Kindergarten or first grade students can study published writers to learn about how to be better writers themselves. Instead of the teacher telling how to write, students pull that same information about writing out of a shared experience like reading the same book together. Students can see that writers have a beginning, middle, and end, or that good writers plan before they write. Learning about an author as an example of good writing gives students a context for developing a story that people will read and enjoy. They discover techniques and aspects of good writing that they can use in their own writing.
Allow four to six weeks for exploration of Laura Numeroff books in your classroom, ideally in the early part of the year so that her other books can be used to make connections to writing throughout the year. It is not necessary to read a book by Laura Numeroff every day, but aim for several each week. Reread often. Hearing a book more than once is a great way to give opportunities for students to make connections to their lives. Reading the same book two or three times helps students develop importants reading skills like predicting story events. Check with your school or public library for a variety of titles.
Introduce the author study through a read aloud of one of Laura Numeroff’s books such as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Read the “about the author” section and show a picture of the author if possible. Before you begin the story, ask students what they already know about books and writing. Define vocabulary like author, illustrator, title and topic.
Begin a list on large chart paper titled “What We Know About the Author Laura Numeroff.” Use the students’ words and observations to build an informative chart over time. Be sure to hang the chart where students can see it during Writing Workshop. Model aspects of her writing as you read aloud. For example, "I just noticed the author Laura Numeroff is writing about animals in this book.” Or “Look, I just realized the title matches the story.”
Each time you read a book by Laura Numeroff, read the “About the Author” section. Refer to and add new information to the chart as you build your knowledge of literacy as a class. Record student observations in their own words so they can have some ownership of the ideas contained therein. Guide students to look for things they could do in their own writing.
Example of a Classroom Chart: