Our Books: Draw Write Now

Draw Write Now was created for the primary grades, ages five to nine. The lessons are used in preschools, multi-age classes, homeschools and upper elementary classes. Four year-olds and 12 year-olds enjoy doing the lessons together. They have received numerous awards.

Draw Write Now books are NOT workbooks. The series becomes a part of your home or classroom library, to be used many times. Children draw and write on their own paper or may draw and write in the Draw Write Now Workbook (a blank book.)

The Draw Write Now books are numbered 1 through 8, but may be used in any order. The numbers—Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, etc.—do NOT relate to grade level. Draw Write Now, Book 1 has the easiest lessons. If a child is confident with their drawing skills, they may start in any of the books. 

Download the Swan Lesson from Draw Write Now, Book 1 and the Heron Lesson from Book 6.

Both lessons are similar, but the Heron Lesson includes more details. The lessons in Book 1 are lessons Marie used with her students at the beginning of the school year and Book 8 are lessons she gave at the end of the school year.  (pdf, 5.1 MB) 

 

Bridge Lesson: Draw Your World

Rachel, age 5

Rachel, age 5

Architectural structures in your community are excellent subjects for children to  draw. I live near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State. In 2007, a new bridge was built alongside it. We watched the new bridge go up and learned about bridge engineering and construction, which of course, led to a drawing lesson. This lesson is NOT in a Draw Write Now book—the children and I were simply drawing our world!

Basic Bridge Construction

  • The basic parts of a suspension bridge: towers, main cables, anchorage, suspender cables, road deck.
  • Artistic styles influence engineers as they design a bridge.

Bridge History

University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections FAR165, used with permission 

University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections FAR165, used with permission 

Drawing Lesson: Suspension Bridge

Materials

Prepare the Paper

Paper clip or tape the tracing paper onto the tower template. (The template is removed in Step 6 and the white paper is taped to the back of the tracing paper. The drawing will be completed on the tracing paper.)

drawyourworld.com, bridge template for drawing lesson
 
drawyourworld.com, Draw a Suspension Bridge, Tacoma Narrows

drawyourworld.com, Draw a Suspension Bridge, Tacoma Narrows

drawyourworld.com, Draw a Suspension Bridge, Tacoma Narrows

drawyourworld.com, Draw a Suspension Bridge, Tacoma Narrows

A Suspension Bridge Near You

Bridgemeister.com —See suspension bridges from your neighborhood and from around the world!

Bridgemeister.com —See suspension bridges from your neighborhood and from around the world!

Stephanie, age 10

Stephanie, age 10

Andrew

Andrew

 

Simple World Map: Draw-Write-Now 7

Draw a Simple World Map

Geography for Life: The National Geographic Standards, 1995, stressed the importance of children knowing how to draw a map of the world. It suggested using simple ovals for each continent. We loved the idea and created a lesson for Draw Write Now, Book 7. It is available here as a free download.

The Common Core State Standards recommends that students “use a mix of drawing, dictating and writing to compose explanatory texts.” Drawing a simple world map helps children develop their own mental map, always at the ready as they build an understanding of our world. It’s easy to see how drawing a simple map can add to the ability to use explanatory texts.
(2 page pdf, 674 KB)

 

50/50, Fiction/Nonfiction

Draw Your World
Draw Your World

 Newsletter | August 2012   .

50/50, Fiction/Nonfiction

Is nonfiction a significant part of your child’s reading material? The Common Core State Standards recommends that fifty percent of children’s reading text be fiction and fifty percent informational material, like science, social studies and history. Look for books that explain or are factual. Use written text to learn about the world.

Write Nonfiction

It’s one thing to write an imaginative story, it’s another thing to accurately describe and report. As with reading, the Common Core suggests that nonfiction and fiction writing skills be balanced. While drawing a polar bear, discuss the Arctic region and guide the children in drawing an appropriate Arctic background. The things included in their background drawing may serve as a prompt as they write about the bear’s environment.

Read and Discuss

Show that you enjoy reading nonfiction. Marie Hablitzel, the creator of the Draw Write Now lessons, kept a children’s encyclopedia close by while giving a lesson. When the opportunity arose, she read a paragraph or two aloud from the encyclopedia. Her interest in reading sparked the children’s interest and her thought-provoking questions nurtured their curiosity.

Vocabulary

Drawing instruction improves vocabulary, because basic words are demonstrated during a drawing lesson. While teaching, simply describe a line or shape and describe their relationships to each other. You may not even realize that you are modeling these words: over, under, above, below, left, right, diagonal, curved, straight, horizontal, vertical, near, around, between, center, half, quarter, smaller, larger, short, long, zig-zag, choppy, smooth.

Read More

Read multiple books on the same topic. A variety of sources provides a broader understanding of the topic. Nonfiction books on the Arctic:One Small Square: Arctic Tundra by Donald Silver, Houses of Snow, Skin and Bones by Bonnie Shemie, Here is the Arctic Winter by M. Dunphy, Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn Bradley.

Polar bears live in the Arctic.

Thick fur keeps them warm.

They are strong swimmers.

They swim in the icy ocean.

Why do Arctic foxes follow polar bears?
Polar bears hunt seals, but eat only the fat of the seal. Arctic foxes follow the bears and feast on the leftover seal meat. See Alaska’s Three Bears, by Shelley Gill.

 

Common Core

Common Core State Standards provide a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. Individual states are adopting the standards, see New York.

The Standards, ELA

The English Language Arts Standards as they apply to Draw Write Now, from our publisher, Barker Creek. (pdf, 340kb)

 

Handwriting in the News

Computers and gadgets are great for children to experience, but remember to include handwriting instruction and regular practice. Draw and write with your children—make it fun for both of you! This video was on our local news station last night:

A study is mentioned that found the following:

KING5 HealthLink, children with good handwriting translates to good grades

Marie's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

I wrote this scritch-scratchy thing while Marie and Anne made the pies, way back in 1976. The typed recipe shown below is a cleaned-up version of this, using the Libby’s recipe for reference. Why the lower temps? Marie’s oven ran hot.My mom made the best Pumpkin Pie. Try it. You’ll see!

MARIE’S PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE

My youngest sister, Julie, is traveling across the country this week to visit our other sister, Anne. Julie’s only request for Thanksgiving dinner is Mom’s Pumpkin Pie. Anne hasn’t made the pie for quite some time, so she came to me, hoping I knew the recipe.

Marie used the Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe—the one on the pumpkin can. She added this and that to it. “All I do is add extra eggs and milk, so it’s like a custard.” I’ve made the pies regularly over the years, but I couldn’t assure Anne that my pies were the same as Mom’s. So, she ventured into her creepy attic to find the handwritten recipe that I wrote down when we were much, much younger. Whoa! So brave, and now we’ll share it with you—Marie’s pie recipe… with measurements!

Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Marie’s Pumpkin Pie

Printable Version (84k, pdf)

(Makes 2 pies, 16 servings)

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. cloves (optional) 
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 can (29 oz.) Libby’s Solid Pack Pumpkin
  • 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk 
  • 1-3/4 cups whole milk or 2% milk
  • 2 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shells

Prepare

In a small bowl, mix the sugars and spices—the first six ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs.

Combine and stir the pumpkin, sugar-spice mixture, and eggs in the large bowl. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk and milk.

Pour into the pie shells. (You will have extra. Marie usually made another little pie. I pour the mixture into custard cups.)

Bake in preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 350°F., and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

PERMALINK - https://www.drawyourworld.com/blog/maries-pumpkin-pie-recipe.html
Posted by Kim Stitzer.