Tomie dePaola Author Study

I feel that even though this webquest is designed and intended for the thrid grade, you could also adjust or simplify it for younger grades. You could also change the author depending on who you were studying that month. I provided a lesson (taught in class) so the students would have background knowledge on how to do things like properly search the internet, how to write a letter as well as well as what a book review looks like, consists of and how to write one. I have included the lesson plans below so you can also provide the scaffolding so your students can build thier own project.

Here are the State Standards that it addresses (MA), and a list of all the resources that I used (worksheets and websites), that I used to create this webquest:

State Standards:
English Language Arts
Standard 4- Students will understand and acquire new vocabulary and use it correctly in reading and writing
Standard 8- Students will identify basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as the basis for interpretation
Standard 11- Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of theme in a literary work and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding.
Standard 12- Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding.
Standard 13- Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the purposes, structure, and elements of nonfiction or informational materials and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding.
Standard 15- Students will identify and analyze how an author’s words appeal to the senses, create imagery, suggest mood, and set tone, and will provide evidence from the text to support their understanding

National Educational Technology Standards:
Standard 1-Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and process using technology,
Standard 2- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to learning of others.
Standard 3-Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
Standard 4-Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Standard 6-Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.

 

Here is a list of websites that I have used or posted for my students to use while completing this webquest:
http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/depaola
www.tomie.com
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/letterwriter/
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/depaola.html
http://www.rcls.org/ksearch.htm
http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/

 

Here is the list of worksheets that accompany the assignments.
Organizational web for book review: assignment 3
http://www.zunal.com/myaccount/uploads/melissa_web.doc
Venn Diagram for comapring two books: assignment 2
http://www.zunal.com/myaccount/uploads/venn_diagram(4).doc
Research worksheet (author information): assignment 1
http://www.zunal.com/myaccount/uploads/research_lesson_2(1).doc