Backyard Horses Teaching Plan
Book #1: Horse Dreams
Book #2: Cowboy Colt
Book #3: Chasing Dream
Book #4: Night Mare
By Dandi Daley Mackall
Reading Comprehension Questions
General Questions:
1. What do you think is the main point or theme of Horse Dreams? (Possible answer:
Sometimes our dreams come true in different ways than we expect)
2. What do you think is the main point or theme of Cowboy Colt? (Possible answer: True
friends stick by each other no matter what.)
3. What do you think is the main point or theme of Chasing Dream? (Possible answer:
Family sticks together especially in time of need; God loves us unconditionally.)
4. What do you think is the main point or them of Night Mare? (Even when things seem
dark and horrible, we should do our best and keep the faith)
5. Who’s the main character in the series? How do you know? (Ellie)
6. Who’s telling the stories? In what point of view? (Ellie, first-person point of view)
7. Plot is often defined as a character trying to get what he or she wants. What does Ellie
want in each book? How does she try to get it? What obstacles get in the way?
8. If you could meet Ellie, what would you ask her? (Answers will vary.)
9. Who is your favorite character? Why? (See art activity.)
10. Which of the four books in the series is your favorite? Why?
Activities
(Note: Activities are listed by subject area and by increasing difficulty level.)
Alphabetizing
Put the names of these characters from Backyard Horses in alphabetical order.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ellie
Colt
Larissa
Ethan
5. Mary Louise
6. Lenny
7. Bev
8. Munch
9. Ashley
10. Dream
Compound Words
A compound word is one word that is made up of two other words. In the list below, circle the
words from Backyard Horses that are compound words. Next to each compound word, write the
two words that make up the compound word.
daydreaming
racehorse
classroom
saddle
gallop
ponytail
friends
Rhyming Words
Ellie’s father needs help with his next jingle! List five words that rhyme with ad.
Now, from the list below, pick out the five words that rhyme with Dream.
team
scream
mean
seem
gallop
lean
steam
stream
stable
Sayings
Ellie’s mom is known for her funny sayings. What do you think she means when she says the
following phrases? Can you make up a phrase that means the same thing?
“I’m as tired as a two-pound hen with a three-pound egg.” (She’s very tired; she feels like a hen
that is carrying a baby hen that is bigger than its mother. Sample phrase: I’m as tired as an eightpound dog carrying a ten-pound puppy.)
“That woman has more energy in her little finger than two people combined.”
“Mary Louise is as nervous as a turkey at Thanksgiving.”
Art
Have students create character cards for their favorite character in Horse Dreams. They should
draw a picture of the character on the front of the card; on the back side, they should list things
about their character such as favorite hobbies, favorite people, life goals. (While students can
make up the character’s favorites, they should have examples from the book to support their
choices.)
Sign Language
Using the sign language alphabet at the back of the book, ask students to practice signing the
alphabet and their first names. Then sign different names and have the class guess which
student’s name you are signing.