In this camp, students will write a picture book or comic. No, they don't need to be good at drawing...or writing. They will learn basic writing skills, which will be helpful for any writing in school. 

The focus is basic storytelling, imagination, and solid writing skills. We will brainstorm the story and work on a new writing skill each week. The emphasis is on creativity and fun. 

I try to build each kid's creative confidence so they grow to love writing. 

They will also get bonus videos to help with grammar and spelling outside of the class. 

They will write a paragraph for each page, no matter whether they are writing a picture book, illustrated short story, or comic book. They do not have to draw. In class, they will only be writing. They will illustrate their book or draw outside of class time. 

They can create a book at home or you can do the fancy version and order it on Lulu.com or Scribblett.com. After class, they can draw their pictures on an iPad, using Procreate, or they can draw on paper, or they can use AI - chat GPT's Dall-E 3. I will give you a video to show you how to set them up for any of these options. 

The important thing is that they will get FIRED UP to write! Even if they are writing a comic book, they will write the description of what they will draw, so this will help them work on basic sentences. They will also write the dialogue, which they will later put in their talking bubbles. 

At the end, I will give you a video to show you how to publish their short stories on Scribblett or Lulu.com. 

----What Will Students Do In The Class?----

Day One: Beginning Your Story in an Interesting Way

Bring to Class: A Favorite Toy or Doll
Fantasy Story: They'll bring a toy or doll and then they'll imagine this toy with a personality, a goal, and a problem. 
Realistic Imagination Story: They'll think of a girl or boy with a problem and the toy or doll is part of the problem.

Storytelling Skills: 
Writing a story with an interesting beginning.
Adding personality with an opinion.
Writing a description of the setting and characters.

Grammar Skills:
Writing complete sentences with a capital and a period

Game:
Spin the Wheel

Day Two: Add Imagination, Weirdness, and Problems into the Middle. 

Bring to Class: A fun object, plant, or food. 
Fantasy Story: The object they bring will become magical in some way.
Realistic Imagination Story: They will add the object to their realistic story.

Storytelling Skills:
Using unusual details in your stories
Adding the talking (dialogue). 
Adding problems

Grammar Skills:
Adding commas
Adding paragraphs
Adding quotation marks

Game: The Creativity Gift Game

Day Three: Going on an Adventure and Facing More Problems in the Middle

Bring to Class: A plant, rock, seed, or something from nature.
Fantasy Story: They add adventure to their story and transform nature into magic. 
Realistic Imagination Story: They will add the nature to add details. 

Storytelling Skills:
Adding action and problems to the story. 
Using similes for description. 

Grammar Skills:
Dialogue punctuation

Game:
Spin the Wheel

Day Four: Writing a Wonderful Ending and Overcoming Problems

Now it's time to end the story!

Storytelling Skills:
Suspense for your ending - will they overcome the problem??
Sound effects

Grammar Skills
Any common problems I've seen in the class

Final game and celebration: (Bring a yummy snack and extra scrap paper and a pen.)
The Popcorn Game

---What Is The Structure Of The Class?----

5 Minutes: Show whatever they brought to class to include in their story. 
10 Minutes: I teach a basic storytelling skill and one basic grammar skill and they give ideas for my example story.
10 Minutes: They write. They can ask me how to write their sentences and I will write it for them on a shared Canva screen. 
10 Minutes: I teach them another writing skill and a basic grammar skill. The kids give me ideas for the example story. Then they brainstorm ideas for what can happen in their story. (For example, they might spin an idea wheel or they play the idea number game.) I might give the entire class a "creativity gift"—one word or an object or a number that everyone will try to draw or include in their story. It's funny, and they'll laugh. Some kids will include it, and some won't. I'll ask if any of them have “creativity gift” ideas. 
10 Minutes: They continue writing. 
10 Minutes: They share their stories. 

----Do Students Have Homework?-----
There is no mandatory homework. They can simply write in class if they like. I just give bonus worksheets and videos to help with grammar, phonics, and sight words. These are optional. Also, if they want to illustrate or draw their stories, they can do that. 

----Is There Bonus Material?-----
Yes, there is bonus material. All students will receive a package when they sign up to help them with sight words and basic spelling and grammar. I give them lots of fun ways to start writing even before our camp.