To encourage her students to generate story ideas, fourth grade Roanoke Avenue Elementary School teacher Janine Weber recently took advantage of the outdoors and cool fall weather.
Inspired by author E.B. White, who dreamed up “Charlotte’s Web” while watching a spider spin a web, the students explored the surroundings outside their school and took notes.
“We like to take students outside so they can observe more than just inside a classroom,” said Weber. “They can see leaves changing color, hear twigs snapping as we walk, smell the fresh air and then use their observations to create a story idea.”
With observations noted, the students returned to the classroom to create a graphic organizer and start penning realistic fiction stories that incorporate details from their outdoor explorations.
“The students loved being able to take a break from their desks, get a change of scenery and come up with great ideas for their story,” said Weber.