Subject:  Language Arts
Topic:  Story Comprehension
Grade Level:  Kindergarten

Student Lesson name and URL
http://ctap295.ctaponline.org/~mlomazzi/student

  # Students will be able to retell the story identifying the four characters, the setting and the key events.

  # Each student will create artwork that represents  the setting, characters and/or a key event of the story.

  # Working collaboratively, students will assemble their individual pieces of artwork to create a class mural or book  which will illustrate the story. 

  # Students will write a key word or short sentence to accompany each piece of artwork .

Read one  version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears without showing the illustrations in the book.

There are many versions of the story of Goldilocks.  Some versions of this story are very traditional and other have more modern settings or slant.

Review the story with the students.  Discuss the first part of the story, what happened next, and  what happened last. 

Ask students to tell you about the what they pictured or imagined in their mind while you read.  You might ask:
* When Baby Bear broke the chair, what did you see in your mind? 
* What was Baby Bear wearing? 
* What color was his clothes?
* Did he wear a hat? 
* What kind of chair did you imagine? 
* What room in the house was he in? 
* Where were Mama and Papa Bear when this happened

Explain how  illustrators used  images, color and details  to bring a story, visually, to life.  Explain how the story might be different if the illustrator had drawn or painted the pictures a different way?

Re-read the first version or another version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears this time showing the illustrations as you read.  Show the illustrations from the first version you read.  Compare the illustrations discussing how the artists chose to use different styles, color, details, etc. to bring the story to life.  Compare the different versions and remember the mental images that  were discussed previously.  How do the different styles make the story feel different?

Tell the students that they will be illustrators and that they will each illustrate a different scene from the the Goldilocks and the Three Bears Story. Your class may have done this on other occasions; remind them of this connection.
As a class, decide which version of the story your class will illustrate (modern vs. traditional)  and which style and medium will be used.  The teacher might want to make this decision on her own depending on the skills and materials available.  I like to give students choices when I can.  White construction paper can be used  for crayons, felt pens, colored pencil, pastels or water colors.  I suggest that students draw a light pencil illustration first before permanent color is used.  The teacher should "okay" the pencil work before color is added.  The students should draw "big" to fill the page.  After pencil and color work is complete, students can outline their drawing with a black felt pen or crayon if the teacher wishes.

Students can volunteer or teacher can assign which portion or scene of the story will be illustrated by which student.  Two students might collaborate on one scene with each drawing a different part.  Such as one might draw Papa Bear's bed and the other draw Mama Bear's bed.  The teacher should record this information.  Student names should be written on the back of the page.  The teacher should closely monitor progress of the illustrations providing and guidance and feedback as needed.

Some classes or students may need extra time to finish.  Provide activities for those that finish early. 

At this point, the teacher can decide to make this into another day, or finish. 

There are several different ways a teacher may choose to accomplish this depending on  the class ability and/or availability of a computer.    Teacher might use:
*half sheet of blank paper
*half sheet of lined paper
*strips of paper cut 2 x 11 inches
*computer word processing

My sample shows computer word processing.  The students dictate and I type.   I have them sound out the words and tell me what letters to type.  An advanced student may be able to do the typing themselves.  Print and trim the words to fit the illustration. 
 
 

A mural will need a long strip of butcher paper.  A contrasting color works well. The length of the butcher paper will depend on the number and length of the student artwork.  The artwork will be glued/mounted side edge to side edge with  two or three inches in between each page.   The writing will be affixed below each illustration.  Allow for a cover page and final page.  You may also want to place a title page that lists the names of the authors and lllustrators, (the students.   Lay the paper out on the floor or attach to a wall.  Illustrations may be trimmed slightly if needed. Have glue ready.  Note:  a mural can be cut apart and made into a book at a later time.  Also, if wall space is limited and you have Fire Marshal approval, a mural could be hung from a tight wire that is strung across or diagonally across a room.  Use heavy duty eye-bolts that are screwed into a wall stud.  Of course, you  would want to glue first before you hung the mural up high for display.

A mural alternative:  If you would like to save paper,  the illustrations could be made into a story board by stapling the illustrations onto the wall or bulletin board length-wise at child's eye level or perhaps in two or three rows.

A book can be prepared from larger pieces of construction paper or from butcher paper.  I have had success with both but prefer to use butcher paper. A contrasting color works well.  The number of book pages will depend on the number of illustrations with the addition of the cover, title page, "The End" page and back cover.  Cut the pages to fit the illustration plus the writing to be glued at the bottom or top of the page and allow for binding at the left edge.  The sample book is 18 x 24 inches.  Illustrations may be trimmed slightly to fit better.  Have glue ready.  Binding can be done with staples, rings, string, yarn, etc.  Laminate the pages before binding.

Working as a whole group, pass out the illustrations to each student.  Have students tell you which part they illustrated as a reminder.  Some may need guidance. 

The mural/book will now be assembled.

Slowly retell the story and have students bring up their illustrations as the story gets to their part.  The teacher glues the illustration and words onto the mural/book.  The student can help press their work on.  The teacher may want to glue lightly now for speed purposes then finish gluing later.

Once the mural/book is assembled,  read the whole story together.  Reading the mural may cause the whole class to move their bodies  along as the story is read.  What fun! 

1. What is the setting of the story? 
answer: Cabin/house in the woods.

2. What does Mama Bear make for breakfast?
Answer: Porridge or hot ceral.

3. Who comes to the bear family house?
answer: A little girl named Goldilocks.

4. What was wrong with Papa Bear's porridge?
answer: It was too hot.

5.  After tasting the porridge, what is the next thing that Goldilocks does?
answer: She sits in the chairs.

6.  What happened to Baby Bear's chair?
answer:  Goldiocks sat in it and it broke.

7.  Goldilocks goes up stairs, what does she see?
answer:  Three beds.

8.  What was wrong with Mama Bear's bed?
answer:  It was too soft.

9.  Goldilocks wakes up, sees something and runs out of the house.  What scared Goldiocks? 
answer:  The Three Bear family was looking at her.

10. Could real bears live in a house and make porridge?  Do you think this is a real or pretend story.   (Score 1/2 point for each question)
answer.   No real bears could not live in a house and make porridge.  Yes, this is a  pretend story.

Materials
The following is a suggested list.  The teacher can change materials to fit their own needs.
Introductory Activity
*1 to 3 book versions of the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Little Golden Book,  The Three Bears, Illustrated by F. Rojankovsky
ISBN  0-307-02140-8
This was originally copyrighted in 1948 and has traditional illustrations with a European flavor.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Illustrated by Mireille Levert
ISBN  0-307-10235-1
Copyrighted in 2000, this  Golden Book, full size issue has bright and bold illustrations that are more contemporary.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears, illustrated by Jan Brett
ISBN
Beautifully illustrated with Jan Brett's detailed as only she can do.
http://www.penguinputnam.com/catalog/reader/books/295_description.html
http://www.janbrett.com/goldilocks_book.html

Enabling Activity
*18 x 24 inch white construction paper, one per student plus a few extras 
*pencils, crayons and/or felt pens, pastels,  for use by class
*writing paper for student writing and/or computer with printer
*sissors to trim illustrations and writing
*paper clips to temporarily attach writing to illustrations

Culminating Activity
*glue
*mural paper: butcher paper cut to estimated length
*book paper: butcher paper or construction paper cut into pages approximately 18 x 24 or to fit the illustrations and words.