Using Picture Books: The Busy Beaver
We have all had to somewhat slow down during this period of movement restrictions. The Busy Beaver, when forced to slow down, sees the destruction of his actions on the world around him and puts things right.
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Suggestions on how to use the book
General Knowledge Expansion
Why do beavers build dams? Research how dams are linked to beavers’ survival.
What is the environmental impact of beaver dams? Are they beneficial or destructive to the environment?
Science
Compare beaver dams to man-made dams: List the similarities and differences.
Conduct an experiment to examine how the force from water, materials, shape of the dam determine how secure a dam is. Try out this experiment.
Social Awareness
What are some of the consequences of impulsivity, i.e. acting without thinking - discuss:
Positive consequences (e.g. discovering something by accident, having a new unexpected experience); and
Negative consequences (e.g. saying something rude to someone and hurting their feelings, breaking something due to a sudden burst of energy)
Sometimes we make mistakes and they are part of learning. What are some ways we can show we are sorry through our actions? E.g. Beaver made Bear a vase and built a canoe for Moose.
Language
Vocabulary expansion: Look up the definitions of the following words prior to reading the book - carelessness, felled, limbs, slivers, dams, embarked, rehabilitation, rigorous, etc.
Creative writing: Write a short story using the words above.
Literary terms: Discuss the story from the context of literary terms such as exposition, complication, crisis, climax, and resolution of the crisis.