Reading the Mud / Unsinkable Molly Mabray
From Molly of Denali · 2020
Summary
Molly learns that tracks and marks left behind in mud are a kind of text you can "read" for clues — and puts that skill to the test tracking down what animal has been visiting the Trading Post. Then, inspired by Daniel's tall tales of life at sea, Molly, Tooey, and Trini decide to build their own sailboat and discover that building a sea-worthy vessel takes a lot more engineering than their first plan accounted for.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Molly treats animal tracks in the mud like clues in a text — finding meaning in images instead of words.
- What clues did Molly look for in the mud, and what did each one tell her?
- How is "reading" tracks similar to reading a book with pictures?
- What problem did Molly, Tooey, and Trini run into when they tried to build a sailboat?
- Why do you think their first plan needed more research and testing?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: track, clue, evidence, design, test.
Try it: Look at a photo of an animal track (paw print, bird track, or hoofprint). List three details you notice and one guess about what animal made it.