Castles With Character

Is it a setting for a Medieval play, contemporary mystery, or royal family? This castle comes complete with finger puppets for storytelling.

• 1.

  Independently read fiction set in and around castles. Meet in groups to discuss the books you and your classmates are reading. Compare and contrast settings, plots, and characters. Share titles and authors for future reading. Research information about castle architecture.

• 2.

  Build an authentic or imaginative castle using colored Crayola® Model Magic. Smooth Model Magic over plastic bottles and cardboard tubes to make a large castle form. Knead two colors of Model Magic together with hands for a marbled effect. Flatten the modeling material with hands. Use Crayola Scissors to cut shapes for windows, doors, and a shingled roof. Firmly press pieces onto castle form. Embed small beads and other decorative items as desired. Dry.

• 3.

  Construct finger puppets of the main characters by smoothing Model Magic over your finger. Remove your finger and allow the modeling material to stiffen slightly. Add more modeling compound to create features, clothing, and hair. Embed decorative items as desired. Dry.

• 4.

  Meet with book groups again to retell your stories to each other with your castles and finger puppets.

Benefits

• Students read historic or contemporary fiction that is set in and around castles.
• Students build castles and characters to use in retelling stories, demonstrating their understanding of fiction texts and period architecture.
• Students write their own narrative fiction, including detailed descriptions of the characters and castle setting.

Adaptations

• Book groups read independently and discuss the same book. Meet after reading each chapter (or several chapters) to discuss predictions for the next chapter. Each book group works cooperatively to build a castle and set of characters. Book groups retell fi
• Meet with individual children to listen to story retellings. Encourage students to use castles and finger puppets in their retellings. Ask probing questions about characters, setting, plot, and castle architecture. Informally assess student ability to rea
• Write original stories using castles and characters. Be sure to include details about the imagined castle interior and about the characters' personalities. Meet with book groups again to share castles, finger puppets, and stories.