Dr. Seuss on the Loose!

Elaine Segner
Adapted from If you give... Book Series by Kaitlin Burkhardt
2nd Grade

(http://www.boncherry.com/blog/2010/03/02/dr-seuss-birthday-2010-quotes-and-celebration-ideas/)

Introduction| Standards | Tasks | Process | Resources |

Evaluation | Conclusion
Introduction
Dr. Seuss needs your help! He is looking for young authors to create a new book.
After reading a few books from Dr. Seuss he needs you to create your own book
with a new character.

Standards
2nd Grade Reading: Literature Standard 4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes,
repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
2nd Grade Language Arts: Writing Standard 6
With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Tasks

In helping Dr. Seuss create a new book you will

Learn about the writing process by creating your own book.
Learn how words and phrases, such as rhymes, help supply rhythm and meaning in
a story, poem, or song.
Use a variety of resources to help produce a story.
You will be asked to read Dr. Seuss books and visit websites that mention Dr. Seuss
and his characters. You will then create a book to read to the class. By completing
all of the tasks you will be able to create a book that Dr. Seuss would be proud of.

Process
While helping Dr. Seuss you will have three different roles or jobs. You will be a
Character Researcher
Writer and a
Illustrator
You will be responsible for completing these jobs in order to create your own book.
Step 1:
Character Researcher- Good authors use characters to tell their stories. A character
is a person, place, or thing that does the actions or is acted upon in the story.
To create your character everyone will read the following Dr. Seuss books and
learn about the characters that Dr. Seuss used
1. The Cat in the Hat
2. The Sneetches
3. The Lorax
4. Horton Hears a Who

Log on to the Internet and visit this site

http://www.seussville.com/
(At this website you will view the world of Dr. Seuss. Visit his characters, and learn
about how he creates his stories.)
*How were the characters similar? How were the characters different? Describe one
of the characters personality or the way they acted and behaved to a partner. *
Step 2:
Writer: An author writes their books using a variety of words and phrases. Dr. Seuss
uses rhymes in his story to help keep a flow and a rhythm to his stories. Listen to the
book A Wocket in my Pocket by Dr. Seuss. Listen to how he uses rhymes in the story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DscA9YEIXGg
(Watch this video and listen to how he reads the poem. Notice how
the rhymes help create a rhythm and a flow for the story.)
It is your turn. You need to come up with 3 pairs of rhyming words.
For example, time and dime rhyme. That is one pair of rhyming
words. Now I need to come up with two other pairs of rhyming
words. Remember that these words will be used in your story.
Think of your own rhymes first, but if you need help this website will help you come
up with some words that rhyme.
http://www.poetry4kids.com/modules.php?name=Rhymes
(While writing and creating your own book, this website will help you come up with
words that rhyme.)
Step 3:

Brainstorm your story- Think about your story and how you will include them in your
story. Your story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. Use the following
graphic organizer to help you create your story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Step 4:
Create a book that resembles Dr. Seusss stories. You will complete your book on
the computer using our classroom book template. Then you will color pictures for
your book and we will scan your pictures into the book.
Book needs to contain:
A minimum of 5-Pages
A main character that Dr. Seuss has not used before.
At least 6 Rhyming Words
A beginning, middle, and end
Colorful Drawings on each Page

Step 5:
Present and read your books to the class.

Resources
http://www.seussville.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DscA9YEIXGg
http://www.poetry4kids.com/modules.php?name=Rhymes
The following Dr. Seuss Books
1. The Cat in the Hat
2. The Sneetches
3. The Lorax
4. Horton Hears a Who
(These books will be available in class or at the school library)

Evaluation
Character
Development

Keep Trying
(1point)
No character with
a name.
Character is not
mentioned
throughout the
story.

Rhyming Words No Rhyming words

used.
Story Structure:
Beginning,
Middle, and
End
Length
Illustrations

Almost There (2
points)
Character has a
name but little
personality is
shown. Character
is slightly
mentioned
throughout story.

Less than six

words that rhyme
are used in the
story.
Only one part of
Two parts of the
the story structure story structure are
is present; either a
present
beginning, middle,
or end.
Story is 3 pages
Story is 4 pages
or less.
long.
No Illustrations
Some pages have
included in story
illustrations but
not all

Good (3 points)
Character is well
defined;
character has a
name and a
personality.
Character is
mentioned
throughout story.
6 rhyming words
are used in the
story.
All three parts of
the story structure
are present.
Story is five
pages or longer.
All pages are
illustrated

Score:

Conclusion
Wonderful Job Authors!! Remember we will be reading our stories in
front of the classroom next week. I hope you learned how authors create
a book and that it takes a variety of words and phrases to make the
story interesting. Rhymes and other words helped make our stories more
interesting.
Remember that Dr. Seuss said
The more that you read, the more things
you will know. The more that you learn the
more places you'll go.
Continue the great work!