Directions:
After studying and critiquing children's books for sexism, stereotypes, and ethnic misrepresentation, you will work in cooperative learning groups of three (or less) to write, design, and illustrate a children's book incorporating the themes of equality, acceptance, tolerance, and respect.

Procedure:
Choose partners who can complement your skills (i.e., one who is a good writer, one who can draw or design, one who has a computer, etc.). You may have someone who is artistically talented from outside the class help you withmthe illustrations, or you may cut and paste pictures from magazines.

Choose a target grade level (1-6) for your book. Brainstorm for ideas, themes, characters, and illustrations. Try to make your book teach a “lesson” (i.e. teach them about hurtful name calling, prejudice, acceptance of others who are different, etc.). You may use an adventure story line, a revised legend, or fable story line. For ideas or examples, look at sibling's books or research at the library.

You must use the appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure for the appropriate grade level. When in doubt, ask an elementary teacher or a librarian from your county library.

The book must have a title, illustrations, and a binding. It must be typed or word- processed. Use a larger font for primary grades. For extra credit, you may employ pop-outs, pull-outs, stickers, questions for discussion, etc.

The authors will present their completed projects to the class. The authors of the BEST projects may be asked to present their books to an elementary class at a local school.

If we can work out an agreement between the ROP Television class and COX Cable, your presentation or a reading of it may be taped for television presentation over the local cable access channel. Maybe we could get a children's story hour going!

ALL finished projects will become the property of the Tolerance program at SCHS.