Doreen Cronin has a remarkable talent for transforming everyday occurrences into humorous tales, showcasing her comic genius within the pages of children’s books. She believes that while most of the information we encounter daily fades away, certain thoughts and words linger in our minds for a purpose.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your language arts mini spark page #86: Doreen Cronin
2. Learn more about Doreen Cronin and her books. Read this article. Write 3 facts about her on your recording page.
3. Look over this webpage with the titles of her books. Record 3 books you have read or heard of before and 3 that you have not read.
4. Listen to this interview. Record at least 3 suggestions she gives about becoming a better writer.
5. Listen to one of the stories from this playlist. Write the title of the book you choose. After listening choose 2 of these questions to answer.
List 3 adjectives to describe a character in your book. Give an example to prove how each is true.
Some characters play small but important roles in the story. Name such a character. Why is this character necessary for the story?
Did the author keep you interested? How or why?
6. Share your language arts mini spark page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Use this mini spark as your first task in the Author’s Speaks to Kids badge at the EY website.
Looking at how things are alike and different helps us think critically. It allows us to analyze information about animal behavior and ecology, so we can understand and form our own ideas about how animals live and interact with their environment.
Storytelling has been an important part of human cultures for a very long time. For thousands of years, storytelling was the main way to pass on cultural knowledge and beliefs from one generation to the next. Stories teach and entertain, which has helped keep traditional ways of life going. Cultural ideals, medical practices, folk wisdom, historical accounts, and religious beliefs have all been shared through stories told by many people over the centuries. Storytelling is still important today, even though the ways stories has evolved. 
“Hidden Figures” is a biographical book about four African American women who worked as mathematicians at NASA during the Space Race and played pivotal roles in the Apollo program. Their contributions were essential in advancing America’s space exploration efforts, particularly during the historic Apollo missions to the Moon
Fit words into a grid in this popular game, often seen in puzzle magazines as fill-ins. The grid looks like a crossword, but there are no normal clues. Instead you must find the right place in the grid for each word from a given list.