Projecting a personal tone and flavor…
Suggested activities
- Read and discuss the text, Just Fine the Way They Are. As a class discuss how the book made you feel… Did your feelings change as the book progressed? How do you think the author feels about the topic? When writing fiction, authors are able to create characters that have unique, distinctive voices. These voices help a reader understand the character. Authors project a personal tone and flavor to their writing that is unmistakably theirs alone.
- Watch the trailer for the book, Just Fine the Way They Are. Listen for the two distinct voices present in the trailer.
- As a class, brainstorm different elements of voice that were found in the text. Some examples could be:
- frustration
- disbelief
- questioning
- anger
- amazement
Have the class revisit the text (either as a whole class, small group, or individually) to locate specific words or phrases that demonstrate the author’s voice. A Voice Chart could be used to organize the examples students find.
Have A Go
- Have students select a piece of their own writing and highlight an area that is unmistakably theirs to share with the class.
- Have students rework a short piece of their own writing and strengthen it by adding their own personal voice.
- Present students with a scenario (riding a roller coaster). Have students write a few sentences about the topic using the voice of a kindergartener, teenager, and an adult.