Lesson Plan: The World of Dog Queens

Subject: English Language Arts & Visual Arts
Grade Level: Ages 9-11 (flexible for homeschool setting)
Book Focus: Queens of Dogs by Joe Weatherstone

Materials Needed

• A copy of the book Queens of Dogs for reference
• Plain or colored paper (A4 or larger)
• Drawing materials (pencils, colored pencils, markers, crayons)
• Writing materials (pen or pencil)
• Optional: Ruler for map-making, comic strip templates (can be printed or hand-drawn)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

• Analyze character traits and motivations to create a new, original character that fits within the world of the novel.
• Demonstrate understanding of setting and plot by creating a visual map of the story's world.
• Adopt a character's voice and perspective through creative writing.
• Sequence a key event from the plot and represent it visually in a comic strip format.

Lesson Introduction & Warm-Up (5-10 minutes)

Begin with a brief chat about the book. Ask open-ended questions to get the student thinking creatively:

• "If you were one of the dog queens in the book, what would be the best part of being royal?"
• "Which queen is your favorite and why? What makes her a good (or not-so-good) leader?"
• "The author created a really interesting world. What's one place in that world you would want to visit?"

This discussion activates prior knowledge and sets a creative tone for the activities.

Activity 1: Create a Character - The Rival Queen (20 minutes)

Focus: Character Development & Creative Thinking

Task: Every good story needs a compelling rival or a long-lost ally! Your task is to invent a new dog queen who could appear in a sequel to the book.

1. Brainstorm: Think about what kind of queen is missing from the story. Is she a queen of the desert dogs? The mountain hounds? The city strays? What is her breed or mix?
2. Draw Your Queen: On a sheet of paper, draw your new queen. Think about her appearance. Does she wear a crown made of woven twigs, shiny bottle caps, or something else? What does her expression say about her personality?
3. Create a Character Profile: Around your drawing or on the back, write a short profile. Include:
   • Name: (e.g., Queen Kora of the Sun-Scorched Sands)
   • Kingdom: (e.g., The Junkyard Empire, The Whispering Woods)
   • Personality Traits: (Is she wise, sneaky, brave, goofy?)
   • A Special Skill: (e.g., Can find water anywhere, has an incredibly loud bark, is a master of disguise)
   • Her Goal: (What does she want most? To be friends with the other queens? To steal the comfiest dog bed? To find a lost treasure?)

Activity 2: Map the Kingdom (20 minutes)

Focus: Setting, Visualization, and Spatial Reasoning

Task: The world in Queens of Dogs is rich and full of important places. Your mission is to be the royal cartographer and draw a map of the lands ruled by the queens.

1. Identify Key Locations: Skim through the book or think back on the story. List at least 4-5 important locations mentioned (e.g., a specific queen's territory, a dangerous forest, a meeting spot, a human town).
2. Design Your Map: On a large piece of paper, start drawing the map. Don't worry about it being perfectly to scale! The goal is creativity.
   • Place the key locations you identified.
   • Add geographical features like rivers, mountains, forests, or junkyards.
   • Create a "map key" or "legend" with symbols for different things (e.g., a crown for a castle, a tree for a forest, a wavy line for a river).
   • Give your map a title, like "A Royal Map of the Dog Kingdoms."
   • Creative Challenge: Add the kingdom of the new queen you created in Activity 1 to the map!

Activity 3: Write a Royal Decree (15 minutes)

Focus: Writing from a Character's Perspective & Understanding Voice

Task: A decree is an official order from a leader. Choose one of the queens from the book (or the one you invented!) and write a royal decree that she would issue to her subjects.

1. Choose a Queen and a Purpose: What new rule does your queen want to make? Is it serious or silly?
   • Example Ideas: "A mandatory afternoon nap for all dogs." "The squirrel chasing championships are to be held every Tuesday." "Henceforth, all humans must provide extra ear scratches upon request."
2. Write the Decree: Write a short proclamation (one paragraph is fine). Try to capture the queen's personality in the writing. Is her language formal and fancy, or straightforward and tough?
   • Start with official language, like "Hear ye, hear ye!" or "By order of the Queen..."
   • Clearly state the new rule.
   • Explain why the new rule is being made.
   • Sign it with the queen's name and official title.

Activity 4: Scene Spotlight - Comic Strip (20 minutes)

Focus: Plot, Sequencing, and Summarizing

Task: Choose one important, exciting, or funny scene from the book and retell it in the form of a short, 4-panel comic strip.

1. Select a Scene: Pick a moment that stands out to you. It could be a big confrontation, a funny conversation, or a key turning point in the story.
2. Plan Your Panels: Think about the four most important "shots" that tell the story of that scene.
   • Panel 1: The beginning of the action. Who is there and where are they?
   • Panel 2: The action rises. What happens next?
   • Panel 3: The climax of the scene. The most important moment!
   • Panel 4: The result or aftermath. What happens right after?
3. Draw the Comic: Divide a piece of paper into four boxes. Sketch the scene in each panel. Add speech bubbles for dialogue or small caption boxes for narration (e.g., "Later that day..."). Simple stick-figure dogs are perfectly fine—the goal is storytelling!

Wrap-Up & Sharing (5 minutes)

Have the student present their creations. This is a chance for them to proudly share their work and explain the creative choices they made.

• Ask them to introduce their new queen and explain why she'd be a great addition to the story.
• Have them use their map to point out the location of their favorite scene.
• Let them read their royal decree aloud in their best "queenly" voice.
• Talk through the comic strip and discuss why that scene was important to the book.

Differentiation & Extension Ideas

• For Extra Support: For the comic strip, provide a pre-printed template with panels. For the map, brainstorm the list of locations together. For the decree, offer sentence starters like "I, Queen _____, do hereby declare..."
• For an Extra Challenge: Ask the student to write a short story (1-2 pages) about their new character meeting one of the existing queens. Or, have them design a royal flag or coat of arms for each of the different dog kingdoms.