Sign of the Beaver

How It Works

After reading Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare, students will respond to the literature by creating animations and paragraphs that summarize the story. Each student in the class is assigned a different chapter to retell in writing and to visually retell through animation. This unit lets students use animation to display their reading comprehension skills. This is an exciting way to get students motivated about reading. Use this project as the culminating activity for your Sign of the Beaver unit. Give students plenty of opportunities to experience some of the related sites on the Internet.

Standards

The student completes projects relating to works read.

The student reads, comprehends, interprets and begins to evaluate materials appropriate to the grade level.

The student identifies the main problem or conflict of the plot and how it is resolved.

The student demonstrates knowledge of comprehension of the text as a whole.

The student writing includes appropriate facts and detail.

The student stays with the assigned or selected writing topic.

The student maintains a clear focus throughout a piece of writing.

The student creates a simple document using electronic media.

The student uses technology to edit and revise a manuscript. The student improves the meaning and focus of the writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences.

The student uses technology to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

The student uses productivity tools to produce creative works.

Estimated Class Periods to Complete

This project will take an estimated 6 to 8 class periods to complete. Each class period 45 should be approximately 45 minutes.

Software and Materials Used

StarOffice (text and animation modules)

Keywords

Sign of the Beaver, literature, reading, comprehension, writing, writing process, expository writing, animation  

Students

This project is designed for students in fourth or fifth grade, but can be adapted using other literature books for higher or lower grades.

Using animations to create pictures to demonstrate understanding of reading content has a number of advantages for students. Students learn to plan and sequence pictures.

Assessment

Students are assessed on the writing process using a writing rubric. Scoring guides can be found at:

http://ccweb.nsd.org/writingcorner/staterubric.html

or http://ccweb.nsd.org/writingcorner/guide2.html

Teachers can use the following site to generate their own rubrics for the animation project:

http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/

Overall Value

This unit lets students use animation to display their reading comprehension skills.  Animation is an exciting way to get students motivated about reading.

Tips  

Use this project as the culmination activity for your Sign of the Beaver  unit.  Give students plenty of opportunities to experience some of the related sites on the Internet.

Internet Links for Sign of the Beaver:

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/beav/beavtg.html

http://randomhouse.com/teachers/guides/beav.html

http://connectingstudents.com/literacy/beaver.htm

http://libweb.uncc.edu/cimc/integration/Units/SignBeaver.htm

http://teacherfeatures.com/units/sign_of_the_beaver.html

Web Quests:

http://aldertrootes.wcpss.net/literature/signofthebeaver.html

http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/paustin/wquest.htm

About the Teacher

Tracee Sudyka currently teaches fifth grade at Joe Nightingale Elementary School in the Orcutt Union School District. Tracee has been a classroom teacher for fourteen years, and has taught grades three though six. Tracee has a strong interest in using technology as a tool for learning. Using technology, her students create variety of student-centered projects each school year.