Bunyan Spin-off Stories Instructional Inquiry Project Stacy Small EDU 743:The Reading & Writing Connection UNE
The Lesson Overview
The teacher will share The Bunyans by Audrey Wood. The story is a tall tale that shares the story of the Bunyan family and how they have created some of the famous landmarks of the United States. The students will create a story based on one of the Bunyan characters and write a tall tale that explains how that character created a famous landform of the United States. They will also include an informational slide that shows a picture of the landform and tells the audience about what region it is in, the state(s) it is in, whether it is a natural or man made landmark, and other relevant information about the landmark.
Background Knowledge
Students
have learned about the various regions of the United States and their unique landmarks and features.
Students
have completed a Tall Tale genre study in which they learned about the characteristics of a Tall Tale which they will use to write their Bunyan Spin-off stories.
Learning Objectives
(Taken directly from the New Hampshire Grade Level Expectations)
W:EW:3:1.1- Students will be able to create a clear and understandable story with a beginning, middle, and end. W:EW:3:2.1- Students will use relevant details to advance the story. R:LT:3:1.4 - Students will identify the characteristics of a tall tale and use those characteristics to create their own story.
R:LT:3:1.5 - Students will identify literary devices as appropriate to genreexaggeration as used in tall tales.
W:IW:3:1.1- Students will use a given organizing structure for grouping facts and ideas.
W:IW:3:3.1- Students will include details/information relevant to topic and/or focus.
Read The Bunyans
Share the Audrey Wood story of how the Bunyan family created many different landmarks. Review activity that reviews each landmark, how it was created in the story, and which Bunyan created it. Randomly assign each student a landmarks,7 natural and 7 man made, for them to research and write their spin-off story about.
Research Landmark
Students were given two days to research the answers to following questions about their landmark:
What United States Region is your landmark located in? What state(s) is your landmark in? Is your landmark natural or man made? What is the landmark is made of? How long did the landmark take to make? How was the landmark made? Find 2-5* other relevant facts.
* The number of relevant facts was modified depending on student ability.
Research Rubric
*Sample rubric- Rubric was differentiated for students based on ability.
Write Landmark Report
Students used the landmark research to write reports about how the landmark was really created. A rubric was used to assess student writing. Final copies were typed for digital story scripts. Two real pictures of their landmark were found using an image search for their digital stories.
Report Rubric
*Sample rubric- Rubric was differentiated for students based on ability.
Bunyan Creation
The Bunyans was reread to the students focusing on how each landmarks formation was explained. Students then began brainstorming their own ideas for their landmark.
Bunyan Spin-off Stories
Students took one of their brainstormed ideas and developed it into a story that explained which Bunyan created the landmark and how it was created. Story planning maps were used to organize the students ideas. Students shared their stories with a partner to get feedback before meeting with the teacher to go over the story using the grading rubric.
Bunyan Spin-off Stories Continued
Students created pictures to go with the beginning, middle, and end of their stories.
They also typed the final copies of their stories to make scripts for their digital stories.
Tall Tale Story Rubric
*Sample rubric- Rubric was differentiated for students based on ability.
Making the Digital Story
Each picture was made into a digital image by the teacher. Next each image was imported into Photo Story 3 Finally they were arranged in the correct story order by clicking on the image and sliding it into the correct place.
Making the Digital Story
Once the pictures were imported the title and author was added to the first real picture, which became the Cover Page. A title was also added to the real picture on last page to show the audience what the landmark really looks like while they listen to the student reports.
Students were able to make size, color, orientation, and font style choices.
Making the Digital Story
Each picture was improved using the auto fix that comes with the Photo Story 3 program. It fixes: -Contrast -Color Levels -Red Eye
Students could also play around with various effects to change their photographs.
Making the Digital Story
Transitions were added to each picture to make the changing of slides more interesting. The same transition method could be used through out the story, or a new transition could be used for each slide.
Students could also customize the motion of the slide as well deciding what portion of their picture the audience would see first.
Making the Digital Story
Once students customized their visuals, it was time to record the story. Students printed out copies of their scripts to help them read the story aloud. The laptop built in microphone was easier to use than a headset microphone because it was less sensitive to feedback noise.
Making the Digital StoryBackground Music
Background music was not added to the students first digital story attempt, but it will be explored in future lessons. Stories can be customized by creating your own music or importing music from another source.
