Image of a dog riding a horse
Shutterstock.com (Background); Eden Hall/Courtesy of Francesca Carsen (Jump)
Picture This,

Giddy Up, Horse and Pup

From the February 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will use nonfiction text features to get information from pictures and text.

Lexiles: 360L
Featured Skill: Key Details,
Vocabulary: gentle
Topic: Social Studies,
Common Core Standards
  • RF.1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words RI.1.3 Describe the connection between two ideas or pieces of information in a text RI.1.4 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meanings of words RI.1.5 Know and use various text features to locate information RI.1.6 Distinguish between information from words and information from images RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults
TEKS Standards
  • Health (3) Mental health and wellness—social and emotional health. The student identifies and applies strategies to develop socio-emotional health, self-regulation, and healthy relationships. The student is expected to: (D) describe ways in which peers and families can work together to build healthy relationships.

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Eden Hall/Courtesy of Francesca Carsen

Isobell Springett/From the book The Great Adventures of Dally and Spanky by Francesca Carsen

Spanky is a mini horse. He was not very gentle. He would kick and bite. That changed when he met Dally the dog. One day, she jumped onto Spanky! The little horse did not seem to mind. 

Isobell Springett/From the book The Great Adventures of Dally and Spanky by Francesca Carsen

Spanky let Dally ride on him. 

He was gentle and calm with a puppy pal on his back. They even learned to do tricks and jump together. 

A good friend can make you feel good!

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Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
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About the Article

English Language Arts Focus 

Nonfiction text features: photographs & labels

English Language Arts Focus

Animal behaviors

Vocabulary

gentle

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

Whole Group

Pairings and Text Connections

  • In this issue: “Alike and Different: The Fastest and Slowest Animals”
  • From the Storyworks archive: ”Early Reader Fiction: Turtle’s Race With Bear,” October/November 2023; “Big Read-Aloud: Dogs to the Rescue!,” September 2022
  • Suggested books: The Great Adventures of Dally and Spanky by Francesca Carsen; Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry; Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff

Before-Reading Resources

  • Video: Dally and Spanky (7 minutes) Use this video to build background knowledge and excitement.

Suggested Reading Focus

Information from text and images/nonfiction text features (20 minutes)
  • Take a close look at the photo of Dally and Spanky. Ask children to share what they notice about it. Explain that we can get information from pictures.
  • Remind children that labels point to part of the picture and tell us more about it. Have children find the labels and follow the arrows with their fingers. Read the labels together.
  • Read the mini article for more facts about the animal friends.
  • Finally, discuss what children learned about Dally and Spanky from both the picture and the words in the article. What can they recall? What was most surprising?

After-Reading Skills Practice

  • Skills: Getting information from text and images; main idea/friendship (15 minutes)

Extension Science Activity

Skills: Shared writing (15 minutes)

  • Brainstorm a list of unlikely animal friends (e.g., cat and mouse, penguin and polar bear, lion and gazelle). Complete a shared writing activity as a class about the adventures of two unlikely animal friends.

Text-to-Speech