The response journal summarizes four Native American legends over four days. It includes vocabulary words and comprehension questions to focus on cause and effect, main idea and details, compare and contrast, and characterization. Students are prompted to make connections to the stories and complete analysis activities after reading each legend.

1. Response Journal for Legends
Name_______________ Date_____________
Day 1: The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush

2. Before Reading….
Vocabulary: Make a Connection:
Legend- a story that has been handed What is something that
down through generations.
you have wanted to do
Warrior- a person experienced in conflict before, but you were
(war)
told you couldn’t
Tribe-a group of people living under a because you were too
leader or chief.
little or too young?
Custom- a usual practice. _______________________
Deeds- something that was done, an act _______________________
of courage or skill. _______________________
Focus Skill: Cause/Effect
During Reading…
Be on the lookout…
for examples of cause and effect from the story.
After Reading…
Partner Activity/Individual Activity:
After reading the story, complete the cause/effect
chart on the next page.

3. Cause Effect
The boy was smaller than _____________________
the rest of the children in
_____________________
the tribe.
_____________________
________________________ Little Gopher was given
a white buckskin.
________________________
________________________
He gathered berries, ________________________
flowers, and rocks of
________________________
different colors.
________________________
________________________ On the ground he saw
brushes filled with paint
________________________
of every color from the
________________________ sunset.
_
Every spring the Indian ________________________
Paintbrushes bloom.
________________________
________________________

4. Day 2: The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush
Before Reading….
Vocabulary: Make a Connection:
Legend- a story that has been handed What a special talent
down through generations.
that you have? Explain
Warrior- a person experienced in conflict how having that
(war)
special talent makes
Tribe-a group of people living under a you feel.
leader or chief.
_______________________
Custom- a usual practice. _______________________
Deeds- something that was done, an act _______________________
of courage or skill. _______________________
_______________________
Focus Skill: Main Idea/Details
During Reading…
Be on the lookout…
for the main idea of the story and supporting
details.
After Reading…
Partner Activity/Individual Activity:
After reading the story, complete the main idea
and supporting detail graphic organizer.

6. Day 3: The Legend of the Bluebonnet
Before Reading….
Vocabulary: Make a Connection:
Legend- a story that has been handed Have you ever felt
down through generations. alone? Describe that
Deeds- something that was done, an act feeling.
of courage or skill.
Warrior- a person experienced in conflict
(war)
Famine- a shortage of food.
Drought- a shortage of water.
Focus Skill: Compare/Contrast
During Reading…
Be on the lookout…
for how the two stories are different and
similar.
After Reading…
Partner Activity/Individual Activity:
After reading the story, complete the, Venn
Diagram on both stories.

8. Day 4: The Legend of the Bluebonnet
Before Reading….
Vocabulary: Make a Connection:
Legend- a story that has been handed Have you ever had to
down through generations. give up something you
Deeds- something that was done, an act loved? Have you ever
of courage or skill. had to give away
Warrior- a person experienced in conflict something you loved?
(war) Explain what it was and
Famine- a shortage of food. why you had to give it
Drought- a shortage of water.
up or give it away.
Focus Skill: Characterization
During Reading…
Be on the lookout…
for character traits for the main character and
details that support the character traits.
After Reading…
Partner Activity/Individual Activity:
After reading the story, complete the,
characterization web.

9. Characterization
In the bubble map below, use adjectives to describe the main
character. In the two boxes, use evidence from the story to support
the characteristic you chose for the bubble the arrow points to.
____________________________
____________________________
_______________________
____________________________
____________________________ _______________________
____________________________
_______________________
_______________________
She-
Who-Is-
Alone