Articles by Tom McCabe

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Articles by Tom McCabe for Parents/Teachers

The following are a series of articles written by Tom to help both parents and teachers in a variety of ways. Some are written on a specific topic and others contain helpful activities for children of all ages. The articles below are PDF files.

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Contacting me:
If you would like to receive updates concerning new articles and activities that have been added to the web site, sign up for the electronic mailing list or e-mail me at info@tommccabe.com and request to be on the mailing list. We will send you occasional updates. As time goes on, I will add additional activities, stories and articles that may prove useful.

· If you try an activity and it doesn't work, please e-mail me. I am sure I can help.
· If you expand on an activity and it is a major success, please e-mail me the details and I will share them at upcoming workshops and on the site.
· If, as you read through the stories and activities, you are reminded of a true teacher tale, something that happened to you or a colleague, please e-mail the details and I will try to include it in upcoming workshops.

Good Luck!

Developing Young Authors: Building Original Stories
The goal of this article is to help focus on developing young writers and techniques for using existing literature to support developing writers.
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Classroom Telling - Creating Student Storytellers
The goal of this article is to help you develop a storytelling unit which will culminate in a storytelling festival in which all of your students will successfully participate and perform. Have no fear. Creating a storytelling festival is quite simple.
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Creating Audience Participation Stories with Children
This article has been greatly expanded and now includes actual scripts for The Ants and the Grasshopper and the Lion and the Mouse. There are detailed suggestions for adapting audience participation stories into performance pieces featuring your children and a guide to creating a Fable Festival.
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Teacher/Librarian as Reader: Provides tips for transforming your environment into a reader's paradise, plus simple effective activities. This article concludes with a fabulous activity: The Literary Scavenger Hunt. There are four complete examples including worksheets and answer sheets: Charlotte's Web, Tom Sawyer, A Wrinkle in Time and a literary scavenger hunt featuring the encyclopedia.
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Annual Public Events the Just Grow and Grow: For librarians, teachers and community artists. There are suggestions here for A Teddy Bear Picnic, a road race featuring the Tortoise and the Hare, A Stone Soup dinner, Sleepy Time Story Hours, a whole section on creating wonderful parades.
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The Trust Box: This is the perfect ritual to begin a workshop or a class.
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The Read Aloud Teacher or Librarian: Tips for reading aloud and a suggestion for finding good read alouds.
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The Voices Workshop - Creating Character Voices: This is a series of vocal exercises that will help you gain control of your voice and create endless character voices.
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The Teacher/Librarian as Teller: A lengthy article - detailed instructions for rehearsing and shaping stories for telling.
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Telling Tall Tales: Suggestions for Telling Tall Tales includes a unique language activity called the So-ing Box.
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In Place of Book Reports - The Press Conference - Tired of assigning book reports? Consider hosting a press conference. Click here for details.
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Creative Dramatics: Puppet Shows:
This article includes lots of suggestions for creating puppet shows, puppet theatres and puppets from scratch. There is an entire script of the Brementown Musicians here as well. It is great fun and can be used as a puppet theatre piece or as a simple play.
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Mapping: Using Stories to Work on Math and Sequencing - This is a most interesting way to use literature to stimulate an interest in maps. The activity uses The Great Race of the Tortoise and the Hare as an example. The activity can be applied to any traveling tale or story. There are two lesson plans: a detailed activity for younger students and a more sophisticated and challenging version for older folks. There are even sample maps drawn by yours truly.
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Bibliography: Suggested reading for motivating writing and reading plus a section of inspirational titles.
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Teaching Tales: These are wonderful true stories of teachers I have met along the way. Along with being heart warming, they may suggest radical, whimsical strategies and approaches.
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Poetry in the Classroom: Strategies for encouraging poetry reading and an activity and format for creating poetry based on parts of speech.
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Preparing a Book Talk - An article for librarians.
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Tableau Vivant - Bring literature to life. Create people pictures of your favorite literary moments. This is a group activity for children and teachers or for very adventurous adults.
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Are We There Yet?
A Story Activity for Long Car Rides
I travel throughout the year telling stories to young and old alike. At every performance parents ask for tips on storytelling with their children. Here are a couple of tips for traveling tales...
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Tell Stories, a Tribute to Brother Blue
Every so often a young performer will nervously approach me and ask me a most interesting question, a question so many of us have asked, "How do I become a storyteller?" Whenever I am asked that question I always tell this story.
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Why Record?
I have heard arguments both pro and con. Recording is so impersonal, no eye contact, no sense of community. Tapes are marketing tools and create an additional revenue stream. These arguments have merit. But are there other, artistic, possibly even spiritual reasons to record? Yes.
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Plan With Care - Preparations for a School Residency
With careful planning, a school residency is an educational and artistic experience for both your school and the artist. If you have already chosen an artist, planning can take a few weeks; if you do not have an artist in mind, the process may take far longer. Here are some suggestions as you plan a residency...
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Phone: 413-534-0797
E-mail: info@TomMcCabe.com