By Amy Timberlake

Before Reading Learning Outcomes: A2, A3, A4,A9, B5,

Have students turn and talk about the cover picture on this

book. What do they see. Explain that good writers notice what

others miss. Have them study the picture for minute details

that others may miss.

Turn the book over and have students repeat these descriptions

based on the back cover illustration.

Having done this, have students predict what this book might be

about.

Next, have students brainstorm cowboy vocabulary (clothing,

gear, food, environment etc). As words are offered, ask stu-

dents to draw little pictures on chart paper to illustrate items

like chaps, lasso, spurs, holster etc. Many children will not be fa-

miliar with these words, so leveling the playing field prior to

reading can increase comprehension.

During Reading Learning Outcomes: B6, B11

After reading the last sentence on page one, pause and ask why the author may have included in-

formation about the specifics of the cowboy’s morning routine? Ask if bacon, beans, potatoes

and the song Streets of Laredo are likely to play a big part in the story. We want students to

understand how important details are in any piece of writing. But we want them to figure this out

for themselves, so don’t tell them. Lead them towards this discovery!

As the story is read, play a spot the similes game. Ask students to give you a signal (e.g. finger on nose or thumbs up) whenever they hear a simile. Ask them what they know about similes. Lis-

ten for responses indicating that they understand it is a comparison of two completely different

things, but linked using the words like or as. You may want to pause reading and give students a

chance to savour and discuss each simile.

After Reading Learning Outcomes: B7, B11, C6

Share photocopied sections from the book that contain similes. A list is on the next page. Have

students search for the similes within the text. Once found have students write down the two

items being compared and the way in which both connect.

• e.g. And the cowboy’s stench stuck to passersby like mud splashed up from a wagon wheel.

Writing Trait: Ideas & Word Choice ~ adding details with similes

Learning Intention: adding details to engage the reader Carol Walters S.D. #71

cowboy’s stench wagon wheel mud

Both items, a cowboy’s stench and wagon wheel mud, will stick to a person.

Once students are aware that the secret lies in the details, ask how writers add details?

Reread a page from Dirty Cowboy, then ask once again, how did author Amy Timberlake

add details?

Hopefully students will hear the cowboy-specific vocabulary that the author uses. This is

particularly strong in Dirty Cowboy. Perhaps the use of similes will be mentioned. If not, share one of the similes listed below and have a conversation about the details within it and how the writer combined those words.

There are wonderfully, descriptive similes used in Dirty Cowboy. Share one or two of the

following examples. Photocopy pages for students or project using a document camera like

the Luna or an Elmo and have them find the following similes:

• And the cowboy’s stench stuck to passersby like mud splashed up from a wagon wheel.

• The dog opened one eye, sniffed at the air, and followed his friend’s warm, familiar

smell as though he was following a trail of T-bone steaks.

• Then yelling wwhoooowheeeeee! the cowboy ran—naked as a newborn pack rat—

straight into the water.

• When the river ran clear and his skin puckered up like a prickly pear, the cowboy de-

clared his bath done.

• Where was that sweaty, wild boar-like smell that clung to the cowboy like a second

pair of clothes?

• “That’s about as funny as a kick in the behind with a sharp-toed boot,” the cowboy

mumbled to himself.

• First, the stitching started to give, then the buttons popped, and then thread on

thread gave way with a ripping sound like creaking before thunder.

• Why, it almost looked like a smudgy rainbow.

• The cowboy’s breath smelled like black pepper and cow jerky!

• The cacti burst into bloom like firecrackers, and suddenly the landscape was dotted

with color and ribboned with water.

• The story goes that the cowboy walked home—bare as a shorn sheep—from the river

to his tin-roofed shack. He wore his boots and his hat, but otherwise he was naked as

a nickel.

Continue to add to your list of cowboy vocabulary and have students write their own

cowboy similes.

The tumbleweed rolled across the desert like a bowling ball making a be-line for the

centre pin.

Ask students to turn and talk about

writing similes and what trait of writing

this specific skill might fall under

(word choice ~ see rubric on next page)

Co-create criteria about writing similes

on the black rubric that follows.

• simple word choices;

some words have

mistakes

• no

poe

tic

words

• some interesting word choices;

mostly risk-free

• an

attem

pt at

poetr

y • interesting word choices

sprinkled throughout

• poe

try t

hat adds

inte

rest

• precise word choices that

allow the reader to visualize

• cl

ever

use o

f po

etry

Word

Choice

… a start

… coming along

… that’s it

… Wow!

Word

Choice

•

• • •

The Traits of Writing

Performance Standards

And

Writing Traits

A Start

Getting There

That’s It

Wow

!

Meaning

Ideas

• a series of loosely connected events

that do not make sense

• main idea and problem are unclear

• very few

details

• a series of loosely connected

events that make sense

• basic main idea and problem are

not too original, not too clear

• a few

details

• a logical sequence of events

• main idea, problem and solution are

clear and parts are original

• details and descriptions develop

characters and plot

• a creative and logical sequence

of events

• an interesting twist that is part

of the main idea, problem or

solution

• vivid details show

rather than

tell about characters and plot

Style

Word Choice

• simple word choices; som

e words

have mistakes

•

no p

oeti

c w

ord

s

• some interesting word choices;

mostly risk-free

•

an

att

em

pt a

t po

etr

y

• interesting word choices sprinkled

throughout

•

poe

try

th

at

ad

ds

inte

rest

• precise word choices that allow

the reader to visualize

•

cle

ver

use

of

poe

try

Sentence

Fluency

• short, simple sentences with run-ons

and/or fragments

• many sentences that begin the sam

e

way

• mostly short, simple sentences

and a few

longer ones

• many sentences that begin in

different ways

• a mixture of short, medium and long

sentences that create flow

• sentence beginnings that are differ-

ent and interesting

• sm

ooth flow because sentences

are of different lengths and

types

• a variety of clever sentence

beginnings that fit perfectly

Voice

• no personality

• no evidence of care for topic

• no thought for the reader

• characters are nam

ed, but not de-

scribed

• dialogue (if used) is boring and/or

confusing

• a glimmer of personality

• some evidence of care for topic

• thought for the reader at times

• characters are nam

ed and de-

scribed a little

• unnatural or basic dialogue

• clear personality

• evidence that show

care for topic

• carefully chosen words and events

to engage the reader

• characters are well developed on

the inside and outside

• dialogue moves plot along

or reveals

the personality of characters

• personality that shines

• evidence that show

s passion for

topic

• a clear understanding of what

readers crave

• characters have individuality

and are vividly described

• dialogue reveals character per-

sonality a

nd moves plot along

Form

Organization

•

beginning

•

middle

•

end

• no lead; reader wonders what this is

about

• a series of loosely related events

• no ending

• basic sentence connections

(e.g. and, then, so)

• has a basic lead that hints at

the story to follow

• related events that wander in

parts

• a weak ending that may not

make sense

• a sm

all variety of connections;

some are over used

• has an interesting lead that estab-

lishes the plot

• events that develop logically

• a believable ending that attempts to

tie up the story

• Smooth connecting words

• a lead that readers love and

will lure them

into the plot

• events that weave together

beautifully

• an ending that satisfies; it may

have a surprise twist

• artful connecting words

Conventions

Conventions

• frequent errors in spelling, gram

mar

and punctuation make story hard to

understand

• minimal use of paragraphs

• some errors in spelling, gram

-

mar and punctuation; reader can

figure out meaning

• evidence that show

understand-

ing of paragraphs

• errors in spelling, gram

mar and

punctuation, but only in the com

plex

parts; meaning is clear

• clear use of paragraphs

• the occasional error in spelling

and punctuation, but only in the

complex parts; meaning is clear

• paragraphs in all the right

places

My story has:

Grade 5 Story W

riting