Name: Christine DanowskiDate:December 11, 2003

Julie Fields

Steve Lurtz

Amy Malter

Content Area: History and Language Arts-Grade Level: Second

Lewis and Clark

Objectives:

  1. Students will be able to create a rhyming poem, based on Seaman the dog’s story. (2.A.1c, 3.B.1b, 3.C.1a)
  1. Students will write about Seaman by filling out a character map and a character analysis sheet. (2.B.1a, 16.B.1a (US))

Strategies/Techniques: After discussing the Lewis and Clark Expedition, students will now learn about it from a different perspective. The perspective is from Captain Meriwether Lewis’ dog Seaman, and the class will learn about it by reading the book The Saga of Seaman by Everett C. Albers.

Materials:

-character analysis worksheets

-character map worksheets.

-a copy of one page from book per student

-writing paper (one page per group)

-pencils

-Book The Saga of Seaman by Everett C. Albers

Procedures:

Anticipatory Set:

Did you know that Lewis and Clark took a dog with them on their trip? Today we are going to read about the dog Seaman from his own point of view. His view is also written in poetic form.

Development:

  1. Review who Lewis and Clark were and what they did.
  2. Introduce the book The Saga of Seaman. Tell the students to pay attention to the way this story is written.
  3. About half way through the book, ask what they notice about the words in the poem. Have them name some of the words that rhymed. Make a list on the board.
  4. When the book is finished review some events that happened to Seaman, and how Seaman felt on this trip.
  5. Pass out Character Maps. Work through this sheet with the students.
  6. Pass out Character Analysis worksheets. Use this to check for student comprehension. Collect when students are finished.
  7. Discuss homework activity.

-Students are to write a story from their own pets’ perspectives. (If they do not have a pet, then they can pick any animal to do.)

-Explain the story can be about anything.

-They have to use rhyming words to make a poem like Seaman’s story.

-Pass out samples of one page from the book so students can us it as a guide.

-Have a poem to use as a demonstration that the teacher wrote.

  1. If needed, review rhyme and give examples of rhyming words.
  2. Story is due the next day for a grade, but give them time in class to work on it.

Closure:

Ask students to state different things that happened to Seaman. If they were going on a trip like that would they take their pet? Why or why not?

Modifications/Adaptations:

-Have more examples of rhyming poetry for the students to look at.

-Read the book Lewis and Clark and Me a few days before doing this book.

-Have students work in pairs for the character analysis worksheet.

Extensions:

-Show a video about Lewis and Clark.

-Have students write another poem from the buffalos’ perspectives that they encountered.

Technology: VCR (if a video is shown)

Assessment of Student Learning:

-Walk around while they are filling out the character analysis worksheet. Collect (not for a grade) to see if students are on the right track.

-Collect poetry story for a grade.

CHARACTER MAP

Story______Character______