Water for Elephants Assignment

Have students follow the provided instructions to complete the assignment and prepare their entry for the Pueblo City-County Library Contest-Create Your Own Circus Character.

Day 1

1. Have all student pick up a piece of lined notebook paper and a white piece of cardstock.  Both items will be on the brown tables.
2. Students should write their first and last name in the upper right hand corner of the notebook paper and on the back of the white cardstock.
3. Log on to the classroom computer hooked to the projector.
4. Play the following video:  https://animoto.com/play/ozdLMYQ2qZ8YhjcUo9DKxw
5. Have students number 1-10 on the notebook paper.  Instruct them that you will play the video again and they need to list 10 things they see in the video.  Replay the video:  https://animoto.com/play/ozdLMYQ2qZ8YhjcUo9DKxw
6. Explain the guidelines for the drawing.
• Circus animals and performers are prominently featured in Pueblo city-County Library District's 2016 All Pueblo Reads book, "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen.
• Create a circus character of your own design.
• Use markers and color pencils. (These items will be on the table with the paper.)
• All artwork must be completed on your white cardstock.
7. Begin playing "Circus World":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BapHpLZDSVk  Encourage students to use the movie as inspiration when trying to come up with images.
8. 10 minutes before the end of class, have students clean up their supplies and place their artwork and notebook paper on their classes drying rack.

Day 2

1. Have students pick up all work materials.  
2. Continue playing "Circus World":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BapHpLZDSVk  
3. All artwork should be complete by the end of the class period.  
4. 10 minutes before the end of class, have students clean up their supplies and place their artwork and notebook paper on their classes drying rack.

Day 3(I will be back and will complete these steps of the activity as a warmup.)

1. Have students pick up all work materials. 
2. On their notebook paper, students should complete a Perfect 3 Sentence Answer describing their circus character.  
3. Have students switch papers with a peer to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
4. Have student re-write their Perfect 3 Sentence Answer on the back of their artwork.
5. Provide students with a contest entry form.
6. Students should not include their home address or home phone number.
7. Have students staple their entry form to the front of the artwork.  
8. Students must turn in artwork and notebook paper.  Have students ensure that their name is on both items.