• The student will read Misty of Chincoteague or another book by Marguerite Henry.
• The student will learn about Marguerite Henry's life.
• The student will search books and the Internet to gather information on an assigned topic.

• Working in a cooperative group, the student will select and research a topic and complete a writing assignment on that topic.
• The student will prepare a bibliography of sources consulted to complete the writing project.

Grade Levels: 4-5

Classroom set of Misty of Chincoteague (or one copy if the library media specialist and language arts teacher will be reading the book aloud to the class)

• Collins, David R. Write A Book for Me: the Story of Marguerite Henry. Greensboro, NC: Morgan Reynolds, 1999.
• Henry, Marguerite. The Illustrated Marguerite Henry: with Wesley Dennis, Robert Lougheed, Lynd Ward, and Rich Rudish. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1980.
• Henry, Marguerite. A Pictorial History of Misty. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

• AAA Tour Book: Mid-Atlantic States. Heathrow, FL: American Automobile Association, 1999.
• Jauck, Andrea. Assateague: Island of the Wild Ponies. New York: Macmillan, 1993.
• Kehoe, Stacia Ward. I Live On An Island. New York: Rosen Pub. Group's Power Kids Press, 1999.
• Keiper, Ronald R. The Assateague Ponies. Centreville: Tidewater Publishers, 1985.
• Mitchell, Joseph. Amphibians and Reptiles of Assateague and Chincoteague. Martinsville, VA: Virginia Museum of Natural History, 1994.
• Rocca, Francis X. Fodor's Virginia & Maryland. New York: Fodor's Travel Publications, 1995.
• Turner, John W. Field Guide to the Assateague Horses. [Toledo, Ohio?]: Turner and Kirkpatrick, 1988.
• Wilcox, Charlotte. The Chincoteague Pony. Mankato: Capstone Press, 1996.

• Haas, Jessie et al. Safe Horse, Safe Rider: A Young Rider's Guide to Responsible Horsekeeping. Pownal, VT: Storey Books, 1994.
• Hill, Cherry. Your Pony, Your Horse: A Kid's Guide to Care and Enjoyment. Pownal, VT: Storey Books, 1995.
• Kidd, Jane, ed. A First Guide to Horse and Pony Care. New York: Howell Book House, 1991.
• Pritchard, Louise. My Pony Book. New York: DK Publishing, 1998.
• Rodenas, Paula et al. The Random House Book of Horses and Horsemanship. New York: Random House, 1997.

• Album of Horses
• Black Gold
• Born to Trot
• Brighty of the Grand Canyon
• Cinnabar: the One O'Clock Fox
• Five O'Clock Charlie
• Gaudenzia: Pride of the Palio
• Justin Morgan Had A Horse
• King of the Wind
• The Little Fellow
• Marguerite Henry's All About Horses
• Misty of Chincoteague
• Misty's Twilight
• Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West
• A Pictorial Life of Misty
• San Domingo: the Medicine Hat Stallion
• Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague
• Stormy: Misty's Foal
• White Stallion of Lipizza

web sites about Marguerite Henry

• http://www.modelhorses.com/mcf/mhenry.html#mh
• http://www.arabian-horses.com/news/henry.htm

web sites about Assateague Island

• http://www.beach-net.com/chincoteague/assateag.html
• http://www.dmv.com/btob/assateag/index.html
• http://www.assateague.com/
• http://www.nps.gov/asis/index.htm

web sites about Chincoteague Island

• http://www.chincoteague.com/index.html
• http://www.esva.net/~pony/map-hist.html

• http://www.four.net/~dostdona/Chincoteague.html
• http://www.beach-net.com/chincoteague/ponypage.html
• http://www.pony-chincoteague.com
• http://www.intercom.net/user/clinique/ponies.html
• http://equisearch.com/newsroom/fa_chincoteague.html
• http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/chincote/

• This unit will take approximately three weeks to complete, with several visits to the library media center for research.
• The library media specialist and language arts teacher will work cooperatively on the unit.

• set up a display of Marguerite Henry's books in the library media center (if necessary, borrow books from other district media centers, the public library, and interlibrary loan)
• present an author talk on Marguerite Henry
• share in reading Misty of Chincoteague to the class (unless students will be reading on their own)
• review card catalogue searching and using tables of contents and indexes to locate information in books
• teach students how to do a subject search on the Internet
• assist students in researching their topics

• share in reading Misty of Chincoteague to the class
• teach students how to prepare a bibliography
• assist students in researching their topics
• monitor the writing projects

• Create a display of Marguerite Henry's books in the library media center.
• Read Misty of Chincoteague to the class or require students to read it on their own. If students are reading themselves, those who have already read Misty could select another Henry book.
• Present an author talk to acquaint students with Marguerite Henry.
• Review for students how to do a card catalogue search and how to use a book's Table of Contents and index to locate information quickly.
• Teach students how to do a subject search on the Internet.
• Teach students how to prepare a bibliography of sources.
• Have each student select a topic from the list below. Divide them into groups of about four according to topic. Each group will research their topic and complete one of these writing assignments:

• Write a history of Chincoteague and Assateague, including theories on how the ponies arrived on Asssateague.
• Design a travel brochure or travelgram for Chincoteague and Assateague, including information about motels, campgrounds, restaurants, activities, weather, and any other information you think would be important to someone planning a trip to the islands.
• Write a field guide describing the kinds of wildlife that can be found on Assateague. Include mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
• Write a letter to your parents explaining Pony Penning Day and convincing them to allow you to purchase a pony at that event. Some questions to keep in mind as you are writing your letter:

• How will you get the money to purchase and maintain your new pony?
• Where will you keep the pony?
• How will you care for it?
• Can you ride, or will you have to take lessons?

• Encourage students to read other books by Marguerite Henry, and invite them to present booktalks to the class.
• Show the 1961 movie Misty to the class.
• Arrange a visit by Kendy Allen and her pony Misty II, a granddaughter of the famous Misty. Kendy, a librarian, lives in Manheim, PA, and she and Misty II often visit schools to promote reading and literacy (call 717/665-7144).
• Take the class on a one-day field trip to Assateague and/or Chincoteague.

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If you have any comments, email me at poettel@hotmail.com.

Last updated - 4 August, 1999