The Year of Billy Miller
The Year of Billy Miller – ELA Activities by Jen Jones
We are super excited to post activities created by Jen Jones from Hello Literacy this week. Our team have followed Jen over the last few years and are truly inspired by her.
You can follow Jen at Hello Literacy.
Twitter – @hellojenjones
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/hellojenjones
SUNY Geneseo’s Billy Miller Activity
This is an activity that SUNY Geneseo student candidates created for students working on the book The Year of Billy Miller. This activity would be appropriate for grades 2 and up, and focuses on making text-to-self connections, as well as exploring poetry.
SUNY Geneseo activity – Billy Miller
Week 5 – The Year of Billy Miller
Shelly Sanchez Terrell aka Ms. Sanchez
I am a teacher who has taught learners 2 to 80 years-old in over 20 countries. However, my greatest joy is in being the mama of Rosco the pug. You can find us on social media #RoscothePug and @ShellTerrell.
Activity:
1. Students take on the role of one of the characters and tell what happened before or after the story. The students recreate their stories using http://LittleBirdTales.com
or..
2. Students draw one of the characters and have the character retell the events of the story from that character’s point-of-view using Blabberize.com or a free app like Tellagami.com, YakIt for Kids (iOS), Toontastic, and Chatterpix for Kids (iOS).
Lipogram by 3FS Vegemites
As Ms Farrer-Stevens had been away ill for a number of days we were running short on time, so we changed the letter E. So far we have only changed one sentence.
We changed :
Billy cut several bats out of construction paper.
Into:
Billy cut many bats out of construction card.
Billy cut lots of bats out of plastic.
Billy cut two bats out of card.
Lipogram By Mrs Boyd’s Bunch
We changed words with the letter ‘A’. So:
Billy grabbed Papa’s sleeve. He stared up at him. “Don’t worry Dad,” he said. I’ll never forget you.”
“I’m not worried,’ said Papa, “Not one little bit.”
And they went into the house, side by side, to spread the good news.
Became:
Billy held Pop’s sleeve. He looked up to him. “Don’t worry Pop,” he replied. I’ll never forget you.
“I’m not worried,” replied Pop, “Not one little bit.”
So they went into the house, side by side, to tell the good news.
The Year of Billy Miller: Sister; 3 – Sister, 5
Character Hot Seating
You have been in Billy’s world for a few weeks now and have learnt more about him and some of the other characters in the book. In a classroom students often have different opinions on why or what motivates a character to do and act a certain way. This activity allows you to form opinions about a character.
TASK
1. In pairs choose a character you would like to ask specific questions to.
2. Create a list of 5-10 questions.
3. Have one child at the front of the room sit in a chair.
4. This child assumes the identity of one of the characters from the text.
5. The class then asks the character questions.
6. The child in the seat answers questions in character.