Each lesson plan offers suggested readings to demonstrate one of the Six Traits of Writing.

Each lesson offers a writing experience emphasizing one of the Six Traits of Writing.

Six Trait:

Reference and listening activities for Gold Rush Dogs.

6Traits (Grades 2-6) Word Choice--Verbs        

Plans in Word document

This is the historical fiction book based on the life of Klondy Nelson (from Children of the Gold Rush). It is written as a first chapter book, so the reading level is pretty easy.

Read aloud pages 13 – 17. (Start at the bottom of 13 “Big Hans tucked…”) In this section, Klondy and her mom are traveling by dog sled to meet Papa.

Collect the verbs the author uses. How many are ordinary, not so interesting ones and how many show an author’s thoughtful use of word choice? I found “tucked, covered, harnessed, jumped, yelled, raced, hurt, hollered, turned, flew, tipped, tumbled, plucked, shook, dropped, took off, looked, seemed to pop up (an interesting verb phrase anyway), jumped, put, watched, kissed, loved.” Some of these seem kind of plain until you read them in context and they become more interesting. You could also notice that they are all past tense—a chance to talk about consistency and verb agreement. And they are all action verbs except loved—some verbs show feelings.

For a Christmas theme, you can do the same sort of thing with pages 40 and 41 when Santa comes through the smoke hole in the cookhouse roof.

Writing Connection—Using interesting verbs

Think of an action-packed time to describe—sports, play, on stage, opening Christmas presents, “Santa” coming down the chimney…

Brainstorm action verbs to use in a paragraph describing the time.

Your audience is other kids your age.

Write one paragraph or scene using action verbs (in the same tense) to show your action-packed time.

Emphasis is on word choice of verbs and on verb usage.

6Trait Writing (Grades 5-10) Word Choice & Voice

Plans in Word document

Primary Source, Journal Writing with details and word choice (maybe voice, too).

Children of the Gold Rush uses photographs and primary source writing to bring the lives of the children to life for us. The Chapter on Klondy Nelson is about the girl who is also the main character in Claire’s historical fiction book, Gold Rush Winter.

Read aloud page 61, an excerpt from Klondy’s own writing which describes her classroom. Kids may not know some words like “pompadour” and “shirtwaist,” so those words could lead to some research &/or dictionary work. Discuss and list the details and words Klondy uses to make the description of the classroom vivid. (I’ll bet kids can say something about Klondy’s personality from this piece, too—i.e. Voice))

There are other examples of writing by the Children of the Gold Rush on pages 18, 33, 46, 73, 74, 77, 83.

Writing Connection

Have kids pick some random five-minute period in the day (while in class) to stop and observe everything going on. They should collect words to describe how one person looks (like Klondy described the teacher) and words to describe the actions of a person or themselves (like Klondy described drawing on the window).

Use these words to write a two paragraph quick snapshot of the classroom. The emphasis is on creating a picture with a few well chosen words and important details.

Voice should be evident, especially if they describe themselves.

6Trait Writing --Ideas and Content

Plans in Word document

When you read Caribou Girl aloud, make sure to include the blurb, foreword, and author’s note. They have information on the cultures and on caribou.

The ideas and content in folk tales or legends often tell a history, or demonstrate a lesson learned. They can reveal something about a culture’s relationships with each other and/or the environment or depict a human quality which is considered admirable. When you read Caribou Girl think about what the big idea, theme, quality, or lesson is.

Here are some words from an Inuit tongue which might help.

 These are from Claire’s site. It also has information on native cultures and caribou.

http://www.clairerudolfmurphy.com/

INUPIAT VALUES http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/Values/inupiat.html

Helping Each Other - Avanmun Ikayuutiniq
Friendships - Avilaitqatigiigeiq
Family Relations/Roles - Ixagiieiq
Creating Friends - Ixammiubniq
Endurance - Igxutuiguniq
Cooperation- Ikayuqtigiigeiq
No Mockery - Irruaqjibeaieeiq
Respect for Human, Animals, Property and Land - Kipakkutaieeiq
Sense of Humor - Mitaallatuniq
Compassion - Nagliktuutiqabniq
Love - Piooaktautaieeiq
Gentleness - Pigpakkutiqabniq Miqjiqtunun
Love For Children - Pitqiksibautaieeiq
Honesty - Qiksiksrautiqabniq
Respect for Others - Qiksiksrautiqabniq
Patience - Qimmaksautaieeiq
Sharing - Sibeataieeiq

Writing Idea:

Pick a big idea or theme, maybe one of the school climate themes or something on environmental stewardship from science. Write a folk tale/legend that demonstrates that idea. It could be a modern legend or one based in a culture you are familiar with. Legends often include something magical, but they don’t have to. The actions of everyday people in tough situations make for legends, too. But remember, your legend is to have an idea or theme which demonstrates a lesson learned or an important quality. (Not a tall tale or cartoon or adventure.)

Reference Practice and Listening Questions

Gold Rush Dogs by Claire Rudolf Murphy & Jane Haigh

Prior Knowledge:

&   Six Groups

&   Supplies:

&   Day One: Each group completes a reference worksheet and reports to class

  Listening Activities:

  &   Day Two: Choose one dog story, read aloud and have kids write answers to listening questions and then write one question to ask Claire when she visits.

  &   Day Three…: Same as Day Two, but w/ different dogs.

  Listening Questions for Julian:

      ü      What kind of dog was Julian? Mastiff

ü      How did most prospectors get down the Yukon River? Waited for the snow to melt and took boats.

ü      How did Berry and Julian beat the other prospectors down the Yukon River? Sledded (mushed) across the frozen lake and down the river.

ü      What was Julian famous for? Held record for pulling heaviest load.

ü      How and where did Julian end his days? Taken well care of in California (Fresno and Santa Cruz)

  Listening Questions for Nero:

      ü      What kind of dog was Nero? St. Bernard

ü      How did Belinda get rich? Hotels. People paid w/ gold dust.

ü      What happened on one trip to the bank? Nero was caught in the floodwaters w/ pouches of gold on his back. She held him up. Someone broke the tree she was on. In the water she cut off the gold so Nero could swim.

ü      Where did Belinda find Nero when she returned to Seattle from Pennsylvania? What condition was he in? Under the wharves (docks). He was dirty and skinny.

  Listening Questions for Yukon (read pg 56 about Soapy Smith, too if there’s time):

      ü      What kind of dog was Yukon? Mutt

ü      What was happening to make Skagway Bill and others form a vigilante committee? Soapy Smith and his gang were stealing and conning others and there were no police.

ü      How did Yukon save Skagway Bill? Found him in a snow drift after a blizzard.

ü      Did Skagway Bill ever get rich? Why or why not? No, he kept moving and didn’t stick around to get rich.

  Listening Questions for Balto:

    ü      What kind of dog was Balto? Probably a Norwegian or Lapp Reindeer dog.

ü      Was Balto a race dog or a work dog? Work dog.

ü      What did Balto do to become famous? Led team that delivered diphtheria serum to Nome. (The course of the delivery became the Iditarod.)

ü      How was Balto honored? Statue in New York.

ü      What happened to Balto at the end of his life? Not well cared for by a museum in CA, and was rescued by people and students of Cleveland. Lived in zoo in Cleveland.

Worksheets for Reference Activities in Word document

A Child’s Alaska

                              By Claire Rudolf Murphy illustrated by Charles Mason

Six Trait—Organization and Ideas/Content (grades 3 and up?)

Lesson in Word Document

Much of A Child’s Alaska is organized by season. Further, the thesis or idea is that the climate affects what people and animals do in the different seasons. The details support this idea.

The seasons start on page 16 with winter. The reader learns about the tilt of the earth causing long nights and about the extreme temperatures. Most of the section is about people coping with the climate.

On page 27, spring begins. This section includes details of animal changes as well as what people do.

Summer is on page 31. Now the earth’s tilt makes the days long. Details here are mostly about what people do in the long, warmer summer days.

Fall begins on page 35. Again animal changes and human activities are both detailed. 

As you read some or all of the sections aloud, examine and discuss the sequence of seasons (organization) and how the author uses details to support the theme or idea. On a second reading, students could list the supporting details they hear and compare lists to see if they got them all.

Writing Ideas:

Pick a season and describe what people and animals familiar to the students do during the season. Make it causal by including a description of the weather and explain what people do in the season and why. (How does the weather change what we do?)

4^th grade state reports--Read the whole book aloud and examine the organization, theme, and details. The driving question for the state reports could be, “How do the climate and the seasons affect the people and animals in my state?” Or it could be, “What season would you want to visit _________________ (state name)? Why?”

5^th/6^th grade environment, ecosystem or biome report/observation or a Latin America/Canadian Province report—The drastic and dramatic climate in Alaska greatly affects the organisms there. Pick an area and learn about its climate and how it affects life there. Report your findings as Claire does in the book. The driving question could be, “How do the climate &/or the seasons affect a child’s (or an animal’s) life in ____________?”