NEW ROSS — The kiddos in Samantha Dittmer’s third-grade class at Walnut Elementary have done something remarkable — something with which even the most seasoned author struggles to accomplish.
They published a book, complete with personalized drawings and teachings about their favorite animals. It’s now making its way through the Student Treasures Publishing’s marketing campaign.
“I got to draw a giraffe,” third grader Haven Estelle said Thursday during class. “Sometimes they have over 100 spots on them. Giraffes can weigh like 3,000 pounds.”
The completed book was presented by Dittmer and Principal Eric Brewer on Monday at the Southmont district meeting, with the pair and the board praising the little tykes’ accomplishment.
“They each got to pick their own animal, and then they had to do research for it to figure out where it lived, what kinds of things it ate, all sorts of stuff. They got to write their own paragraph about it, and then they drew a picture and colored it too.”
Dittmer said she was apprehensive with the idea, at first, because her students have only known how to write for about a year leading into the project.
“I was a little worried about it since it’s their first time doing a lot of writing, especially coming from second grade where they just did like a sentence or two,” she said. “But they did a really great job. All of them worked really hard. They were really proud of the book.”
Brewer said he OK’d the idea when Dittmer first presented it in January, adding that the project is indicative of the goings on at Walnut.
“I just think it’s great when someone wants to do something innovative, and has the initiative to do something different,” he said. “It also creates a keepsake for the kids, like a memory book. If you’re like me, you still have books from your elementary days. It’s cool for them to have their own bound book, and have their work right in there, in their own handwriting.”
Third-grade students Walker Cleek and Jackson Duke took a moment to talk about their work.
Asked what their favorite part of the process was, Cleek said “probably writing the story,” while Duke said “designing the cover and drawing.”
The pair chose the Tasmanian devil and the anaconda for their animals.
The book can be found and ordered online at www.studenttreasures.com/ordercopies.
