Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
Common Core Teaching Guide
ABOUT THE BOOK
In this poetic tale, Hank dreams that he can fly. Come along
for the ride as he re-creates the dream for his little friend.
How far will Hank fly?
What will he see?
How high will he go?
These dreamland mysteries capture his friend’s imagination,
and they will capture yours, too.
The enchanting images of Rebecca Dudley’s meticulously
crafted dioramas set the scene for this gentle fantasy. Readers
will set sail, gliding through Hank’s world, as he discovers the
wonders of flight and the magic of friendship.
INTRODUCTION
Dear Teacher,
A picture book with spare text and rich illustrations offers so
many opportunities for young readers to practice inference and
interpretation skills as they also try their hands at creating narratives of their own. As Hank relates his dream to his little bird
friend, he enacts it in his wooded world. Invite your students to
tell the story of the wooded world journey as you meet Common
Core Reading Literature and Writing standards.
In addition, you can use the book as a springboard for a
mixed media art activity. You and your students may create
such intriguing and original scenes that you will need to
stage an art show for other classes to visit.
This guide was prepared by Toni Buzzeo, M.A., M.L.I.S., author, educational consultant,
and school librarian. www.tonibuzzeo.com
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
Common Core Teaching Guide
READING LITERATURE AND WRITING STANDARDS
Reading Literature Standard 2
RL K.2 With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
RL 1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message
or lesson.
Writing Standard 3
W K.3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several
loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide
a reaction to what happened.
W 1.3 W
rite narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include
some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
IN THE DREAM / IN REAL-LIFE
Kindergarten and Grade One: Because the narrative describes only Hank’s dream, the corresponding story thread
might be considered a wordless story that invites your students
to practice both retelling and visual literacy skills.
Begin by using a document camera to project the book and
read it aloud to students seated at desks or tables. As you
share each double page spread and Hank’s description of
what happened in the dream, ask students to discuss what is
happening in the real-life scene. After the first reading, ask
students, individually or in small groups, to retell the real-life
story, including each of the key details.
Grade One: After completing the story retelling, ask: What do
you think the central message or lesson of Hank Has a Dream is?
Focus student attention on the last double-page spread and the
final text that accompanies the last illustration as they answer
the question.
Kindergarten and Grade One: After you are certain that
students clearly understand the sequence of events, invite
them to complete the In Real-Life activity sheets on the
following pages. Then, select the best sentences for each of the
ten scenes, and write a group narrative using temporal words
as necessary to indicate event order and create a smoothly
structured text.
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
IN REAL-LIFE
What is Hank doing in this scene? Complete the sentence that begins
with “Hank _____________________.”
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
IN REAL-LIFE
What is Hank doing in this scene? Complete the sentence that begins
with “Hank _____________________.”
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank
.
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
Common Core Teaching Guide
Reading Literature Standard 3
RL K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
RL 1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
DETAILS ARE KEY
After reading Hank Has a Dream aloud, invite your students
to answer the following questions about the text.
• Who is the main character in this story?
•W
ho is the secondary character? How do you know
that he/she is not the main character?
• Where does this story take place?
•W
hen does this story take place? What clues do you
see in the illustrations to tell you time of day and time
of year?
• Why does Hank tell his friend about his dream?
• What does Hank do as he is retelling the dream?
•H
ow is the dream the same as what Hank is doing in
the story? How is it different?
Reading Literature Standard 7
RL K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story
in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
RL 1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
REBECCA DUDLEY’S STORYWOODS
While the setting of Hank Has a Dream might look familiar
to children who live surrounded by woods, meadows, or
parks, it is actually a handmade setting created entirely by
author/illustrator Rebecca Dudley. She meticulously fashions
each item, creates scenes, and then photographs them.
After reading the book, share the seven-minute film
Storywoods by Mary Horan about Rebecca Dudley and her
artistic process as well as its roots in her childhood.
http://vimeo.com/39157781. Then ask students to look
closely at each of the illustrations and describe the characters
and setting in detail. What elements of the forest and
meadows appear in each of the photographs? How do you
think Rebecca Dudley made each one?
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
Common Core Teaching Guide
Reading Literature Standard 9
RL K.9 With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of
characters in familiar stories.
RL 1.9 Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
THE TWO ADVENTURES OF HANK
After students are thoroughly familiar with the characters,
setting, and events of Hank Has a Dream, introduce them to
another Hank book, Hank Finds an Egg. Discuss the events
of this wordless Hank book.
When they are completely familiar with Hank’s other story,
ask them: How are the adventures and experiences of Hank
similar in the two stories? How are his experiences and
adventures different? Record the experiences that only apply
to Hank in Hank Has a Dream on the left side of The Two
Adventures of Hank Venn diagram activity sheet (on the
following page), and the experiences that apply only to Hank
in Hank Finds an Egg on the right side. If there are experiences that occur in both stories, record them in the intersection of the two circles.
HANK HAS A DREAM
HANK FINDS AN EGG
THE TWO ADVENTURES OF HANK
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
Common
WRITING
WITH PICTURES
Carefully cut
out around the figures Guide
and fold along
Core
Teaching
the dotted lines to stand the figures up.
Writing Standard 1
W 1.1 W
rite opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing
about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
W 2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state
an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to
connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
IN MY OPINION
Kindergarten and Grade One: Ask each child, individually,
to write or dictate a review of Hank Has a Dream using the
In My Opinion graphic organizer on the following pages.
Remind them to be sure to state their opinion of the book
and its illustrations, a reason for their opinion, and an
ending sentence or statement.
Grade One: Additionally, request that grade one students
offer at least two reasons for their expressed opinion and use
linking words to connect the reasons to the opinion.
ART EXTENSION ACTIVITY
What Kind of World Will You Create?
After viewing the film, Storywoods, from Rebecca Dudley’s
Storywoods activity earlier, visit the Storywoods on the
Road blog at http://storywoodsontheroad.blogspot.com/ and
share the many scenes that other children have created.
Next, enlist the parents of your students to help you gather
as many of the materials Rebecca Dudley uses in the film
as possible, along with any other materials you and your
students identify by looking closely at the photographs in the
book or the scenes pictured on the blog.
Then, ask your art teacher to collaborate on a joint project in
which you assist students in creating their own scenes as the
children did when Storywoods went on the road.
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
IN MY OPINION
Hank Has a Dream
is a
book
because
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
IN MY OPINION
DRAW A PICTURE OF HANK!
Hank has a dream
by Rebecca Dudley
Common Core Teaching Guide
About the Author and Illustrator
Photo: Jill Liebhaber
Rebecca Dudley is a builder, creator, photographer, and artist.
www.peterpauper.com
She makes everything that appears in her illustrations—the trees,
leaves, ponds, skies, and the creatures themselves. She has a small
architectural practice, and lives in Evanston, Illinois with her
husband John, dog Josephine, and her many magical Storywoods
characters. This is her second children’s picture book. Visit her blog
at www.storywoods.blogspot.com.
Illustrations © Rebecca Dudley