Nim's Island Activities, Chapters 15&16

~ Learning about the author, Wendy Orr ~

As a final wrap up to our summer book group, the kids were asked to write a letter to the author of Nim's Island, Wendy Orr.  Kids are so creative.  One wrote it in e-mail format (@TheGreatestKid.net), another told of our adventures in opening her own coconut, and several drew pictures.  We found a great Nim's themed education guide showing the parts of a letter, and discussed the difference between written mail and e-mail.    I will be sending off their messages this week.  Perhaps they will get a letter back!

Together we read through Mrs. Orr's correspondence with other kids, and they were delighted to hear that she began thinking of the story of Nim's Island as a child.   We brainstormed some ideas that we thought might become great stories.  I enjoy their originality confidence.

The highlight of our party was getting to eat lunch on a picnic blanket (huge thrills, I know!) in front of the TV while watching the movie based on the book.  

Later we made mixed media ocean scenes, Really mixed media.  They were sticker/chalk/paint/collage masterpieces.  

This afternoon we are going to look at Mrs. Orr's comments on the movie and  flip through the photos on the Nim's Island flicker account one last time, and then we will be done.  It is always a little bit sad to finish a great book.