We will use this story idea to answer questions and practice using internet research.

Your job is to brainstorm a list of possible animal candidates. You will select your favorite animal to research using the library and the internet.

You will need to provide answers to some of Santa’s questions before he can choose the best candidate. You will also write an essay persuading Santa to choose your animal. You might want to plan some advertising slogans and catchy names to make your proposal more interesting.

Santa Claus’ sleigh needs an upgrade. The reindeer have grown old and tired, and Santa would like to find a new, exciting animal to replace them.

Brainstorm a list of animals that would be able to pull Santa’s sleigh.

Choose the best idea from your list.

Answer Santa’s interview questions using the internet or your library book.

Santa’s sleigh is quite famous. It is photographed often and has appeared in movies and magazine advertisements.

Describe your physical appearance. How do you look?

Santa needs strong, dependable workers to pull his sled.

Describe your strengths.What qualities will help you complete your job?

Santa is an important man.He is very busy and his schedule is always full.

How do you travel and how fast can you move?

At the North Pole it is important to work as a team.

How well do you get along with others?

You will be expected to live at the North Pole while you work for Santa.

Describe your habitat.What type of living conditions will you need?

Santa will be providing all of your food so we would need you to create a menu.

What types of foods do you eat?

The public loves Santa’s helpers. They have even created songs about them (like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer).

You will need some catchy names to replace those of the reindeer. What are some ideas?

Create a poster with pictures to go with your writing.

Type and print out your name and a title for your poster.

Find and print out pictures from the internet.

Use your catchy names and slogans.

Attach a copy of your writing to your poster.

The Animal Kingdomhttp://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/Animals/Animals.htm

British Animal Searchhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildlife

Animal Infohttp://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/index.htm

Creature Featureshttp://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/