Pair this poem with the article "The Dog That Saved a Town."
Read a rhyming poem about Balto the sled dog’s heroic journey.
The blizzard was bitter, the air thick and white,
As Balto ran on through the frigid dark night.
The trail disappeared, and his paws almost froze,
But that didn’t stop him—he had a dog’s nose.
He sniffed through the snow—he picked up a scent.
He lost not a moment—ARF! Off he went.
With miles left to go, icy hills left to climb,
Balto raced on—and got there in time.
You ask how he did it. He had a head start.
For he had a dog’s nose—and he had a dog’s heart.
Implementation
Pairings and Text Connections
"The Dog That Saved a Town,” p. 6
“Brave Jackie /Jackie Up Close,” p.18
“Nina and the Winter Whirlwinds,” p. 22
“Hero,” p. 32
Before-Reading Resources
(5 minutes) Help students think about characteristics of heroes. They can connect the ideas in the video to the themed texts in the magazine.
After Reading Skills Practice
(15 minutes each)
This printable gives students practice with the vowel teams -oa and -ow.
