As each pair of students received a book with just some black-and-white images of snowmen and birds, they had to put their heads together and come up with a winter story. Second graders and fifth graders were immersed in a buddy writing activity on Jan. 26 at McKenna Elementary School in the Massapequa School District.
Students used their imaginations to turn the wordless books into masterful stories. Fifth graders guided their younger buddies through the writing process. Teachers Lauren Annarumma, Mary Fusco and Maria Stepkowski said that the purpose of the project was to show students how words and illustrations go together in books.
The young writers were encouraged to use different literary elements such as descriptive words, dialogue, onomatopoeia and transition phrases. Students also worked on character development, giving the birds and snowmen names, expressions and personalities.
After their work was complete, students traveled around the room to share their stories with other groups.
–Submitted by the Massapequa School District
