A couple of days ago I had the opportunity to instruct fourth graders at Fort White Elementary School. I knew the students were focusing on narrative writing; therefore, my lesson was geared toward that. I still like to use a simple formula for writing a story: Character, setting, problem/plot, try to solve the problem, try to solve the problem, finally, solve the problem.
I reminded the students to have only one-three characters; heavens forbid, not thirteen friends, in their stories. I also touched on dialogue. And then I proceeded to tell the children that my story is a real one that is not yet solved and I needed their help. The characters are: myself and a mouse. The setting is my car. The plot is that I have a mouse in my car and it has to be gotten rid of. (This is true, by the way).
I went on and told the children that I knew there was a mouse in my car because it had nibbled through a Three Muskateers Bar that I had bought for Truett. I saw shiny, silver wrapper on the floorboard of my car and a chunk of the chocolate bar missing.
"Now, how do I get rid of the mouse?" I asked.
One child said, "Put a mouse trap in the car." I thought about that for a few moments and then I drew a :( beside that suggestion. "Why won't that work?" I asked. Another student said, "Because the mouse knows what a mouse trap looks like and won't go near it." (Good thinking)
"What is another way to get rid of the mouse?" I questioned. A student answered gleefuly, "Put gloves on and catch it." I thought about that for a moment and drew a frowny face beside that suggestion. "Are you nuts? It was 13 degrees out there this morning and I am not about to sit in my car with my teeth chattering and me shaking. Good suggestion, just the wrong time of the year."
Patiently, I listened for other solutions when all of a sudden one child raised his hand and said, "Put peanut butter on a rag and leave it in your car overnight. The mouse will go to eat the peanut butter and will get stuck in it. Then you can throw him out of your car in the morning." (I love divergent thinking).
DING! DING! DING!
Just what I wanted to hear. Problem solved. However, in the meantime I told the children I will buy moth balls and put them in a mesh bag under the car so the mouse won't come back. I reminded the children I would sling the mouse in the yard because I don't want to kill any animal...a snake maybe, but not a cute little mouse who likes chocolate.
I touched on dialogue because a good story will have 'talking' in it. "Does a mouse talk?" I asked. I heard a lot of "NO's!" And then I heard, "Yes. They go squeak. Perfect.
I enjoyed teaching the lesson. Now it just has to be written. Do I have to do it?
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