The Snail and the Whale is a tale about a snail who takes a trip around the world on the tail of a whale. The story sets the stage for rich discussions about how dreaming big can lead to grand adventures both near and far. This module makes a splash with a study of modern art inspired by Henri Matisse and takes a deep dive into the construct of fables. Students will explore vocal expression, acrostic poems, real‐life and fictional snails, and even the sounds of whales. Students will be encouraged to forge their own trails and leave a silvery mark along the way.
Before you begin...
Each Artful Reading Module is flexibly designed for a 2-3 week duration. Lessons are marked for Before-, During-, or After-Reading to guide your planning. We have added a sample of a Before Reading lesson entitled A Fox, a Frog, and a Snail for you to preview. Each lesson is designed in an easy to read format, with standards, materials needed, and step-by-step directions to ensure you are fully prepared when it’s time to deliver.
This module contains the following lessons:
- Busy Bins
o Scissor Shapes
o Puzzled
o Acrostic
o Whale Sounds
o Snaily Snail Snails
o Snail or Whale - A Fox, a Frog, and a Snail
- The Snail and the Whale
- Vocal Trails
- Snail Trail
- Modern Art
At the end of the module, you will find options for summative writing tasks and optional extensions that can stretch the module further.
Standards Matrix
For your reference, we have added images of the literacy standards matrix for this module.
Key Vocabulary
Fable, Moral, Whale, Snail, Trail, Modern Art, Portrait
Note: This module is part of 2nd Grade: Series 2. The four modules in Series 2 collectively address all National ELA and Core Arts Standards.