were assigned the stories, “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Lion and the Mouse.” Some of the titles they came up with for “Little Red Riding Hood” were: “Little Red’s Caper” and “Off to Granny’s We Go.” For “The Lion and the Mouse,” some of the titles created were: “The Hunter’s Trap” and “The Lion’s Escape.”

After lunch, I visited Ms. Clausing’s Pre-K class. I told the story of “The Little Red Hen” and they learned how to play “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza Party.” Because of their young age, the children had to be closely coached on how to move their game pieces around the board. They did well taking turns and counting the dots on the die.

1-18-11 Ms. Clausing's Pre-K class plays The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

I visited another 5th grade class. They were assigned the story of “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” There were a lot of creative titles bandied. The winners include, “The Three Billy Goat Gs,” “The Goats’ Trippity Trap,” “Across the Bridge,” and “The Troll’s Troubles.” I was really impressed with how each group came up with inventive titles independently of the other students.

My last class of the day was Ms. Royster’s third grade class. It was my first visit to their class and they had to learn the first step of the “Stories on Board” process. After the story mapping activity, learning the game board perils and triumphs, and seeing all the game board shapes, they began work planning their games. They were assigned the story of “Henny Penny” and came up with some fun titles: “Killer Fox,” “Run to the King,” “The Sneaky Fox,” “The Ferocious Fox,” and “The Fox’s Lair.”

1-18-11 The start of a game board by students in Ms. Royster's third grade class

I can’t wait to see how this week’s board games come out! It will be fun to see them progress.

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-14-11 Ms. King's Kindergarten Class sings Happy Birthday to Dianne, crowned with a tiara from Ms. Robinson's class!

Friends:

Friday was the fifth day of my “Stories on Board” residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. My morning was full of kindergarten classes. First, I visited Ms. Clausing’s class for the first time. After I told the story of “The Gingerbread Man,” the students played the game, “The Gingerbread Jam.” They had fun learning how to move their game pieces around the board with addition and subtraction.

1-14-11 Ms. Clausing's Kindergarten class plays Gingerbread Jam

Next, I went to Ms. Robinson’s Kindergarten class. It was my first visit to Ms. Robinson’s class and I told them the story of “The Gingerbread Man.” I taught them how to play “The Gingerbread Jam” and they played the game, learning how to move around the board and how to count spaces. I got a birthday tiara to wear! Woo hoo!

1-14-11 Ms. Robinson's Kindergarten class plays Gingerbread Jam

Then it was time to move on to Ms. King’s class. It was my second visit to the class so I told the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” Then I taught them how to play “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza’s Party,” on a circular board with pizza slices as the game spaces.

1-14-11 Ms. King's class plays The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

Then I went to Special Ed Pre-K. The class was awesome. They listened to a story and three songs! The students were very participatory and having a blast.

1-14-11 Pre-K Special Ed

After lunch, I headed to Ms. Lankard’s second grade class. It was my second and final visit to the class. I told them the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza” and they played “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” They were overly excited to have me in the class and Ms. Lankard had to settle them down. They had a great time playing the game.

1-14-11 Ms. Lankard's second grade class playing The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

Then it was on to Ms. Glass’ third grade class. It was my third and final visit to the class and they had to finish their board games and play them. Their class was assigned “The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.” They had some great games!

1-14-11 Students from Ms. Glass' third grade class play their game, The Big Ravenous Wolf

I also liked the game, “Wolf on the Loose!” Very creative! I even got to eat Bavarian cream king cake in their class – it was my “birthday” cake!

1-14-11 Students from Ms. Glass' third grade play their game, The Wolf on the Loose!

My final class of the day was Ms. Landry’s fourth grade class. It was my third and final visit to the class. They finished their game boards and played their games. I had the opportunity to play “Hen-Opoly” with chance cards! It was a brilliantly executed game and tons of fun to play with the boys that created it.

1-14-11 Hen-Opoly game from Ms. Landry's fourth grade students

“Chicken Path” was also a cute game that used the same concept of the square board.

1-14-11 Chicken Path game from Ms. Landry's fourth grade students

Ms. Landry’s class sang “Happy Birthday” to me, a perfect ending to a great day at Strehle. Thank you so much for making my birthday celebration special!

Week 1 down! One more week (5 days) to go…

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-13-11 The Harey Situation, a game created by a group of students in Ms. Dempster's 4th grade class

Friends:

Today was the fourth day of my “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale. My day began in Ms. Hoadley’s PK class. I shared the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and following my story, they played the game, “The Gingerbread Jam.” Fun!

1-13-11 Students in Ms. Hoadley's PK class playing The Gingerbread Jam

Next, I visited Ms. Jones’ Kindergarten class for the first time. I told the story of “The Gingerbread Man.” The students had a substitute teacher and took some time settling down but they enjoyed the story. After the story, they played the game, “The Gingerbread Jam.” I had to work with several groups to coach them on how to move their pieces on the board and encourage them to take turns.

1-13-11 Students in Ms. Jones' K class playing The Gingerbread Jam

My next class was Ms. Guidry’s third grade class. It was my last visit to their class and they finished their games based on the story of “Sody Sallyraytus.” The games came out great! The students had a blast playing their own games and it was fun to see their hard work result in inventive board games.

1-13-11 Students in Ms. Guidry's class play their finished game, Bear Attack!

Then it was on to the Special Ed PK class. I told the story of “The Gingerbread Jam.” We had fun with the story and they really loved the animal sounds of the pig, the horse, and the cow.

1-13-11 Dianne de Las Casas and a sweet student from Special Ed PK

After lunch, it was on to Ms. Vega’s fourth grade class. It was my last visit to their class and they worked on finishing their board games based on the story, “Goldilocks.” Talk about clever! There were some AMAZING board games. I had fun rotating around playing the different games.

1-13-11 Don't Fall into the Pot 'Cause It's Too Hot, a game created by a group of students in Ms. Vega's 4th grade class

One game used a fortune teller to tell players their next move. Another game had “Bear Jail” and cards. Ms. Vega said that she LOVED the lesson plan and would definitely be using the “Stories on Board” technique again soon. That made me feel wonderful.

1-13-11 Goldilock's Escape, a game created by a group of students in Ms. Vega's 4th grade class

Next, I moved on to Ms. Landry’s class for my second visit to her class. At first, the class was overly exuberant. Once they settled down and began working on their board games, they really focused. Their class was assigned “The Little Red Hen.” I loved the title, “Don’t Be Toast,” designed around the Little Red Hen’s bread. When I visit Ms. Landry’s class on Friday, the students will finish their boards and play their games. Woo hoo!

1-13-11 Students in Ms. Landry's fourth grade class work on their game, Chicken Path, based on the story, The Little Red Hen

My last class was Ms. Dempster’s fourth grade class. I was tickled by the work they did on their board games. It was my third and final visit to the class and they finished their board and played their games. I love when I hear laughter fill the room as the students play the board games that they created.

1-13-11 Reptile Road, a game created by a group of students in Ms. Dempster's 4th grade class

I often receive gifts from the students such as notes, drawings and even beautiful artwork. As much as I enjoy their gifts, their real gift to me is the beautiful results of their efforts. I look forward to seeing more!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-12-10 Dianne de Las Casas telling The Gingerbread Man to Ms. Short's first grade class

Friends:

Today was the third day of my “Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales” residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. My day began with my first visit to Ms. Short’s first grade class. The best way to start your day with with a hug and that is exactly how my day started. Ms. Short gave me the best hug welcoming me back to her classroom. Thank you so much, Ms. Short! I told her students the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and they loved the rollicking rhythm of the tale. Afterwards, we separated the students into groups to play the board game, “The Gingerbread Jam.” They did a great job taking turns and working together!

1-12-10 Ms. Short's first grade students play The Gingerbread Jam game

Next, I moved on to Ms. Lojszczyk (pronounced LOYS-chick) and her first grade class. It was my first visit to her class and many of the students remembered me from last year so there was a very warm receptions from the kids. I told the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and they loved singing the song. Afterward, they had a lot of fun playing “The Gingerbread Jam” board game.

1-12-10 Students in Ms. Lojszczyk's first grade class play The Gingerbread Jam

My next class was Ms. Guidry’s third grade class. It was my second visit to their class and they continued working on their board games. Their class was assigned the story, “Sody Sallyraytus,” an Appalachian Mountain tale in which a big bear jumps out from underneath a bridge. They had such great titles as “Bear Attack” and “Sneaky Squirrel Savior.” Very creative!!

1-12-10 Students in Ms. Guidry's third grade class create Sneaky Squirrel Savior board game based on the story, Sody Sallyraytus

Ms. Creecy’s third grade class was next. They were assigned the story, “The Gingerbread Man” and they had some very clever games and game titles such as “The Running Man,” “GB Jump,” “Granny Blast,” and “The Kooky Cookie.” This was my third and final classroom visit and they worked on finishing their games.

1-12-10 Students in Ms. Creecy's third grade class play their board game, The Kooky Cookie, based on the story, The Gingerbread Man

After they finished designing and coloring their boards, they were able to play and even exchange games with each other. They loved it! I even got in on the action, playing games with them. Awesome work, Ms. Creecy’s class!!

1-12-10 Dianne de Las Casas plays Granny Blast with a group of students in Ms. Creecy's third grade class

After lunch, it was time for Ms. Vega’s fourth grade class. It was my second visit to the class and the students had to work on designing their game boards. They were assigned the story of “Goldlilocks” and I loved their inventive games!

1-12-10 Students in Ms. Vega's fourth grade class work on their board game, The Escape of Goldlilocks

In Ms. Glass’ third grade class, they continued the work we started the day before. They were assigned the story of “The Three Little Pigs.” They planned, designed, and worked on their games with such fun titles as: “Wolf Tornado,” “Makin’ Bacon,” and “The Ravenous Wolf.” I can’t wait to see and play their finished games!

1-12-10 Students in Ms. Glass' third grade class proudly hold up their game, The Ravenous Wolf, based on the story of The Three Little Pigs

My last class of the day was Ms. Dempster’s fourth grade class. It was my second visit to the class and they created their game titles, planned their games, and began designing their boards. Their terrific titles include: “The Tortoise & The Wicked Hare,” “Reptile Road,” “The Crazy Chase,” “The Hare-y Situation,” and “Hare and Tortoise Challenge.” It is truly amazing to see the creativity and critical thinking skills these students display when creating their board games. They really enjoyed the activity and can’t wait to play their games.

1-12-10 Students in Ms. Dempster's fourth grade class create Reptile Road board game based on the story, The Tortoise and the Hare

I look forward to tomorrow’s classes!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

1-11-11 Students in Ms. Johnson's second grade class play Gingerbread Jam

Friends:

Today was the second day of my “Stories on Board” Residency at Strehle Elementary in Avondale, Louisiana. I began my day in Ms. Johnson’s second grade class. As soon as I walked into the class, the students cheered and jumped up to give me hugs. It was so sweet. This was my second visit so, after a vote by the class, I shared the story of “The Gingerbread Man.” They loved the “running” chorus throughout the story (LOL) and kept signing it as they played the game, “The Gingerbread Jam.”

My second class was Ms. Hoadley’s Pre-K class. Ms. Hoadley gave me a GIGANTIC hug – sooo sweet! It was my first visit to the class and I told them the story of “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.” They were so adorable singing all the parts and making the motions. After the story, they played “The Little Red Hen’s Pizza Party.” What cuties!

1-11-11 Students in Ms. Hoadley's Pre-K class play The Little Red Hen's Pizza Party

Next, I went to Ms. King’s Kindergarten class. Ms. King always gives me such a warm welcome and tells me how much she loves my stories and books. Thank you, Ms. King. I <3 U too! I told the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and then the students played “The Gingerbread Jam.” It was a ton of fun.

1-11-11 Students in Ms. King's Kindergarten class play Gingerbread Jam

After the kindergarten class, I returned for a second visit to Ms. Creecy’s third grade class. The students astounded me with the work on their game boards. I can’t wait to see the finished products! Their class was assigned “The Gingerbread Man” and the titles of their games are “The Running Man,” “The GB Jump,” “The Kooky Cookie,” and “Granny Blast.” Awesome work, Ms. Creecy’s class!! Woo hoo for you!

1-11-11 Students in Ms. Creecy's third grade class work on their game, Granny Blast, based on The Gingerbread Man

In Ms. Lankard’s second grade class, I told the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and they ate up the story. Ha ha. They loved singing the chorus: “Run, baby, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me ’cause I’m the (clap, clap) Gingerbread Man!” Of course, there are fun motions to go with the chorus and they enjoyed the story. After the story, they played “The Gingerbread Jam.” They had fun getting past the granny, the pig, the horse, the cow, and the fox.

1-11-11 Students in Ms. Lankard's second grade class play Gingerbread Jam

Next, I went to Ms. Glass’ third grade class. They were assigned the story of “The Three Little Pigs.” Wow, did we have fun getting creative with that story! Some of their game titles are “Makin’ Bacon,” and “Wolf Tornado.” Ms. Glass challenged them to stretch their imaginations and come up with inventive titles. Unfortunately, I was so involved in helping them with their games that again, I forgot to take pictures. Don’t worry. I will definitely take some pictures of their super cool games the next time I visit their class.

After Ms. Glass class, I slipped into Ms. Dempster’s third grade class next door. It was the last period of the day and I had just enough time to go over the process with them and pass out their game boards. They weren’t able to begin work on their titles or drawings yet. I have two more visits with them so I am excited about what they will do with their story, “The Tortoise and the Hare.” One student already came up with a phenomenal game title, “The Hare-y Situation.” I love seeing the students’ minds in action!

It’s amazing what kids can do when they are taught a skill set and given some room for creativity. I am excited about my work at Strehle. More fun to come!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne