J.M.Carr
AUTHor visits
I love encouraging young readers and writers!
1 HOUR INTRODUCTORY SESSION...
I'll talk about how I used to find reading difficult and how that changed.
The children will talkbooks to each other.
Libraries and how they're great places to 'try out' books.
Why reading a book can be better than watching the film focusing especially on empathy and imagination. (Though I aware that visualising is difficult for some readers, #aphantasia.)
I will introduce The Wonder Girls, read an opening excerpt of Book 2 and tell the story of The 1937 Basque Children's Camp in Southampton - the inspiration for The Wonder Girls Resist. I'll also introduce new character for book 3, The Wonder Girls Rebel . Given that the story opens with two of the main characters wanting to go to America, without spoilers, I'll ask the children to predict whether or not they actually get there by the end of book! There'll be a short active break in the middle.
There'll be time for questions, including a lucky dip question bag for children who'd like a prompt.
Followed by ten minutes or so 'brain rest' with a simple bookmark making activity – to be finished post session.
I close with a dramatic What makes a great story? exercise where I'll take all the children's ideas on story elements, and then concentrate on how conflict makes great stories. This exercise will need willing volunteers to play the parts of the character, the character's goal and the obstacles the character must overcome!
I can do up to three 1 hour sessions in a morning and two in an afternoon.
The children do not need to have read The Wonder Girls before the visit.
WORKSHOP 1
This will work best if the children have read
The Wonder Girls before the visit.
Writing Workshop
Make your own gang.
Using excerpts, which I'll read from the The Wonder Girls we will
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Discuss 'gangs', friendship groups, kindness, empathy and inclusivity
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'Lucky dip' objects/images that represent the characters in The Wonder Girls.
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Use further small objects in a similar way to enable the children to create their own 'gang' characters.
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For each character they answer these questions: Who are they? What do they want? How are they feeling? Do they want to join the gang or not? Why? Give your gang a name. Some children might find it easier to draw their character and answer the questions orally.
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Design a gang badge and if time introduce the new 'gangs' to the rest of the group
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WORKSHOP 2
The children do not need to have read The Wonder Girls before the workshop.
Drama/Writing Workshop
What makes a great story?
Trouble & 'Baddies'
This is an extended version of the introductory what makes great story exercise, which I will repeat with different characters, including a villain, to give as many children as possible the opportunity to perform!
They will then use the ideas created in the exercise as a prompt for their own story. If time children may share their stories.
WORKSHOP 3
This may work best if the children have read
The Wonder Girls before the visit but not absolutely necessary.
Craft Workshop
Join the gang; make a badge!
Children will decorate and sew W badges while talking books and possibly listening to the story!
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WORKSHOP 4
The children do not need to have read The Wonder Girls before the workshop.
Writing Workshop
How strong verbs make gripping stories.
We'll talk about about different kinds of verbs and what they do, how they're good at creating pictures in readers' imaginations. The children will then write (prompted by images/story cubes etc) with one rule –they are not allowed to use any form of the verb to be! We'll leave time to share writing if the children want to.