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Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever
Last updated Friday, December 3, 2021
Author: Matt Tavares
Date of Publication: 2019
ISBN: 1536201375
Grade Level: 3rd (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Dec. 2021
Synopsis:
Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart. She spends her days with her family under the hot sun in a traveling circus, but she longs for a different life - one where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head. One day, when the opportunity arises, Dasher seizes her destiny and takes off in pursuit of the life she wants to live. It's not long before she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh - a man named Santa. And soon, with the help of a powerful Christmas wish, nothing will be the same.
| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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Who is pulling Santa’s sleigh?
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Can you name some of Santa’s reindeer?
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Have you seen snow or hail before?
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Do you like cold weather?
Vocabulary:
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Menagerie – a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition. (zoo)
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Crammed – completely fill (a place or container) to the point that it appears to be overflowing.
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Jostled – push, elbow, or bump against (someone) roughly, typically in a crowd.
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Horizon – the line at which the earth’s surface and the sky appear to meet.
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Clearing – an open space in a forest, especially one cleared for cultivation.
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Harness – a set of straps and fitting by which a horse of other draft animal is fastened to a cart, plow.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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Who does the reindeer family belong to?
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Have you been to a circus before?
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Have you looked for the North Star in the night sky before?
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What can the North Star tell you about directions?
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Have you wished upon a star before?
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What is the name of the youngest reindeer?
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Have you and your family helped someone you didn’t know?
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What is the number of reindeer that joined Santa to pull his sleigh?
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| Special activities: |
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Volunteers can play the beginning of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer where Santa announces the names of all his reindeer.
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Later, the kids can write a thank-you note to someone they appreciate: for example, a friend, a teacher, a doctor, a neighbor, or someone in their family. Tell that person what you like about them and why you appreciate them.
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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