WebQuest
Author Study - Vera B. Williams
Process
Day1: Partners: Your teacher will assign you a partner. As a team of researchers, learn all you can about the author, Vera B. Williams. Check out the following links to two Vera B. Williams� biographies. Use the attached NotePad for your facts. Answer the questions as best you can. Be prepared to share your findings with the class.
Day2: Whole Group: The teacher will read A Chair for My Mother in class.
Day2: Partners: Vera B. Williams carefully chooses her words and uses details to make her audience feel certain emotions and also to want to make a difference. Close your eyes and imagine how the mother, daughter and grandmother are feeling. How can they come together as a family and community to fix these problems? Think about someone in your family or community that could use some help. Draw a picture of something you could do, or something you could buy to help that person or family. Then write a letter to that person telling them not to worry, and how you are going to help them or how you will save the money for this item. Share this letter with your partner. Use notebook paper from the classroom for the letter. Use white paper from the classroom and various supplies (marks, crayons, pencils, watercolors) to draw the picture. Use notebook paper to write up a plan as to how you will save money. Show your work.
Day3: WholeGroup: The teacher will read Cherries and Cherry Pits in class.
Day3: Small groups: You and your classmates will talk about Bidemmi�s imagination. Ask yourselves these questions: Do you think these characters and stories are real? Do you think she is just being silly? Why do you think she draws all of the time? Is she dreaming of a better life? Why does the author use markers and so many bright colors? Think of the W Questions (What, Where, Why, When and How). Authors use their characters and their illustrations to infer or imply meaning.
Day 3: Individually: Everyone is to invent a character based on their own lives. Design a book cover that shows this character. This character needs to be important either in your life or in your community. Give it a title that hints at the story. Use whatever art supplies you�d like (markers, color pencils, crayons, watercolors, construction paper, and plain paper). On notebook paper, write a short description explaining your picture, and why this character is important to you.
Day 3: Whole Group: Everyone will share their cover with the class. All students will ask the W questions to try and figure out what the cover means.
Day4: Whole Group: The teacher will read several poems from Amber was Brave, Essiewas Smart. Your class will already have discussed different types of poetry.
Day 4: Partners: Look at a few poems from Amber was Brave, Essie was Smart. Talk about the emotions the characters are feeling. Look at the author�s choice of words. Notice the order and sequence of the phrases. Look at the illustrations. Notice how the illustrator coveys the character�s emotions through the words, the sequencing (beginning, middle andend), the drawings and the colors chosen. You and your partner are to pick one of the poems. Read it together. Then, write a poem from one of the character�s view point - describing what will happen next (notebook paper). Illustrate your poem on white paper, but choose whatever colors and art supplies will give it the right mood (charcoal, pencil, water colors, markers, crayons). You will perform it as a team in front of the class. You can either act it out, or read it in �Two Voices�. Pick music to play in the background to help convey the emotions from the classical music link below.
Day4: Whole Group with your Partner: Perform your poem and show your illustrations. Be a good audience for your classmates as well.
Attachments
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YouTube
Description: Here's Vera B. Williams reading Amber was Brave, Essie was Smart.
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kidsreads.com
Description: Here's a great biography.
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harpercollinschildrens.com
Description: Here's another great biography.
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NotePad
Description: Here's a NotePad for researching and answering questions.
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classicsforkids.com
Description: Here's some mood music for your 'what's next poem. This music should help your audience understand the emotions of the poem.
The Public URL for this WebQuest:
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=238985
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