Class Book

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Writing Skills

• Using interviewing techniques to gain information
• Developing narratives
• Using word processor to publish writing

Overview of the "Class Book" Strategy

By engaging in this strategy, students will not only link with past generations but will also experience the writing process. Just as the novel Wish You Well is based on oral history collected by author David Baldacci, so also may a "Class Book" be based on oral histories collected by students from adults they know. Once the histories have been collected, each student will choose a favorite recollection, turn it into a narrative, and contribute it to a class book named, for example, Tales to Remember. This book will undergo the publishing phases and may be shared by distributing copies to the authors.

Activities for the "Class Book" Strategy

1. Have students gather and record oral histories from adult family members or adult friends.
2. Have each student write a narrative/short story based on one of the oral histories he or she has gathered.
3. Allow the students to share their stories. 
4. Have the students contribute their stories to a class book by editing and formatting them correctly, using word processing software.
5. Assist the students in publishing the class book, assuring that all stories are formatted consistently and appropriately.

Assessment

Use the rubric shown below to assess the stories.