Launching imaginations

DEBBIE JACOB

THE POST-SEA world is the perfect setting for elementary teachers to promote reading. In that no-man’s land between elementary and secondary schools, teachers can find ways to nurture reading among those children already captivated by books and introduce exciting new book choices to those who have fallen off-track.

Ideally, teachers should read at least one book a day to elementary students. I realise that some schools can’t afford to build a school library let alone a class library to fulfil this goal, but there is still a way to open up the world of literature to children in a meaningful way.

All teachers need are ten great picture books for their classrooms. If you choose your picture books carefully, you can find lessons that will last an entire month. Those lessons will help build comprehension and analytical skills to tackle the SEA syllabus, but they will also launch children on meaningful journeys after SEA. Reading offers an escape from the world so children will engage in a meaningful activity without even realising the skill-building tasks they are doing.

Today, I feature a book that should be in every elementary school class or school library: The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a lonely man whose life’s work is to look out for messages in a bottle, which he delivers to the intended recipient.

One day, the man gets a message about a party, but there’s not enough information for him to figure out who to deliver the message to. He asks around. No one can help him decide who to give the message to, but everyone is excited about the possibility of a party. Everyone meets on the beach to have a celebration with the uncorker of ocean bottles.

My bet is that most children won’t even realise what a letter is. Who writes letters in this computer age where everyone – including parents – sends e-mails? So this book lends itself to many meaningful activities.

Here’s a list of possible activities you can get from one picture book like The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles:

1. Children can learn about letter writing through this book, and teachers can have children write letters to each other.

2. Students can pretend they’re writing a message in a bottle. Who would they want to get the message? What would they write? Where would they like their message to end up?

3. Students can discuss the importance of communication and how communication has changed over time. What types of “fun” communication did people have in the past? What is the purpose of a message in a bottle.

4. The man in the book is very lonely, but he is a very helpful person who reaches out to others all the time. What can teachers do to help students who are shy and don’t know how to make friends?

5. Students can discuss ways to solve problems. How does the man in the book try to solve the problem of finding the recipient of the message? What would you do to solve a problem like this?

6. Students can write a follow-up story about the uncorker of ocean bottles. Does he find the person who is intended to have the message he found? Who is the person? Does he become happier when he solves the problem?

7. Students can engage in research about famous messages in a bottle. There are always stories about messages in a bottle.

8. This is also a great book to discuss environmental issues. Should we be sending messages in a bottle? What if everyone did this? What would it do to our oceans?

9. Teachers can also use this book to discuss characterisation. What can you tell about this uncorker of ocean bottles besides the fact that he is lonely? He is determined? Kind? Empathetic? What other traits does the man have? Does he have any bad traits?

10. The man in the book has no name. What should his name be? Let the children name him and explain their reasons why they would choose this name.

Every picture book is an opportunity to teach the elements of literature: setting, characterisation, theme, dialogue, conflict and the structure of a book. There are so many possible activities from such a rich and beautiful book like The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles. Picture books might be small, but they’re packed with endless possibilities for teaching.

The post-SEA world is the perfect place to launch imaginations.