Making Multicultural Connections
Through Trade Books

A River Ran Wild
by Lynne Cherry

Cultural Group: Native American, Nashua

Content Connection: Reading/Language Arts Grade 4

Topic : Letter Writing

Suggested Exemplars

• Picture Interpretation: Composition by Jackson Pollack
• Guess Box: Dominoes
• Word of the Day: pollution

Learning Sequence

1. Picture Interpretation activity, students interpret Composition.

2. Read A River Ran Wild aloud to gather information about how the picture, Composition, connects to the story.

3. Students work in pairs to chart as many cause/effect relationships that they remember from the story (building of factories, use of chemicals and plastics, pulp dumped into river).

4. Students write letters to W.S.S.C. expressing concern about Rock Creek and offering possible solutions.

Technology Link

• Use The Writing Center (The Learning Company) to type students'letter.
• Using SIM TOWN (Maxis Software) students will build their own town without using the water supply. Students must be aware of all natural resources used.

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© 1996 MCPS Department of Academic Programs, Division of Enriched and Innovative Instruction,Program of Assessment, Diagnosis, and Instruction