On November 21, 2012, Mrs. Wieneke led a fantastic online class for students in grades 3-7 that focused on the importance of organization when writing stories. She read the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and discussed how the author used the organization of her ideas, transition words, and a great ending to create a wonderful children's story. The class then went over a couple student-written paragraphs, and the children awarded scores of 1-5 for the organization within the writing samples.
The students in attendance were also challenged to create a well-organized story with a similar chain of events, building off the title "If You Give a Puppy Pumpkin Pie." Here are a couple creative examples we received in response to the extension activity.
If You Give a Puppy Pumpkin Pie
by Elizabeth Kay
If you give a puppy pumpkin pie, he's going to need whipped cream on top. If he has whipped cream on top, the puppy will want to go watch the clouds and point out shapes. When the puppy spots a cloud in the shape of a dog, he starts to try to catch it. If the puppy tries to catch it, you're going to have to run to get the puppy. As the puppy becomes tired and chases back home, he's going to want another piece of pumpkin pie.
If You Give a Puppy Pumpkin Pie
by Macana Goins
If you give a puppy pumpkin pie, it will probably want some roasted pumpkin seeds with it. When you give it roasted pumpkin seeds, he will probably want some orange punch to get in the Thanksgiving spirit. After you give it some orange punch, it will probably get sick to its stomach. He will want to go to bed. He will have to go to the veterinarian. After he got all better, he would want to go get a turkey. After he gets a turkey, he will want to go home to get some orange punch to get in the Thanksgiving spirit. After giving this puppy pumpkin pie, he will probably want some roasted pumpkin seeds. After you give him some pumpkin seeds, he will probably want some pumpkin pie!