1. Written and Illustrated by: Joan Sandin Meet the Author
Coyote School News
Written and Illustrated by:
Joan Sandin
Meet the Author

2. Summary
Ramon Ernesto Ramirez grew up on a ranch in the southwestern United States in the 1930’s. His life was the same as ours in some ways. He went to school every day, he had to do chore before he could play, and he celebrated holidays with his family. But his life was different, too. Because he lived on a ranch, he helped round up and brand the cattle.

3. Study Skills Genre: Historical Fiction
Comprehension Skill: Draw Conclusions
Comprehension Strategy: Prior Knowledge
Comprehension Review Skill: Setting
Vocabulary: Dictionary/Glossary

4. Genre: Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction is set in the past. It is a story in which some of the details are factual but in which others are made up or are loosely based on history. Look for the factual details as you read.
Click on Genre to learn more about different genres and Realistic Fiction.

5. Comprehension Skill Tested – Draw Conclusions TE 187A
When you draw conclusions, you use details and what you already know to form opinions or make decisions about characters and events.

6. Comprehension Strategy – Prior Knowledge TE164a Background Tape – Life on a Cattle Ranch
Good readers use what they know to help them understand what they read. They try to connect it to what they already know. They think about whether they have ever seen or experienced what they are reading about. This helps understand the new information.
Let’s practice what we know about life on a ranch.

7. Play
Life On a Ranch
People
Work

8. Comprehension Skill Review: Setting TE 171
Setting is the time and place in which a story occurs.
Sometimes the setting is important to the lot of a story. At other times, the setting is only background.
Sometimes pictures show the setting, and sometimes you have to imagine it.
Details the author has written can help you see, hear, feel, and smell what it is like to be there.

9. Vocabulary Strategy Dictionary / Glossary Te 187c
Some words have more than one meaning.
Sometimes readers need to check a dictionary or glossary to find the meaning that makes sense for the sentence.

10. Vocabulary Strategy Dictionary / Glossary Te 187c
The dark, or bold, words defined are called entry words.
The entry word may not match the word in the selection exactly.
Entry words are often are words without endings, prefixes, or suffixes.

11. Let’s use a dictionary to define thee words from the story:
Word in Story
Entry word and meaning
promoted
nagging
branded
perfectly
wrestled

12. Research/Study Skills – Newspaper/Newsletters TE 187 L
A newspaper is a daily or weekly publication containing world and local news and other features.
Newspapers are divided into sections. Each section focuses on a subject, such as local news, arts, or sports.

13. Question of the Week TE 162 m
How can we work together to achieve our goal?

14. Vocabulary - Say It
spurs
coyote
dudes
roundup
bawling

15. crying out in a noisy way
bawling
crying out in a noisy way

16. spurs
metal points or pointed wheels, worn on a rider’s boot heels for urging a horse on

17. a small, wolf-like mammal living in many parts of North America
coyote
a small, wolf-like mammal living in many parts of North America

18. dudes
people raised in the city, especially easterners who vacation on a ranch

19. the act of driving or bringing cattle together from long distances
roundup
the act of driving or bringing cattle together from long distances

20. Guests on the ranch are called dudes.

21. Guests on the ranch are called dudes.

22. We went with the cowhands on a roundup.

23. We went with the cowhands on a roundup.

24. With just a touch of the spurs, a horse moves faster.

25. With just a touch of the spurs, a horse moves faster.

26. The cattle were mooing, and the calves were bawling.

27. The cattle were mooing, and the calves were bawling.

28. Day 2 - Question of the Day
What work must be done on a ranch?

29. Coyote School News p
Who is the narrator in Coyote School News?
What language or languages does speak? How do you know?
Reread p. 169, paragraph 5. What does the phrase “squeezed together like sardines in a can” tell you about the bus ride to Coyote School?

30. Coyote School News p
What is the setting of Coyote School News? Tell how you know.
Why do the student like Miss Byers?

31. Coyote School News p
Use a dictionary to find the meaning of mimeograph on p. 172, paragraph 4.
How is the Coyote School News like your school newspaper or another newspaper you have read? How is it different?

32. Coyote School News p
Why does Monchi go to Tucson?
How do Mochi’s feelings about his trip to Tucson change over the course of this story?

33. Day 3 - Question of the Day
How do all the children contribute to Coyote News?

34. Coyote School News p
What word describes the sound of the stick hitting the piñata?
Use your book’s glossary to determine the meaning of spurs on p. 177, paragraph 4.

35. Coyote School News p
Why do you think President Roosevelt pronounces “war” differently from the students at Coyote School?
Why does Junior think roundup is more important than Perfect Attendance?

36. Coyote School News p
Reread p. 180, paragraph2. Monchi compare the calves to what? In what way are they alike?
If Monchi had to make the choice between the Perfect Attendance Award or roundup again, which would he choose? Why?
Look at the drawing of the calf on p What is one way this art makes the calf seem like human?

37. Coyote School News p
Why isn’t Monchi happy for Victor when he wins Perfect Attendance?
Based on what you read about Monchi, how might you describe him?
How is Monchi rewarded for his hard work at the end of the story? Name another story you have read where a character’s hard work paid off in the end.

38. Day 4 - Question of the Day - Review
What steps should students follow to produce a school newspaper?

39. Review Questions
Tell something about the setting of this story in both time and place.
Why does the author use pages from the Coyote News in the story?
How did Miss Byers help students appreciate their culture?
How do you know school is important to the Ramirez family?

40. Review Questions Why do the students like Miss Byers?
How are Monchi and Miss Byers alike?
How is Tucson different from Monchi’s community?
Why is it difficult for Monchi to choose between the Attendance Award and the roundup?

41. Writing Assignment TE – 187b and 187j
Use at least five spelling words to write one-sentence news bulletins that could appear as a crawl at the bottom of the screen during a television show.

42. Spelling Words Irregular Plurals
loaves
hoofs
tornadoes
banjos
patios
beliefs
cuffs
sheep
radios
moose

43. Spelling Words Irregular Plurals
halves
roofs
cliffs
leaves
lives
themselves
potatoes
teeth
videos
sheep

44. portfolios embargoes handkerchiefs calves lassoes
CHALLENGE
portfolios
embargoes
handkerchiefs
calves
lassoes

45. Weekly Fluency Check - Emotion TE 187a
Read aloud “A Big-City Dream” on p. 162m. Explain that you will express Luz’s emotions by changing your pacing and tone of voice. Point out reading with emotion makes dialogue more interesting
Read aloud Pg. 172,paragraphs Have students notice how your pitch and tone changes to express feelings.

46. Research/Study Skills – Newspaper/Newsletters TE 187 L
A newspaper has an index on or near the front page.
Newspapers include editorial pages that express opinions on current events.

47. Research/Study Skills – Newspaper/Newsletters TE 187 L
A newsletter is a brief publication from a group that contains news of interest to the group’s members.
Newspaper and newsletter articles are identified with headlines and may include illustrations or photographs with captions.

48. Fun Stuff
Coyote School Site
Vocabulary Cards
Lesson Plan