Posts Tagged writing

STEM Tuesday — Fungi — Writing Tips & Resources

By on July 19, 2022   /   Fungi, STEM Tuesday  

You know what I love? A chance to get nerdy about science and writing! So this month’s list of fun-gal books provided lots of fun for this gal. In addition to surprising facts—Did you know fungal spores can sometimes seed rain?—I found at least ten different ways to categorize these books. How many can you come up with? For this post I’ll share just one so I don’t steal all the fun 🙂

Today we are going to have a blast, do something dynamite, experience the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Today we are going to analyze books based on the Common Core-English Language Arts.

 

 

 

 

 

Wait. Why aren’t you jumping with joy? How come I don’t hear any gleeful giggles?

Maybe—whether you are a kid gritting your teeth through class, a teacher grinding through lesson prep, or an adult writer grasping to “get” this industry—just maybe you need practice romping in the joy of discovery.

Let me show you how it’s done.

Dip into the ELA standards and you’ll see three types of writing described:

  • informative/explanatory texts,
  • opinion pieces,
  • narrative writing (true or imagined stories).

Joy, oh, joy right? Okay, maybe not. That info is sitting there is like a lousy lump. A bunch of blah, blah, blah. We all know that science books are informative. They are explanatory texts. Duh.

But what if I found something a little suspicious in our fungal stack? Would you zoom in closer with me? Would you be willing to search out some odd evidence?

If you were on a hunt for a piece of narrative writing, what would you look for? A character. Action. Some voicy voice? Pick up a copy of Rotten Pumpkin: A Rotten Tale in 15 Voices and you could say: check, check, check!

If we want to get academic, plop the book down beside the ELA Standards for writing, 4th grade. According to the Core, narrative should:

  • orient the reader by establishing a situation. The opening page of Rotten Pumpkin does this loud and clear: “Here I stand, bright with light, proud and round. Tonight is my glory night.”
  • introduce a narrator. Jack the smiling pumpkin draws readers in.
  • use sensory words to convey experiences. “My vomit dissolves pumpkin nutrients so I can lap them up. A delicious, nutritious smoothie!” Whoever said analyzing books had to be boring!?!

…

I could go on about how this could be lumped in with narrative books, but I’ll leave the rest to you. Go ahead, I’ll make it super easy and put the link to the standards right here and the link to an online preview of the book right here. Now, you go find more evidence.

And then there’s opinion writing, something you might not expect to get a whiff of on a serious, science blog post, but COME ON! Opinions spice things up! Consider why The Mushroom Fan Club, by Elise Gravel, is just such a hoot. Hint: It’s not because she’s all straight-laced and impartial. Nope.

She even admits to being obsessed. And just what, pray, is she trying to prove? The first spread: “It’s like a treasure hunt” and the last: “So, did you enjoy our TREASURE HUNT?” kind of give it away.

For practice, pair up Gravel’s text with the 4th grade standards to find examples of

  • “create an organized structure”
  • “provide reasons that are supported by facts”
  • “link opinion and reasons”

Lookie, lookie at what you’ve done. Found a little fun matching this mushroomy stack with the Common Core’s three categories of writing. I knew you could do it! Now, I wonder what you would find if you looked at Melissa Stewart’s 5 Kinds of Nonfiction instead…

 

 

 

 

 

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Heather L. Montgomery loves taking a closer look at fungi (and slugs and bugs and poop and anything else in nature). Then she writes (narrative or opinion or explanatory books about that supercalifragilisticexpialidocious stuff. Books like: Who Gives a Poop? Surprising Science from One End to the Other, Something Rotten: A Fresh Look at Roadkill, and What’s in Your Pocket? Collecting Nature’s Treasures. Learn more at www.HeatherLMontgomery.com.

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STEM Tuesday — Fungi — In the Classroom

By on July 12, 2022   /   Fungi, STEM Tuesday  

Fungi—mostly invisible to us yet found almost everywhere we go! It makes for a really interesting topic for students to explore in the classroom. How do fungi grow? Where can we find fungi? What shapes, colors, and sizes are fungi? And what other fascinating fungi facts can we discover? These books from our STEM Tuesday list inspired the following classroom ideas.

 

Funky Fungi book coverFunky Fungi: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More by Alisha Gabriel and Sue Heavenrich

The engaging narrative, which masterfully incorporates the science of mycology, is brimming with cool facts (like making shoes from fungi) and tons of fun STEAM activities and experiments – beginning with the creation of a “FUNgus” journal. It’s intriguing sidebars, stunning photographs, illustrations, and graphs, and scientist highlights make this a fun read with something for everyone kid and adult alike.

 

 

Fungarium: Welcome to the Museum by Ester Gaya, illustrated by Katie Scott

A stunning, oversized book organized like a museum guide with “galleries” on fungal biology (reproduction and spores), diversity, interactions (Mycorrhizas and termites), and their relationship with humans (pathogens, edible, and pharmaceutical). In addition to engaging facts, vividly detailed images, there are three gorgeous ecosystem illustrations featuring the connection and interactions of fungous within mountains, temperate forests, and tropical forests.

 

 

Mushroom Rain by Laura K. Zimmerman

From what they smell like to who eats them, this is a fun introduction to the diverse and sometimes bizarre world of mushrooms. Older readers will enjoy the information at the back, including how mushrooms can cause rain.

 

 

The Book of Fungi: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from around the World by Roberts, Peter and Shelley Evans

Perfect for browsing, this book is as advertised: filled with life-sized photos of mushrooms, plus descriptions and range maps. Written for adults, but a treasure for kids who love to peruse field guides – if you can find it at your library.

 

 

 

Classroom Activities

Go on a mushroom hunt!

Explore outside with students to see which mushrooms they can find. Carry The Book of Fungi: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from around the World with you or download a fungi identifying app to your phone or tablet. Or students could bring digital cameras or draw images of the mushrooms they find. Visit a nature area and remind students not to touch mushrooms, as some may be poisonous. Look near rotting trees, on the sides of living trees, or where there are rotting leaves and plants. Have students document what they see and then identify the kind of mushroom they found. If they want, they could make the FUNgus journal described in Funky Fungi. See how many the class can find!

Spore slide investigation

What do spores look like? Students can study them under a microscope in this investigative activity. First prepare some microscope slides for students. Use a variety of fresh mushrooms, cut off the stems, and place the mushrooms gill-side down on top of the slide plates overnight. Make sure to label each slide. The next day, remove the caps and you’ll see that spores have dropped onto the slides. Cover each with slide with a glass coverslip. Next set up some microscopes with the slides and set them at the lowest magnification level. Ask students to view the spores and record what they see for each type of mushroom. Ask them to increase magnification and see how it changes their view. Students can then compare the different kinds of spores. Do they look the same? What are their differences?

Mycelium dig

You can find mycelium just about everywhere in gardens and forests. All you need to do is dig! Provide students with gardening gloves and garden trowels. Make sure they have notebooks or digital cameras to take photos. Now ask them to dig in shady spots to see what they can find. Tell them to look for cobweb-like white material in the soil. Once they. find some, tell them to document what they see. What does the mycelia look like? What else is in the soil? Have students record the location and depth of their hole too. Then students can share their findings with the class.

Spore art

Mushrooms can make some beautiful art! Here’s what students need to create some spore art in the classroom:

  • fresh mushrooms from the store, with gills covered as much as possible
  • cutting board and sharp knife
  • thick white card stock
  • water
  • cardboard box
  • markers or colored pencils
  • hairspray

Steps:

  1. Have students cut the bottom part of their mushroom to expose the gills.
  2. Then place the mushroom cut-side down on the white card stock. Add a few drops of water to the top of the mushroom.
  3. Cover the mushroom and card with an upside-down cardboard box and let it sit overnight.
  4. Remove the box and the mushroom the next day. You should see a pattern of spores that look like the gills and shape of the mushroom. Be careful to not disturb the spores!
  5. Spray some hairspray on top to secure the spores. Students can draw around the spore design. They can label their art too with the type of mushroom they used. Beautiful!

Hope you enjoy trying these activities out. Here are a few other sites to explore to find more fungi activities or videos for students:

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This month’s STEM Tuesday classroom activity list was prepared by:

Karen Latchana Kenney loves to write books about animals, and looks for them wherever she goes—from leafcutter ants trailing through the Amazon rain forest in Guyana, where she was born, to puffins in cliff-side burrows on the Irish island of Skellig Michael. She especially enjoys creating books about nature, biodiversity, conservation, and groundbreaking scientific discoveries—but also writes about civil rights, astronomy, historical moments, and many other topics. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and son, and bikes, hikes, and gazes at the night sky in northern Minnesota any moment she can. Visit her at latchanakenney.wordpress.com.

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Author Spotlight: Lakita Wilson + a GIVEAWAY

By on July 11, 2022   /   Author Interviews, Diversity  

In today’s Author Spotlight, Lakita Wilson chats about her MG debut, Be Real, Macy Weaver—out tomorrow, July 12, from Viking—as well as how she juggles her job as a college professor with her writing life. Plus, scroll down for a chance to win a copy of Be Real, Macy Weaver! 

Book Summary

Eleven-year-old Macy Weaver knows relationships are complicated. Fresh off her latest friendship breakup, she’s spent most of her summer break on her own. So, when Macy’s mother decides to go back to college three states away, Macy jumps on the chance to move—anything for a fresh start.

But Macy’s new home isn’t exactly what she expected. Her mother’s never around and her dad’s always working. Lonelier than ever, Macy sets her sights on finding a new best friend. When she meets Brynn, who’s smart and kind and already seems to have her whole life figured out—down to her future as a fashion model—Macy knows she’s it. The only problem is that Brynn already has a BFF and, as everyone knows, you can only have one.

Resorting to old habits, Macy turns one small lie into a whole new life—full of fantastic fashion and haute couture—but it isn’t long before everything really falls apart. Ultimately, Macy must determine how to make things right and be true to herself—rather than chasing after the person she thinks she’s supposed to be.

Interview with Lakita Wilson

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Lakita! Thanks for joining us today.

LW: Thank you, for having me!

MR: First, I have to tell you how much I enjoyed Be Real, Macy Weaver. It’s the kind of book I would have been drawn to as a tween, because—like Macy—I was desperate to have a best friend. I’m guessing the desire for a close friendship was something you craved, too?

LW: Of course. I think, for me, it took so long to find my community because I still struggled to find myself. It’s kind of hard finding people who get you, if you haven’t quite gotten yourself yet.

Would I Lie to You?

MR: Macy, the fashion-forward protagonist, weaves a web of lies to impress Brynn, the object of her BFF affection. At the same time, the lies cause Macy untold guilt, shame, and anxiety (i.e., she gets the “creepy-crawlies” whenever she tells a lie and/or feels anxious). What is it about lying that makes most of us get the “creepy-crawlies”? And what were you trying to say about lying in general?

LW: Macy told pretty big lies throughout the story. Other characters told smaller lies, or let lies linger to cover up things they didn’t want to reveal either. I truly believe that people want to be their most authentic selves, but there’s often an inner voice telling us that our truest self isn’t good enough. So, lying becomes a shield to protect us from the potential rejection of our peers. I think the conflict of needing to live in our truth, yet fearing such vulnerability creates anxiety. Describing the creepy crawly feeling Macy felt on her arms and legs, was my way of showing how this anxiety doesn’t just stay inside of us, but shows up in physical ways.

Significance of Symbolism

MR: Speaking of webs, Macy befriends a spider—Charlotte—with whom she shares her secrets, worries, and fears. I know this is an homage to Charlotte’s Web, but it’s also a symbolic choice. Other bits of symbolism include Macy’s first and last names (i.e., Macy’s = a department store/Macy is into fashion; Weaver = weaver of lies/weaving of fabric). Labels are symbolic, too (clothing labels/labeling oneself and others). I’m guessing these were purposeful choices. Why is symbolism important to you as a writer?

 LW: Okay, here’s the funny thing about Macy’s name. I chose Weaver on purpose. Here is a girl who constantly weaves a web of lies and she’s learning to sew in the book. So, it made sense. However, the first name wasn’t an intentional choice. I love Macy Gray, and I think the name Macy is pretty—so that’s how I chose her first name. The ridiculous thing is, I live in walking distance of a Macy’s department store. You would think I would’ve connected the two a LOT sooner than I did. I still shake my head over this all the time!

MR: In addition to friendship, abandonment is a predominant theme in your book. For instance, Macy’s mom uproots the family so she can attend college in another state—and then promptly checks out of Macy’s life. How does this feeling of abandonment affect Macy in terms of the choices she makes, and the lies she tells?

Attachment Theory

LW: As I was writing Macy’s story, I needed to figure out why she was so needy. Everyone wants a best friend, but there was a certain desperation that Macy had about needing a best friend, right from the beginning. And that level of neediness doesn’t come out of nowhere.

When it comes to parenting, there are four different attachment styles. I teach my college students that parents who are present and responsive to their child’s needs help create a secure-attachment. Children who develop a secure-attachment are more confident, trusting, and able to explore the world and interact with peers, knowing that they have this safe base to always go back to—even if situations get a little tough. But Macy didn’t have that with her Mom.

When a parent is sporadic with their time, attention and affection, this creates an anxious-insecure attachment. These children often know deep down they can’t rely on the parent, so they become clingy—with that parent, and other relationships. These children become needy, angry and distrustful. We see this play out in Macy’s behavior almost from the very beginning of the story. She’s very needy in her friendships, clinging to them like they are her only hope. She quickly becomes angry or anxious when her expectations are dashed. And she never gives anyone the true version of Macy, because she’s not only distrustful of others, she doesn’t trust herself to be loveable or worthy of friendship.

Switching it Up

MR: Turning back to writing, Be Real, Macy Weaver is your first MG novel, but you’ve written a YA novel, too (Last Chance Dance is coming out in spring 2023), as well as nonfiction (What Is Black Lives Matter?) and biographies of such luminaries as Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, and Michelle Obama. Is it tricky to switch it up? Or just fun?

 LW: For me, it’s super fun. I’m interested in a lot of things, and super curious about the world around me. Being able to write in different genres and for different age groups gives me multiple lanes and strategies in which to talk to children about the world around us.

A Writer’s Juggling Act

MR: In addition to being a children’s book author, you are a college professor. How do you juggle your writing career with your day job? What does your writing routine look like? 

LW: I don’t know if I would be able to write as much if I had a typical nine-to-five job. Even though I am full-time faculty at my college, I don’t go into the office Monday-Friday from nine to five. Faculty are fortunate enough to stack our schedules with courses on certain days, freeing other days for things like writing. So, in order to keep up with my teaching responsibilities and write, I usually keep a pretty strict, consistent schedule. I also use a planner that I write down a schedule and a to-do list. I used to get up every day at 5 a.m and write for a few hours while the world slept. Then I would go to work, or run errands. But the pandemic has ruined me. I’m up all night, wandering my house like the resident ghost. So, I’ve switched my writing schedule according to when my kids are in school. When my daughter is home from college, I tend to write overnight because during the day we distract each other with invitations to watch the latest reality show. 🙂

Social Media Star

MR: Lakita, I noticed that you’re killing it on social media, with an impressive 23K followers on Instagram (LakitaReads). What is the secret to your success? Any tips for other writers trying to up their social-media game? Do you have a preferred platform? Also, how much time do you spend on social media?

LW: Yes. I am killing my social media accounts—and not in a good way. Ha! In 2017/2018, I was book blogging and sticking to strict schedules, and posting three times a day, every day. Instagram was my go-to platform. My followers consistently went up, and I formed many cool relationships from the experience. Now I post sporadically, and it’s killing my engagement, and my followers are dropping off by the dozens. Sometimes I feel guilty about wasting a great platform and I just want to donate it to an organization that’s willing to bring it back to life. But, there’s also the hope that one day I’ll revive that page and bring it back to its glory days. Poor @LakitaReads, lol.

Next Project

MR: What are you working on now, Lakita? Can you give us a hint?

LW: Right now, I am finishing up a draft of my second middle-grade novel. I will give you a one-word hint: bald. I’m also working on a non-fiction project centering hip hop and feminism.

Lightning Round!

MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Chipotle. I know this isn’t technically a “snack”, but it’s what I prefer. I need to cut down though. I eat it way too much when the kids are at school.

Coffee or tea? Pepsi.

Cat or dog? Two dogs. One old. One young—to give you the perfect balance.

Favorite designer? Alexander McQueen

Favorite model? Naomi Campbell

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay? Nay. I scream when a leaf blows by my window. Do you honestly think I can handle zombies?!

Superpower? I just taught my puppy to push a button when he wants a treat. Is that a superpower, or do I now work on-call for my puppy? Hmm…

Favorite place on earth? My bed. Sleep is the best!

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be? A functional Chipotle restaurant (staffed), one of those inflatable floaties, and Megan Thee Stallion—we’re on a deserted island, so she’ll have plenty of time to teach me to dance! (You know, I almost gave a more acceptable answer here, but in honor of Macy I’m choosing to Be Real, ha!)

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Lakita—and congratulations on the publication of Be Real, Macy Weaver. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I know MUF readers will too!

LW: Thank you for having me!

And now…

A GIVEAWAY!

For a chance to win a copy of Be Real, Macy Weaver, comment on the blog–and, if you’re on Twitter, on the Mixed-Up Files Twitter account for an extra chance to win! (Giveaway ends 7/13/22 EST.) U.S. only, please. 

About Lakita

Lakita Wilson is a Professor of Education, writer, and advocate for diverse and inclusive children’s literature. A 2017 recipient of SCBWI’s On-the-Verge Emerging Voices Award, Lakita also obtained her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Lakita lives in Maryland with her two children and Shih-Tzu. Learn more about Lakita on her website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram: Lakitareads and Lakitawrites.

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