Lesson Plan: Fancy Dancer

Essential Questions:

• What makes you you?
• What does “home” mean? 
• How do people build self-confidence? 

Preview Text Features (15 minutes)

Have students open their magazines to page 14. Guide them to preview the text features by asking the following questions:

• Read the story’s title and subtitle (the text beneath the title). What do you think it means for Rory, the main character, to “be himself”? Why might it take strength for him to do this? Answers may vary. Students might guess that Rory will try something new in the story—maybe something his community doesn’t expect from him. 
• Skim through the story and look at the side bubbles that contain questions. Read the headers, such as “Inference” and “Character.” Are there any skills that you aren’t familiar with? Answers will vary.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Point out the vocabulary box. Read the terms (ancestors, coordination, hesitantly, determination) aloud and discuss their definitions.
• Play the Vocabulary Slideshow
• Note: Students might notice that the word ancestors is capitalized in the story but not in the Vocabulary Slideshow or in other resources. Explain that authors sometimes choose to capitalize this word as a way of honoring the struggles and achievements of the people who came before them. Let students know that when ancestors is used simply as a common noun and not as a term of respect, it is not capitalized.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

• Set a purpose for reading by telling students that they will make inferences about “Fancy Dancer.” Explain that making an inference means using clues from the text to figure out something that isn’t directly stated. (You may also consider showing our “Skills in Action: What Is an Inference?” video.)

• Read the story (or visit Action Online and click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud). Then discuss the close-reading questions found in the margins (answers below) and the critical-thinking questions below.

Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)

• Inference (p. 15): You can infer that Rory’s mom feels happier and more relaxed without Rory’s birth dad around. Just a few lines later, Rory states that his birth father wasn’t a kind man. It sounds like Rory’s mom has a new partner who is more supportive and respectful of her than Rory’s birth father was. 
• Inference (p. 15): The lines tell you that Rory’s birth dad is a controlling person who wanted his wife to be someone other than who she was. 
• Character (p. 15): By discouraging him from being interested in his Cree heritage, Rory’s birth dad probably made him feel like part of him was bad or wrong. Being accepted by his larger family must feel really good. 
• Character (p. 16): Rory probably feels awkward calling himself and his family Native Americans because it feels unfamiliar. His birth father has made him feel like being Native American isn’t a good thing.
• Compare and Contrast (p. 16): Rory sees dancing as a physical activity that you’re either good at or bad at. Paul sees it as something bigger: a way to celebrate and communicate.
• Inference (p. 17): Thinking about his ancestors might help Rory trust himself, because it can remind him that fancy dancing is in his blood and is natural for him. 
• Character’s Motivation (p. 17): Rory throws away the flyer because he’s having doubts about  whether he should go to the powwow and dance. Right before this, he remembers what his father had said about Rory trying to be “too Indian.” Because of that statement and his father’s comments about Rory’s lack of coordination, he’s not sure he should dance. On the other hand, he likes the way dancing makes him feel. Rory’s doubt and confusion lead him to crush the flyer and throw it away.
• Plot (p. 18): At this point, Rory wants to prove to himself that he can dance, and he wants to be proud of who he is. He also wants to prove his father wrong.
• Key Idea (p. 18): Rory is learning that “home” can mean more than just the house or town where you live. It can mean any place where you belong, and for Rory that might turn out to be several places.
• How a Character Changes (p. 19): Learning how to fancy dance has given Rory confidence and pride, both in his skills and in his identity. He has grown physically stronger and learned to trust his body. Taking part in the powwow has also given him a way to bond with his Cree family and with Paul.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

• Right before the Junior Boys Fancy Dance, Paul tells Rory, “. . . sometimes in life, you gotta be brave before you can be good.” What do you think of this advice? Do you agree or disagree with Paul? Answers will vary.
• How do you think Rory’s fancy dance at the powwow will go? Do you think he’ll win the competition? If not, do you think he’ll be upset? Explain your answer. Answers may vary. Sample answer: Rory probably won’t win the competition, because he hasn’t been dancing for very long. But even if he doesn’t win, he’ll probably feel proud of himself for being brave and trying something new.

• Have students work in pairs to complete the Spotlight Skill Workout: Inference activity at the end of the play.
• Assign students to work independently on our How a Character Changes Skill Builder. (Click here to see all your Skill Builders for this feature.)
• Writing prompt: Write a journal entry from Rory’s point of view about his experience of preparing for the powwow and then taking part in it. You can invent details about how the competition went and what happened afterward.