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Perennial Favorites Year After Year
These lessons are kid-tested, extremely simple, and fun to teach. Teaching time is 45 minutes to an hour. Most lessons are geared for 3rd and 4th grade but can be adjusted to fit any grade level.
Music Montage -- This is Darleen’s MOST REQUESTED workshop. Students in 2nd through 12th grades explore the five senses in this music-filled workshop where they interpret music in poetic montages. A feel-good, easy workshop that can be adjusted from 40 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on how many montages are written. A sure hit with students and teachers, alike. 
How to Eat an Oreo Cookie -- Students in 2nd through 6th grades write an expository essay on how to eat an Oreo. You supply the Oreos and Darleen will supply the Oreo costume. A fun and tasty workshop which enforces skills in sequential and expository writing, as well as five-paragraph essays. Another MOST REQUESTED workshop.
Animal Poems -- Students in 2nd through 6th grades write several quick and quirky animal poems based on the fun and unusual animal poetry of Douglas Florian. Emphasis is on using adjectives, similes, and creative language. Another MOST REQUESTED workshop which and be adjusted to fit 30 to 45 minutes. For 60 minutes, this can also be combined with an In-depth Q&A session.
When I was Young in (name of your town) – Based on the award-winning picture book, When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant, students in 3rd through 8th grades write a five-paragraph autobiography. For younger students, Darleen wears an old-fashioned dress & bonnet. A TEACHER’S FAVORITE. Many teachers have suggested to combine this workshop with an “All About Me” poster or sack .
Yummy to my Tummy – Another MOST REQUESTED workshop that is perfectly suited for students in Kindergarten to 5th grades. Students celebrate the color of their skin, eyes, and hair by writing yummy poems where they turn themselves into food from their head to their toes. Darleen supplies the Mr. Goodbar costume and you supply a bite-sized candy bar for each student. Fun, yummy, creative—you can’t go wrong with this student favorite. A special easy format provided just for K & 1st. Another easy format provided just for 2 & 3.
Scared to Death – Based on Darleen’s picture book, Twister, students in 3rd through 12th grades write a first-person narrative story telling of a time they were ‘scared to death.’ Emphasis will be on students writing their own personal, true story written in sequence. This workshop generates LOTS of interesting stories and is the writing equivalent to sitting around the campfire sharing spooky tales. (Could be combined with making S’mores!)
What If? – Based on the funny picture book, Imogene's Antlers by David Small, students in 3rd through 8th grades write a story about waking up to find they have grown an animal part during the night, such as a tail, wings, scales, etc. For younger students, Darleen wear’s rabbit ears. Emphasis is on sequential writing and having fun with language. A STUDENTS’ & TEACHERS’ FAVORITE.
Mean, Screaming Machine -- Based on the roller coaster picture book, The Mean, Screaming Machine, by Joy Cowley, students in 3rd through 12th grades use the 5 Ws & H and the “Inverted Triangle” style of writing to write a newspaper article about a new amusement park in their town. Students will create and name their amusement parks, rides, daily entertainment, and delicious foods. You can provide cotton candy (Most Wal-Marts have large inexpensive bags!) which makes the lesson even sweeter. Especially appropriate for older elementary and middle school students. High school students have also enjoyed this lesson.
Something Beautiful -- Based on the poignant picture book, Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth, students in 3rd through 12th grades write a narrative essay describing the ‘something beautiful’ in their lives. Darleen brings show-and-tell items to generate a discussion how everyone has something beautiful in their life. A gentle and touching lesson that reinforces the value of family relationships while giving students a healthy dose of narrative writing skills. Darleen’s favorite workshop.
 Recipe for a Successful Story -- For students in 5th through 12th grades, Darleen compares writing stories to cooking. Just like a recipe with specific ingredients, a story also has ingredients and if students follow the writing recipe they’re sure to have success. By the end of this workshop, students will have completed a story outline and will be ready to write a story. By taking students, step-by-step, through this recipe, they are more able to approach writing as a process rather than one large, scary task. This workshop is especially appropriate for older students in middle school through high school, and/or gifted & talented students at the upper elementary level. A TEACHERS’ FAVORITE. Darleen’s most in-depth workshop—requires a full 60 minutes.
Color Montage -- Students in 2nd through 12th grades interpret color by using the five senses in narrative, poetic montages. Based on the classic poetry book, Hailstones and Halibut Bones. This workshop is very similar to the above mentioned Music Montage, Darleen’s most requested lesson. Very appropriate when combined with an art lesson or discussion about color and/or artists.
 Monster Menu—This workshop is especially fun to do at Halloween time but is a TOTAL STUDENTS’ FAVORITE year round. Appropriate for 2nd through 6th grades, students use a creepy monster menu (provided by Darleen) to create their own menus for monsters. Students will feel like they’re getting away with something ‘naughty’ when creating such yucky foods as “Spaghetti and Eyeballs”, “Chocolate-covered Spiders”, and “Bloody Toenails” that they won’t realize they’re actually writing. A fun workshop that wins hands-down for creativity and ability to excite students—especially reluctant boy writers. You provide the gummy worms and Darleen provides a waitress costume. This workshop should win the ‘Slightly Gross Stamp of Approval.’
So Long Summer – Students in 2nd through 8th grades welcome the arrival of autumn with a goodbye poem to dear, old summer using the five senses. Based on the poetry book, Summersaults, by Douglas Florian and other summertime poetry collections, students focus on the five senses AND creating rhyme. This workshop can be adjusted to fit the passing of other seasons—SO LONG AUTUMN & SO LONG WINTER and makes a great tie-in for units on seasonal changes, leaves, and seeds. 
My Crazy Christmas –Students in 2nd through 6th grades write an extremely SILLY story about the customs surrounding Christmas, based on the popular picture book, The Dumb Bunnies Christmas by Dav Pilkey. This lesson can also be adjusted to fit almost any holiday—Thanksgiving, Halloween, New Year’s Eve, Easter-- and students LOVE feeling like they’re ‘getting away with being silly’ when teachers know what they’re getting essential writing skills. A definite crowd-pleaser, especially with younger boys who appreciate the Dav Pilkey sense of humor.
Extra! Extra! Read All About It! -- Students in 2nd through 8th grades write about a time they got into trouble, using newspaper techniques of the 5Ws & H and the ‘Inverted Triangle’ to make it look like a newspaper article. They’ll create such headlines as: DYLAN DIDN’T DO DISHES! SARA SENT TO ROOM! GREYSON GOES BANANAS!
Gizmos & Gadgets -- students in 3rd through 12th grades become inventors and write a five-paragraph expository essay about a weird & wacky invention they would like to make, explaining how they would make it and how it would work. Based on the nonfiction book, Mistakes that Worked, by Charlotte Foltz Jones, students are introduced to nonfiction writing skills with a fun twist!
 Quick Classifieds—Students in 3rd through 6th grades are introduced to the classified section of newspapers, reading aloud sample classified ads. They then write their own classified ads using descriptive details and persuasive techniques to sell unusual items which Darleen pulls out of a bag, including silly things like an old boot, a holey sock, an apple with a bite taken out of it, etc. A fun newspaper format provided.
 I Refuse -- This workshop is based on a silly poem written by Shel Silverstein about a child who refuses to do his chores. Students in 3rd through 8th grades write a similar rhyming poem about a chore they particularly hate doing, such as dishes, taking out the trash, mowing the yard, etc. While students air their dislike for chores, they’re learning to use strong verbs and adjectives to create a silly poem that's extremely fun to read aloud in class.
Almost Forgotten—In this workshop, based on the historical picture book, Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, students in 3rd through 6th grades remember a special toy/stuffed animal/action figure that they used to love but no longer play with and write a narrative essay about that toy. Focus on sequential writing and specific details.
Mama's Kitchen -- Based on the nostalgic picture book, In My Mama's Kitchen, by Jirdine Nolen, students in 3rd through 6th grades write a narrative and descriptive essay about a special place where they feel happy and safe and where good things happen, such as a secret hide-out, a tree, a breakfast nook, a room, etc. A gentle lesson that emphasizes the value of family and friendship. One of Darleen’s favorite workshops.
Recipe for an Unusual Sandwich – Students in 1st through 6th grades write a wacky recipe based on a silly poem in Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. This is one of Darleen’s shortest workshops. It can be combined with an in-depth Q&A session. 
Click, Clack, Moo – Based on the Caldecott Honor Book, Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, students write a story in sequence, showing what happens when their own pets go on strike. A fun lesson your students in 3rd through 6th grades will enjoy.
SPECIAL INTEREST WORKSHOPS:
Divorce: It's Not so Bad -- With 52% of all marriages ending in divorce, Darleen created this special hands-on writing workshop just for students who have gone through this experience. (Darleen divorced in 1999.) Based on the warm and touching picture book, Charlie Anderson by Barbara Abercrombie, which explores the delicate subject of divorce in a fictionalized story of a cat with two homes, students in 3rd through 6th grades write a five-paragraph essay about the positive aspects of divorce. See counselor comment below.
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My students absolutely loved your writing session! . . . I am always encouraging my students to write about their feelings. There are so many things in life of which a child has no control. Divorce is one of these things . . . Your discussion really helped get their minds going . . . Your writing lesson was appropriate for upper-grade students . . . Your encouragement helped the children see that writing is therapeutic, and that they can use writing their entire lives to help them work through whatever problems they experience. Thank you for a wonderful experience!
--Sue Gill, Counselor,
Central Elementary, Moore, OK
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If I Were Green—Based on the picture book, Green as a Bean by Karla Kuskin, students write a poem about all the things they could be if they were something else. Emphasis is on creativity and imagination. For older students, the technique of using adjectives and the five senses will be introduced. A fun lesson, appropriate for all ages from Kindergarten through 5th grades, with a special easy format just for K-2nd grades.