Unit 2

Second Grade Unit 2

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The Wild West

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Stories change when the setting changes. Literature set in various regions of the world or country portray the culture and the traditions of that area.

1. Research an interesting person from the 1800’s “wild west” and write an informational essay
2. Read tall tales and discuss
3. Read fantasy and chapter books set in different time periods of life in the west
4. Study art of George Catlin to understand Native Americans

Focus Standards:

1. RL.2.9: Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story by different authors or from different cultures.
2. RL.2.2: Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
3. RI.2.6: Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
4. W.2.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Questioning Stems: Narrative (literature) and informational texts questioning stems based on questions WITHIN, BEYOND, and ABOUT the texts, to be used throughout the unit.

Student “I Can” Statements:

1. I Can” create a list of collective nouns (e.g., herd, flock) related to animals and/or life in the West.
   

1. Suggested texts for this unit: (Literature A 1) (Informational Texts B 1)
   
2. Create a running list of collective nouns in this unit (e.g., a herd or drove of cows; a herd of horses; a flock of sheep; and a band, tribe, or nation of Native Americans) as you read stories throughout this unit.
   
3. Develop background knowledge by reading A Cache of Jewels by Ruth Heller on collective nouns. Using the information from the book, focus on the West and create a class chart or individual reference page with collective nouns of the West .
   
4. Have student make a list of their favorite animals on a t-chart. Have them describe what a group of their favorite animals would be called.
   
5. Create flash cards of collective nouns that could be used in center activities and as a resource for students to use in their writing.
   
6. In shared writing write several sentences comparing the use of singular nouns of the West and collective nouns. Have students independently write additional sentences. Herd of Words Lesson Plan, Worksheet Level 1 Writing , Level 3 Writing, Level 5 Writing, Level 5 Sample
   

2. “I Can” read Tall Tales and understand the distinct characteristics of each type of tale.
   

1. A website with many Tall Tales: (e.g., Pecos Bill, Birth of Paul Bunyan, Bear Lake Monster, etc.)
   
2. Introduce the genre of Tall Tales by explaining that they are stories about a special kind of hero who appear to be bigger than life. Even though the story is based on a real person, the person is exaggerated to be stronger or bigger than any real hero could ever be. Vocabulary: Define exaggerated and make a list of synonyms for exaggerated. As a class, think of traits that could be exaggerated to become a quality of a bigger than life hero. Use this graphic organizer to assist in these activities. (Graphic Organizer)
   
3. Tall Tales Book list for this unit.
   
4. After reading a number of Tall Tales or choose from World of Tales make a large Chart and so they can list common findings in a tall tale
   
5. After reading some tall tales brainstorm what a hero is and what a hero is not. Record your information on a t-chart.
   
6. Write a short opinion piece - Who is your favorite “Tall Tale” hero and why.
   
7. Go through Tall Tale flashcards in center time.
   
8. Compare/Contrast Modern Tall Tales Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett or Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak with the traditional Tall Tales. How are they similar and how are they different? (Graphic Organizer) After gathering the information, have students write a compare and contrast paper between new and traditional Tall Tales. Students will introduce the topic, use facts that support the topics, and provide a concluding statement or section.(Informative/Explanatory)
   
9. Create a Tall Tale hero that is based on different kinds of weather you learned about in Unit 1.
   
10. Explicitly teach students about temporal words to signal event order and how to use dialogue and details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings. In shared writing, do several examples of how you would use these in writing. Next, have students use the Tall Tale hero they created in #4 to write a (Narrative) Tall Tale. This would be a writing assignment that could take a longer period of time. A good one to take through the complete writing process.
    
11. Identify Tall Tales we have in our community -

1. Bear Lake Monster
2. Jim Bridger (discovering the Great Salt Lake)

12. List of literature text for this unit: (Literature A -1)
    

3. “I Can” compare and contrast an original fairy tale with one that has been rewritten in other

setting (i.e., Western)

1. List of Fairy Tales for this unit: (Literature A 1).
   
2. Explicitly teach the Characteristics of a Fairy Tale.
   
3. Use the fairy tale vocabulary words to discuss the characteristics of fairy tales
   
4. Read the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Anderson. Read another version of the story, The Cowboy and the Black-Eyed Pea by Tony Johnson. Before reading the second version, ask the students to pick out the things that are the same in the two stories and the things that are different. Record your findings on a T-Chart graphic organizer.
   
5. Independent Writing (Opinion) Have students decide which of the two books used in #1 that they like best. Have each students write an opinion paper. Have them introduce the topic, state an opinion, state the reasons for their opinion, and provide a concluding statement.
   
6. Read Jack and the Giant: A Story Full of Beans by Jim Harris. List the elements found in this story that match the characteristics of a fairy tale.
   
7. Use an interesting informational text, add some characteristics of fairy tales to turn it into a Fairy Tale.
   
8. Read Rumpelstiltskin by The Grimm Brothers. Next Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter by Diane Stanley - compare and contrast the two renditions. This is a good time to teach use of quotation marks as it relates to dialogue.
   
9. As a class take one of the fairy tales you have read and change it into a tall tale. Review the characteristics of both genres before writing.

IV. “I Can” read about life in the west and compare/contrast multiple perspectives.

1. Explore The West, it’s people. way of life, and it’s culture.

1. Cowboys and Native Americans
2. Cowboy Life
3. Cowboy and the Wild West
4. PBS Series on the West
   

2. Read a variety of texts, both narrative and informational. Make a running list of characteristic of the West that you find in the texts. Compare and contrast this running list to the information you discovered in #1. (Literature A 1) (Informational Texts B 1)
   
3. Cowboys and Fairy Tales: Interacting With Fractured Texas Tales Note: This lesson explores the way versions of fairy tales are created and challenges the students to create one of their own
   
4. Music of “Grand Canyon Suite” by Ferde Grofe- While listening to the music students will draw pictures of the Old West they visualize.

1. Sunrise
2. Painted Desert
3. On the Trail
4. Cloudburst
5. Sunset
   

5. Read the following books and record life in the west according to the book Matrix Graphic Organizer

1. The Goat in the Rug: by Geraldine As told to Charles L. Blood & Martin Link
2. Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson - integrate seasons, math, life cycles
3. Cassie’s Journey: Going West in the 1860’s by Brett Harvey
4. Look at the Old West
5. The Wild West
6. Legends of the West
   

6. Pass out “You Wouldn’t Want to Live in a Wild West Town!” graphic organizer. Have them circle one of the questions in each box and answer it as you read You Wouldn’t Want to Live in a Wild West Town! By Peter Hicks, David Salariya, and David Antram.
   
7. Song “Doin’ the Book Readin’ Boogie” to the Tune of “Boot Scootin’ Boogie: Lyrics by Becky Worwood.
8. Cowboy art reflect much about the culture of the Old West. Use Frederic Remington’s artwork to provide color to the understanding of the cowboy way of life.
   
9. Cowboy Poetry is a culture all of it’s own and it continues today.

1. How I Spent My Summer Vacation (Mark Teague) Resource #1 Resource #2 Resource#3
2. “Buffalo Dusk” (Carl Sandburg) Resource #1 Resource #2
3. “Home on the Range” (Brewster Higley) Resource #1 Resource #2
   

10. Here are some cowboy songs for this unit:

1. Multiple Cowboy Song Lyrics
2. “Git Along, Little Dogies” (Traditional Cowboy Ballad) Resource #1 Resource #2
   

11. Reading Rainbow: Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch Part 1-5Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, written by Trinka Hakes Noble, illustrated by Tony Ross. Looking for some diversion, a bored rancher drives to the town not knowing that he will miss a very eventful , surprise-filled day back at the ranch. LeVar experiences the Old West as he rides a stagecoach, visits an authentic western town, dons western garb, and watches a stunt woman do rope tricks on horseback.

V. “I Can” research and take notes about a real person from the 1800s,

1. Remind students that when they are doing research in the classroom, they start with question. Similarly, authors of informational books also begin their work with a question or the desire to explain something. Pick an informational book and model the type of questions that make good questions.
   
2. By reading the informational books during this unit, students learn about Native Americans, African Americans, and Caucasians during the 1800s in the “Wild West.” Give the students this prompt: “Write about the person most interesting to you from the Wild West days. You may use the graphic organizer (Report Form)
   
3. Use a character graphic organizer (Informative)
   
4. Create a wanted poster, resume, newspaper, trading card about the person they researched. (Informative)
   
5. Purple Mountain Majesties, The Story of Katharine Lee Bates and “America the Beautiful” by Barbara Younger - the story of her journey/song/descriptive words
   
6. Continue to use literature texts suggested for this unit: (Informational Texts B 1)
   
7. An Interactive Biographical Dictionary Profiling Men and Women Portrayed in "The West"
   
8. Online research for some Legions of the West: Annie Oakley Buffalo Bill #1 Buffalo Bill #2 Wild Bill Hickock #1 Wild Bill Hickock #2 Kit Carson #1 Kit Carson #2 Will Rogers #1 Will Rogers #2
   
9. Explicitly teach students how to take notes from a variety of print and digital sources (for this unit, the sources for life in the West); how to organize the notes by category; and how to summarize the information they have gathered. In shared reading and shared writing show them how to read for the purpose of writing. In shared writing engage students in the process of taking information to a written (Informative/Explanatory) piece. Have students take notes and then work in pairs, using both sets of notes, to create a short writing on an interesting aspect of life in the West.

VI. “I Can” write an informational essay based on my research about a real person in the 1800s and do a class presentation.

1. Student may use ideas and research from # V., for this research, or they may choose a different person.
   
2. Use the questioning cube to Roll a Research Question that students will use as they begin their research on a real person of the 1800s.
   
3. Use the Super 3 ideas to begin the research.
   
4. Organize research using Research Folders (sample picture) (These work well with Roll a Research Question)
   
5. This is a good resource to use to help students with organizing their ideas and beginning writing. “Write a Biography” (Informative)
   
6. Read Write Think Essay Map
   
7. This is a writing project that can be taken through the entire writing process. Remember, that editing for conventions comes only at the very end of the process, prior to publishing.

VII. “I Can” use informational texts to answer the questions “who, what, where, when, why and how.”

1. Do a pre-reading activity with the book Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin’ Cowboy (Andrea Davis Pinkney, which is a true story of an African-American cowboy. Have the students think of questions they may have and record them in the six-column chart with the questions . Read the book all the way through without stopping for the first reading of the text. Then, read the book again, stopping at points when questions are answered. Record answers in the six categories.
   
2. Design a question/answer book from the following text that have been read in class or by individual. (Informational Texts B 1) suggested texts or other informational texts that match the theme.
   
3. Introduce students to other parts of informational text features by using the “Text Features Purpose Chart” (Sara) and the Text Structure and Features chart.

VIII. “I Can” recognize the contribution made by the artist George Catlin, who captured the way of life of Native Americans of the plains.

1. Explain to the students that George Catlin was a famous artist who traveled out west on horseback during the 1800s to paint pictures of Native Americans. Display several of his works. Ask questions about what he was trying to depict and why. Visit the Virtual Museum to experience several pieces of art. Also use the following links to Catlin’s art:

George Catlin, The White Cloud, Head Chief of the Iowas (1830-1870)

George Catlin, A Comanche Family Outside Their Teepee (1841)

Edward S. Curtis, Cheyenne Maiden (1930)

Edward S. Curtis, A Smoky Day at the Sugar Bowl-Hupa (1923)

Help students understand how you can gather information from artwork and combine it with written information to get a deep understanding of culture and people. Use information as part of writing activities.

2. Use the Video of conserving a George Catlin painting to help students understand his work.
   
3. Connection: State Fine Arts Core 2nd grade: “Ranchos Church” by Georgia O’Keeffe
   
4. Connection: State Fine Arts Core 2nd grade: “Black Earthenware Bowl” (or other works) by Maria Martinez
   
5. Connection: Integrate social studies and rocks units. Read Rocks, Rocks, Rocks by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor and Roxaboxen by Alice Mclerran and Barbara Cooney, and having students build a city with rocks; utilize City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo to compare the differences communities can make in their area and how it affects people.
   
6. For all connections, include writing of from all three genres, opinion, informative/explanatory, narrative.
   
7. Draw Me a Story. The Sun and the Moon.
   
8. (Finger Paints) The Sun and the Moon used to live on the earth where the Sioux Indians had set their teepees. But things changed when the two came to realize that they were as different as night and day. They often argued until finally one day they had such a serious falling out that the Sun decided to move to the sky. When the Moon found out, it was beside itself with envy and decided to do the same thing. The Sun and the Moon never again exchanged another word and from that time on, the Moon follows the Sun where ever it goes, day after day.
   
9. Reading Rainbow: The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush Parts 1-5
   
10. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Little Gopher follows his destiny, as revealed in a Dream-Vision, of becoming an artist for his people and eventually is able to bring the colors of the sunset down to the earth.
    
11. Reading Rainbow: And Still the Turtle Watched Parts 1-5
    
12. And Still the Turtle Watched, written by Sheila MacGill-Callahan, illustrated by Barry Moser. A turtle carved in rock on a bluff over a river by Indians long ago, watches with sadness the changes man brings over the years.

IX. “I Can” read chapter books in the fantasy genre, paying careful attention to the varied voices of the characters.

1. Introduce the story about a modern day cowgirl, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman. Ask students to think, as they read the first chapter, about whether this story could really happen or if it is a fantasy. As a class, define fantasy in student friendly terms. Other books that would also lend themselves to this idea are:

Poppy by Avi

Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary

Stuart Little by E. B. White

2. Students compare two characters in a story and say the same phrases while pretending to be the different characters. (e.g., “It’s mine”, “I’m tired”, “Give it to me”, “I’ll help”). One saying it with a kind tone and one saying it with a sarcastic or mean tone of voice .
   
3. Explicitly teach how emotions influence voice in our language as well as in stories. A resource to use is: Emotions Lesson Using Voice from Scholastic
   
4. Fairy Tale Voice - after reading “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs”, and “Beware of the Bears” by Alan MacDonald have students discuss the tone of voice in each text. Record the comparisons on a chart.
   
5. Students will write an original Fairy Tale with 3 little creatures and one bad creature. Students will decide which character they will use as the “voice” for their fairy tale.
   
6. Read the book “No David” by David Shannon. Use it to discuss expressing emotion. In groups have the students think about a sports event and create a role play of the emotions associated with winning the game, losing the game. etc. What emotions do they feel? for each of the scenarios? Also, use this lesson plan for No David.
   
7. Two Great On Line Sources:

1. Stories Online
2. Kiddie Records