Process and Resources

You and your partner will get started by printing out a worksheet to help you get to know Junie B. Jones. Read Junie's letter and show what you learned about her by answering the questions. Barbara Parks is the author who created Junie B. Go here to learn some things about her. Print out this activity page and be sure to follow the directions at the top. When you are finished, think of one thing to share that you learned about this author in our class discussion. Now it's time to find out about the many adventures of Junie B.. Go to the list of books and read about some of them. Each team will be responsible for reading and mapping two stories. When you agree on a title, get the books and print this story map for your team. Use the map to help guide you through the reading. Fill in the first CHOICE row as you read to explain what happens in each part. Sign your team up for a conference with the teacher when you think you are finished. Then you will be ready to discover Junie B.'s next adventure. Use the same story map as your guide and use the second CHOICE row. Talk with your partner about the books. What parts are the same? What parts change in each new adventure? Give the story map to the teacher when you are finished. She will make a copy and give it back to you.

Here is the twist part- Now that your team understands the parts of a story....... it's time to switch roles!!!

Are you ready for the challenge?

Now that you have gotten to know a little Barbara Parks and her character, here is your challenge! Your team will write a new adventure for Junie B. Jones. Think of some of the challenges and accomplishments in your own lives so far, at school and home as well. Good writers often write about things they have done or seen themselves. Try brainstorming with your partner about some of those things. You may use Kidspiration or just put your ideas on paper. Can you use the Junie B. character to tell about one of those problems and write the solution the way she might have solved it? Before you start to write, use the CREATE row in your story map to fill in the parts of your new story. Sign up for a conference with the teacher when you are finished with the map and be sure to ask for help if you are stuck with any part. Decide whether you and your teammate will work together to write one story or write on your own. Use your Writer's Workshop folder to stay organized and sign up for a conference if you need help with any part. Getting someone to listen to your story might help you get more ideas. When your rough copy is complete, sign up to share it with the teacher or a parent helper. They will help you edit and prepare your story for publishing. You will also make some decisions here about what parts you would like to illustrate. Add a fun title that will make kids want to read your book! Turn your manuscript in to the publishers box and.......... wait patiently. Our production rate is limited by our supply of volunteers!!! Visit this publisher's site with your partner and find out how a book is made. When you are finished write a sentence explaining something you learned about making a book and post it on our Junie B. Jones bulletin board in the class. You might want to practice your drawings and design your cover so you will be ready when your book is returned by the (parent) publisher. You will be illustrating your story in the final version of the book! Remember to work carefully and neatly. When you are completely finished, assemble your book and sign up on for a time to share your story with the class!