Introduction

Put on your down jacket and grab your hat and gloves; you're going sledding! You and a partner will be racing against Little Willy and Stone Fox with your own sled dog team! You will be keeping a journal for five days that will explain your experiences - how you prepared for the race, how you cared for your team of dogs, what supplies you collected for the race, what it was like to race against Little Willy and Stone Fox, what it felt like when you finished the race, etc.

This is your chance to think and write about what you know about Little Willy and Stone Fox. It also gives you a chance to feel what Little Willy must have been going through. So wrap that scarf around your neck and tie up your boots, there's a race a'comin'!

The Task

When the project is complete you will have:

• a greater understanding of the dedication Little Willy had for his Grandfather.

• a realistic view of the hard work Little Willy went through as a 10-year old to prepare for the race.

• a personal connection to the characters and book through role-playing and writing.

• improved writing and editing skills through the journaling process.

  • Use of quotations, proper grammar, punctuation, spelling new vocabulary, etc.

• increased reading comprehension of the book.

The Process

1. You'll be assigned to work with a partner.

2. Each reading day you and your parter will partner-read the assigned chapter.

3. After reading, you and your partner will discuss and write a BRIEF summary of the chapter on an index card. All index cards will be hole-punched and kept together with a ring and collected at the end of the assignment. These will be graded.

4. After writing your summary for the day, you and your partner will use the recommended web sites to do research on dogsled racing. It is this research that you will use in your journal writing. Using what you have learned about racing, Stone Fox, and Little Willy, you will write a daily journal entry sharing your thoughts, feelings, and actions about what is going on.

5. The following topics must be discussed in your writing for complete credit.

• How and where you got your dogs/sled/supplies. (first journal entry)

  • What breed of dog are you using? What kind of sled? What food and clothing are you taking with you?

• Your strategy to race against Little Willy, Stone Fox, and the others. (second journal entry)

• What the race course is like as you race through it. (third journal entry)

  • Use descriptive words and be detailed.

• Dialogue between you, your partner, and the other characters. Use special vocabulary that mushers use. (fourth journal entry)

  • This can and should be imaginary and creative. Proper use of quotation marks expected.

• Thoughts, feelings, and actions after the race (fifth journal entry)

6. The journal writing will be done in your composition notebook. Remember to use the proper heading and greeting in your journal. You will have a total of five journal entries when done. Each journal entry should be at least two pages - skipping lines. You must write in your neatest cursive writing.

• Stone Fox and dogsledding web sites:

• Dogsled.com - with a special KidsZone section

• Veterinary Educational Team - All about care and selection of sled dogs

• Sleddog.org - Information on races and dogs

• The Iditarod - THE dogsled race

• Adanac Sleds and Equipment - Sleds and dog supplies

You and your partner will be sharing a grade for this assignment. It is expected that you will do equal amounts of work. This assignment will be graded with our usual rubric rating from 1-4. Comments are added in the appropriate box.

	Poor 1	Fair 2	Good 3	Excellent 4	Score
I've written five journal entries at least two pages in length
I've used my neatest cursive writing
My grammar and punctuation is correct.
My spelling is correct.
My journal entries are detailed and creative.
The reader has a very good understanding of my thoughts and feelings during the week.
I've included all the topics I was assigned.

Conclusion

You will have learned more about the characters Little Willy and Stone Fox. You will have a greater understanding of the interaction of the characters. You will know how much hard work goes into preparing for a dog sled race. You will have a greater understanding of how much Little Willy loved his grandfather and Searchlight.

You may find additional information about the author of Stone Fox by clicking here.

Credits & References

Samoyed Dog Clip Art
www.internetclipart.com/Animals/Dogs/rRS2.htm

Stone Fox written by JOHN REYNOLDS GARDINER. Information provided by the Educational Paperback Association.