Kimberly Gordon Biddle and DARLENE, THE DOUBLE DUTCH QUEEN

Congratulations, Steena Hernandez!  You are the winner of the Zoom session with Jeni Chen!  

and. . . .

Congratulations, Jany Campana!  You are the winner of digital art from Jeni Chen!

I'll connect you all so you can work out details! Thanks for your support of Jeni and PBJamz!  Enjoy your prizes!

Chatting with Kimberly Gordon Biddle about Double Dutch dreams and music and more!

I sat down, via Zoom, with retired professor, author, and musician Kimberly Gordon Biddle.  Kimberly has written 3 picture books (linked in Guest Links and Giveaways section), along with some textbooks in her field of child development.  She also challenges herself to write a song to go with each book, including the one we're focusing on for the next couple of weeks!  Check the song out in the Jams section below!  Make sure you comment on the blog post to enter to win a signed book or a Zoom visit with Kimberly!

And stay tuned next week to the blog for part 2 -- teaching tips, writing prompts and more -- all related to Kimberly's book and her accompanying song!

PB (Picture Book Tasting) DARLENE'S DOUBLE DUTCH DREAMS

The Double Dutch competition is at stake.  Can Darlene become the Double Dutch Queen?  Her feet get tangled and she keeps messing up.  But when push comes to shove, can Darlene do it?  With the right motivation, Darlene learns to step in to hard things and stay one jump ahead in this picture book by Kimberly Gordon Biddle. Kids who love jumping rope, whether they're double dutchers or not will enjoy this story full of can-do attitudes, and stepping in when people are counting on you.  Darlene not only becomes the queen, but the hero, too, of her own story!

​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind) Darlene the Double Dutch Queen

Click on the link to get to the song Kimberly wrote for this story called Darlene the Double Dutch Queen

​Enjoy the song and the other resources available via Kimberly's website!  

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

I hope you enjoy working Kimberly's book into your classroom!  Here are some options:

• SEL -- Discuss how you handle/ new strategies for:
  • When you can't do something well
  • When pressure is high
  • When you need to perform well and you're nervous
• SEL -- How did dreams help Darlene?  Why are things easier in our dreams? How can we make our positive dreams come true?
• Social Studies -- History of Double Dutch
• Phys. Ed. -- Try some Double Dutch techniques
• Reading --
  • BME (Beginning/Middle/End)
  • Problem/Solution
  • Character sketch of Darlene 
• Language use
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Figurative language
  • Strong verbs (twirl, jump, dream, etc.)
    • Locate them
    • Act them out
• Comprehension
  • Drawing inferences -- what is the situation with the mom?  How do you know?  Cite text evidence.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Rhythm is really the musical key to everything in this story!  Rhythm is ever-present: the rhythm of the chants, the rhythm of the ropes, using the rhythm/internalizing it to be able to jump.

This book would be a great way to introduce and talk about the difference in rhythm and beat (or jump rope in general.). The rope must maintain the steady beat.  If it's not steady, it will mess up whomever is jumping and they won't be able to jump well.  It must be steady, even, and consistent.  The chants are where the rhythm comes in.  They have long and short sounds, pauses, and words overlaying the steady beat of the rope.  

Possible lesson ideas:

• Write your own double dutch (or jump rope) chants.  Take turns jumping each person's chant.
• Analyze well known chants; match them up to musical rhythm with sounds or notation.
• Discuss how chants differ from songs or poems, etc.
• Watch Double Dutch routines.  Point out the steady beat vs. rhythm
• Let students try their hand at Double Dutch.
• Allow students to tap the steady beat along with Double Dutch chants/performances, etc.  Or allow them to use simple percussion instruments.
• Use Kimberly's song in class to reinforce the story, or to sing along.
• After listening to the author's song, allow students to try their hand at a chorus or verse and chorus of their own based on the story.
• Do a variation on the author's melody.  What if you changed the style? Tempo? Rhythm?

Tips for authors from Kimberly

 1. Write from your heart and what you love.
2. Always keep learning and honing your craft.
3. Publishing a book is a long process.
4. Keep hope alive! ​

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

1.  Write about a dream you have -- something you'd like to be able to do, but you can't -- YET.
2.  Write about a time you were sick or someone close to you was sick.
3.  Darlene was the middle child in her family and she didn't feel like there was anything special about her.  Write about your place in your family and what makes you special.
4.Write your own jump rope or double dutch chants.
5. Write your own song to match the story.
6. Write a letter to yourself, telling how to do something that is hard for you.  What strategies should you try?  What should you do when you feel like giving up?
7.  Write a how-to article for "How to Jump Rope" or "How to Do Double Dutch"
8. Write an acrostic poem using your name.  Each line should begin with one of the letters of your name.
9. Make a list of 10 things you can do when things aren't going right and/or you're feeling overwhelmed.
​10.  Write about an interesting dream you had.
​11. Write about why you think Darlene was finally able to double dutch.  What changed?
​

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

• Have a family/class/group jump rope competition.  See who can jump the longest, do the most tricks, etc.  
• Try different variations of jumping rope -- try a single rope, a long rope and double dutch.
• Watch some double dutch competition and discuss your favorites.  What did you like and why?
• Read the book together and listen to the song from the website. Discuss how they go together.
• Check out the  teacher's guide on Kimberly's website!  There is a readers theater script and the song linked up there as well!  Lots of great resources!
• Check out this Pinterest board for lots of fun activities that would go well with DARLENE'S DOUBLE DUTCH DREAMS.
• Here's a YouTube playlist with lots of Double Dutch videos, the interview with Kimberly, some how-to videos, history videos and more!

PBJamz Snack

If you're going to spend  some time double-dutch jumping, you might need a yummy hand-held snack.  This one fits the bill -- and it's vegan and gluten-free, too!  A delicious way to build up your strength for some serious jump-time.  PBJ all the way. Jump in, jump out. Hey, hey, hey!

​You can find the recipe here, courtesy of Sarah Bakes Gluten Free.  I haven't tried these ones on my own yet, but they look quite delicious!  If you give them a try, leave a comment below and let us know  how you like them!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Kimberly's website

Twitter

Facebook

​Instagram

​Goodreads

Amazon links for Kimberly's books


Kimberly has offered 2 prizes for this episode of PBJamz, which will be available through 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, July 6.  To be eligible for giveaways, leave a comment on this episode any time before then.  I will draw 2 random winners for a copy of (any one of) Kimberly's picture book, and a (separate winner for a) Zoom  session with her.