NOTE: If you read The GNAW Project paragraphs already, jump down to the first indentation to read new material from The WEAVE!!!
What is The GNAW Project?
When free breakfast was canceled and ‘their reduced’ priced lunches went up in cost, some kids came running to my class complaining. We brainstormed ideas to help the situation. This book project- done by my students- becomes their vehicle to publicize the plight of some USA kids that need free or reduced breakfasts as well as lunches and dinners.
In Seminole County, my students at SHS in 2008 called their efforts The GNAW Project , which stands for
Granola bars,
Nuts,
Apple sauce,
and
Water.
The thought was that these non-perishables would be purchased and given to their peers in need.
These teens wanted to help with a book that they could create so they submitted ideas and the two stories contained in The GNAW Project won the class and teacher (me) vote.
Meanwhile, some of my students were hungry and homeless but imagined The GNAW Project was for others. It helped with their pride to pretend but truly healed their spirits to participate in the creation of this children’s picture book anthology. Now, it's your turn please buy this book (eBook).
What makes your book(s) unique?
This book was written for preschoolers by ‘AT RISK’ students.
This CHILDREN’S book, The GNAW Project, was WRITTEN BY KIDS. It can be a coloring book as well as EDUCATIONAL TOOL; it was created to inspired and help others in many different ways including using the royalties for curing the gnawing pains of poverty!
You can preview The GNAW Project Kid’s book online @ http://www.scribd.com/mchanson714.
You can, ALSO, read essays from The WEAVE as I randomly place them on my blogs.
What is The WEAVE?
The year before this project, my students in similar situations did a weaving project with some other classes. They turned plastic bags into thermal, weather proofed blankets for the homeless. They wanted the plight of the homeless and their solution to get out to the community; I helped produce their book entitled The WEAVE. I will be sharing their essays as news articles on my blogs @ http://mchanson714.weebly.com/blog.html & http://mchanson714.blogspot.com. I hope you will STAY TUNED to those blogs checking in from time to time on their mirrored messages from the kids.
An essay from The WEAVE follows:
Weaving is an Honor
By: Retricia
Weaving quilts for the homeless is an honor to me. I mean I can live my life daily and wonder how I can help in some way. But- to really help them is very special. I feel good about myself to do something for someone who needs help in some way. Weaving a quilt mean a lot. Before they didn’t have nothing; now, they have something. The quilt is reliable.
The quilt is made from plastic bags. When it rains, they will have a waterproof quilt to wrap themselves in. Not only is it waterproof- it is free.
That’s a good deal to get a free quilt. I know they are happy to see someone really cares about them. It will cause them to be happy.
You know what they say, “What you do unto other they’ll do unto you!” Maybe, just maybe, someone will do a good deed for me. Even if they don’t, I’ll still feel happy to know I did a good deed for someone. I can picture the look on their faces when they see they got a quilt to keep them warm.
Now, that the quilts are made, let me tell you how they were produced. First, we heard about the homeless organization where they make quits for the homeless out of plastic bags. My teacher thought to help make some quilts. She made a deal that the class that brings in the most bags would get a pizza party. That made the whole quilt making so interesting.
I’ve told you about the quilt making project for the homeless. It caused us to really think about what was being done. The quilts are very important. Without it, the homeless will be cold. When it rains, they will get wet. But- now- due to our quilts, not one of them should be cold or wet.
DISCLAIMER: Having some issues with publishing this book, corrections were made in keeping with copyrights. HOWEVER, rest assured this book is for the kids and proceeds have already gone and will continue to go towards feeding children. You can trust me because I used to be one of them growing up with a disabled dad that went without working for periods of time. That lifestyle taught me through ‘the school of hard knocks’ that I wanted to survive and finish college. My hope is that some students fed by The GNAW Project funding will break the chains of poverty, too. Many people jump to the rescue when a plight is highlighted in the media but this book is meant to sustain the cause with hopefully unending sales and royalties earmarked for those children barely surviving their current life situation.
Find more information about books on my author page @
http://mchanson714.weebly.com/index.html including the ‘True Stories’ tab @ http://mchanson714.weebly.com/true-stories.html.
My books are for sale @ the following links:
My e-books are @ ITUNES, Kindle Amazon, & http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=mchanson714
My print books are @ http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mchanson714 & http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/mchanson714
My Blog link is @ http://mchanson714.weebly.com/blog.html & http://mchanson714.blogspot.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment