Reading: Comprehension
WANTED Poster
Today's Snack: What's the wacky, wonderful, watery
fruit that's the most wanted? Watermelon! Have a few wedges!
Also, be sure to spit seeds safely into a sanitary
receptable. Are you noticing the alliteration? All the w's in the first
sentence, and the "s" sounds in the second? Better have some ice water
to wash it down.
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Supplies:
Your favorite book - preschool
storybooks are fine
Scrap paper and pencil
17" x 11" piece of paper and markers
or colored pencils,
or a computer drawing application
Some people think the storyline is the most important
thing about a book. Others think it's crucial that a book or story should teach
you something, or entertain you, or make you think deep thoughts.
But
a lot of people think the most important element of a good book is its
characters.
Characters
really make a story come alive. They help you imagine the action in its setting
better than if the book wasn't "populated" with characters.
It's
important to remember the most important things about the most important
character or characters in the books you read.
A
really great way to give a book review is to zero in on one character from that
book. That helps you focus on how that character solves a problem in the book,
or whatever that key character does that is memorable.
So
get a copy of your favorite book, from now or 'way back in your past. Re-read
it, or skim it for review. Select your favorite character from that book.
On
a piece of scrap paper, make a list of facts and information about the
character:
What
is the character's name?
What
does the character look like?
What
does he or she wear?
What
tools or vehicles does he or she use?
What
are some facts about the character's family, home, travels, achievements, most
common sayings or expressions, special skills, etc.?
What
are the most important things to know or describe about the time in history (or
the future) in which this character lives?
What
problem or challenge does this character face, and how does he or she handle
it?
Now
make a WANTED poster!
A
poster is a really fast way to communicate the most important things that
people need to know quickly about other people or certain kinds of products.
A
poster often features a big picture that is usually a close-up of the person's
face, or the product that is for sale.
You
know: a big, mouth-watering photo of a piece of pizza with the cheese oozing
out makes a great poster at a pizza place. It really makes you want to eat that
pizza!
Posters
don't usually have a lot of words on them - just the basic, important information
that people need to know - and an attractive picture.
Movies
have posters, and businesses with products to advertise often have posters. In the
olden days of law enforcement, especially in the Old West, when someone is
suspected of committing a crime, the sheriff often put out a "WANTED" poster
around town. It usually had a picture of the person's face, with hopes that
someone would see the poster and alert authorities to the suspect's
whereabouts.
But
you're not dealing with a "suspect." You're going to make a poster about your
favorite character from a book!
The
idea is that your "WANTED" poster will make other kids WANT to read that book
and spend more time with that character. Your poster shouldn't give the story
away, but it should "advertise" the character so that other kids will want to
read that book.
You
can either do this on the computer and print it out, or draw and color on a 17"
x 11" piece of paper.
The
only "must" is that you should have the word WANTED in all-capital letters
across the top of your poster, just like the Old West posters always had.
Of
course, you will want to have most of the poster show the character's face or
show the character doing something from the book.
Besides
the portrait of the character, include facts about the character, dates,
descriptions, or other quick points that will let other kids know a little bit
about that character, and want to read that book.
