In the 3s class at WTA, the teachers noticed that children were excitedly drawing picture after picture on the pages they were given. As they drew, they often talked about what they were drawing, labeling and discussing what they were creating on the pages. The children also worked on forming letters, especially the letters in their own name.

The next step was to provide children with the opportunity to create their own books. Before providing the children with their blank books, the class needed to discuss and set a framework for their creations. As a group, they looked at many books and noticed some of the details. They noted that every book has an author and sometimes an illustrator, and that each page was filled with words and pictures.

Using basic paper stapled together, and crayons, children were given blank books to work with. It was amazing to see the ideas they came up with. Some children created “family books,’’ writing the name of each family member on each page, while some generated a new idea for each page. Others first created pictures and chose the words based on what they had drawn.

After their books were completed, the teachers read the books with the children. The students were so proud of their work, which could be seen by the excitement they had to take them home and share them with their families.

Another planned literacy project will be to create a book for their classroom library using the children’s work. The goal is to work together to have a communal topic and then work on the pages collaboratively.