Recently I decided to revise a creative writing/drawing project from a book titled “Things that are Most in the World” by Judi Barrett. I tried it’s suggested followup before, but now have a more specific idea on how to have students push their creativity a bit further.Each page in this book is based on a different adjective, such as “The teensie-weensiest thing in the world is a newborn flea” or “The prickliest thing in the world is the inside of a pin cushion”. The end of the book just suggests that you have students come up with their own “most” creation, but lacks the guide on how to have them really exaggerate things. I ask the students to choose an adjective (prettiest, softest, bumpiest, etc.) Then they need to think of two things with those qualities, and put them together. For example, if they chose “prettiest” they need to think of two pretty things and combine them somehow. So maybe they think princesses are pretty, and say beauty pageants are pretty, so their sentence could read “The prettiest thing in the world is a princess beauty pageant.” It’s a formula that can be pretty effective in creating some very funny combinations. And from funny ideas, hopefully come funny drawings.
One more idea: collect all the pages from your class to make one big book book, and get hardcover copies made online. Could make a great fundraiser...
Click HERE to download my blank template for this project.
