Tag: Wood Wire Wings

Books, Education, Homeschool

Dear Olivia Sage: Writing a Persuasive Essay

Kirsten W. Larson

Each month, I’ll spotlight a book-based educational activity teachers and homeschooling parents can use with their students. These activities are pulled from the educators’ guides developed for my books by author and former educator Marcie Colleen. You can download the complete WOOD, WIRE, WINGS educator’s guide here.

Dear Olivia Sage: Writing a Persuasive Essay

As her dream outgrew her apartment and her wallet, Lilian needed to turn to others for help. One such person she turned to was Olivia Sage, one of the richest women in the world. But often people don’t just hand money to anyone who asks. Lilian needed to ask Olivia Sage while providing enough details to inform Olivia what her money would be used for. She needed to persuade Olivia Sage to help her.

Ask your students if they know what “persuade” means. If not, can they make any guesses?

Discuss:

  • What it means to persuade
  • Times you might want to persuade someone (e.g., persuade your parents to letyou stay up late, persuade your teacher to not give a test)Writing to persuade tells the reader what you believe, gives the reader at least three reasons why you believe it, and has a good ending sentence. You want to try and convince the reader to agree with you.
  • Pretending to be Lilian Todd, have students write a persuasive essay to Olivia Sage stating why they need money and why she should give it to you.

Use the following TREE structure:

T = Topic sentences

R = Reasons

E = Ending

E = Examine
Share your essays with the class. Which is the most persuasive? Why do you think so?

Speaking and Listening Extension: Create a TV commercial or PowerPoint presentation to encourage people to read Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane. Be sure to incorporate the TREE structure!

Holidays

WOOD, WIRE, WINGS Gift Guide for Women with Wings

Kirsten W. Larson

Is there a lady in your life with her head in the clouds? I’ve got a few great gifts for women and girls who were born to fly.

  • WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek: 2020). This is the true story of self-taught engineer Lilian Todd, the first woman to design her own airplane in 1910. Buy it wherever books are sold.
  • Women in Aviation International Pioneer tote. I have the tshirt version of this, and I love the nod to all the female in aviation who have come before us. Buy it from Women in Aviation International.
  • I own these paper airplane dangly earrings in silver. Love them so much! Now you can get them in silver, gold, or rose gold. (I may need more). Buy them on Etsy.
  • This is so close to my favorite NASA rhinestone shirt. I may need to order another, since I wear it for school visits and appearances all the time. From LA Pop Art.
  • Fly water bottle from One Plane Jane. There is a lot of super cute stuff on this site.
  • I love the smell of jet fuel in the morning! Now you can enjoy this scent at home thanks to this candle. have no idea what this really smells like, but the idea is hilarious. Buy on Etsy.
Books, Holidays

2022 Gift Guide for Kids Who Soar

Kirsten W. Larson

Looking for some great gifts for that airplane-loving kids in your life? Here’s an update to the 2020 list I created for our Soaring ’20s group guide.

This is a graphic showing holiday gift ideas for airplane loving kids.
Education, Homeschool, Writing

ELA Activity: Piloting Lilian’s Plane

Kirsten W. Larson

Each month, I’ll spotlight a book-based educational activity teachers and homeschooling parents can use with their students. These activities are pulled from the educators’ guides developed for my books by author and former educator Marcie Colleen. You can download the complete WOOD, WIRE, WINGS educator’s guide here.

Piloting Lilian’s Plane ~ creative story

Imagine that you have been chosen to pilot Lilian Todd’s airplane as she observed and took notes. Write about your experience.

  • Who are you? Where do you live?
  • How were you chosen to be the pilot? What experience do you already havewith flight?
  • What was it like when you saw the airplane for the first time?
  • Once aboard, how did you feel? Were you nervous?
  • How did Lilian react? What did she say to you before and after the flight?
  • What was the best part? Would you pilot a plane again? Is there anything youwould do differently? Research photographs from 1910 to aid students in placing themselves in the time period. Photographs can be found through the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum website and the Library of Congress. Have students share their stories of piloting the airplane with the class.
research, Writing

Taming the rabbit hole of research: Keeping a research journal

Kirsten W. Larson
A spread from my research journal for WOOD, WIRE WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane

As nonfiction authors, we often talk about “falling down the rabbit hole of research” to describe how engrossing and time consuming the research process can be.

For me research is less a rabbit hole and more a labyrinth. It’s easy to lose the road I’m on as I chase tangents that splinter off from the main trail.

One thing that makes the research process easier for me is keeping a research journal. Here’s how I use mine to tame the research tangents.

First, when I’m trying to locate specific articles, I keep track of databases I’ve searched. Is that article I needed in the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America database? On Newspapers.com? At Fultonhistory.com? Where have I already checked? Where do I still need to look? Sometimes I make a simple “to do list” and check things off.

I use this same technique when it comes to contacting experts. Have I contacted that expert yet? When I do, I check off their name, note the date I reached out to them and how (via email, for example).

Sometimes I keep records of what search terms I’ve used in databases. When I studied Lilian Todd for WOOD, WIRE, WINGS, I quickly realized Lilian Todd’s name was often misspelled, and she was frequently referred to as “Miss Todd” or even “E. L. Todd” in the news. Knowing this, I ran searches multiple times using different search combinations, and keeping track of what terms I’d tried.

As I read secondary and primary sources, I also jot down new items I need to look into, whether it’s Lilian Todd’s patents (requiring a separate search in the U.S. Patent Office database) or the Junior Aero Club Show at Madison Square Garden (necessitating another dive into the newspaper archives). Making note of a new research topic allows me to put a pin in it, so I can finish reading the chapter or article without getting distracted. Then I can get started on my new tangent.

What hints do you have for wrangling your research? What tips have you found helpful?

school visits

Free, virtual visits for World Read Aloud Day

Kirsten W. Larson

Teachers and librarians…I’m now booking free, 20-minute, virtual school visits for World Read Aloud Day (held on Feb. 2, 2022) via the platform of your choice (Meet, Zoom, or Skype). Here’s what a virtual visit entails.

1-2 minutes: I’ll give quick intro and talk a little bit about my books.
3-5 minutes: I’ll read aloud a portion of A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything OR WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane.
5-10 minutes: I’ll answer a few questions from students about reading/writing.
1-2 minutes: I’ll book-talk a couple of books I love (but didn’t write!) as recommendations for your students.

Ready to sign up? Click on the Sign Up Genius icon below to secure your spot. Please do not sign up until you can commit to a 20-minute time slot (one per school).

Sign Up!
Books

WOOD, WIRE, WINGS is a 2021 Bank Street Best Book

Kirsten W. Larson
This is an image of the cover of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS.

I’m thrilled to share that WOOD, WIRE, WINGS has been named a 2021 Bank Street College of Education Best Book for ages 5 to 9.

According to The College’s website: “The Children’s Book Committee strives to guide librarians, educators, parents, grandparents, and other interested adults to the best books for children published each year. The list includes more than 600 titles chosen by reviewers for literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes.”

Looking for great titles for all ages? Find all of Bank Street’s recommendations here.