Thurber in the Schools is a four-session workshop that encourages 4th and 5th grade students to write on topic, develop narratives from the beginning to the end, and write with sensory detail and dialogue, all in keeping with the Common Core Standards. Not to mention, it brings to life Thurber’s work for those who love to look for the funny side of life. Students will then be asked to write about their favorite people, places and things. These 120 students will become engaged in the wonders of the written word and creative self-expression through writing. They will have four encounters with an adjunct teacher provided by Thurber House. PFW finds this so exciting that we wish to set out briefly how this program will work. For all core curriculum details go to www.thurberhouse.org
FIRST ENOUNTER
Students will be immersed in young James Thurber’s life through a multi-media presentation that opens doors to the places, people and things that influenced him. They will then be asked to write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
SECOND ENOUNTER
Using two of James Thurber’s short stories, “The Night the Bed Fell” or “The Night the Ghost Got In” students will engage in discussions about story beginnings, middles and endings and will be asked to write stories about their own homes
THIRD ENCOUNTER
This class will celebrate the cartoonist in all of use. Students will get to write their own captions for some of Thurber’s illustrations.
FOURTH ENCOUNTER
Owing to a childhood eye injury James Thurber could not participate in sports. Possibly as a consequence he developed his extraordinary imagination. This class will ask the students how their character would respond to adversity.
