When children lose something that they love, such as a toy or a pet, they are desperate to find it. For this activity, students will create a “missing poster” that is made by Abilene. The poster should describe Edward’s looks and personality, and have a picture of Edward. Students should think of it as a sign that someone would hang on a telephone pole if they have lost a dog or cat. Teachers may also find additional wanted poster templates to add to the assignment to give students a choice, or students may wish to create their poster from scratch with the poster layout!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a poster that describes Edward’s physical appearance and his personality. The sign should be similar to that of a “lost dog” sign that would be hung up around town.
Student Instructions:
Capture student interest by reading key moments from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane aloud using expressive voices and pauses for suspense. This helps students connect emotionally and inspires richer poster creations.
Encourage the class to list adjectives and character traits about Edward on the board. Discuss both appearance and personality so students have a variety of words to use in their posters.
Demonstrate drawing Edward on the board or document camera. Label key features like his china body, fancy clothes, or special expression to show students how to add meaningful details to their own artwork.
Show examples of clear and polite return messages, such as "If found, please return to Abilene at 123 Main Street". Discuss the importance of including contact details and a thank you to make the poster realistic.
Host a gallery walk where students display their posters and give compliments or suggestions to classmates. This fosters community and helps students reflect on their descriptive choices.
To create a missing poster lesson for 'The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,' ask students to design a poster describing Edward's appearance and personality, as if Abilene made it. Include a heading, a drawing or picture, a brief description, and instructions for returning Edward. This activity helps students practice character analysis and creative expression.
Students should include a heading (e.g., "Missing: Edward Tulane"), a picture or drawing of Edward, a description of his looks and personality, and contact or return information to complete a realistic missing poster.
Yes, teachers can find or provide wanted poster templates online or in educational resource libraries. These templates give students a starting point, but students may also design their own layout for more creativity.
The educational purpose is to encourage students to analyze character traits, practice descriptive writing, and empathize with story events by imagining what Abilene would say to find Edward.
To differentiate, offer varied templates, allow typed or drawn responses, provide sentence starters, or let students work in pairs. These options support different learning styles and abilities.