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TheDanRiverTwinsTeachingGuide

StorywrittenbyCyndyUnwinandillustratedbyWillFowler

TeachingGuidedevelopedby:

CyndyUnwin,Ph.D.,authorandreadingspecialist

Incollaborationwith:

AmyBaynes,WoodberryElementarySchool,DanvilleCitySchoolsWendyBradner,ChathamElementarySchool,PittsylvaniaCountySchoolsLaurenHearp,ChathamElementarySchool,PittsylvaniaCountySchoolsShelleyMayhew,ChathamElementarySchool,PittsylvaniaCountySchools

DebraRojas,ForestHillsElementarySchool,DanvilleCitySchoolsTaftonTrent,SchoolfieldElementarySchool,DanvilleCitySchools

Pre-ReadingActivities

DiscussionStarters:

• Basedonthetitleandthecover,whatdoyouknowandwhatcanyoupredictabouttheDanRivertwins?

• Whatwillbethesettingofthestory?• Willthisbookbefictionornon-fiction?Howdoyouknowthis?Whatdoes

thistellyouabouttheauthor’spurpose?(Highlighthowmostofthetextisfiction,butthattherearealsonon-fictionFunFactsattheendandontheDanRiverTwinswebsite.)

• WhatdoyouknowabouttheDanRiver?WhatdoyoupredictthisstorywillhelpyoulearnabouttheDanRiver?

• HaveyoueverbeenontheDanRiverRiverwalk?Ifso,whatwasitlike?• Haveanyofyouseenariverotter?Ifso,where?Whatareriverotters’

personalitieslike?• Areyouatwinordoyouhaveanytwinsinyourfamily?Doyouknowanyone

whoisatwin?Whatdoyouthinklifeislikeinafamilywithtwins?ELA4.1b,4.5a,b,i,4.6a,b,c,iActivity:SeenextpageforAnticipationGuide

AnticipationGuide

Directions:TrytoanswerthesequestionsbasedonwhatyoualreadyknowaboutNorthAmericanRiverOtters,theDanRiver,andDanville.Then,whenyou’refinishedreadingthestoryandhaveexploredtheDanRiverTwinswebsite,tryagainandseehowmuchyou’velearned!

1. TrueorFalse:NorthAmericanRiverOttersfloatontheirbackswhen

theyswim.

2. Whataretwokindsoftroubleriverotterpupscouldgetinto?

3. Whatdothesewordsmean?

Nocturnal:Diurnal:Crepuscular:

4. Whatspecialthingcanriverotters’nosesandearsdo?

5. TrueorFalse:NorthAmericanRiverOtterscanholdtheirbreathforeightminutesunderwater.

6. Whatisafishladder?

7. TrueorFalse:AbatteauisaspecialbatthatwasusedbyDanvillebaseballplayersduringtheCivilWar.

8. ForhowlongwasDanvillethecapitalcityoftheConfederacy?

9. Whataretextiles?NamethreewaystheyhaveaffectedDanvilleandtheDanRiver.

10. WhatareyourexperienceswithandfeelingsabouttheDanRiver?

Activities,Questions,Vocabulary(bypage)

Note:Question10fromtheAnticipationGuideandhighlightedquestionsbelowarealsoincludedintheseparatestudentjournal.

Page# QuestionorActivity Vocabulary1 WhatdoyouthinktheOtterFrolicsare?ELA4.5i WhattypeoffishmightMommahavefedthetwins?ELA

4.9b

2 Highlightsuffixesinwordslike“swimmiest”ELA4.4b Sensorywords:wet,slimyELA4.5g 3 Multiple-meaningword:zipELA4.4a tensed crouched4 Whereisthe“BigDam”inDanville?Whatisitsreal

name?Ifyouhavebeenthereorseenit,describewhatit’slike.ELA4.5h

Whywouldthewaterberunningmorequickly? 5 UsingamapofDanvilleandtheDanRiver,retracethe

otterfamily’sroutefromtheirden(alongsidetheSandyRiver)totheBigDam(SchoolfieldDam).VS1i

upstream

6 Locateand/ordescribethehabitatsofthevariousanimalsencounteredinthestory.Science4.5d

Whatarewebbedfeet?Whymighttheybeusefulasanadaptation?Science4.5a

Compareandcontrasttheanimalsinthestory(e.g.,beaversandotters)ELA4.5h

7 scrambled8 WhatisDannylike?(highlighthiscompetitiveness)

WhatconnectionsdoyouhavetoDanny?ELA4.5kbounded

pinged9 Compare/contrastotters’mud-slidingtopenguins’

tobogganing,humans’sledding,etc.ELA4.5hlunged

Whatdoes“neckandneck”mean?ELA4.4a 11 SPLOOSH--onomatopoeia nuzzled Writeaboutasituationinyourlifewhensomeoneelse

hasbeatenyouinacompetition.Howdidyoufeel?ELA4.7

Make“OtterCharacterTraits”graphicshapedlikeanotter.Usetodescribeeachottercharacter.ELA4.5k

Causeandeffect:WhateffectdidwinninghaveonMist?ELA4.5j

12 Internetresearch:findexamplesofwhatotterbarks somersaulted

(andothernoises)soundlikeELA4.9b,c,d Multiple-meaningword:currentELA4.4a launched13 Synonymsandantonyms:furiouslyELA4.4b WhydidMist’sheartsink?Howwouldyouhavefeltif

youwereMist?Describeasimilarsituationinyourlife.ELA4.5j

14 pelting peered15 Multiple-meaningword:rapidELA4.4a

15-16 Suffixes:-ing,-ed,-ly,-erELA4.4b 16 massive17 Whatwouldyouhavedoneifyourfriendwentoverthe

falls?ComparethistowhatDannyandMistdid.ELA4.5e,h,i

precipice

18 HowisDannychanging?Howdoyouknowthis?ELA4.5h

crevices

Suffixes:-nessELA4.4b murky boulders19 Shareatimewhenyouhadtoholdyourbreathforalong

time.Describehowitfelt.frantically

19-20 Suffixes:-ally,-ly,-es,-mentELA4.4b 20 Multi-meaningword:sailingELA4.4a surge

21-22 IdentifytheDanvillelandmarkstheotterspassbyinthispartofthestory.ELA4.5k

22 Describeatimewhenyouwereseparatedfromyourparentsorlovedones.Howdidyoufeel?ELA4.7

island

24 Sequencing:Usingvisualization,describethestepsDannyandMistusedtosaveSplash.ELA4.5e,k

insistent

Whoarethestrangecreaturestheotterssaw?ELA4.5h Describe(ordraw)whatanislandinthemiddleofa

riverwouldlookiftherewasflooding.ELA4.5h,j,k

25 Howcouldtwo-leggedcreaturesbedangeroustootters?Ifyouwereoneofthosecreaturesinthatsituation,whatwouldyoudo?ELA4.5h,j

jolt

Howlongisanotterlength?Calculatewhatthedistancewouldbeinfeet.Howfarweretheottersfromthetwo-leggedcreatures?ELA4.5h,Math4.7a

halt

Multiple-meaningword:banksELA4.4a swayed Vocabularygame:Studentsactoutthesewords,and

studentsguesswhichonetheirclassmatesarepantomiming:frantic,flung,thrashed,launched,quivering,glancedELA4.4a,d

Seeactivity

Whatarethemusicalnoises?ELA4.5h Whatdoesananimallooklikewhenitsteetharebared?

25-26 SNAP:Onomatopoeia 27 Predictwhatyouthinkwillhappennextwiththetwo-

leggedcreatures.Whatwouldyoudo?ELA4.5iclutching

Talkorwriteaboutatimewhenyou,likeDanny,reallywishedyourmotherorfatherwaswithyou.ELA4.7

WhatdidDanny’smommameanwhenshetoldhim,“Thinkbeforeyouact?”Doyouusuallydothis?Describeatimewhenyouhaveorhaven’tthoughtbeforeyouacted.Whatdidyoulearn?ELA4.5h,j

Dannyaskshimself,“Whathappensnow?”WhatdoYOUthinkhappensnow?ELA4.5i

28 Whatisself-defense?HowisMistusingself-defenseinthispartofthestory?Isitrightorwrong?ELA4.5e

lurched

ferociously30 Whatisteamwork?Howhavetheottersusedteamwork

duringthisstory?Canyouthinkofatimewhenyouhaveusedteamwork?Whatwastheresult?ELA4.5c,d,h,j

foes

Rewritethelastfewpagesofthestoryfromthetwo-leggedcreatures’pointofview.ELA4.7,4.8

WritethenextDanRiverTwinsadventure!ELA4.7,4.8

ContentAreaLessonIdeasMath:

• UsemeasurementdataorpHtestingdatatocomparenumberswithdecimals.Math4.3a,c

• UsemeasurementwheelsinDanDanielsPark(availablefromDanvilleParksandRecreation).Math4.7a

• Measurementconversion:Calculatehowlonganotterlengthis(non-standardmeasure)andconverttofeet/inchesandmeters/centimeters.Thiscanalsobedoneforlevelsoffloodstages,thedistanceontheDanRivertheotterstraveled(milestofeet,kilometerstometers,etc.).Math4.7a,b

• ResearchtheliquidvolumeandthespeedofflowoftheDanRiverwhenitisatnormallevelsandwhenitisflooding.Math4.8a,b

• Calculateflowrate(cubicfeet/second)oftheDanRiver;compareagallonofwatertoabasketball.Math4.8a,b

• Trackelapsedtimeduringthestoryusingatimelineorchart.Math4.9• Geometry:perpendicularandparallellines—theDanRiverbridges.Math

4.10b• Studyhowmathisusedinpredictingandmeasuringtheweather.Math4.9,

4.13,4.14• GraphthepossiblewaterleveloftheDanRiverasitflooded(canuseactual

flooddatafrompreviousfloods).Math4.14• Usevarioustypesofgraphs(bar,line,etc.)tochartinformationoreventsin

thestory(e.g.,alinegraphwithwaterlevelgaugereadings;usgs.gov—NOAsitethathashistoricflooddata).Math4.14

Science:

• Whatarethedifferenttypesofotters?CompareandcontrastNorthAmericanRiverOttersandSeaOtters.Science4.5a

• Whatadaptationsdoriverottershavethatmakeriversandthelandnearbytheiridealhabitat?(webbedfeet,thickcoat,abilitytoholdbreathunderwaterforlongperiodsoftime,etc.)Science4.5a

• Creatediagrams,models,ormobilestoillustratevariousfoodwebsorchainsassociatedwiththeDanRiver.Science4.5b,c

• ParticipateintheCatfishintheClassroomprogramthroughDanvilleParksandRecreation.Science4.5b,f

• Whoareproducers,consumers,anddecomposersintheDanRiverecosystem?Science4.5c,e

• Weather—Whatsortofweatherconditionsleadtoriverflooding?Howisflashfloodingdifferentfromothertypes?Howisweathermeasured?(Connecttomath)Science4.6a,b,c

• StudythewaterqualityoftheDanRiver:Watertemperature,dissolvedoxygenandpH,howtheyaffectriverlife.ConducttestingatvariouspointsalongtheDanRiver(canalsoconnectwithmath).HowdoesfloodingaffectdissolvedoxygenandpHlevels?(DanvilleParksandRecreationortheDanvilleScienceCentermaybeabletoassistwiththistesting.)Science4.9a

• WhatisthewatercycleandwhyisthisimportanttotheDanRiver?Science4.9a

• Researchthehabitatofriverotters,beavers,greatblueherons,andotherwildlifedependentontheDanRiver.Science4.5d,4.9a,b

• DescribethevariousecosystemsinandalongtheDanRiver.(DanRiverBasinAssociationhasmaterialsandpossibleguestspeakers)Science4.5b,c,4.9a,b,d

• Whatarehumaninfluencesonrivers?HowhastheDanRiverbeeninfluencedbyhumansingoodandbadways?(fabricdyes,coalashspill,riverwalk,recreation,fishing)Science4.5f,4.9a,b

• Howdoesfloodingaffectariver,itsbanks,thesurroundingland,theplantsandtrees,andwildlife?(sediment,erosion,displacementofwildlife)Science4.6a,4.9a,b,d

• ResearchwaysordinarypeoplecancarefortheDanRiver.Whatcanchildrendo?CreateaserviceprojectthatwouldhelptheDanRiver.Science4.5f,4.9a

• ResearchthewaysinwhichtheDanRiverisanimportantwaterresource(drinkingwater,irrigationsource,recreation,habitatforfish,plants,andotherwildlife).Science4.4d,4.5b,c,d,f,4.9a,b,d

VirginiaStudies

• CollectvarioustypesofmapsofDanvilleandtheDanRiver,includinghistoricalmaps.Studycharacteristicsofmaps(scale,compassrose,mapkey,etc.).VirginiaStudies1a,c,i

• StudytheDanRiverAtlas.Whatisanatlas?Whatsortsofinformationcouldyoufindinthisatlas?VirginiaStudies1a,i,2b,

• Whatisthedifferencebetweenariverandacanal?WhenandwhywerecanalsbuiltalongtheDanRiver?VirginiaStudies1a,d,g,i

• HowwastheCityofDanvillefounded?HowwasthisconnectedtotheDanRiver?VirginiaStudies1a,b,f,i

• HowdidtheDanRivergetitsname?VirginiaStudies1a,d,g• HowdidthetobaccoandtextileindustriesaffectDanville?Howdidthey

affecttheDanRiver?VirginiaStudies1a,b,d,e,g,h,i,9a,10b,c• Studythebatteau.Createmodelsofthistypeofboat.HowwastheDanRiver

modifiedtomakerivertransportationeasier?VirginiaStudies1a,b,i• MakeaphotocollageofhistoricfloodsoftheDanRiver.VirginiaStudies1a,

c,i• ExplorethebeginningandtheendoftheDanRiver.WhatVirginia(and

NorthCarolina)regionsdoesittravelthrough(Mountain,Piedmont)?VirginiaStudies2b

• WhatNativeAmericanslivedneartheDanRiver?Whathappenedtothem?(TheMonaccanTribe…whatmightyoufindifyoudidanarcheologicaldignearDanville?Whatwouldtheartifactsofthistribelooklike?)VirginiaStudies2e,f,g

• HowwasDanvilleinvolvedintheCivilWar?(TheDanRivertransportedmaterialsandsuppliesforthewar;DanvillewasthecapitalcityoftheConfederacyforaboutaweekattheendofthewar.)VirginiaStudies7a,b

LanguageArts:

• Pointofview:Discussandwritescenesfromdifferingpointsofview(Momma,thehumans,theotheranimalcharacters).ELA4.1b,4.2d,4.5h,4.7

• Vocabulary:Makeadictionaryofallthevocabularywordsinthestory;teachguidewords,alphabeticalorder.ELA4.4a,c,e

• UtilizetheglossaryontheDanRiverTwinswebsite.ELA4.4c• Grammar:prefixes/suffixesELA4.4b• Verbs—Listalltheactionverbsinthestory;discussimportanceofverbsin

effectivewriting.ELA4.4d,4.5b• Fictionvs.non-fiction(storyandnon-fictionFunFacts)ELA4.5,4.6• Comparison/contrast:fictionvs.non-fiction,differentanimalsinthestory,

personalityofthecharacters,changesinthecharactersovertime,settingatvariouspointsalongtheDanRiver.ELA4.5f,h,4.6f

• Exploreauthor’spurpose(thestory—toentertain;non-fictionelements—toinform)ELA4.5a,4.6c

• Graphicorganizers:compare/contrast,sequencing,storyelements,charactertraitsELA4.5,4.6(varies,dependingongraphicorganizer)

• Exploredifferenttextfeaturesinthenon-fictionFunFactsELA4.6a• Functionaltexts:Collectlocalflyers,mapstoreadandinterpretELA4.6a,

4.9b• Writeapersuasiveletter(tothelocalnewspaper,citycouncil,etc.)about

preservingthehealthoftheDanRiverELA4.7,4.8• WritefriendlylettertoafriendorfamilymemberabouttheDanRiverELA

4.7,4.8• Journal(seeseparatesectionofTeachingGuidewithquestionsinjournal

format)ELA4.5h,i,j,k,4.7• WritethenextchaptertheDanRiverTwinssaga.ELA4.7,4.8

OtherIdeas:

• Fieldtrip:Visitalltheplacesinthestorythattheotterstraveled.Goonyourown,orcontacttheDanvilleParksandRecreationDepartmentforadditionalfieldtripoptionsandideas.

• Otherfieldtripideas:theDanvilleWaterTreatmentPlant(willalsodoclassroomvisits),theDanvilleScienceMuseum(waterqualityorDanRiverwildlifefocus)

• InvitespeakersfromtheDanvilleHistoricalSociety,theDanvilleFoundation,theDanvilleScienceCenter,ortheDanRiverBasinAssociationtocometoyourclassroom.

• DanRiverStewards:StudentsdevelopaserviceprojectrelatedtotheDanRiver.

• StudentsworkwithlocalcommunitygroupstoadvocatefortheDanRiver(DanRiverBasinAssociation,DanvilleFoundation,DanvilleScienceCenter,etc.)

’sDanRiverTwinsJournal(Beforeyoureadthestory)WhatareyourexperienceswithandfeelingsabouttheDanRiver? (Afterpage4)Whereisthe“BigDam”inDanville?Whatisitsrealname?Ifyouhavebeenthereorseenit,describewhatit’slike.

(Afterpage8)WhatisDannylike?WhatconnectionsdoyouhavetoDanny? (Afterpage11)Writeaboutasituationinyourlifewhensomeoneelsehasbeatenyouinacompetition.Howdidyoufeel?

(Afterpage13)WhydidMist’sheartsink?HowwouldyouhavefeltifyouwereMist?Describeasimilarsituationinyourlife. (Afterpage17)Whatwouldyouhavedoneifyourfriendwentoverthefalls?ComparethistowhatDannyandMistdid.

(Afterpage22)Describeatimewhenyouwereseparatedfromyourparentsorlovedones.Howdidyoufeel? (Afterpage25)Howcouldtwo-leggedcreaturesbedangeroustoriverotters?Ifyouwereoneofthosecreaturesinthatsituation,whatwouldyoudo?

(Afterpage27)WhatdidDanny’smommameanwhenshetoldhim,“Thinkbeforeyouact?”Doyouusuallydothis?Describeatimewhenyouhaveorhaven’tthoughtbeforeyouacted.Whatdidyoulearn? (Afterpage30)Whatisteamwork?Howhavetheottersusedteamworkduringthisstory?Canyouthinkofatimewhenyouhaveusedteamwork?Whatwastheresult?

Websites

CityofDanvillehttp://www.danvilleva.govCityofDanvilleParksandRecreationhttp://www.playdanvilleva.comDanRiverBasinAssociationhttp://www.danriver.orgDanvilleRegionalFoundationhttp://www.drfonline.orgDanvilleHistoricalSocietyhttp://www.danvillehistory.orgHistoricalInformation:http://www.danvillehistory.org/saponi-indians.htmlhttp://www.victorianvilla.com/sims-mitchell/local/native/redis.htmhttp://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Wreck_of_the_Old_97#start_entryhttp://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Tobacco_in_Colonial_Virginia#start_entryInformationaboutNorthAmericanRiverOtters:www.otters.nethttp://www.otterpaddlefoot.com/facts/index.htmhttps://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Mammals/North-American-River-Otter.aspxhttp://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/otter.htmwww.animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/american-river-otter/

Spelling“Demons”(commonlymisspelledwords)inTheDanRiverTwins

said(p.1)excited(p.1)favorite(p.2)caught(p.3)muscles(p.3)enough(p.4)answered(p.4)once(p.5)whispered(p.7)

friends(p.8)disappeared(p.8)though(p.9)finally(p.11)yeah(p.11)climbed(p.11)could(p.12)might(p.14)straight(p.16)

searched(p.18)suddenly(p.19)opposite(p.20)building(p.22)island(p.23)dangerous(p.23)creatures(p.23)approached(p.25)companions(p.29)