Activity Overview
In this activity, students will be provided a question or prompt to answer using textual evidence. The prompt here is, “How do animals help humans? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.”
The three examples provided include:
- Animals provide company for people; Mr. Popper realizes he is much happier with his pet penguins.
- Animals bring out the best in people; Mrs. Popper didn’t care for having the pets, but found herself enjoying them.
- Animals are very interesting; Mr. Popper reads about how one penguin gets pushed over the edge to check for danger.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that answers the prompt using at least three examples from Mr. Popper's Penguins. Click on "Add / Delete Cells" to change the number of examples.
- Type the question into the central black box.
- Type a response to the question in your own words in the title box.
- Think about examples from the text that support your answer.
- Type text evidence in the description boxes. Paraphrase or quote directly from the text.
- Illustrate each example using scenes, characters, items, etc.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support from Text | Examples chosen fully support the answer to the question. | Some of the examples answer the question correctly, but not all. | Most of the examples do not support the answer to the question. |
| Quote / Text | Evidence provided from the text is properly quoted or paraphrased. | There are some minor mistakes in the quote / description from text. | Quote or paraphrase is incomplete or confusing. |
| Illustration of Examples | Ideas are well organized. Images clearly illustrate the examples from the text. | Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the examples from the text. | Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand. |
Activity Overview
In this activity, students will be provided a question or prompt to answer using textual evidence. The prompt here is, “How do animals help humans? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.”
The three examples provided include:
- Animals provide company for people; Mr. Popper realizes he is much happier with his pet penguins.
- Animals bring out the best in people; Mrs. Popper didn’t care for having the pets, but found herself enjoying them.
- Animals are very interesting; Mr. Popper reads about how one penguin gets pushed over the edge to check for danger.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that answers the prompt using at least three examples from Mr. Popper's Penguins. Click on "Add / Delete Cells" to change the number of examples.
- Type the question into the central black box.
- Type a response to the question in your own words in the title box.
- Think about examples from the text that support your answer.
- Type text evidence in the description boxes. Paraphrase or quote directly from the text.
- Illustrate each example using scenes, characters, items, etc.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support from Text | Examples chosen fully support the answer to the question. | Some of the examples answer the question correctly, but not all. | Most of the examples do not support the answer to the question. |
| Quote / Text | Evidence provided from the text is properly quoted or paraphrased. | There are some minor mistakes in the quote / description from text. | Quote or paraphrase is incomplete or confusing. |
| Illustration of Examples | Ideas are well organized. Images clearly illustrate the examples from the text. | Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the examples from the text. | Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand. |
How Tos about Mr. Popper\'s Penguins Text Evidence
How to Teach Students to Paraphrase Text Evidence Effectively
Encourage students to restate information in their own words rather than copying directly from the text. This helps deepen comprehension and prevents plagiarism.
Model paraphrasing with a class example
Choose a short passage and demonstrate how to read, understand, and rephrase it aloud. Show your thinking as you switch from the author's words to your own.
Practice paraphrasing in pairs
Assign students a sentence or short excerpt from Mr. Popper's Penguins and have them paraphrase together. Let them compare and discuss their versions for clarity and accuracy.
Use sentence starters for support
Provide helpful sentence frames such as “In other words…” or “This shows that…” to guide students as they paraphrase evidence. Gradually reduce support as confidence grows.
Give feedback and celebrate original thinking
Review student paraphrasing for accuracy and reward attempts to express ideas uniquely. Positive feedback encourages risk-taking and strengthens writing skills.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mr. Popper\'s Penguins Text Evidence
How do animals help humans in 'Mr. Popper's Penguins'?
Animals help humans in 'Mr. Popper's Penguins' by providing companionship, bringing out the best in people, and sparking curiosity. For example, Mr. Popper is happier with his penguins, Mrs. Popper grows to enjoy them, and the penguins' behaviors are fascinating for the characters.
What is text evidence for how animals benefit people in 'Mr. Popper's Penguins'?
Text evidence includes Mr. Popper feeling much happier with his penguins, Mrs. Popper unexpectedly enjoying the pets, and examples where the penguins' actions—like checking for danger—are interesting and thought-provoking for the family.
How can students use a storyboard to show text evidence from 'Mr. Popper's Penguins'?
Students can create a spider map storyboard by placing the main question in the center, then adding at least three examples from the book around it. Each example should include a paraphrased or quoted piece of text and an illustration.
What are some easy examples of animals helping humans for 4th or 5th graders?
Easy examples include: animals giving people company (Mr. Popper and his penguins), helping people feel happier (Mrs. Popper enjoying the pets), and animals being interesting or teaching new things (penguins checking for danger).
What is the best way to teach text evidence using 'Mr. Popper's Penguins'?
The best way is to have students answer a prompt with text evidence, organize their answers visually (like with a spider map), and use both paraphrasing and direct quotes from the story to support their ideas.
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Mr. Popper's Penguins
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