The School of Communication's Literature Trading Cards are small pieces of art that are created to be traded and collected. These mini-masterpieces are the same size as other collectible cards like baseball or playing cards (2.5 x 3.5). LTCs are created with the intention of trading them with others and developing a collection of cards. Each card is either an original, one of a kind, or it is part of a limited edition. A card is given freely in exchange for another card that is deemed to be of similar value.  The back of each card contains information about the book and the student's name.   For our purposes in trading with other Christian school classrooms, the following information should be placed on the front and back of the Literature Trading Cards:

Front of Card

You might want to insert an excerpt from your book somewhere in the design of the card.  It may be one word, phrase, sentence or more.  Come up with a design that expresses something about your book; its theme, a character, a setting etc.

Back of Card

Student's Name – Book Title – Author – Date

Materials for LTC bases:

Card stock

Stiffened fabric

Canvas

Watercolor paper

Calendar covers

Greeting cards

Cereal box cardboard

Playing cards (sanded with fine sandpaper and covered with thin coat of gesso)

Something to remember…

Finished card must be able to fit into a standard trading card sleeve.  These are available at craft stores and chain stores (Kmart)

Possible Themes:
Think outside the box when considering the theme of your Literature Trading Cards.  For instance, if your book is Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White, you might want a pig and/or spider on each card, barns, fences, farm animals, shades of pink, blue ribbons –etc.    Certainly DON’T try to put everything on your card.  The joy of the trade will be in seeing how different classes respond to the challenge.   Dig deep inside your book and try to come up with a unique theme for your cards.  

Possible theme located within the pages of your book:

Ancestors
Animals
An Art Element or Principle used by the book's illustrator
Bygone Era
Community (Where I live)
Familiar phrases
Family events
Heroes & Heroines
Historical events
Holidays
Identity
Journeys
Letters of the alphabet
Quotes
Seasons
Song and poem excerpts
Special places
Windows & doorways

Material options when creating your cards.

Almost all Fine Arts media can be put to the miniature canvas of an Literature Trading Card, either alone or in combination with others: pencil, sketch, charcoal, cartoon, watercolor, markers, color pencils, pastel, crayons, inks dotting, collage, rubbings, wax reserve, print making and stamping, fluorescent gel pens (use on dark colors), stencil, sewing, foil transfer, melted crayons, photography, and calligraphy.  We often use pages from a book we have found at our local book store on the budget table.  [ex. We found a great horse book we used to create LTC's for the book Misty of Chincoteague.] 

Other alternative items you can do something with: band-aids, nail polish, crepe paper, wrapping paper, yarn, playing cards, tea-straining paper, perfume (for scented cards), salt (spread white glue then sprinkle), glitter, postal stamps, old tickets and receipts, negatives, transparent wrappings, greeting cards….basically anything you might throw away!   Consider carefully before you do – they might just make an interesting SOC Literature Trading Card.  Remember to make sure the finished card fits in a sleeve!

A basic material list:

sketch paper
pencils/erasers

rulers
cardstock
drawing materials (colored pencils, markers, pens, watercolor pencils)
collage materials (scraps, collage papers, fabric, felt, small found objects, glitter glue
stickers, stamps/ink)
scissors
glue

optional: acetate viewfinder with 2.5" x 3.5" frame

Students will need to have something in which to keep their cards.   We’ve found that a 9-pocket sheet available for commercial cards works best.

Format

1. You may cut the material to the right size 2.5 x 3.5 before you start working on the card.
2. You may choose to work on 5x7 paper and then reduce the card by 50% on a copy machine for your final product.
3. You might want to work on a large paper (12x18) and then cut out the cards from it once your design is finished.  This is the best idea when working with a whole class.  You can begin by covering the larger sheet with the same background tissue paper etc.   Then once the individual cards are cut out, the students will be able to create a unique card with a similar theme to the rest of the class.
4. Finally, you may purchase regular trading cards and/or playing cards, cover them with a layer of paper or paint and use them as a readymade canvas.

 Things to keep in mind when organizing your LTC swap.

• What is your book/theme? 
• How many students do you have who will participate? How many are at the other school? How will you deal with unequal numbers? (e.g., have some students make extra cards?) 
• When do the cards need to be mailed? How will they be sent? (snail mail, fed-ex, etc.,?) 
• Who will act as host/hostess and make sure that the swap actually takes place? 
• Do you have the other teacher's contact information (email address, school address, phone number)? Does s/he have your contact information? 
• How (often) will you report to each other regarding the progress of students on their cards and when they will be mailed?
• LTC Swap Day will be May 5, 2009, but feel free to make arrangements with your partner school to swap during the school year.

Signature Cards
We encourage you to create a class signature card to add to the stack you send to your partner schools.  The front of the card has a class picture and the name of the class.   The back of the card is anything you feel like sharing: facts about your class, your school motto, a scripture verse etc.

Find an LTC Classroom!

Contact us [e-mail] if you would like us to connect you with another Christian school teacher interested in trading LTCs.   Please send us pictures of your students creating and swapping cards so we can share them on this website!

A huge THANKS goes out to a special lady in Saluda, North Carolina.  She owns a wonderful shop there...Random Arts.  She is the one who inspired us to tackle this project.  She is our creative hero!

THANKS Jane!