Comparing David Shannon Stories

After reading A Bad Case of Stripes and Too Many Toys by David Shannon, the students created Venn Diagrams to compare the stories. After creating their diagrams in small groups, they independently created foldables to show their understanding. On the top flap, they wrote the title "Comparing Stories by David Shannon." On the second flap, they wrote one thing that was the same for both of the stories. On the third and fourth flaps, they wrote how the two stories were different. But, the things that they chose as different had to relate back to how they were both the same. For example, if they chose that they both had a setting, they had to then explain how the settings were different from one another. If they chose that both books had problems, they had to explain the problems for both books. The purpose of this lesson was to build a deeper understanding of the elements that make up fiction stories.

David Shannon Author Study

While reading David Shannon books, we also learned about him as an author and illustrator. We watched a short interview with him from Scholastic and then created a Circle Map about facts learned. The students used the Circle Map to write a shared writing piece about him.

Too Many Toys

As a part of our David Shannon author study, we read Too Many Toys. The students retold the beginning, middle, and end. They also completed story maps to explain the characters, setting, problem, and solution. As an extra lesson, the students created a character traits template about the book's main character, Spencer. They described what he looked like, important information about him, and what they would do if they were him.

A Bad Case of Stripes

To learn about the elements and features of fiction story, we read various David Shannon books. One of the books we read was A Bad Case of Stripes. After reading, the students created a Story Map to explain the characters, setting, problem, and solution. In a separate lesson, not pictured, they also retold the beginning, middle, and end. After concluding our lessons over this book, the students created art to display with their work during Daily 5 time.

 

Pirates Don't Change Diapers

During our author study over David Shannon books, we read Pirates Don't Change Diapers. After reading the story, the students retold the beginning, middle, and end on a Flow Map using the Promethean Board. They then created a three-flap foldable individually to retell the story. Once they were finished, we had a mini-art lesson on how to draw a pirate. Their drawings turned out amazing!

Comparing Stories by David Shannon

As a part of our study over David Shannon books, we read Too Many Toys and A Bad Case of Stripes. As you can read about in previous posts, the students analyzed the characters, wrote about the beginning, middle, and end as well as the story elements. In this lesson, the students created a Double Bubble Map to compare the two stories. They then wrote at least one way the two stories were the same and two ways they were different on a four-tiered foldable. The foldables were displayed along with artwork they created for A Bad Case of Stripes. The students traced their hand and arm and then colored it with stripes.

Character Traits: Too Many Toys

After reading Too Many Toys by David Shannon, the students wrote about the main character, Spencer, on a person template. They wrote how he acts, what he feels, and what they would do if they were him. They then colored the template to look like Spencer.

Character Traits: Alice The Fairy

After reading Alice the Fairy by David Shannon, the students wrote about the various character traits of the main character on a person template. They wrote about what she looks like, how she acts, some things she did in the book, and then if they would want to be a permanent fairy or a temporary fairy. They then colored the person template to look like her.

Bad Case of the Stripes

Continuing with our study of David Shannon books, we read A Bad Case of Stripes. The students created foldables again to write the beginning, middle, and end. They also completed a Story Map to write the characters, setting, problem, and solution.

Too Many Toys

As a part of an author study of David Shannon, we read Too Many Toys. The students created a three-flap foldable to record the beginning, middle, and end of the story and then completed Story Maps to record the characters, setting, problem, and solution.

David Goes to School

As we learned the classroom and school rules, we read David Goes to School by David Shannon. As we read, we also reviewed the parts of a book. To help them remember the parts of a book, they created their own book. On the inside, they wrote at least two ways they could follow rules at school.

David Shannon: Comparing Stories

After reading Toy Many Toys and A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon, we discussed how the books were the same and different. We charted the student responses on a Double Bubble Map. The students then completed a Venn Diagram independently to compare the stories.

Using the Venn Diagram for help, the students created a four-tier foldable to identify one way that the two stories were the same and then something that was different yet related.

A Bad Case of Stripes

As a part of our author study on David Shannon, we read A Bad Case of Stripes. After reading, we created a class chart to write down our discussion about the characters, setting, problems, and solutions found in the story. The students then created their own Story Maps on construction paper to put the elements in their own words.

The next day we reread the story focusing on retelling the story from beginning, middle, and end. The students then created a three flap foldable to write and illustrate a retelling of the story in their own words.

Too Many Toys

As a part of our author study on David Shannon, we read Too Many Toys. After reading and discussing as a class, the students created a Story Map independently to write about the characters, setting, problem, and solution of the story.

The next day, after rereading, the students created a three-flap foldable to retell the story from beginning, middle, and end.

Author Study: David Shannon

We recently conducted an author study about David Shannon. He is the author of David Gets in Trouble, No, David!, Alice the Fairy, and more. As a part of our study, we watched a video interview from David Shannon on Reading Rockets. We also read a transcript of one of his interview's with Scholastic.