Wisconsin/Minnesota Author

Wisconsin and Minnesota Author:
Anne Pellowski

Introduction:
• The students will begin reading books written by Anne Pellowski. She was born in Pine Creek, Wisconsin and grew up in rural Wisconsin and later lived in Winona, Minnesota. The books we will read are about 5 generations of women from the Pellowski family, from rural Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. There are connections to Winona, Minnesota, in the books, as some family members lived in Winona and Ms. Pellowski attended St. Mary’s College.
• Students will keep a journal on agriculture and life from reading the books. They will write in their journal after each chapter is completed.
• They will be doing an activity in language arts with the book as well.

Materials
• 4X6 note card and markers
• Copies of the following books by Anne Pellowski:
o First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story
o Winding Valley Farm: Annie’s Story
o Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story
o (Reading level is stated 3rd grade through 5th grade for all books)
• Share information from “The Polish People in Winona” article.
o http://rschooltoday.com/demographics/polish/Information.html
Newspaper articles from:
http://www.winona.edu/library/databases/winonanewspaperproject.htm

Goal:
• By reading the books, students will become familiar with families who lived and farmed in western Wisconsin and Winona, Minnesota.
• Via newspaper clippings, they can become familiar with more of their personal stories.

Objective:
Students will learn about the past in the Winona and Western Wisconsin farming communities. They will understand the family, social, and community relationships of these people.

Activity:

Introduction: (10 min.)
• Share biographical information on Anne Pellowski
o http://www.soe.usfca.edu/departments/ime/rtwconf/speakers/pellowski.html
o www.greenwood.com/catalog/author/P/Anne_-_Pellowski.aspx
o Share Polish background sheet to introduce the origin of the settlers who have established parts of this area.
• Map of Minnesota and Wisconsin and locate the towns or areas where the families are from.

Development:
• (5 minutes)Divide class into groups randomly.
• Pass out the books and newspaper clipping suggested to go with the book. Allow students to begin reading, and go around to each group to explain the newspaper article.
o (15 minutes, about 5 with each group)Meet with each group to discuss their newspaper clipping. (the other groups will be doing silent reading)
o Have students write down the names on a 4x6 note card from the articles with the “Pellowski” family name, or highlighted names in the articles (if the person was married their name would be different than Pellowski). Inform the students that those names will be recognized in their book, as they are family characters from the books.
o In the back of some of the books is a family tree, use this to see if they can match the names from the articles to the names on the tree, make copies if students don't have a copy in thier book.
• (10 minutes) Introduce the journal assignment and have them begin their first journal assignment even though they may not be through the first chapter.
• The students will write 1-5 sentences in their journal for each chapter. Share with them some options of writing about the following (have these written on the board for reminders)
o If they get to a character from their newspaper clipping, tell about what that character encountered in the story.
o Write about the influences of agriculture on the families and individuals in the book (what was going on, chores, work, planting, harvesting, cooking, family gatherings, what did the girls do versus the boys-what did the girls/boys want to do).
o Example: Pvt. Lawrence Pellowski, newspaper obituary clipping.
• In the book Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story, chapter “Strawberry Surprise”, Lawrence is out picking strawberries with his brother Francis and they are talking about the strawberry harvest and what their mother will make with the strawberries.
Accommodation Note: if you have students with reading difficulties or needing help, you may want to print out single chapters at a time, that way they may not feel too overwhelmed and can work one print out at a time.

Closure: (5 minutes)
• Ask students to share with the class what they have read about so far.
• Ask, “who has a questions about the journal assignments”.

Assessments:
• Journals turned in after each chapter. Time will vary with readers (they will be graded on 5 chapters)
• Graded on the sentences they write:
o 1 sentence = 1 point
o 2-3 sentences = 3 points
o 4-5 sentences = 5 points


References:
www.greenwood.com/catalog/author/P/Anne_-_Pellowski.aspx
http://rschooltoday.com/demographics/polish/Information.html
http://www.soe.usfca.edu/departments/ime/rtwconf/speakers/pellowski.html
Winona Newspaper Project:
http://www.winona.edu/library/databases/winonanewspaperproject.htm

BOOKS:
Pellowski, Anne. First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story. Polish Institute of
Winona, MN (1982) & Putnam Publishing.
Pellowski, Anne. Winding Valley Farm: Annie’s Story. St. Mary’s Press.
Winona, MN. (1982).
Pellowski, Anne. Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story. St. Mary’s Press.
Winona, MN. (1982).

Also in this series, but not chosen for this assignement:
Pellowski, Anne. Wind Willow Farm: Betsy’s Story (1982)
Pellowski, Anne. Betsy’s Up and Down Year (1982)