Video of the Week: Writing for Children (Series)
RSSFrom SLJ November 2004 (Starred Review)
Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA -- School Library Journal, 10/25/2004
5 DVDs. color. 23 min. ea. (closed captioned). with tchr's. guide. Schlessinger Media. 2004. $29.95 ea. Includes: Expository Writing (ISBN 1-57225-919-1); Story Writing (ISBN 1-57225-920-5); Types of Writing (ISBN 1-57225-921-3); The Writing Process (ISBN 1-57225-922-1); Writing Resources (ISBN 1-57225-923-X).
K-Gr 4
-In these exceptional live-action DVDs, four children make up the staff of the magazine Wordswork. With their mentor and publisher, Professor Plot, they explore the writing process as they put out each issue. Narrated by the children, each DVD examines different aspects of writing, with some overlap. Expository Writing includes examples such as reports, experiments, and speeches. Steps to good research are presented, and ways to strengthen written work are explored. Story Writing discusses the importance of characters, setting, and plot. It examines ways to improve a story, and emphasizes the importance of dialogue. In Types of Writing, viewers learn to define writing by its purpose and intended audience. Comparative, explanatory, and persuasive writing are defined, and personal narrative is presented. The Writing Process presents and gives examples of the steps to good writing. Writing Resources has a poetry theme, but the information applies to all types of writing. Resources such as a thesaurus and dictionary are encouraged, and proofreader marks are explained. Fun segments found on each DVD include a black-and-white, trench-coated detective show called The Organizers; "Great Writing Through the Ages" that uses historically significant writing to make a point about the power of words; and an over-the-top talk-show spoof called The Kiki Knowitall Show. Interesting transitions and fun camera work make this a kid-friendly, visually appealing series. Discussion questions that link directly to specific sections of the DVD are available. Narration can be heard in either English or Spanish. Teachers need this is the type of material to help prepare students for state-wide testing. The series' clear presentation, interesting format, eye-catching appeal, and well-organized information make this a valuable resource for use in any writing unit.
