Step One:

Choose five activities that you know how to do. If you are stuck and don't know five things or topics that interest you, you can ask your friends and family to help you by asking them questions like these:

• Knowing me, what would you say would interest me?
• What do you think I'm good at?

Out of your list of five, decide on one activity or topic that you want to write about.

Click here to get examples of possible topics and activities.

Step Two:

Look at two sample how-to books to get ideas and to see how they can be written. I will have examples for you in the classroom to look at. You can also look at the local library.

Step Three:

You need to find an "expert" on the topic that you choose. This can be a coach, a family member, friend, teacher, etc. You must tell me who is your expert and get it approved by me. Ask them questions about what they know about the topic. Have them help you throughout the project. Have them proof-read your rough draft. If you have trouble finding an expert, let me know, I will help you find someone.

Step Four:

Find two resources for your topic. You can use the internet, magazines, interviews, books, video, etc. You must cite your resources in the Bibliography at the end of your final book.

Step Five:

Select an audience. This means that you need to decide who you are writing the book for. Are you writing it to people your same age, to children, to people who already know how to do what you are writing about, etc.

Step Six:

Begin writing your rough draft. Start writing your book in English. Go page by page, step by step. Make sure you are explaining how to do your activity in the appropriate manner so your audience will be able to understand it.

Step Seven:

Choose or draw illustrations that will go with each page of your book. Make sure these illustrations make sense with what you are trying to show. They should be simple and easy to understand. You need to site sources that you got them from if you do not draw them.

Step Eight:

When your rough draft is completed, show it to your "expert". After they have seen it, make any changes that you want to, and then turn it into me. I will go over it and help make any changes and then approve it so you can translate it.

Step Nine:

Translate your book. This is the part of the project that challenges you in the Spanish classroom. Listed on the Resources page are a few links that will help you complete this task. Remember I am also a resource to help aid you in this process.

Step Ten:

Complete your final book. You will be expected to print and bind your final book. You can do this at Kinkos for a couple of dollars. If you are unable to do this for any reason, please come and talk to me. We will figure out a way for you to bind your book.

Step Eleven:

Donate your book to the community. Think of a place where your book will be useful. A few examples are the local library, sports camps, classrooms, company break rooms, churches, etc. Keep your audience, and the fact that your final book is in Spanish, in mind when choosing a location. The location must be approved by me.