Dandelions

A Reminder of Home

TITLE: Dandelions

AUTHOR:Eve BuntingIllustrated By: Greg Shed

Presented by: Heather EarleyRecommended Grade Level: 5

A Reminder of Home

Cyberlesson Prepared by: Heather EarleyRecommended for grade 5

Picture Courtesy of www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/eve-bunting

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Introduction

During the 1800’s many Americans grew restless of their surroundings, and longed for adventure. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803, more than doubled the size of the United States. These restless Pioneers jumped at the chance to move to a new land, and try to make a new life in the new Western Territories. There were no planes, cars or even railroads to move these Pioneers. So, they would buy some horses, or oxen, a wagon and pack everything they owned and begin their walk across the country. Imagine that! The physical hardships they faced were one thing, but these Pioneers also faced many emotional challenges along the way. As you read Dandelions you will put yourself in the shoes of the Pioneers and face some tough decisions of your own.

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Materials

Computer with Internet ConnectionOregon Trail Explorer SiteThinkquest Oregon TrailMap of the Trail and Landmarks Oregon Trail PBS

Dandelions By Eve Bunting

Pioneer Reader Response Journal

Pencil

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Before Reading Activity

Your parents have made the decision to head West on the Oregon Trail. Before you leave on your journey you have to decide what you will take with you, and what you will leave behind. Use the list on the next slide to determine what you will bring, and what you will leave.

There is very little room in your wagon, so you can only bring 6 items with you.

Create the list of what you will bring in your Pioneer Journal, along with the list you must explain why you decided what to bring with you.

In your Pioneer Journal, make a prediction about how this story will be different from Grasshopper Summer, based on the cover and the knowledge that the two children in this story are girls.

What to bring???In your pioneer journal make a list of the 6 things that you will bring with you on your journey West.

Remember to write an explanation of why you chose the items you did

• Bed• Extra pair of pants• Extra shirt• Shoes• Favorite toy• Books• Journal• Dishes• Utensils

• Pots• Pans• Beads• Seeds• Blankets • Pillows• Saw• Axe• Matches

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During Reading Activity

Stop at the line, “I’ll get us a window and a canary, too,” he promised. (This line appears as the family is leaving from their visit at the Svensons’ house before they stake their land.

Visit the Map of the Trail and Landmarks website, use the Timeline in your Pioneer Journal to create a timeline of the different places the family would have visisted on their journey West. Be sure to include some of the things they would have seen each place they passed, and be sure to include the visit to the Svensons.

Journey Timeline

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After Reading Activity

At the end of the story Mama was waiting patiently for her Dandelions to bloom on the roof of the house. The flowers were a gift from Zoe, Rachel, and Papa.

In your Pioneer journal pretend that you are Mama, and write a journal entry about the morning you went outside and found the gift from your family.Make sure you include what your reaction was, how you felt, and why you think they did this for you. If you would like you can include a drawing of what you saw as you left the dugout that morning

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Beyond Reading Activities

1. You have read about Zoe, Rachel, Mama and Papa’s journey in Dandelions. You are continuing to read about a families journey in Grasshopper Summer. To extend your thinking about the Westward Journey that so many people made you are to visit the following websites. Take notes about what Pioneers faced as they moved West in your Pioneer journal. As your explore the websites, focus on the personal experiences of the Pioneers.

Oregon Trail Explorer SiteThinkquest Oregon TrailMap of the Trail and Landmarks Oregon Trail PBS

2. Now that you have explored the websites, and researched more about Pioneer life, in your Pioneer journal, answer the following question: Would you want to journey west in a covered wagon? Be sure to include information from all of the sources you have looked at in defending your decision

3. Go back to your before reading page of your Pioneer Journal. Look at the list of items you decided to bring with you. Now that you know more about what the Pioneers faced on their journey, would you change some of the things that you brought with you and exchange them for things you left behind? Write a short response in your journal explaining what you would now change to bring with you.

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Return Home Rubric

4 3 2 1Before Reading Activity

List of what is being taken includes 6 items, and a reason for taking each item in the written response

List of what is being taken includes 6 items, and a general reason for why all of the items would be taken in the written response

List of what is being taken includes fewer than 6 or more than 6 items. The reason for taking the items is general.

List of what is being taken is fewer than or more than 6 items. No reason for why these things were chosen is given.

During Reading Activity

Timeline includes 4 major stops along the trail, as detailed on the Website, AND the details from the text about the families journey. At least 1 detail about each stop beyond the basic information

Timeline includes 4 major stops along the trail, as detailed on the Website, AND the details from the text about the families journey. At least 1 specific detail about 3 stops beyond the basic information

Timeline includes 2 major stops along the trail. Includes at least 1 specific detail about 2 stops beyond the basic information

Timeline includes 1 major stop along the trail. May include misinformation or incorrect details

After Reading Activity

Journal entry accurately reflects how you think Mama would have reacted to her surprise. Response includes specific details to the 3 items you were asked to consider

Journal entry accurately reflects how you think Mama would have reacted to her surprise. Response includes specific details to 2 of the items you were asked to consider

Journal entry reflects how you think Mama would have reacted. General details or no consideration to the 3 items are included

Journal does not reflect a reaction appropriate to what was read in the story, or it is not written from Mama’s perspective

Beyond Reading Activity_ Web Site Review

Notes page reflects review of all 4 websites, and multiple components of each website. Decision statement is based on experiences gained from the cyberlesson, and includes specific details supporting the decision from each source

Notes page reflects review of all 4 websites, and multiple components of each website. Decision statement is based on experiences gained from the cyberlesson, and includes specific details supporting the decision from each source

Notes page reflects a review of the basic information from all 4 sources.

Decision statement is based on general information gained from the cyberlesson, some specific but more general details are given.

Notes page reflects the review of some of the websites.

Decision statement is very general, and could have been written without any work being completed on the cyberlesson.

Beyond Reading Activity- What to bring review

Review was completed of your original list, specific details were given as to what you would change about your original list of what to bring

Review was completed of your original list, general details were given as to what you would change about your original list of what to bring

A statement was made about what you would change from your list, not real reasons were given

No statement was made about what you would change on your original list. Or no reason was given as to why you would not change what you had planned to bring.

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Credits

Text Credit:Dandelions By: Eve Bunting, Illustrated by: Greg Shed. Voyager Books, Harcourt, inc. 1995

Graphics/Graphic Organizer Credits:www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/eve-buntinghttp://www.gatewayno.com/history/images/la-purchase-large.jpghttp://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/graphic/timeline.pdf

http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210182/

http://www.historyglobe.com/ot/otmap1.htm

http://www.42explore2.com/oregon.htm

Website Credits:

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Teacher Page

This lesson could be implemented whole group, small group or individual students. The intention was for it to be done by small groups during guided reading as independent practice for higher level groups, and for guided reading with support for other groups.

The students for whom this lesson was intended are reading Grasshopper Summer by Ann Turner. This lesson can still be done by students who have not read that novel. Just remove the prediction and after reading activities that tie to the novel.