Finding the
main idea:
Authors talk
about reading
and writing
R. L. Stine
• http://bcove.me/alfmnjok
• What did R.L. Stine call the little things he
wrote?
magazines
• How old was he when he started writing?
Nine years old
• On what did he write these?
On an old typewriter
Fear?
• http://bcove.me/0k03ooyl
What did R.L. Stine do with his bike and why?
Tossed it in the garage as fast as he could.
How does his fear as a child help him as an
author of scary books?
He remembers what made him scared. He
remembers what it was like to be a child.
SAFE?!?
• http://bcove.me/udhard77
KATHERINE PATERSON
Role models in her books?
• http://bcove.me/nowd5jp2
Naming a character
http://bcove.me/rh4jqljd
What are two things you learned
about the character Gilly Hopkins
from the previous clips?
• She is NOT a role model.
• She lies, cheats, steals and makes fun of
handicapped people.
• Gilly has a lot of hurt inside her.
• Katherine Paterson had the name Gilly Hopkins
long before she created the character in the
book.
Listen and write down some
reasons why Paterson wrote the
book, Bridge to Terabithia.
• http://bcove.me/2tsvn8is
Topic sentence
Katherine Paterson wrote the book, Bridge to
Terabithia because ______________________
______________________________________.
Possible topic sentences might end
with something like:
…her son had just had a friend die and she
wanted to try and make sense of it.
…due to a loss, she felt the need to write a book
about a child who dies.
…she needed to process the loss of her son’s
friend.
Avi
What symptoms did Avi have as a
young reader?
• http://bcove.me/7rhus62w
• How do you turn this statement into a topic
sentence?
• What DETAILS would you add to other
sentences?
Your topic sentences, read aloud.
Awesome!
Excellent!!
Way to go for it.
You’ve got some good stuff there.
Watch this clip. Jot down some notes.
Then, with a partner, list some
qualities of a kid reader.
• http://bcove.me/bz2up16o
What things did Avi say make “kid
readers?”
• Let’s hear from you and your partner…
You rock
He did say that. Do you agree?
You got THAT right!
Walter Dean Myers
Reading is like…
• http://bcove.me/t8qwhq0e
Listen to these clips and choose one to
write a topic sentence on:
• http://bcove.me/t8qwhq0e
• http://bcove.me/t8qwhq0e
• http://bcove.me/t8qwhq0e
What clip did you choose…?
The urban experience
Books were my friends
Inner city kids