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There is a sure fire method to getting kids to read - write about a dog. Works like a charm! |
English/Language Arts
Explore journal writing
Author Pringle mentions the journals used by Lewis, Clark and their colleagues as the source of information about Lewis’ dog, Seaman. Use this Minute to discuss the journal as documentation of a life. Have students talk about the pros and cons of using journals as sources. Ask them to table talk about the audience and purpose of their own writing journals. Does the content change depending on the writer’s the perceived reader? How might a student’s writing journal be different if the teacher did not have access?
Explore perspective
Have your students write about something like the Lewis and Clark expedition from the point of view of the dog! What kinds of things are included in the Minute that students could explore from the dog’s perspective? Get them thinking outside the box.
Social Studies
Explore...exploration!
When we think of explorers, we think of Columbus-era Europeans who were looking for trade routes and glory. This Minute reminds readers that there was plenty of exploring to do once the Europeans settled on the American continents. Have students take a broader look at the exploration going on in North America following the establishment of the United States. Who were the key players? What were they looking for? What was the motivation? Map out the routes and do some exploring with your students.
Explore learning through artifacts
Author Pringle tells of the discovery of the dog collar which led to confirmation of Lewis’ dog’s name. Use this opportunity to explore the value of artifacts in historical thinking. Check out the resources available through the Smithsonian site for more ideas about using artifacts in your classroom.
Explore US Geography
Use this Minute to launch a map exploration of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Check out the maps available from the National Park Service as a starting point.
STEM
Explore animal behavior through experiment design
Take a look at canine behavior. What causes dogs to be loyal? To perform tasks? Are all breeds equal in these traits? How do you train a dog to perform tasks? Ask students to design training routines and then design experiments to test their success. Have students develop the math needed to quantify their results and perform reliable tests. Introduce probability theory to help them define their measurements.
Research Skills
Explore government websites & primary documents
Government sponsored websites can be treasure troves of historical materials, primary documents, photographs of artifacts and more. For Lewis & Clark, be sure to check the National Archives for a unique collection of documents as well as the National Park Service for maps, stories and more. The NPS site has links to the Lewis & Clark Heritage Foundation and Discovering Lewis & Clark, other collections of reliable information about the expedition and its players.
Explore domain extensions
Teach your students to look at the domain extensions and recognize .gov as a government site and .org as a nonprofit. Discuss the pros, cons and potential biases students could encounter in these domains. Discuss the potential advantages of following the trail on a reliable site to other pre-searched linked sites
Explore journal writing
Author Pringle mentions the journals used by Lewis, Clark and their colleagues as the source of information about Lewis’ dog, Seaman. Use this Minute to discuss the journal as documentation of a life. Have students talk about the pros and cons of using journals as sources. Ask them to table talk about the audience and purpose of their own writing journals. Does the content change depending on the writer’s the perceived reader? How might a student’s writing journal be different if the teacher did not have access?
Explore perspective
Have your students write about something like the Lewis and Clark expedition from the point of view of the dog! What kinds of things are included in the Minute that students could explore from the dog’s perspective? Get them thinking outside the box.
Social Studies
Explore...exploration!
When we think of explorers, we think of Columbus-era Europeans who were looking for trade routes and glory. This Minute reminds readers that there was plenty of exploring to do once the Europeans settled on the American continents. Have students take a broader look at the exploration going on in North America following the establishment of the United States. Who were the key players? What were they looking for? What was the motivation? Map out the routes and do some exploring with your students.
Explore learning through artifacts
Author Pringle tells of the discovery of the dog collar which led to confirmation of Lewis’ dog’s name. Use this opportunity to explore the value of artifacts in historical thinking. Check out the resources available through the Smithsonian site for more ideas about using artifacts in your classroom.
Explore US Geography
Use this Minute to launch a map exploration of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Check out the maps available from the National Park Service as a starting point.
STEM
Explore animal behavior through experiment design
Take a look at canine behavior. What causes dogs to be loyal? To perform tasks? Are all breeds equal in these traits? How do you train a dog to perform tasks? Ask students to design training routines and then design experiments to test their success. Have students develop the math needed to quantify their results and perform reliable tests. Introduce probability theory to help them define their measurements.
Research Skills
Explore government websites & primary documents
Government sponsored websites can be treasure troves of historical materials, primary documents, photographs of artifacts and more. For Lewis & Clark, be sure to check the National Archives for a unique collection of documents as well as the National Park Service for maps, stories and more. The NPS site has links to the Lewis & Clark Heritage Foundation and Discovering Lewis & Clark, other collections of reliable information about the expedition and its players.
Explore domain extensions
Teach your students to look at the domain extensions and recognize .gov as a government site and .org as a nonprofit. Discuss the pros, cons and potential biases students could encounter in these domains. Discuss the potential advantages of following the trail on a reliable site to other pre-searched linked sites
© Karen Sterling, 2018 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission
