Ucky Duck. Illustrated by: Chris Werner. Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Amanda Hayes, 1st Grade Teacher Linda Helgevold, 3rd Grade Teacher

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1 Ucky Duck Retold by: Elaine Carlson Illustrated by: Chris Werner Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Amanda Hayes, 1st Grade Teacher Linda Helgevold, 3rd Grade Teacher Mini-Playbook Playbook The full-length version of this story is available at A timeless tale presented in. PUBLISHED BY PLAYBOOKS, INC. Copyright 2005 by Playbooks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Illustrations copyright 2005 by Playbooks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. First published by Playbooks, Inc Playbook, Playbook Format, and Playberized are trademarks of Playbooks, Inc. Educators have permission to print copies of this FREE sample for use in the classroom. The unique format of a Playbook with character colorization and specialized readability levels is a proprietary and patented method of book structure, writing, format, construction, re-construction, displaying and printing. For information regarding licensing the rights to write, edit, construct, re-construct, display, print or publish any standard book in Playbook format or in Playberized Format (using character colorization), call This book is subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser PLAYBOOKS, INC. LAGUNA HILLS, CA

2 Being a Star Makes Reading Fun! This is a Playbook story. It has been designed to be read aloud, like a play, by two or more readers. Each reader chooses one or more characters to be in this story. The text for each character appears in a different color throughout the book which makes it easy to follow along and read your part. Choose someone to read the part of the narrator. Be sure to read your character's summary in the front of the book before you begin so that you can understand the personality of your character. Bring your characters to life with creativity, expression and enthusiasm, and try to speak your parts with the personality of your character throughout the entire story. Try different voices or accents to make it even more fun. Don t be afraid to use body language and hand movements to play your parts. Follow the (Cue Text) to help you know how to speak certain sentences. For example, if the Cue says (with surprise), speak the sentence with surprise in your voice. You're invited to take a seat in the director's chair and create a special "theater" of your own. The story awaits your imagination with endless possibilities! The creativity you use when reading a Playbook is completely up to you. Your readers may even choose to dress up like his or her character using special clothes, make-up, and props, or things as simple as a hat or sunglasses. The choice is up to your cast of characters! Always have fun, and let your Playbook adventure begin!

3 Recommended Assignment for Classroom Reading Groups There is a recommended number of readers for each Playbook story formatted for the classroom. This recommended number does not necessarily match the number of characters in the story. Because most stories include minor character roles, or Small Parts, a certain minor role may best be combined with another main character role and assigned to one reader instead of two. This helps to assure that every student in the group is consistently reading throughout the entire story. It is best to follow the Recommended Assignment for every Playbook story. To find the Recommended Assignment for this story, please visit the link below and locate the story s title. For general information about reading a Playbook in the classroom, download a FREE Teacher s Guide at the following link. Adobe Acrobat Required. To download FREE Award Certificates to recognize star performers in classroom reading groups, please visit the link below.

4 Recommended Classroom Assignment (Families, combine characters for your number of readers.) Ucky Duck A timeless tale presented in. FOR TEACHER S USE ONLY - No. Story Character Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 1 Buttercup 6% of Story Stage 1 Early Squeal 12% of story Stage 2 Beginning` Spencer 17% of story Stage 3 Transitional Mother Duck 15% of story Stage 3 Transitional Lucy 11% of story Stage 4 Intermediate Slink 13% of story Stage 4 Intermediate Narrator 26% of story Stage 4 Intermediate ` To download and print additional copies of this page, visit , Playbooks, Inc., Laguna Hills, CA

5 Character Summary Before beginning this story, it is helpful for each reader to read his/her character's summary aloud. Buttercup I am a duck. I am not big. I like bugs. Squeal The animals on the farm say I am too nosy. I just like to know what is going on! Spencer I know I should look like a duck, act like a duck, and talk like a duck, but I don t know how! Why am I different? Lucy I am a very clever dairy cow who just happens to be from TEXAS! Because I m so clever, everyone just seems to come to me for advice.

6 Character Summary Before beginning this story, it is helpful for each reader to read his/her character's summary aloud. Slink Hey! I m a field weasel, and I m also the best field reporter the Daily Duck has ever seen! I see everything that goes on in the pond, and I tell it like it is! Mother Duck I am a new mother. I have seven baby ducks. One looks very different. I worry about him. Narrator As the narrator, I am the master storyteller! It s up to me to keep the story alive and interesting with each exciting detail. So, I must read everything with expression and excitement!

7 Buttercup Squeal Spencer Lucy Mother Slink D own on an old farm, near a great pond, there lived a duck family. Mother and Father Duck eagerly waited for their first ducklings to be born. (surprised) Our nest has seven eggs! There were only six. Where did that large egg come from? As Mother Duck examined her eggs, she was excited to see they were beginning to hatch. Lucy the Dairy Cow and Squeal the Pig stood nearby. Even Slink the Field Weasel, the local news reporter, was in on the action. (worried) Look at the big one! He seems kind of... odd. A duck is yellow, not gray! (worried) He is a bit funny looking. (laughing) That is the ugliest duck I ve ever seen! (upset) That s enough from you, Slink! What is his name? 1

8 Buttercup Squeal Spencer Lucy Mother Slink I think I will name him Spencer. The next morning, Mother Duck took her ducklings to the pond. Time for a swim, my little ducks! Buttercup, you swim very well! I can swim too! See, Mother? I can swim just like Buttercup! Do you like the pond, Buttercup? Yes! I like it. I like it too, Mother! See I can make circles in the water. Watch me! Oh, yes well that s nice. Spencer, try to keep up. Come along now, and follow me. (with worry) I m swimming as fast as I can, Mother! (upset) Spencer! Why can t you swim like the other ducks? The Duck family paddled away, but Spencer couldn t keep up. So, he swam to shore alone. His big eyes filled with tears as he watched his family disappear. What are you going to do, Spencer? (sadly) I don t know. I know I don t belong here. I will never belong. (very kind) Yes, you do! We will help you. We must help Spencer. What do you think, Slink? Well, I believe he needs a make-over. 2

9 Buttercup Squeal Spencer Lucy Mother Slink Good idea. Let's get to work! Lucy helped Slink make Spencer s feathers a bit longer using feather extensions. He looks good! (grinning) He DOES look better. I do not think the color is right. You need something to make you look more. Big and strong! Just like me! Look at this! Squeal proudly turned around to display a U-shaped symbol on his backside. (very happy) See the mark on my back? Hey... that looks like a tattoo! Yes, and it is big! I m sorry to tell you, darling, but that s a brand, not a tattoo. It tells the farmers where you belong. (shouting) Good! I want to belong! I want a tattoo! If you want a tattoo, you re going to get a tattoo. Slink carefully cut away the feathers from the top of Spencer s wing and went to work. Well? What do you think? Do I look like I belong? Hmmm I do not quite know what you look like. 3

10 Buttercup Squeal Spencer Lucy Mother Slink Buttercup Honey, could you please stand next to your brother? Yes, I can. Something looks funny about that beak. My beak is just fine! It is not bad. It does look strange you know... sort of crooked-like? (kindly) Yes... you just gave me a good idea! (with worry) Wait! Is this going to hurt? When they arrived home, Buttercup proudly stood at Spencer s side. Mom! Look at him! (surprised) What have you done to yourself? (very proud) I look like the rest of you now. How did this happen? I just wanted to belong and fit in. (upset) Fit in WHERE? But I like it! (slowly) Spencer, your father and I are sending you to an ugly duck school. You will leave in two days. No! He can not go! Spencer waddled toward the pond feeling very sad and alone. (crying) When will I fit in? When will I ever belong? 4

11 Buttercup Squeal Spencer Lucy Mother Slink All the animals came by to see Spencer. (very sad) I wish you did not have to go away. I am so sad. Me too, Buttercup. Hey! Look at those swans. They re the real Kings and Queens of the pond. (smiling) Yes, and look they have babies too! I just love babies! Spencer looked up to see something he did not expect. (excited) What are they? The babies have feathers just like me. And they have beaks just like me! They are baby swans! (excited) Hey, Spencer! I might be crazy or something but I think you re a baby swan! Yes, he is! He is! Mother and Father Swan lovingly swept Spencer into their feathered wings, and they all swam happily away. (happy) This is great! Spencer has found his real family. (joyfully) I just knew this was a BIG story! I will miss you! So long, little swan! The End 5