Christine A. Elmore
How did the wolf get such a bad rap? In this unit we will be exploring the very rich topic of wolves, from the endangered gray and red wolves and their role in fragile ecosystems, to the unvarying image of the wolf found in traditional fairy tales. To gain a more in-depth perspective on the portrayal of the wolf over time, I have included two excellent texts in my research:
Picturing the Wolf in Children's Literature
(2012) by Debra Mitts-Smith and
Wolf
(2012) by Garry Marvin. These recent publications suggest that this topic remains a timely issue of high interest to many.
Reading literature and informational texts requires different skills, and so my unit will include a variety of book response activities in which students can explore the different features and structure encountered in each text type. This curriculum unit will be interdisciplinary in scope, incorporating reading, history, science, writing and art.
My unit will be divided into four sections:
Section 1: How did wolves get such a bad rap?
Section 2: From fiction…
Section 3: …to fact
Section 4: Being an activist
(Developed for Reading/Language Arts, grade 1; recommended for Reading/Language Arts, grades 1-8)
