Toys! by Don Wulffson: Storyboard Text Evidence Activity

Q: What effects have toys had on the world according to 'Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions'?

Toys have inspired innovation , sparked creativity, and evolved with society. According to the text, toys like remote-controlled weapons led to new inventions, toy trains advanced from simple wagonways to electric trains, and dolls shifted from ritual objects to beloved playthings with accessories and books.

Q: How can students use textual evidence to answer questions about 'Toys!' by Don Wulffson?

Students should cite specific examples from the text to support their answers. For instance, they can quote how British and German inventors recreated Whitehead's toy or describe the change in doll usage over time, backing up their responses with these details.

Q: What are three examples of toys impacting society from 'Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions'?

Three key examples: (1) Remote-controlled toys inspired military inventions, (2) toy trains evolved through new technologies, and (3) dolls transformed from burial objects to cherished items with accessories and stories.

Q: What is a storyboard activity for teaching 'Toys!' by Don Wulffson?

A storyboard activity asks students to visually organize their answer to a prompt using examples from the text. They create boxes for the question, their response, supporting evidence, and use illustrations to bring scenes or items to life.

Q: How have dolls changed over time as described in the article?

Dolls began as items for the dead over 3,000 years ago, but now are popular toys for the living, often sold with accessories and books, reflecting changing cultural values and uses.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Student Rubric

Lesson Plan Overview

In this activity, students will be provided a question or prompt to answer using textual evidence. The prompt here is, “What effects have toys had on the world?”

The three examples provided include: inspire others, evolution to new toys, and unexpected fun.

The British and Germans were inspired by Whitehead's remote-controlled weapon and recreated it.
Toy trains began as wagonways and then evolved into floor-runners, wind-up toys, steam-powered, and finally electric power trains.
Three thousand years ago dolls were for the dead; however, over time they became popular for the living and are now sold with accessories and books.

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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 Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions. 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.

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Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-5

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Spider Maps

Switch to: Common Core • Arizona • California • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • Iowa • Kansas • Maryland • Massachusetts • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • North Carolina • Ohio • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Texas • Utah

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Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Text Evidence

Answer the given question using at least three examples from the text.

	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.

Copy Activity

Lesson Plan Overview

In this activity, students will be provided a question or prompt to answer using textual evidence. The prompt here is, “What effects have toys had on the world?”

The three examples provided include: inspire others, evolution to new toys, and unexpected fun.

The British and Germans were inspired by Whitehead's remote-controlled weapon and recreated it.
Toy trains began as wagonways and then evolved into floor-runners, wind-up toys, steam-powered, and finally electric power trains.
Three thousand years ago dolls were for the dead; however, over time they became popular for the living and are now sold with accessories and books.

Copy Activity

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 Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions. 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.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-5

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Spider Maps

Copy Activity

Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Text Evidence

Answer the given question using at least three examples from the text.

	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.

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How Tos about Toys! by Don Wulffson - Text Evidence

Organize a classroom discussion about the impact of toys using text evidence

Engage students by inviting them to share their thoughts on how toys have influenced people and society. Encourage everyone to back up their ideas with examples from the text to build critical thinking and speaking skills.

Model how to find and highlight strong text evidence

Demonstrate how to select sentences or phrases from the reading that clearly support an answer. Show students how to highlight or underline these parts for easy reference during discussions or assignments.

Guide students to paraphrase text evidence in their own words

Teach students to restate powerful evidence from the book without copying it word-for-word. Explain that this builds both comprehension and writing confidence while avoiding plagiarism.

Incorporate creative illustration to deepen understanding

Encourage students to draw scenes, characters, or objects based on their chosen evidence. This helps visual learners connect more deeply with the text and makes abstract ideas more concrete.

Facilitate peer feedback on storyboards

Have students share their completed storyboards with a partner or small group. Ask peers to identify strong text evidence and suggest improvements, fostering collaboration and critical analysis skills.

Frequently Asked Questions about Toys! by Don Wulffson - Text Evidence

What effects have toys had on the world according to 'Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions'?

Toys have inspired innovation, sparked creativity, and evolved with society. According to the text, toys like remote-controlled weapons led to new inventions, toy trains advanced from simple wagonways to electric trains, and dolls shifted from ritual objects to beloved playthings with accessories and books.

How can students use textual evidence to answer questions about 'Toys!' by Don Wulffson?

Students should cite specific examples from the text to support their answers. For instance, they can quote how British and German inventors recreated Whitehead's toy or describe the change in doll usage over time, backing up their responses with these details.

What are three examples of toys impacting society from 'Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions'?

Three key examples: (1) Remote-controlled toys inspired military inventions, (2) toy trains evolved through new technologies, and (3) dolls transformed from burial objects to cherished items with accessories and stories.

What is a storyboard activity for teaching 'Toys!' by Don Wulffson?

A storyboard activity asks students to visually organize their answer to a prompt using examples from the text. They create boxes for the question, their response, supporting evidence, and use illustrations to bring scenes or items to life.

How have dolls changed over time as described in the article?

Dolls began as items for the dead over 3,000 years ago, but now are popular toys for the living, often sold with accessories and books, reflecting changing cultural values and uses.