Our Very Hungry Caterpillar

Our Digital Twist on "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" 

In our English class, the 2nd-grade students have stepped up as digital authors! Using Storyjumper, we adapted Eric Carle's classic story to reinforce our language skills. It was an inspiring journey to see our version of the story come to life on the screen, combining technology with creative writing. 

https://www.storyjumper.com/book/read/188911191/THE-VERY-HUNGRY-CATERPILLAR


REFLECTION

1. How did you organise the groups? 

I organised the 2nd-grade students into pairs. This allowed them to collaborate effectively, with one student focusing on selecting the "props" and the other on typing the short sentences in English.

2. What was the sequence of tasks that you followed to get to the final product?

  • Step 1: We reviewed the original story and brainstormed new food items for the caterpillar.

  • Step 2: Each pair drafted their page on a storyboard to plan the text and the scene.

  • Step 3: Introduction to the Storyjumper interface (using backgrounds and search tools).

  • Step 4: Digital design phase where students built their pages and practiced their pronunciation.

  • Step 5: Final assembly and "publishing" of the digital book.

3. What were the specific learning objectives? How did the tool help? 

The main objectives were to consolidate the days of the week, numbers up to 10, and healthy vs. unhealthy food vocabulary. Storyjumper was essential because it provided a visual environment. For example, when students had to find "strawberries," they had to recognize the word visually in the search bar, reinforcing the link between spelling and meaning.

4. In what ways was creativity and imagination encouraged? 

I encouraged students to personalize the caterpillar's journey. Since they are in 2nd grade, they could choose more complex foods (like "spaghetti" or "watermelon") and decide on the caterpillar's environment. This allowed them to use vocabulary beyond the original book.

5. What did your students enjoy most / least?

  • Most: They were fascinated by the "voice recording" feature. Being able to narrate their own page and hear it back made them feel like real storytellers.

  • Least: Some pairs found it slightly frustrating when they couldn't find a very specific "prop" they had imagined, but it led to creative problem-solving.

6. What would you change next time? 

Next time, I would incorporate a peer-editing phase earlier in the process, where pairs could check each other's English spelling before the final digital "publishing" to encourage more autonomy.

7. How were the finished projects shared? 

We celebrated with a "Digital Storytime" using the classroom's Interactive Whiteboard. Each pair presented their page, and we collectively "read" the book aloud as a class.

8. What opportunities were there for co-evaluation and discussion? 

After the screening, we had a brief discussion circle. Students shared what they liked about their peers' designs (e.g., "I love the colors on the butterfly!") and discussed which parts of the digital tool they found easiest or hardest to use.



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