Leah's Pony
Bibliography
Friedrich, Elizabeth, and Michael Garland. Leah's Pony. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills, 1996. Print.
Friedrich, Elizabeth, and Michael Garland. Leah's Pony. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills, 1996. Print.
Target Audience
5th Grade
5th Grade
Academic Vocabulary
Auctioneer-a person who is hired to run a public sale
Bid- the amount of money that is offered to buy something
Clutched- held tightly
Glistened-shone or sparkled
Galloped-ran at a horse’s or pony’s top speed
Auctioneer-a person who is hired to run a public sale
Bid- the amount of money that is offered to buy something
Clutched- held tightly
Glistened-shone or sparkled
Galloped-ran at a horse’s or pony’s top speed
Genre
Historical fiction
Historical fiction
Summary
In the 1930’s the Dust Bowl affected a lot of families. Leah’s was no exception. Leah loves her pony more than anything. Leah’s papa is struggling with the farm, and can’t grow or sell crops because of a drought. The bank is threatening to take their farm and action it off, along with their other possessions. On the day of the auction, Leah has come up with enough money to buy the tractor, but she had to give up something really special to her- her pony. The story shows students what a little girl gave up in order to help her family during a really tough time.
In the 1930’s the Dust Bowl affected a lot of families. Leah’s was no exception. Leah loves her pony more than anything. Leah’s papa is struggling with the farm, and can’t grow or sell crops because of a drought. The bank is threatening to take their farm and action it off, along with their other possessions. On the day of the auction, Leah has come up with enough money to buy the tractor, but she had to give up something really special to her- her pony. The story shows students what a little girl gave up in order to help her family during a really tough time.
Literary Concepts
Character, setting, plot, theme, problem and solution, inference, imagery
Character, setting, plot, theme, problem and solution, inference, imagery
Activity
Students could complete an activity called “Building Meaning One Word at a Time”. Students will be given a list of words from the story. Students are to put the words on the graphic organizer where they think they go, either under character, setting, problem, solution, or unknown. They are then to write a story using their graphic organizer they just created. Have a couple of volunteers explain what is on their paper. Make a list of the words that the students placed in the “unknown” box.
Read the story, Leah’s Pony. When you come to a word that is on the “unknown” list, have the students try and figure out the meaning of the word using context clues. Have students write the meaning of the word beside of it in the “unknown” box.
Students could complete an activity called “Building Meaning One Word at a Time”. Students will be given a list of words from the story. Students are to put the words on the graphic organizer where they think they go, either under character, setting, problem, solution, or unknown. They are then to write a story using their graphic organizer they just created. Have a couple of volunteers explain what is on their paper. Make a list of the words that the students placed in the “unknown” box.
Read the story, Leah’s Pony. When you come to a word that is on the “unknown” list, have the students try and figure out the meaning of the word using context clues. Have students write the meaning of the word beside of it in the “unknown” box.
Assessment
For an assessment for this activity, students could make a list of all of the unknown vocabulary words and write them in their own words, rather than the definitions that I provide them with. This will allow me to see if students truly understand the meaning of the words, or they are simply memorizing definition. I could also have them write the words in a new sentence.
For an assessment for this activity, students could make a list of all of the unknown vocabulary words and write them in their own words, rather than the definitions that I provide them with. This will allow me to see if students truly understand the meaning of the words, or they are simply memorizing definition. I could also have them write the words in a new sentence.
Integration
History: History is easily integrated into this book. The book takes place during the Dust Bowl. The book could be used to show students what people went through during the Dust Bowl.
Geography: Geography could also be integrated into the lesson. Students could locate where the Dust Bowl took place, and look at geographical features that may have caused or attributed to the Dust Bowl.
History: History is easily integrated into this book. The book takes place during the Dust Bowl. The book could be used to show students what people went through during the Dust Bowl.
Geography: Geography could also be integrated into the lesson. Students could locate where the Dust Bowl took place, and look at geographical features that may have caused or attributed to the Dust Bowl.