Dandelions A Reminder of Home

1. Dandelions A Reminder of Home A Reminder of Home TITLE: Dandelions AUTHOR: Eve Bunting Illustrated By: Greg Shed Cyberlesson Prepared by: Heather Earley Recommended for grade 5 Presented by: Heather Earley Recommended Grade Level: 5 Picture Courtesy of www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/eve-bunting

2. Return Home Let’s continue 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.

3. Return Home Let’s continue Materials Computer with Internet Connection Oregon Trail Explorer Site Thinkquest Oregon Trail Map of the Trail and Landmarks Oregon Trail PBS Dandelions By Eve Bunting Pioneer Reader Response Journal Pencil

4. Return Home Let’s continue 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.

5. 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

6. Return Home Let’s continue 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.

7. Journey Timeline

8. Return Home Let’s continue 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

9. Return Home Let’s continue 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 Site Thinkquest Oregon Trail Map of the Trail and Landmarks Oregon Trail PBS • 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 • 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.

10. Rubric Return Home Let’s continue

11. Return Home Let’s continue 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-bunting http://www.gatewayno.com/history/images/la-purchase-large.jpg http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/graphic/timeline.pdf Website Credits: http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210182/ http://www.42explore2.com/oregon.htm http://www.historyglobe.com/ot/otmap1.htm

12. Return Home Let’s continue 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 Summerby 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.