Exploring the Iditarod
and Responding to Literature with Woodsong
Loren Van De Griek
Read Write Think Lesson
Exploring the Iditarod
Loren Van De Griek
Lesson
Exploring the Iditarod and Responding to Literature with Woodsong
Estimated Time – 8 sessions @ 45 min – 1 hour each
Grade 6 – 8
Standards
NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts
1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of
themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to
respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment.
Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an
understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human
experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts.
They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their
knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their
understanding of textual features (e.g., sound–letter correspondence, sentence structure, context,
graphics).
4.
Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style,
vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of
literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for
learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
NC Standards
1.05 Read independently daily from self-selected materials (consistent with the student's independent
reading level) to:
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increase fluency.
build background knowledge.
expand and refine vocabulary.
2.02 Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
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making predictions.
formulating questions.
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Exploring the Iditarod
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supporting answers from textual information, previous experience, and/or other sources.
drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
seeking additional information.
making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
2.05 Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and generalizations and provide evidence by referencing the text(s).
Abstract
While following the Iditarod race, from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, students will use
comprehension strategies to become more experienced readers as they read and respond to
Gary Paulsen’s Woodsong.
Overview
In a small group (13 – 15 students) setting, students will learn new vocabulary, read
independently, discuss, and respond to Woodsong along with following the Iditarod race.
Students will demonstrate their comprehension of the autobiography by using their prior
knowledge to make predictions and connections. They will draw conclusions based on details
from the story and make comparisons as well as find differences using details and make
inferences. This lesson makes vast use of the strategies students need in order for them to
delve deeper into a book.
From Theory to Practice
Experienced readers use specific strategies while reading in order to understand the texts they
read. When teachers include response activities along with comprehension strategies in their
instruction, students will become more aware of their own strategic reading. Lauren Aimonette
Liang and Lee Galda explain how predicting is an integral part of responding to literature. This
lesson is designed to remind students to use their predicting strategy and responding
techniques every time they read whether inside or outside of class.
Aimonette Liang, L, & Galda, L. (2009). Responding and comprehending: reading with delight and
understanding [The Reading Teacher, 63(4) pp. 330-333]. (PDF), Retrieved from
http://www.reading.org/Publish.aspx?page=RT-63-4Liang.html&mode=retrieve&D=10.1598/RT.63.4.9&F=RT-63-4-Liang.html&key=48F48120-B404-4039B9FF-F12FCBD57E5E#
Reading is strategic. Reading is thinking. Therefore, comprehension means that readers have
to think not only about what they are reading but about what they are learning as well.
Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis say that when readers construct meaning they are
building their store of knowledge and they are doing this by activating their prior knowledge and
making connections, by questioning, by making inferences, and by determining what is
important.
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work second edition teaching comprehension for
understanding and engagement. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
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Exploring the Iditarod
Student Objectives
Students will:
1. learn a variety of new vocabulary words
2. improve comprehension by responding to an assortment of strategic questions by:
a. accessing prior knowledge & making predictions
b. drawing conclusions
c. making inferences
d. making personal connections
e. comparing and contrasting
3. improve comprehension by reading and discussing the story
4. analyze the main character (Gary Paulsen)
5. learn about the Iditarod race
Instructional Plan
Resources
Materials:
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Woodsong by Gary Paulsen
Chart paper & markers
Students’ response journals (optional)
Activeboard (optional)
Student Interactives:
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Biocube http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/bio_cube/
Bio-cube planning sheet
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/bio_cube/biocube_planning.pdf
Websites:
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Gary Paulsen (http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/)
The official site of the Iditarod Race (http://www.iditarod.com/)
Carol Hurst (http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/woodsong.htm)
Printouts:
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Anticipation Guide
Chapters 1 & 2 vocabulary words and response questions
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Exploring the Iditarod
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Chapters 3 & 4 vocabulary words and response questions
Chapters 5 & 6 vocabulary words and response questions
Chapters 7 & 8 vocabulary words and response questions
Days 1 – 6 vocabulary words and response questions
Days 7 – 17 vocabulary words and response questions
Tests to go along with above
Character Traits
Bio-Cube Planning Sheet
Preparation
1. IMPORTANT – the Iditarod Race officially starts the 1st Saturday in March, so if you want
to do this unit in conjunction with the race be aware
2. Familiarize yourself with Woodsong by Gary Paulsen. Read Carol Hurst’s review,
because the student’s will make their predictions based on this. Each student will need
a copy of this book. I feel it is best to do this unit with a small to medium size group (no
more than 15 students). For background information about the author, including his
journal entries from when he ran the Iditarod race, visit his website:
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/
3. Familiarize yourself with the Iditarod race and the website by visiting the official website:
www.iditarod.com. There you will find tons of information on the mushers, rules for the
race, the checkpoints, mushing terminology, Iditarod facts & trivia, the daily weather, and
much, much more.
a. You may want to make handouts for your students with some of this information
4. Visit and familiarize yourself with the Biocube tool on the Read Write Think website.
This is an interactive website. This will be done at the end of the novel. Make a copy of
the Character Traits worksheet for each student to use as a reference and the Bio-Cube
Planning Sheet.
5. If you do not have classroom computers available for students to use, you will need to
reserve one 45- to 60-minute session in your school’s computer lab for the interactive
Bio-Cube. If you do not have Active boards, you may want to reserve 2 days. Make
sure the computers you will be using have Flash Player.
6. Make copies of Anticipation Guide for all students.
7. Make copies of all response questions & vocabulary words for all sections. This may be
put together in a response journal or you may keep and hand out individually. It is up to
you.
8. Make copies of tests for each section and give out as you read each section.
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Exploring the Iditarod
Instruction & Activities
Before Reading
1. Introduce the Iditarod race by having students fill out the Anticipation Guide. Remind
them that there is no right or wrong answer. It is just their opinion of whether they agree
with the statement or not. Make sure they do not discuss their answers with their
neighbors. Collect these and keep them, because at the end of the unit they will fill them
out again.
2. Build background knowledge of Iditarod Race with the information you gathered from
Iditarod.com. This will vary but may include:
a. mushing terminology:
i. booties – type of sock that is made to protect the dog’s feet from small
cuts and sores
ii. dog in basket – tired or injured dog carried in the sled
iii. come gee! / come haw! – commands for 180` turns in either direction
iv. line out! command to lead dog to pull the team out straight from the sled –
used mostly while hooding dogs into team or unhooking them
v. trail! request for right-of-way on the trail
b. Iditarod Facts (you can find on Iditarod.com)
i. What does Iditarod mean? – clear water and was named by Shageluk
Indians for the Iditarod River
ii. 1st race to Nome started March 3 1973.
iii. team’s average 16 dogs, which means over 1,000 dogs leave Anchorage
for Nome
iv. 26 checkpoints on northern route & 27 checkpoints on southern
v. red lantern is awarded to last musher to finish
3. If you do not have access to an Active board, have Carol Hurst’s review of Woodsong
readily accessible for students to see. Read and discuss it so students understand what
she means by “book about ignorance” and “avoids anthropomorphizing his animals.”
(She means that Paulsen learns a great deal from his dogs but also from the
animals in the wild. He thought he knew a great deal, but he sure didn’t.
Anthropomorphizing means to give a nonhuman thing a human form, human
characteristics or human behavior) Then, have students write their predictions. Be
sure to remind them that they are predicting what happens to Gary Paulsen. This is an
autobiography; what do they think he encounters on his adventures, what trouble, what
does he learn?
4. Once the predictions have been completed, have students share with a partner first and
then discuss as a group. Did anyone have any predictions the same? Were any
predictions far off? Make a class chart on the chart paper and post it in the class for
everyone to see. While reading, check back with the prediction chart periodically.
~ The following lessons can be modified. You may assign reading or questions as homework,
but be careful because you never know exactly who is doing the work. ~
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Exploring the Iditarod
During Reading
1. Every day you will want to check in with Iditarod.com. You may want to assign mushers
to each student and they may check on their mushers at home if they have Internet
access. The students get very excited to see who is in first place. You may want to
have a chart in your room somewhere to show this. This is up to you, or you may just
want to check in periodically.
2. Either pass out the questions and vocabulary as a Reader Response Journal (everything
is stapled together) or individually according to each section. Each section will basically
be run the same – the goal is to have students comprehend and become more
experienced readers as they read and respond to literature
3. Vocabulary: you may have your way of doing vocabulary, but this is how I do it
a. I give the dictionary definition & discuss it
b. I choose a student to give a “kid-friendly” definition
c. Students write their definition down in the response journal or on paper labeled
Chapters 1&2 Vocabulary
d. I ask questions according to the word
i. Who would use this word in their job?
ii. If you’d be happy to be _________, then clap.
iii. I’d have someone show me an example of the word.
e. Students write a sentence using the word.
4. Students read independently Chapters 1 & 2
5. Students answer questions for Chapters 1 & 2 independently
6. Discuss questions for Chapters 1 & 2
7. Test on Chapters 1 & 2
** For numbers 4 & 5, you may have students work with partners or you may decide to read a
section aloud. However, I would only do this once in awhile because of the goal. I would
concentrate on having the students reading independently and answering those questions with
deep thought concentrating on making connections, drawing conclusions, making inferences,
and comparing and contrasting.
Repeat #1 daily and #s 3 – 7 for each section on your time.
After Reading –
1. Discuss the planning sheet orally together as a whole class
a. Personal background – visit Gary’s website (again if you don’t have an active
board, this may be done in your school’s computer lab)
b. Give out the Character Traits worksheet and discuss some traits that describe
Gary Paulsen. List these on the board. Make sure the students give evidence /
details from the story. Some examples may be: determined – pg 29, he dragged
himself back and untangled the dogs, crawled back in and tied himself down;
absentminded – pg 40, he threw a stick at a bear
c. Significance – (importance)
d. Biggest Obstacle
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Exploring the Iditarod
2.
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e. Important Quotation
Give out planning sheet to students and have them fill out independently but encourage
them to refer back to the book for details
Complete the Bio-Cube Interactive at the Read Write Think website
Revisit the Anticipation Guide again – Make sure students are honest when answering
the questions. Discuss their answers. Did answers change?
Have students get into small groups and discuss the story? What were their feelings?
Did they like the book? If so, what did they like? What was their favorite part? What
didn’t they like? Have they ever read Gary Paulsen before? Would they ever read him
again? Why/Why not?
Visit www.iditarod.com one final time (if race has not finished, you may or may not want
to visit again) to see how the race is going.
Extensions
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Create an Iditarod Check point brochure that includes its population, miles from
Anchorage, miles from Nome, description, points of interest, and any interesting facts.
In groups of 3, students will choose a book on the Iditarod and read and write questions
for it using the ones they did for Woodsong as a guide.
Reserve time in computer lab and students can explore www.iditarod.com – they can
make graphs for – weather, results of race
Student Assessment / Reflections
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Tests at the end of each section will be used as an assessment tool. This will easily let
you know if the student is comprehending the story or not.
Observations during the class discussions will also be a big indicator of who is
comprehending the story and who is not – be sure to take anecdotal notes during this
time.
Review the students’ planning sheet for the Bio-Cube and give him or her feedback on
them so students can make sure they will spell words correctly on the interactive.
Periodically collect the response journals or the individual papers to see if students are
fully understanding the story and using their strategies while reading. This will help
determine where their weaknesses are.
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