Animated Step-by-Steps®: My Backpack

Monday, August 12, 2019

My Backpack - Literacy Agenda

As is the case with most Animated Step-by-Steps® there are always creative ways to achieve differentiated instruction in 'mixed ability' classrooms.

My Backpack is an Animated Step-by-Step song designed to address a color and a literacy agenda. The song is sung to the tune of Frere Jacques.

I've got a (color) backpack (2X)

Color identification can occur before the color is even mentioned as the printed word red is colored red.

("What color do you think will be next?" ... red? I think you guessed correctly")

The first click will move a colored backpack on to the page)

What's inside? What's inside?

(the backpack rocks back and forth making a noise to suggest it's filled with objects)

See if you can guess. (2X)

(the zipper tab moves along the zipper track and the backpack opens to reveal white space)

("How many letters in our mystery object? Let's count ... 1...2..,3..,4!")

Here's a hint. (2X)

There are blanks representing the letters of the mystery object; the first letter of the word appears in the first blank.

("There are four letters and the word starts with /b/")

Children attempt to guess the mystery object based on the number of letters and the first letter hint.

The PowerPoint pen tool [command-p] can be used to write in additional letters; press esc to exit pen mode)

The next click reveals the mystery object, e.g. ball, doll, puzzle, sandwich, dinosaur, teddy, lego, cookie. Now knowing the identity of the mystery object, students are encouraged to sound out the missing letters of the mystery word. Write the letters below the blanks to make it easier to compare with the spelling provided on the final animation.

The final click fills the blanks with letters, providing the correct spelling of the mystery object's name.

Variation 1:

You might wish to work on specific letter/sound positions, e.g., final letter/sound of word, medial letter/sound of word.

Simply drag the red initial letter 'off page' where it won't be seen when it animates.

You can then use the pen tool [command-p] to write in the cues you prefer to provide.

Variation 2:
To make the task easier, provide students with a picture choice board that allows them to select the mystery item based on the cues that are provided. The array includes the target item ... plus a few foils with the same number of letters and the same beginning letter. Yes candle was 'a reach' : )