2015 Authors of Class
Writing Competition
Sponsored by the Bill Martin Jr Memorial Symposium Committee and the
Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Texas A&M University-Commerce
Wanted:
Small Collaborative Teams of Young Writers
The Authors of Class Competition is open to children in Grades K–12 and is
designed to encourage small teams of students to use their reading, writing, and
artistic skills to create books. First and Second place winners will be chosen for
each grade level and showcased at the Bill Martin Jr Memorial Symposium in
Commerce and/or the Mesquite Celebration.
Inspire future authors by helping your students feel the thrill of
authorship NOW.
Under the guidance of a project coordinator (classroom teacher, parent, student
teacher, teacher’s aide), children work in teams of three to five. The creative
process of working in teams helps provide a natural environment to practice
editing, teamwork, and the communication skills necessary for future success. All
students involved get a sense of pride and accomplishment from submitting the
team project.
Recognition of Winners will be in several formats.
1. Your book, authors, and project coordinator will be announced on the Bill
Martin Jr website. First and Second place winners will be recognized either
at the Symposium or at the Mesquite Celebration.
2. In addition, the Authors of Class BMJ Committee will work to get your
book published by submitting it to a state journal.
Due Date: April 10, 2015
Authors of Class,
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To get started, follow these steps to establish excitement and enthusiasm
for the program.
Introduce the Program
 Read at least 3-5 Bill Martin Jr books to your students. Let your students get
to know some of the different patterns and story elements.
 Explain the competition to the students as a concluding activity to a unit on
authors/illustrators or as part of a unit on teaching the elements of story
writing.
 Let the students pick a topic. This can be about something they are learning
about or a story they have created.
General Guidelines
 Entries must be written in picture book format for both Fiction and
Nonfiction books using a Bill Martin Jr book as a pattern.
 The book MUST be created using the Language Experience Approach
(LEA) and the Writing Process. A typed Final Reflection is due with the
form that tells the committee how the LEA and the Writing Process were
used while creating the book and what you learned and what the students
learned while they were creating their pattern book.
 If you have never used or heard of the LEA Approach you can find some
great information at the sites below:
 http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/21108_Introduction_from_Nessel.pdf
 http://www.education.com/reference/article/language-experience-approach/
 Submit the completed book, the completed entry form and the reflective
summary to the Dept of Curriculum & Instruction Office, Ed South 204,
Texas A&M University-Commerce, P.O. Box 3011, Commerce, Texas,
75429-3011 by April 10, 2015.
 Make sure the artwork complements the words being used in the text.
 Create the book around something you are studying or have studied.
 Do not use licensed characters, trademarked, or brand names (Mickey
Mouse, McDonald’s, etc.). These names are protected by copyright.
Due Date: April 10, 2015
Authors of Class,
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Illustration Guidelines
 The illustration should be done on plain paper.
 The artwork can be created using construction paper, paint, ink, crayons, etc.
Do not use pencil, as that is not dark enough to show up well. In addition,
the artwork throughout the book should be the same style and materials.
Consider making use of contrast in the artwork to create surprise and add life
to pictures. Put dark colors next to light colors, thin lines next to thick lines,
or use sharply contrasting figures.
 The illustrations should be centered and cover about ¾ of the page in order
to leave room for the print.
Text Guidelines
 Let the students write their ideas. Then help them change their writing to the
correct format by using the editing phase of the Writing Process.
 If the text is going to be typed, have students sit by you as you type the text
so they can see the oral language/print match. However, hand written books
are encouraged.
 You need to create a real book.
o The book should be bound in some manner, with pages front to back
like a real book. That means the pages should be laminated together.
Real books have writing on both sides of the page.
 You will need a hard cover.
 Authors can be the students in Mrs. Blank’s 1st grade class or
you can write the first names of the students on the front page
 You will need a title page, and copyright page.
 Copyright will be BMJ 2015.
 You will need a front page before the story begins.
 On the last page of inside of the hard cover, there should be a
picture of the authors.
Submissions Guidelines
 Fill out the entry form.
 We need the teacher’s consent, the project coordinator’s signature, and the
students’ signatures.
Can an entry be submitted by one student or the whole class?
No. Each entry must be submitted by a group of 3 to five students. This contest
was designed to encourage students to work together in small teams. Collaborating
Due Date: April 10, 2015
Authors of Class,
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as a team helps provide a natural environment to practice editing, teamwork, and
communication skills.
Where to send or deliver the completed book and form?
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
ATTN: Authors of Class Committee
Ed South 204
Texas A&M University-Commerce
P.O. Box 3011
Commerce, Texas, 75429-3011
Does the project coordinator have to be a teacher?
No. A librarian, teacher's aide, parent or student teacher can be the project
coordinator. The project coordinator ensures that the entry adheres to the
guidelines, uses the LEA Approach and helps the students use the editing process
for spelling and grammar. The story and illustrations must be the students' work.
Will I be notified when my entry is received?
Participants will receive an email in acknowledgement if it is placed on the entry
form. The books will be returned at the BMJ Symposium (on Friday in
Commerce) or during the Mesquite Celebration (Thursday night). Project
Coordinator should be present at one to collect the book(s).
Will I be notified when the winner is selected?
The winners will be notified and acknowledged at the BMJ Symposium or the
celebration in Mesquite. It is hoped that the children can be present to receive their
recognition and meet the visiting author (they change every year).
Selection Criteria
Contest submissions will be judged on originality, content, overall appeal to
children, quality of artwork, compatibility of text and illustrations, as well as being
judged on if it was put together to “feel” like a real book. In addition, the Final
Reflection summary of the writing project should be included with the entry form.
They should be placed after the title page in the book.
Questions
Contact Dr. Susan Szabo, Authors of Class Committee Chair at
susan.szabo@tamuc.edu
Due Date: April 10, 2015
Authors of Class,
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Title of Pattern
Book Entry:
Title of the BMJ
book that was used
as a pattern
Category (Fiction or Nonfiction):
Grade Level(s) of Student Author Participants:
Classroom Teacher’s Name:
Classroom Teacher’s Email
Address:
Project Coordinator’s Name
(if different than classroom
teacher):
Project Coordinator’s Email
Address:
School Name:
City, State, Zip Code:
Verification Statement: By signing below, I verify the above was done by the
students using Vygotsky’s ZPD.
Signature of the Project
Coordinator
First print and then sign
Total number of Student Author Participants
(must be at least three)
Grade Level(s) of Participants
Student’s name (typed)
Student’s signature
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Due Date: April 10, 2015
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