Literature Focus Unit on Dogs

by: Chris Klemisch

Literature Selections Fiction/Nonfiction

• My puppy is born by Joanna Cole & Margaret Miller• Any kind of dog by Lynn Reiser• Clifford the big red dog by Norman Bridwell• Clifford counts 1,2,3 Board Book by Norman Bridwell• Two dogs swimming by Lynn Reiser• Tiny the snow dog by Cari Meister & Rich Davis• Caring for your dog by Jill Foran• Dirty Dog Boogie by Loris Lesynski• Marley: A dog like no other by John Grogan

Unit Plan• Dogs and members of the dog family

characteristics/traits/habitats• Exposure to dogs• Research and write about members of

dog family• Key concepts about dogs: food,

shelter, needs, members of family• Projects involving different types of

assessment of students understanding

Six Language Arts

Writing

Visually Representing

Viewing

Reading

Listening

Talking

Dogs

Introduction to lesson

Show & tell

Story about dogs & dog family member

Dog catcher

Communicating in group projections

Group and independent reading

Internet research

Free time

Poem

Report on member of dog family

Write and illustrate story about a dog

Movie

Tag

Animal Movements

Math surveys & graphs

Art projects

Video

Internet research

Surveys & graphs

Listening to directions

Books on tape

Sharing work

Video

Cross-Curricular Ideas

Physical Education

Math

Language Arts

Music

Art

Science

Dogs

Dog word problems

Graph weights ofmembers of dog family

Create survey of the different pets within the classroom & number of pets

Play dog catcher

Make variety of animal movements

Draw & color picture of a dog

Draw & paint picture ofdog family & their habitat

Teach & sing How much is that doggie in the window

Have students in groups write & performsongs about dogs or member of dog family

Dog & dog family behaviors/habitats

Compare & contrast dogs versus humans using websites

Write & illustrate story about dogs in groupsHave show & tell with students dogsWrite paper on likes & dislikes of dogsDo two book reports using books from literature selectionWrite & present paper on member of dog family in groupsWrite poem about dogs using the I remember format

Strategies• Tapping prior knowledge: use what students know about

dogs as they listen, read, write, and view.• Organize ideas: into their papers and poems• Making connections: students will relate what they are

listening to, reading, or viewing about dogs and books they have read.

• Predicting: students will make predictions about what will happen as they are reading.

• Summarize: their ideas about members of dog family.• Evaluating: students will look over their projects and

discover what they didn’t know before.

Skills• Write• Study• Comprehension• Language• Reference

TechnologyComputers with internet access• http://encarta.msn.com/enclyclopedia_761569837/

Dog_Family.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?

title=Dog&oldid=131067548• www.first-school.ws/activities/animals/pets/

tributedog.htmTape player/tapes• Clifford the big red dog• Marley: A dog like no otherTV/VCR/Tape• 101 Dalmatians

GroupingIndividual activities• Have students compare and

contrast dogs & humans• Draw and color pictures of dog• Have students write paper on

what dogs like and need• Read a variety of books on dogs

and do book reports• Poem

Small-Group Activities• Write and illustrate story about

dogs• Write and present paper on

member of dog family• Have students write and perform

song about dogs in small group• Books on tape

Whole group• Discussion about dogs• Read aloud My puppy is born• Play Dog Catcher• Sing “How much is that doggie

in the window” song• Make a list of likes and dislikes

dogs• Spelling test using dog related

words• 101 Dalmatians

Lesson PlanMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

AM LA-(WG)-introduce dog

lesson

LA-(SG)-students will create KLW

chart & write paper on

member of dog family

LA-(I)-write paper on likes & dislikes of

dogs

LA-(SG)-write & illustrate story about

dogs

LA-(WG)-read My puppy is born to the

class

Music-(WG)-teach & sing

dog song

LA-(SG)-peer editing

Music-(SG)-write & sing

own song about dog or dog family member

LA-(SG)-peer editing

LA-(WG)-present paper on dog family

Science-(I)-list websites & write paper

about favorite kind of dog

LA-(I)-write a poem about

dog in I remember

format

Science-(I)-compare & contrast

humans & dogs

LA-(I)-three book reports on dog books

Math-(I)-have students complete

worksheet using dog

word problems

PM PE-(WG)-explain & have

class demonstrate a variety of any kind of animal

movements

LA-(WG)-give spelling test

on dog related words

Art-(I)-have students draw

& color pictures of dog

LA-(I)-listen to books on tape

PE-(WG)-play dog catcher

Math-(I)-make bar graphs using dog

family members weight

LA-(WG)-watch movie on 101 Dalmatians

Math-(WG)-make a survey of the different pets within the

classroom

Art-(I)-draw & paint picture of dog family

member & their habitat

LA-(WG)-show and tell

Free time

Assessment• Observation of interaction & communication

within groups• 6 + 1 Writing Traits (Stories and Poems)• Spelling test with dog related words• Math graphs/surveys (dog family member

weight/number of pets)• Check for understanding by prompting

questions to the class as a group• Report on member of dog family (Rubric)• Poem (checklist)

Lesson Plan

Dog CatcherGrade Level: 2nd-4th Subject Area: Physical EducationMaterials Needed: • 1 dog catcher hat, 2-4 dog bones, two hula hoopsStandards: • 4.1.3 Know how to use space to move safely in different directions at various speeds• 4.1.4 Use control in locomotor activitiesObjectives: • Students will play the game safely and use a variety of non-locomotor skills such as walking,

running, and skippingLearning Activities:

– One student is chosen to be the dog catcher and wears his hat. Three other students will carry dog bones. They are the rescue dogs.

– When the game starts the dog catcher will attempt to tag students by chasing them.– When the dog catcher catches a student, they will go to the pound (inside the hula hoops).

To get out of the pound the students carrying the bone must hand it to one of the students in the pound.

– Once they are free from the pound, that student becomes one of the rescue dogs.– Rescue dogs cannot be tagged by the dog catcher. Play for as long as the teacher sees fit

before choosing a new dog catcher and rescue dogs.Variations:• Have multiple dog catchers• Instead of running, have the children use other locomotor skills such as walking or skipping.• Either take a dog pound away or take a rescue dog awayAssessment:• Observe locomotor skills.• Observe students to make sure they are playing safely in the gym.Reflection:

How much is

that doggie in

the window?

– How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)– The one with the waggley tail– How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)– I do hope that doggie's for sale

– I must take a trip to California– And leave my poor sweetheart alone– If he has a dog, he won't be lonesome– And the doggie will have a good home

– How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)– The one with the waggley tail– How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)– I do hope that doggie's for sale

– I read in the paper there are robbers (roof! roof!)– With flashlights that shine in the dark– My love needs a doggie to protect him– And scare them away with one bark

– I don't want a bunny or a kitty– I don't want a parrot that talks– I don't want a bowl of little fishies [Try our Swim

with the Goldfish activity!]– He can't take a goldfish for a walk

– How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)– The one with the waggley tail– How much is that doggie in the window? (arf! arf!)– I do hope that doggie's for sale– I do hope that doggie's for sale– __________________________________– Note:– Arf! Arf! sounds like a small dog.– Roof! Roof! sounds like a bigger dog.