School Time 9/9 - Finishing the Creative Story (with pictures!)

I asked Becca if she wanted to do school time and she looked at me to say yes. I asked if she would be willing to finish her story with me and after a minute she said yes. We read through what we'd written and drawn already, and I asked her what she wanted to do next. I came up with four options now that Harold and Sarah had gotten it to rain, and she picked to have too much water. I actually thought she'd want to wrap up the story, but she seemed to want to continue it. I asked if we should draw Harold and Susan above the water or under the water. She wouldn't pick. I reminded her that it was her story, I wasn't going to pick for her. Then when I asked again she picked not above the water, but yes to under the water. I asked if we should draw the sun or some clouds above the water, and she picked the sun. I asked if we should draw it orange or yellow and she picked orange (even though her sister wanted yellow). We drew everything under water and she agreed on some phrasing.

Then I asked how she wanted them to get rid of the water. Should they wait for it to dry up, maybe the sun would shine bright and dry it, maybe the dragon could drink it… she didn't like any of those. I said maybe they could have a friend come help them, and she liked that one.

I asked what kind of animal the friend should be. Should it be a fish, a dolphin, a frog, a shark, a dog, a cat, a cow -- she picked a cow. I asked what the cow's name should be. Mat? She said yes right away, but then looked away. I wasn't sure if maybe she just didn't care about the name. I listed seven or eight more names before she picked Michael. t asked what color Michael the Cow should be, brown or black or red. She looked at all three colors, then she looked at red and back at me. I confirmed she wanted to have a red cow, and she said yes. So we drew the water, and a red cow under the water. I asked if she wanted to draw the castle next to the cow and she wouldn't say yes. I asked if she wanted to draw some fish instead and she said yes. I asked if the fish should be green or orange, and she picked green. We drew some green fish. Then I suggested we could draw some seaweed as well and she said yes. I asked if we should make it purple or green and she picked purple.

Next I asked what we should have Michael do to get rid of the all the water. I listed some options for her, including him drinking it all, using magic to get rid of it, and making a big splash. She wouldn't pick one and I reminded her again that it was her story. Then when I went through them again she picked to have him drink it all. I said that should be funny because then he'll have a big tummy full of water and she liked that idea.

So we wrote some words, then on the next page we drew Michael with a big tummy and the castle no longer under the water. I asked if we should draw a tree next to the castle and she said yes. I asked if we should have the trunk be brown or blue, and she picked brown. Then I asked if we should have the leaves be yellow or green, since leaves can be either color, and she picked green. I asked if she wanted to put some fruit in the tree and she wouldn't say yes.

Then I asked if she wanted to draw a magic tree on the other side of the castle and she said yes. I asked if we should draw the trunk to be purple or red and she picked red. Then I asked if we should draw the leaves blue or orange, and she picked orange. I asked what color to have the fruit be and she picked that as well. She was starting to get tired and not responding as well, so I suggested we have that be the last page, but she wouldn't say yes.

I asked what she wanted to have happen next, should the adventure keep going on or should it be over. She picked to have it be over. I said we could have Harold walk home, or Harold and Sarah could walk away, or Harold could just be happy. I said it seemed like it made sense to end with Harold since the story started about him. She wouldn't pick for a little while so I reminded her the story was her choice, then after a little longer she picked to have Harold go home, so we drew that and ended it.

Then we talked about how to make it into a book. I said each page needed a page number, and we needed a title page. I went through each page and put the page number on. I'd say the numbers that came before, then look to Becca to see what number came next. I'd wait for her to look at me before saying and drawing the number. 

Then we got out a sheet for the title page. I asked her what she wanted the title to be, Harold Goes on an Adventure, Harold Meets a Dragon, Harold and the Dragon, Harold Fixes a Castle… she didn't like any of them. I asked if she wanted to be done but she wouldn't say yes. I went through them again and this time she said yes to Harold Meets a Dragon. So we wrote that, then I had her help me write her name on the byline. Then we stapled it together so she could show it off.