Astoria Park Elementary School Tallahassee, FL Program for Gifted Students Fall 2003 Mrs. Sandy Beck, Teacher Class: The Cows Are Going to Paris On this web site you will find examples of student work, project descriptions, field trip information, resources for students, etc. as well as weekly summaries of class activities ("Weekly Class News and Updates") Please check weekly.

Class Description: The Cows Are Going to Paris, a children's book by local poet and FSU professor David Kirby, follows a herd of cows who grow tired of their lush pasture at Fontainebleau and hop a train bound for Paris. On their trip they hoof it to many sights including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, where they admire the Mona Lisa.  In this class, using the writing process and Dr. Kirby's book as a model, children work in teams of three or more students to research, write and illustrate their own book about a wild creature and a world destination of their choice. The creative process of working in teams helps provide a natural environment to practice editing, teamwork, and communication skills necessary for future success. Students will also learn about Leonardo da Vinci, his way of looking at the world and his Renaissance techniques for representing the 3D world on 2D surfaces, then apply these techniques to their own work. And, all students will participate in a field trip to and tour of the FSU Musuem of Fine Art where they will use artwork as inspiration for their own writing. Weekly Class News and Updates Weekly summary of what students accomplish and what they will need/can expect for the next class. Please check at the end of each week. Original book project, Part 2 Original book project, Part 1 Class Syllabus Internet Access (and photo) permission form: Please print, complete and give to Mrs. Beck ASAP. e-mail Sandy Beck A Wild Classroom at Astoria Park Wildclassroom.net