I wrote a review of Janet Halfmann's wonderful story, Narwhal Unicorn of the Sea HERE and I promised both a Giveaway (scroll down to the bottom) and a few Teaching Activities....Subject Vocabulary:
(# is page found)
Inuit 5, Canada 5, Arctic 5, Ringed Seals 11, Killer Whale 13, Flatfish 23, Polar Bear 21, Blowhead Whales 27, Walrus 27, Bearded Seals 27, Northern Lights 27, North Star 27
Vocabulary:
inlets 5, coastal 6, nudging 6, coastal 6, unicorn 8, spiral 8, jousting 8, shimmering 11, prowling 13, podmates 15, cruise 15, brief 17, teeming 18, plunges 18, prison 21, crouching 21, surface 21, howls 23, creaks 23, blubber 23, finless 23, blow hole 24, rippling 27, exhausted 28, ancestors 31
Comprehension Questions:
1. Why are new calves big ? (p.6 - in order to survive cold waters)
2. What does it mean when it says that the whale 'stands' in water? (p. 11 - to stay still, not swim)
3. why does the Narwhal dive quickly when it sees a boat? (p. 11 - shy of people)
4. Why does the boat leave? (p.11 - attracted by ringed seals)
5. Why does the Narwhal and his podmates fall silent? (p.15 - killer whales might eat them)
6. Why do the killer whales leave? (p.15 - the narwhal look like floating ice)
7. When does the Narwhal head toward sea?(p.17 - September) Why then? (p.17 - before the ice freezes and it gets trapped)
8. Why does a Narwhal whale need cracks in the ice? (p.17 - mammal, to come up for air)
9. What will happen if the Narwhal whale gets trapped under the ice? (p.18 - he won't have air, will die)
10. Why are the polar bears silently waiting for the narwhal? (p.21 - they want to eat them)
11. What happens during the long polar night? (p.23 - the sun never rises)
12. Even though it is very cold, why does the Narwhal stay warm? (p.23 - thick layers of blubber)
13. Why won't they killer whales bother Narwhal at his Northern home? (p.27 - the killer whale can't swim there because his tail fin will get caught in the ice)
Activity 1:
Compare & Contrast (Venn Diagram) Narwhal Whale & Unicorn
Compare = bothe mammals, both have long spike out of head, both white in color
Contrast = unicorn fantasy/narwhal real, narwhal lives in sea/unicorn lives on land,
Help me in the comments folks! The students will come up with more than I can imagine anyway :-)
Activity 2: Make a flowchart of the Narwhal's journey.
Author Janet Halfmann sent me an extra paperback copy of Narwhal Unicorn of the Sea for one lucky Reading Rumpus reader!
Here's how you can win:
1. Leave a comment for your first entry (make sure you leave an email address).
2. Twitter about the giveaway and leave a separate comment with the Tweet link for another entry.
3. Blog about the giveaway and leave a separate comment with the blog link for another entry.
4. Follow or subscribe to my blog and leave a separate comment for a fourth entry. If you already Follow or Subscribe, tell me (also must be in a separate comment).
SOME RULES: Open only to US & Canadian residents. Each comment counts as one entry. Multiple comments of the same link will be disqualified.
Giveaway ends on Wednesday May 6th @ 6:00 PM E.S.T.
Winners will be chosen using Random.org. Winners will be notified by email and must respond within three days or be disqualified. Good Luck!
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© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com 
