Readers Theatre for Social Studies and Science: Circle Stories
Activities ©2003 Nancy Polette
1. Share a circle story.
Transformation tale: The Stonecutter
by Gerald McDermott.
2. Choose a topic Ex: Four Animals
Read to find out: Where each animal lives, what it eats, what someone would notice about it, one or
two facts you did not know.
3. Create a circle chart and record
information about each animal.
4. Tell the circle story giving information about each animal and telling why it would
want to become the next animal in the circle.
THE ORCA WHALE lives in all the world's oceans in life-long pods of up to 150 whales.
They hunt their prey at the surface of the water eating fish, birds, seals and turtles.
They make high-pitched clicks that bounce off their prey. They use their big
tails, tall fins and flippers to swim. Their very sharp teeth make them feared
by other ocean animals.
PUFFINS can fly, swim and dig burrows.
They live in the Arctic where their thick, waterproof feathers protect them from
cold. They have webbed feet for swimming and stow fish in their bills which are
very brightly colored. The female does not sit on her egg. When a chick is six
weeks old the parents abandon it. After a week without food, the hungry bird
goes to find fish for itself.
SKUNKS do not like their own smell.
Active at night, they live in woods and fields. When in danger the skunk will
growl, stamp its feet and spray. Wild skunks are black and white with short legs,
clawed feet and long snout for eating insects, eggs and plants. Other
animals and people avoid skunks.
GORILLAS live in the mountain areas of Africa in groups
of six or seven. They have large arms and a bulky body, a large head and small
eyes. They are covered with brown hair and have no tails. They eat juicy plants
and termites, consuming about 50 pounds of food a day. Every night they make
a new nest because gorillas never sleep in the same nest twice.
FOR PRACTICE: Rocks & Minerals
Galena is
found in MO, KS, OK, and all over the world. It is the leading ore of silver and
lead.
Formed: when water heated by magma flows through igneous & sedimentary
rocks.
Composition: Dense, soft, cubed shaped crystals. Silver-gray color. State
mineral of MO.
Uses: Weapons, ceramics, glassware.
Negatives: Highly toxic.
Causes illness in humans.
Calcite is found: In caves all over
the world.
Formed: When limestone hardens and forms stalactites and
stalagmites.
Composition: Crystals come in many forms, uneven sided to small
round grains.
Colors are clear, white, pink, red, green, blue. Glows in the
dark.
Uses: Decoration, jewelry
Negatives: Easily scratched. Dissolves in
hydrochloric acid.
Gypsum is found in sedimentary rock and in
some cave formations. Rose shaped gypsum is found in clay beds of Kentucky.
Formed: When water evaporates and leaves behind solids that have been dissolved.
Composition: Sulfate mineral, white, gray, yellow, red and brown. Rose shaped
crystals.
Uses: Used to make plaster and cement. Alabaster carvings.
Negatives:
Breaks in one direction.
Muscovite Mica is found in
Moscow
Formed: in granite and metamorphic rocks
Composition: flakes, thin sheets,
clear light color that sparkles
Uses: glass, paint, wallpaper, windows,
electrical insulation
Negatives: Breaks easily
Journey Story: Choose four destinations. can be ocean, mountain, desert, plains or cities, countries, states, provinces. Find: Location, List at least three sights, three important facts, one reason people leave. Tell the circle story.
Remember, this is a story containing factual information. Tell your story in a fun and enthusiastic way!