Grade One students at Pleasant Corners Public School (PCPS) are now published authors.
The two grade one classes at PCPS recently authored and illustrated eight “who would win” style books.
On March 27, both classes welcomed families and friends to their book launch event to celebrate their creative endeavours. In a book tour format, guests walked around the room and heard each of the eight books – read by the authors – filled with imaginative storytelling and vibrant illustrations.
Teacher Stacy Schwendemann started the writing endeavour last school year with her Kindergarten class where they wrote and narrated a digital storybook on the life of Rosa Parks. Having many of the same students in her Grade 1 class this year, Schwendemann decided to keep the momentum going with another writing project. The group decided to base their books off a class favourite – the Scholastic “Who Would Win” books.
“I enjoyed making the books. I wanted to go home and write another book,” said Luca Villeneuve, one of the authors of Squid vs. Octopus. Classmate and author of Tiger vs. Lion, Lily Rutherford said “I like learning about the animals. The lion and tiger both have sharp teeth and run fast.”
The books captivate readers with thrilling fight scenes as they compare two similar animals and declare a winner by the end of each tale. Many of the students said that writing and illustrating the fight scene was their favourite part.
Reflecting on the importance of real-world learning in the classroom, student Freya Parisien, who was also part of the group that wrote Squid vs. Octopus, said “it’s important to learn different things before we go to Grade 2.”
The books were published with the help of Louise Sproule, Publisher of The Review. The classes also visited The Review offices to learn about publishing.
Schwendemann shared her journey of embracing real-world learning, emphasizing its transformative impact on both her perspective as an educator and the students’ learning experiences.
“Having 34 Grade One’s be able to say ‘I’m an author and an illustrator’ and ‘I want to read and write’” is something I’m eternally passionate about,” she said.
As the Grade One authors continue on their literary journey, their next book, titled The ABCs of Positive Character, will be published in hardcover and officially documented and logged with an ISBN number. This ensures that the book has a legacy because a copy will be deposited at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa.
Both the mini-books and the coming hardcover book are available for families to purchase as a keepsake and showcase of their growing literacy skills, creativity and imagination.
