Through this prose poem, Gary Paulsen shares the joy and beauty of a moonlit winter night as a team of dogs pulls a sled taking the reader on a ride through the snow, into and out of the woods.

Dragonfly Books

Before Reading:

*Open up the book and show the front and back cover…ask for connections or background knowledge. (Perhaps students will connect to Iditarod or Iditaread if your class is participating)

 *Share the dedication page….predict who Storm might be. (How do we know author is not talking about a storm? Capitalized, proper noun…)

 *Have students talk with a partner and predict where the dogs will go and what may happen in the story. Have a couple of students share different ideas with the group.

 Tell students that this may look like a picture book with a story, but it is actually written like a poem. Higher grades can discuss/list elements of a poem and watch for examples of these elements.

 Read the story/poem once straight through for enjoyment. Stop reading at “we are not alone” and have students talk to partner about what may happen….have some students share their ideas with the group.

After Reading:

Vocabulary: Use context clues and then dictionary if not sure.

Harness- harnesses

sled

Tugs

Gangline

runners

Sample discussion questions:

1. (detail) Where did the dogs travel in the story?
2. What does the author mean when he says, “They tremble.”
3. (infer) The author refers to songs several times in the story. Who is singing these songs and what do the songs mean?
4. (detail) What holds the dogs back from running?
5. (infer) What does the author mean when he says, “The dance.”
6. (vocab) What does the author mean when the wolves pace …..
7. (draw conclusion) How do the dogs feel at the end of the book?
8. (infer) Who do you think Storm is and why do you think this?
9. What do you think the author’s purpose is for writing this poem/story? No idea? Read “About the Author” and see if the students can then answer the question.

Writing Mini-lesson: Word Choice

Read story a second time and encourage the students to listen to the words the author has chosen to help show the reader what is happening. You can list words and phrases on chart paper that students say help them create a picture in their mind. Example: full moon, bright, can read in the dark, straining, heaving, whipping, no sound, high-soft-shusshh-whine, soft jingle…..

Students can then use this list to help revise these sentences using better word choice. Younger students can work in pairs. Students can pick a sentence, revise it and then illustrate it or have students illustrate and color first and then revise sentence using their picture. Encourage students to pay attention to their word choice in their future writing… 

1. The moon was out.
2. The sled moves through the trees.
3. The dogs run over the ice.
4. The air is cold.
5. The dogs run on and on.
6. It is cold outside.
7. The dogs are happy.
8. The run is over.

 Accommodation/modification: Sequencing

Have the sentences above cut into strips and mixed up. Have pair of students reread book together putting slips in order to form simple story. Have student glue into booklet and illustrate.

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