Author Studies
Assignment
The Why
The What
The How
and
Grading Criteria
Why Author Studies?
Allows readers to form mentor relationships with
authors
Allows entry to the world of authors and books
Allows for a wide range of strategies, requires a
high level thinking for detecting patterns,
comparing and contrasting, making inferences,
evaluating
Entry into a literacy community with a shared base
of experiences
Suggested Format
 Mini-Lessons (short, focused and allow a variety of
responses) (10 minutes)
 ⌘Planting the seeds that invite exploration

Focus on: authors strength in creating characters, settings and
the research needed to create them, author’s life and the
content of the books, strategies used to make mind pictures
etc.
 Investigations (20-35 minutes)
 ⌘ Investigating the focus issue by reading, writing, talking
and listening (small or whole groups)
 ⌘Teacher observation for individual instruction, teacher
conferences
 Share Meetings (10-15 minutes)
 ⌘Sharing discoveries
The Literate Environment
Creating an Author Study Center
Collection of Books
Collection of Author Information
-Book Jackets, Publisher Information, Posters, Special Books
about the Author, Access to computer with Author Websites and
online opportunities for kids to review books
Student Writing Opportunities and Artifacts
-Literature Cyberlessons on an Author’s Book
-Scavenger Hunts of Author site and other related site
-Online opportunities to read and write an author book review
-Online opportunities to respond to others via a blog
-Class Reading Response Attribute Charts
 Author study notebooks and a space for writing
 Lists of book that have been read
 Student Book Reviews and Artwork in Response to Author books
Extending the Literate Environment
-Cross grade reading/writing buddies-Sharing Author Study
Presentations with another class-Home School Connections
Choosing and
Author/Illustrator
Consider:
Student Interests
Student Reading and Writing Needs
Multicultural and Gender Considerations
Author/Illustrator Literacy and Visual Artistry
Curriculum mandates, content areas,
state and professional standards
Other Considerations in
Author/Illustrator Selections
Social/Emotional Aspects
Access to Authors
SHAUN
TAN
X
X
X
X
GRAPHIC
NOVEL
HISTORICA
L FICTION
FOLKTALES
FANTASY
MEMOIR
POETRY
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
JANE
YOLEN
X
KEVIN
HENKES
MATT
TAVARES
ROALD
DAHL
EVE
BUNTING
X
HENRY
AARON’S
DREAM
MUD BALL
ZACHARY’S
BALL
SHAUN TAN
OLIVER’S
GAME
IRON HANS
JACK AND
THE BEAN
STALK
WHAT
DOES HE
DO TO
MAKE
THE
BOOK
SPECIAL
WHAT
DOES HE
TEACH
USUS
US?
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
LADY
LIBERTY
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
WHAT DID WE NOTICE
ABOUT THE
ILLUSTRATIONS?
WHAT DID WE NOTICE ABOUT THE
STORY?
JAY
IRON
HANS
JACK AND
THE
BEANSTAL
K
JOHN
ZACHARY’
S BALL
OLIVER’S
GAME
MUD BALL
CATHY
HENRY
AARON’S
DREAM
LADY
LIBERTY
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
EMILY
ZACH
KEN
MARY
TOMMY
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
STYLE
ILLUSTRATIONS
CHARACTERS
LANGUAGE
STORY, PROBLEM
& SOLUTION
JACK AND
THE
BEANSTALK
IRON’ HANS
OLIVER’S
GAME
ZACHARY’S
BALL
MUD
BALL
HENRY
AARON’S
DREAM
LADY
LIBERTY
MATT TAVARES’
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
-HE LIKES TO WRITE ABOUT BASEBALL GAMES.
-THE CHARACTERS ARE DRESSED IN OLD
FASHIONED CLOTHES
-SOMETIMES HE WRITES AND ILLUSTRATES- OTHER
TIMES HE JUST ILLUSTRATES
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
-HE DRAWS CLOSE UPS OF PEOPLE’S FACES
-HE WANTS US TO LOOK AT BIGGER THINGS IN THE
ILLUSTRATIONS.
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
-
ATTRIBUTE CHARTS WITHIN AND ACROSS BOOKS
-
Scholastic Graphic Organizer Printouts for Comprehension
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2983
Other Resources
PDF document:
Mentor Text Information
Linda Hoyts Matrix of Mentor Texts for teaching Comprehension during Read
Alouds:
http://www.interactivereadalouds.com/samples.aspx
What to focus on in the primary grades when Reading Like a Writer:
Reading Like a Writer Primary Grades
Ideas for Author Study: Sample Unit
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/mla/authstud.html
Lessons connected to NCTE/IRA standards, great interactive resources for
author learning center or Literature Cyberlesson:
http://www.readwritethink.org/
OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE
S
Articulates skills and strategies/performance objectives to be
addressed.
Study stemmed from proposal
Activities are tied to appropriate standards on grid.
NCTE/IRA Standards,
RDG DEPT. PROGRAM STANDARDS
CONTENT STANDARDS Science Frameworks OR Math Frameworks
OR Social Studies Frameworks (Where applicable)
CHECKLIST FOR
ACTIVITIES GRID
1) Opportunities for student collaboration in varying grouping formats,
2) Activities that are engaging and build on multiple ways of learning, and
personal background experiences
3)An opportunity for student inquiry,
4) Include opportunities for differentiation
5) Is there a multicultural component? critical literacy component?
6) A variety of print and nonprint resources,
7)Integration of Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Viewing and
Visually Representing
8) Opportunities for students to read/write in your selected content area
of focus.
9) Opportunities for students to cross from one media to another in their
study of this unit- i.e. moving from one genre to another, from one media
to another literacy to music, to art, to movement, to drama.
10) Integrates new literacies and technology
ASSESMENT COMPONENTS
Rubric Development for activities: Demonstrates specific desired
outcomes.
Please develop a rubric that focuses on learning objectives/strategies for
three of the lessons on your template. Your Cyberlesson is not included in
the
count.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
 five related books are summarized with bibliographic inf.
 personal responses to books
 description of how the book will be used to support unit
FINAL REFLECTION
 narrative including:
 Brief overview of unit and previous history, if any
 Convincing explanation of how it fits in curriculum and to intended
audience
 Discussion of anticipated benefits and challenges