Project Overview

First and second-grade students at Grass Valley Charter School in Grass Valley, CA created this book for younger readers as the culminating project for a year-long expedition on the earth. During this expedition, students collected data on the usage of different types of bags at local grocery stores. Then, incorporating their data, they wrote and presented letters to their county board of supervisors asking them to consider passing a ban on plastic bags in Nevada County. 

To create this book, each student selected a specific topic to focus on. After studying children’s book illustrators, including Eric Carle, and working with a guest artist on paper collage techniques, each student created an illustration for their individual page. The collage format allowed students to work through multiple drafts of their illustrations easily; they waited until the very end to glue down the pieces. 

The class decided to create their book for other students their age or younger, so they worked to edit their text down to the most vital information.  The students also carefully revised their text for grammar and punctuation.

The completed book was published using Shutterfly.  At the students’ request, a copy of the book was sent to Shim Shimmel, author of the book “Dear Children of the Earth,” which the students read during this expedition.