Canoe Diary 6-pack Author: Nic Bishop ISBN: 9780478122985 Copyright Date: 1999 Lesson Plan Blackline Master Grade Level: 3 Reading Level: O Strategy/Skill: Author's purpose, Fact and opinion, Making predictions, Prior knowledge, Using texts as models for own writing Genre: Diary, Journal, and Log, Recount Theme/Topic: Animals, Birds, and Insects, Journeys, Life Science Classification: Nonfiction

Book Summary

This recount of a canoe journey in the wild is presented in the form of a diary or notebook of the author’s observations.  The author has used several ways of presenting facts and impressions about the plant and animal life he encounters along the way.

Features of the Book

• Information presented in a variety of ways – text, captions, photographs, sketches
• The index of animals and plants
• The diary format
• Design features such as clipped-on photographs, ruled lines, spiral binding
• Natural history vocabulary
• The use of descriptive language – curious, protective, peaceful, magical
• The combination of fact and opinion in the text
• Bold type for links to the index

Purpose

Canoe Diary can be used to introduce and reinforce the following skills:

• clarifying the features and uses of the diary format
• making predictions using prior knowledge and clues from the cover of a book
• identifying the author’s purpose for writing
• distinguishing between fact and opinion
• using a diary to record information, feelings, and ideas

For more information please see our Lesson Plan