Dalmatians

This July, one of my creative writing students, Jada, wrote a splendid story using Dalmatians as her MUSE. Her story was so delightful that the Dalmatian became my MUSE, too.

I told Jada that my favorite childhood companion was a Dalmatian and that her story helped playback in my memory some very happy times. She also inspired me to dig a little deeper on this MUSE. And maybe some of you will be inspired to write a Dalmatian story, too.

Here is what I uncovered:

We’ve all seen the statues of Dalmatians at firehouses across the country. And some firehouses actually have the real thing, a living and breathing Dalmatian mascot. But why are firemen so fond of this spotted canine?

Come to find out, Dalmatians have a great affinity for horses. And in days-gone-by, horse drawn fire wagons were used instead of trucks. Dalmatians would clear the path for their hooved friends, and they would stay back and keep these horses calm once the fire was reached. Horses are no longer needed to combat fires these days, but the Dalmatian is still symbolic for firefighting.

Dalmatians have a long history as horse and buggy companions. In fact, the English have nicknamed the Dalmatian “The English Coach Dog or The Carriage Dog”.

The earliest proven record of the Dalmatian comes from its namesake – Dalmatia, a region of Croatia. These records date back to the mid 1700’s. However, just because there are no earlier records does not mean that the Dalmatian did not exist further in history. Some believe that an ancient Egyptian engraving of a spotted dog, near a coach is that of a Dalmatian. It would make sense, wouldn’t it?

Dalmatians became very popular as a household companion with the release of the Disney animated film, 101 Dalmatians, released in 1961. These spotted pups became even more popular with the release of a live action adaptation in 1996. But did you know that both of these films are adaptations of a book? The Hundred and One Dalmatians was published in 1956 by English writer, Dodie Smith.

Dodie Smith created the “pelt-happy” Cruella De Vill, and the spotted protagonist, Pongo.

Speaking of spots, did you know that Dalmatian puppies are born spot-less? Dalmatians’ spots do not appear until about a month after birth.

If you are thinking about getting a Dalmatian as a household companion, make sure you consult the The Dalmatian Club of America, first. Here you will find great information about this Spot-tacular breed.

Also, here are some fun fire prevention games and activities brought to you by the National Fire Protection Association and their Dalmatian mascot, Sparky.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF you told a story through the perspective of a Dalmatian who is afraid of fire?

WHAT IF your Dalmatian main character is approaching his/her first birthday, yet they have no spots?

WHAT IF your main character wants a Dalmatian more than anything in the world, but his/her parents are allergic to dogs?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “pelt”. Here is the definition: the untanned hide or skin of an animal.

Photo Credits:
Photo #1: Fifth World Art
Photo #2: Dawn Endico
Photo #3: Disney

Bat Hero! (By: Sophie R.)

Once there lived an Indiana Bat who could write, and for some reason his family was being hunted down by a person named Alex.

So, every day he writes millions of notes about saving his family.

One night, the bat sent all his notes to the police station, thinking that the police would save them. But, no! Alex took the notes back and threw them away.

The next night, the bat made a sword and tried defeating Alex, but Alex hurt the bat’s wing.

Then, the bat decided to show the police what had happened. So, he went to the police station and flew over Alex’s house. The police followed.

The bat showed the police what Alex had done, and the police arrested him. The bat’s family was saved, and the bats were famous.

The End!

A Note from Professor Watermelon: Sophie, I am very proud of you, and I am happy that you were able to use the Indiana Bat as your MUSE! I can also tell that the story of "Charlotte's Web" was your MUSE, too. Sophie, you have a great imagination, and I'm so happy that you took my creative writing class for the second time! I hope I see you again in Indianapolis next year!

Artwork by: Sophie R.

The Mad Popcorn Scientists (By: Alexei L.)

In 1492, two scientists discovered popcorn. The two scientists, Ned and Ted, ate popcorn while they played checkers.

There was a knock on the door. This evil but dastardly man named Professor Watermelon came barging in. He swiped the popcorn and left.

Ted and Ned went flying through the door.

Professor Watermelon made three obstacles: a big vine forest, a fire pit, and a huge waterfall.

Ted and Ned took a sword out and went through the forest. After they went through that, there was a big bowl of popcorn. Ted and Ned left the popcorn behind so that they could catch Professor Watermelon.

They came to the fire pit. But Ted and Ned didn’t have anything to get through. They thought about it, and Ted had an idea. There were rocks that made a path to the other side. So Ted and Ned skipped and jumped all the way over to the other side.

Then, they saw another bowl of popcorn. This time Ned grabbed some. It took them two miles to get to the waterfall. Ned threw some popcorn at the waterfall.

Something rumbled. The waterfall just exploded in from of their eyes. So, they ran through the cavern and saw another bowl of popcorn. This time, Ted grabbed some.

Ted and Ned found Professor Watermelon, and they tackled him!

Ted and Ned locked Professor Watermelon up, and they finally got to eat their popcorn and play checkers.

The End!

A note from Professor Watermelon: Great job Alexei. You used Popcorn as your MUSE, and your story is full of action. Better yet, you kept my attention. And I love that you used me as your ANTAGONIST! Hahaha! I like your characters, and I liked how you kept your story moving along to the end. I'd love to continue seeing your work. Send it to prof.watermelon@gmail.com

SUPERSTAR Storytimes 101

SUPERSTAR Storytimes 101

Below are my TOP 10 tips on making your storytimes engaging, educational, and FUN! Please feel free to ask questions in the comment section!

       1.       Plan your storytime to be 15-20 minutes long. Longer for older children, shorter for younger children.

       2.       Know your audience, and choose stories that children will respond too. (Another blog on that later, wink.)

       3.       Rehearse the book by reading it at least once before your storytime. Look for places to pause for emphasis and elicit predictions, questions and reactions.

4.       When you introduce the book at storytime, make sure to point out the author and illustrator. This shows the human connection that people write and illustrate books. Point out that the author writes the words and the illustrator draws the pictures.

5.       Again, during storytime, let children predict what is going to happen next. This lets children feel that they are a part of the story.

6.       Read with expression! Let your voice reflect the tone of the story and the personalities of the characters. Vary your pace and allow the story to flow with a natural rhythm.

7.       Allow children to look closely at the illustrations. They will inevitably see things that you may have missed. Maybe there is a little mouse that appears on every page. Let the children find it. Illustrators are clever, and they often add their own storytelling details in the illustrations.

8.       Remember those predictions? Help confirm or revise those predictions as the story goes along, and remember to be gentle and honor all the predictions even if they are very “creative”.

9.       At the end of the story, allow plenty of time for children to ask questions. They will also have many comments, too. Just like adults, children will relate themselves to the stories they are told. Ask children what made them happy, sad, scared, excited, etc.

10.   And the most important storytelling tip: ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE SILLY! Let the child inside of you SHINE!

Remember that reading aloud to children is the single most important activity you can do to cultivate a literacy culture at home and at school. You will be inspiring the lifelong love or reading and writing! What a gift!

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The Old House: Activities and Storytelling Tips

The Old House
By: Pamela Duncan Edwards
Illustrated By: Henry Cole

An empty old house wants a family to move inside, but it is in such disrepair that potential buyers keep turning away. The house’s friends (some birds, a squirrel, and a tree) try to cheer up the house and tell it to stand straight and twinkle its windows, but nothing seems to help. And when they hear the rumble of a bulldozer, they all fear for their lives. Has the old house seen its last day, or is the rumble coming from a moving truck with a happy family inside? Edwards tells a delightful read-aloud story that is full of friendship, empathy, and inspiration. Cole’s illustrations are heartwarming and bright. And the expressions of feelings he gives the house is truly clever.

Below are some activity ideas and storytelling tips for this Picture Book Favorite!

Houses Have Feelings, Too?: After reading The Old House, take children on a walk around a neighborhood. Tell them that they are going to look at houses in a different way. The house in the book had feelings, and the feelings were expressed by the houses features. Can they look at the houses in the neighborhood and decide how the houses feel? Happy? Sad? Excited? Tired? What kind of “personality” does a particular house have? Maybe a house with interesting architecture would be “clever”? Maybe a house with multicolored paints and fixtures would be “creative”?

If I Were a House: After reading The Old House, give children a piece of plain paper and some crayons, markers or colored pencils. Ask them to pretend that they are a house. What kind of house are they? A castle? A motorhome? A cottage? Ask them to draw and color a picture of this house. What colors are they going to “paint” it? What is in the yard? Is their house in a town or in the country? Does the house have any friends like the house in the book? When children are finished with their house ask them to share what they came up with. You may want to help them write a description of the house, too.

Happy Home Makeover: After reading The Old House, ask children to look at their own home. How do they think their house or apartment feels? Is there anything that they can do to make their house or apartment happier? Maybe they could give their house or apartment some friends by planting some flowers outside in the yard or patio. Could they help put a fresh coat of paint on the front door or porch? Could they wash the windows to make them twinkle and shine?

Storytelling Tips:

1. Children like to predict what is going to happen during a story. Before you read the book, ask children to look at the cover and predict who the main character is going to be? Who might the other characters be? If nobody guesses the birds and squirrel on the letters of the title, gently draw their attention there.

2. The illustrator does a great job of personifying the house. When the house shows the expression of a feeling, pause and ask children what the house is feeling. Can they show that feeling on their faces?

3. Children will naturally relate themselves to the characters in stories. In fact there is much learning happening while empathizing with characters. Ask children if they have ever felt alone like the house? Do they have friends that help cheer them up? Have they ever helped a lonely person feel better?

If you would like to buy a copy of this book, there are plenty of used copies on Amazon. Please follow this link:

http://www.amazon.com/The-House-Pamela-Duncan-Edwards/dp/0142414808/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341357070&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+house

And remember, by reading to children, you are cultivating a literacy culture. You are helping children build a lifelong love of reading and writing!

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The Titanic and Eva Hart

This week marks the 100^th year anniversary of the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic. The “unsinkable ship” sank to a watery grave on April 15, 1912. And while a hundred years has passed, her story is very much alive, but why? Houston, it looks like we’ve found another MUSE!

2228 passengers were aboard during the Titanic’s maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City. Tragically, the ship never made it to New York, and only 705 people were rescued from the sinking – mostly women and children.

Titanic survivor Eva Heart was seven years old at the time, and her recollection portrays a haunting story of those last hours amidst the North Atlantic.

“My mother had this dreadful premonition. She’d never had one before, and she never had one after, but she said ‘No, we can’t do this (board the Titanic)… something dreadful is going to happen.”

Eva’s mother was quite sure that the “unsinkable ship” was sinkable, so she slept during the day, and stayed awake, fully clothed, at night.

“My mother said that at ten minutes to twelve, she felt a slight bump,” Eva Hart recalled. “She said it felt just like a train pulling into a station… but she knew it was this dreadful something. She wakened my father and wakened me.”

Eva’s father went to the deck to see what had happened, and he quickly came back to get his family. The family learned that the ship had hit an iceberg. Since Eva’s mother had not fallen asleep, she and Eva were one of the first people on deck. This gave them a spot on one of the few lifeboats. Her father told her, “Hold mummy’s hand and be a good girl.” That would be the last time she saw her father.

The officer on lifeboat #14 rowed the boat as far away as possible from the Titanic so that the enormous ship would not pull the lifeboat underwater when it sank. Eva could still hear the commotion on board.

“There wasn’t any panic until the lifeboats left, and then there was panic galore,” Eva Hart recalled. “We were down on the ocean. We could hear them running about the deck. They were screaming. You could imagine people coming up from their cabin and finding no lifeboats, then tearing around to the other side.”

As the Titanic continued to sink, Eva watched. She couldn’t close her eyes. She watched the Titanic snap in half and listened to the helpless people drowning. She said that the most dreadful sound of all is the sound of people drowning – the screams.

“And then the whole world stood still that night,” Eva Hart recalled. “Once the lights had gone and the ship was gone… the silence was dreadful.”

The lifeboats eventually pulled together and evened out the number of passengers in each. At this point Eva was separated from her mother, which she recalled as a terrifying experience. They would not find each other until they had been rescued by the Carpathia later that morning.

The crew of the Carpathia dropped down rope ladders for the adults to climb toward the hatch on the side of the ship. Children were placed in sacks and lifted with cargo nets – quite successfully but still terrifying, Eva Hart recalled.  

But the most pathetic experience Eva Hart remembered was watching the women looking for their husbands on the Carpathia, realizing very quickly that they had gone down with the ill fated ship.

So, why are people still fascinated with the sinking of the Titanic? Probably because it was an accident that should not have claimed a single life. It took over two hours for the ship to sink. If there were enough lifeboats, no one would have died. 

Today, the Titanic rests nearly 13,000 feet below the ocean’s surface. Eva Hart and all other survivors have now died, but the legacy of the RMS Titanic will live on for quite some time.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these “what if” questions will help you get started.

What if your main character was an alligator who had boarded the Titanic unbeknownst?

What if the Titanic was ghost ship that could be seen crossing its route from England to New York?

What if your main character took a submarine down to the wreckage of the Titanic. What mysterious object would they uncover?

The possibilities are endless! And please leave your own “what if” questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a piece of paper and a pencil, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere! I look forward to seeing where you take us!

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

P.S. The word of the day is “Carpathia.” Here is the definition: the transatlantic passenger steamship who made her maiden voyage in 1903 and became famous for rescuing 705 passengers from the ill fated Titanic.

Howler Monkeys

I was browsing Mr. Gillenwater’s new books on South American animals this weekend and was completely captivated by the howler monkeys. I’ve always had a weakness for these adorable creatures, so I knew I was in for a treat. I had also found another MUSE!

Did you know that howler monkeys are one of the loudest animals on Earth? In fact, the only animal that is louder is the blue whale.  

Due to a large throat chamber and a special bone that acts as an amplifier, these monkeys can be heard up to three miles away. But why would an animal want to be so LOUD?

Howler monkeys are very territorial, and they travel in groups called troops. The males howl in the morning and in the evening to let other troops know where they are. In other words, these howls are essentially saying, “Stay away!”

And guess what they eat? Leaves, fruits, shoots, flowers, and don’t forget about the occasional bug. YUM! (Not chocolate covered, sadly)

Howler monkeys also sleep a lot – up to fifteen hours a day. Humans are lucky to catch eight hours of zzz’s.

One of the most interesting features of the howler monkey is its prehensile tail. Howlers use their tails like a hand to grip and hang from branches. They also use it to anchor themselves to a limb while sleeping.

Howler monkeys weigh up to twenty-five pounds and grow up to thirty-six inches long (head and body).  They have black, brown, or red fur. Howlers live up to twenty years in the wild.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these what if questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a howler monkey with a sore throat?

WHAT IF your main character lived in Brazil and became friends with a troop of howler monkeys?

WHAT IF your main character was a howler monkey made from metal?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “prehensile”. Here is the definition: adapted for seizing, Grasping, or taking hold of something.