Brief Description

In this lesson, the class of students will write a class-generated sequel to a story featuring Peter Rabbit (or a bunny theme in a picture book).  This will be done with the teacher doing shared/interactive writing with the class.  The teacher will create a follow-up activity utilizing Kidspiration for the class to visit at the website called Kidspired Tales and do the concept map created for this lesson.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 2T-F1 Demonstrate respect for other students while using technology

See:  Social Studies (2SS-F3. PO1-3)
• 3T-F1 Use prescribed technology writing or drawing tools for communicating and illustrating
• 4T-F1 Communicate with others using telecommunications, with support from teachers, family members or student partners
• 4T-F2 Use technology tools for individual and collaborative communication activities to share products with audiences inside and outside the classroom

See:  Language Arts (W-F1)

• W-FS4. Relate a narrative, creative story or other communication by drawing, telling, or writing.
• W-F2.Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and word usage, and good penmanship to complete effectively a variety of   writing tasks

Academic

The students will (after viewing a collaborative website) create a class-generated sequel to the story Peter Rabbit.  The teacher will read the story aloud.  The children will generate a class list of possible names for the class sequel. The students will then create a story with a beginning, middle, and ending. The students will also include story elements such as main character, details, setting, problem and solution to their interactive story.  The students will create a logical sequel that will be submitted and posted at the Kidspired Bunnies website.

Technological

The technological objectives of this collaborative project will involve the children in becoming familiar with a collaborative website and how second grade class stories can be generated and submitted to be posted at this website.  The children will also become proficient in the use of technological tools using Kidspiration software.  The children will be completing Kidspiration activities as follow-up activities on the Kidspired Bunnies website.  The children will also be involved in creating their own follow-up concept map using Kidspiration software.

Pre-Requisite Technology Skills

The students will need to know:

• How to locate and use the URL address bar
• How to access a teacher-directed URL address (see the link listed in the brief description)
• How to browse a website
• How to use the computer software entitled Kidspiration
• How to create and produce a follow-up activity (based upon a teacher-selected piece of literature) using Kidspiration
• How to save, retrieve and access materials using Kidspiration

Students will need:

• A computer with Internet access
• The URL address: http://www.comesrwogue.k12.ny.us/~ssilverman/kidspiredbunnies/about.htm
• Chart paper for the teacher to write the class generated ending/sequel to the bunny themed picture book
• Permanent markers for writing the class generated story
• An easel to display the finished story
• Computer lab time for the class to work on Kidspiration (the students will need approximately 1-2 class periods of 45 minutes to complete their follow-up activity)
• Bunny themed picture books in tubs for all students to browse
• The picture book entitled: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• A parent volunteer to assist with special needs students
• A pointer for the children to use in the rereading of the final version of the newly created ending or sequel

Special Education Students will be included in the shared reading of the picture book of Peter Rabbit.  Special Education students will also be part of the class generated ending or sequel to this story.  As the teacher is asking for children to respond to the ending or sequel that is being created by the class, he/she will call on several students and then offer an opportunity for the special education student(s) to respond and add to the ending/sequel.  The teacher will reread the text that has been generated by the class for all to hear.  The previously spoken responses will give the special education student ample opportunity to respond and  add to the story.

SEI Students (limited English proficient students) will be given time prior to the reading of Peter Rabbit to hear the story in a small group setting with a parent volunteer or buddy from an upper grade class.  This student will be given time to hear, process and respond to the story prior to the class hearing it and rewriting the new ending.  This student(s) will be included in all of the class dialogue.  These students will be given opportunity to reread, aloud with the class, the ending that is being created by the class.  SEI students will be given additional opportunities to browse through bunny themed picture books prior to this lesson.

The Gifted and Talented Students will be given time to recreate a pictorial version of the ending or sequel to this story incorporating additional modalities of learning.  These students can take their version and put it into text using Kidspiration giving them their own avenue to create an ending or sequel.  Then, these students can take their version and create a 3-Dimensional ending to the class generated ending or even their very own ending to the Kidspiration follow-up activity that he/she created.  Another method of creativity is for the gifted student to create an audiotaped version of the story for the class to listen to and enjoy.

Procedures

(Prior to this lesson, the teacher should provide time to assess  knowledge the children have in this genre of book.  The teacher should list the things that the children know about some bunny themed stories to see who is familiar or unfamiliar with it.  This can be done in one 10-minute period after the children have had time to browse a collection of bunny themed books, excluding Peter Rabbit.)

Day 1

1. The teacher should set out tubs of books that are bunny themed for the children to browse.  (Allow time as interest permits, approximately 10-15 minutes)
2. The teacher should then begin the class discussion relating knowledge of the books the children browsed asking,  “What do you know about bunnies and the books you just browsed?”
3. The teacher can list on the board or a large sheet of paper the responses made by the children indicating knowledge. (The teacher should probe for the responses real vs. make believe, factual knowledge of what bunnies eat and do, look like, as well as words to describe movement and appearance etc.)
4. After assessing knowledge, the teacher should then build suspense about the book Peter Rabbit by giving clues to the story about the bunny that didn’t listen to his mother.  The teacher can build suspense for the story and begin to do the read aloud.
5. The teacher should introduce the book title and author and show the cover of the book to the class.
6. The teacher should read the entire book to the class being sure to display the pictures along the way for the children to get a good visual of what is happening in the story.
7. The teacher can break the class up into table groups for the children to begin brainstorming endings or sequel ideas for this book.  (At this time, it will also be very beneficial for the SEI and Special Education Students to be dismissed for a short time to discuss the story with a parent volunteer in a small group session.)
8. Once the class is back together, the teacher can begin to generate discussion that will lead the students to creating the new ending or sequel to the story.  The teacher should allow time for the story to be reviewed and then to determine if the class would like to create a new ending or sequel to the story.  Once this has been determined, the class version should be taken with the teacher writing the children’s responses on chart paper for everyone to see.  This is also an excellent opportunity for the teacher to reinforce correct sentence structure, punctuation, capital letters, grammar etc. (this step will take 30-45 minutes)
9. After the class has finished their sequel to this story, the teacher can choose a few students to reread the story using a pointer as it is read aloud.  The whole class can choral read as well.

1. In the computer lab, the teacher will review with the class the procedure for completing a follow-up activity using Kidspiration software.  The SEI student(s) and the Special Education student(s) should be given a well-versed volunteer or older student buddy to assist with reading and following directions in Kidspiration. If you do not have Kidspiration available in your computer lab, a 30 day free version of Kidspiration can be downloaded from the website: http://www.comesewogue.k12.ny.us/~ssilverman/kidspiredbunnies/about.htm
2. The students should be given whole group instruction on how to navigate this software and how to find the follow-up activity for their class sequel.  The teacher should allow 15-20 minutes for the children to explore.
3. Once the students have had time to explore Kidspiration, they should be instructed to choose the template that will enable them to complete the concept map for their sequel.
4. The students should be given time do this and then to create their own simple concept map and save their activity.

1. The students should be instructed to retrieve his/her file and review what was created at the last computer lab class.
2. Students should be given opportunity to share what was done with the person sitting to their right.
3. All students should be then given time to rotate to the computer stations around the room to explore the various webs and classification activities that were created by fellow students.

The assessments for this lesson will be:

• The children will all be involved in creating a class-generated interactive writing of their sequel to Peter Rabbit.  This should involve the use of beginning, middle and ending, characters, setting, details, problem and solution to the story.
• The teacher displaying the URL address for Kidspired Bunny Project and for the children to access it in computer lab.
• The children will go to their teacher’s class project to read their sequel to the original story of Peter Rabbit.
• The children will go to their class’ follow-up activity at the Kidspired Bunnies website and complete it, finding words to name bunnies (nouns), words to describe how bunnies move (verbs) and words to describe how a bunnies look (adjectives).
• To read and explore the other newly created sequels to other bunny themed stories that have been submitted by other children’s classes.
• To complete other Kidspiration activities (concept maps related to other bunny stories) related to bunny themed stories.