Lewis and Clark and Me : A Dog’s Tale

Unit 1 Week 2

• Historical Fantasy is based on real events in history but it is a story that could never really happen – in this case, because a dog can’t write.

Genre – Historical Fantasy

Vocabulary Strategy – Word EndingsSometimes when you are reading, you may come across a word you don’t know. Look at the end of the word. Does it have –ed or – in?

1.Put your finger over the –ed or –ing ending.

2.Look at the base word. Do you know what the base word means?

3.Try your meaning in the sentence. Does it make sense?

Comprehension Skill – Author’s Purpose (PIE)

• The author’s purpose is the reason or reasons the author has for writing.

• An author may write to persuade, to inform, to entertain, or to express ideas or feelings.

Comprehension Strategy – Answer Questions

• Good readers know where to look for the answers to questions. They know that sometimes the answer to a question is in one place. Other times it is in several places. They know that sometimes they must use what they’ve read plus what they know to answer a question. This is what you usually have to do to answer a question about the author’s purpose.

Vocabulary Words

DocksMigratingScanScentWharfYearned

Docks•Platforms built on the

shore or out from the shore

•Going from one region to another with the change in the seasons

Migrating

Scan•To glance at; To look over quickly

Scent

•A smell

Wharf

• Platform built on the shore or out from the shore beside which ships can unload or load

Yearned

•Felt a longing or desire

What made Seaman want to go with Lewis?

• Seaman did not like living on the wharf.

• Seaman wanted to do something new.

• Lewis scratched Seaman’s neck.

What is the author’s purpose for including details about the paws of Newfoundland dogs?

• To prove that these dogs are good swimmers.

• To persuade Lewis to pick a different type of dog.

• To show how these dogs are related to ducks.

According to the story, the best way for Lewis to travel west was by --

• boat

• train

• wagon

In this story, what does Seaman enjoy most?

• Meeting the Indian’s dog

• Protecting the Explorers

• Pleasing Lewis

From the information in the story, it is clear that ---

• Newfoundland dogs can hunt in water

• Lewis and Clark had never seen squirrels

• Waterfronts are good places to buy dogs

What is the most likely reason the author tells the story from the dog’s point of view?

• To describe how difficult the journey was

• To make the events seem real

• To capture the reader’s interest

How were Seaman’s original owner and Lewis alike?

• They were explorers.

• They admired the dog.

• They spoke several different Indian languages.

Why might the Indian have wanted to trade beaver skins for Seaman?

• He saw Seaman save a drowning man.

• Lewis was mistreating Seaman.

• He thought Seaman was extraordinary.

What is the author’s purpose for telling what the Indians called horses?

• To explain why the Indians called Seaman a bear-dog.

• To point out why Indians were afraid of horses.

• To show that the Indians knew very few words.

Based on the story, you can tell that MOST of the Indians that Lewis and Clark met ---

• Were unfriendly toward explorers.

• Did not speak English.

• Wanted to go with the explorers.

Why did Seaman feel that he and Lewis “fit together?”

• They care about each other and do not want to be separated.

Briefly describe Seaman’s character.

• Seaman was loyal, obedient, and hard-working.