Second in the lockdown series by Clare O’Beara, A Dog For Lockdown is a story about a thirteen-year-old boy who lives with his mother in a council house (public housing in Ireland). Dermot skips school an afternoon so he doesn’t know lockdown has been ordered. He stops at a store and gets an uneasy feeling watching shoppers filling carts with items he considers odd, such as toilet paper. The grocer tells Dermot he should be at home. He realizes no kids are in the store or even outside. At home, his mother asks how school was and he lies indicating he was at school. She knew otherwise as schools and many shops were closed. In addition, it is his birthday. Oh, my.
Click on the next link to download your free PDF:
Dog-for-Lockdown-by-Clare-O-Beara-Student-Pack-Feb2021
I like this modern realistic story as the characters are everyday people without pretenses. Dermot and his mother Ann do not own a car so walk to the store and buy as much as they can afford for the foreseeable future. They lug heavy bags home. I like this story for children to realize not everyone has every advantage, and that life can be difficult for others. It would be important for students to realize if they bully another child, the child may have no choice about his or her clothing or living conditions. And, Dermot does get bullied on Facebook. A teacher helps him and we all learn a lesson about online bullies. Dermot’s one friend, Jamie, seems unreliable for much of the story.
Ann has just learned she has pre-diabetes and thinks Dermot is also at risk as they are both eating the same foods. They learn about a healthy diet and both of them feel better. Part of what helps Dermot is a neighbor is taken to a hospital and he then cares for a nice dog, Shelia. Walking the dog helps him look better.
The story has several important life lessons for students.
Table of Contents
Page 2 Possible Cover for Student Pages
Pages 4-5 Discussion Questions
Page 6 Noticing the Traits of Writing in A Dog for Lockdown
Pages 7 Matching Characters and More
Page 8 Identify Dog Postures
Page 9 True or False about Story Settings
Page 10 Friends in the Den True and False
Page 11 Cause and Effect
Page 12 Determine Character Story Goals
Page 13 Identify Story Themes
Page 14 Sequence the Facebook Problem
Page 15 Write and Sequence the Facebook Problem
Page 16 Bullying Resources
Page 17 Foreshadowing in A Dog for Lockdown
Pages 18-19 Write a Good Paragraph
(letter-sized teaching posters)
Pages 20-22 Paragraph Writing Frames
Pages 23-24 Teacher and Student Rubrics
Pages 25-35 Answer Keys
Pages 36-37 You might also like . . . other books by Clare O’Beara
(free teaching printable for each one)
Pages 38-39 Credits
Note to teachers: All students will not need to complete all pages. Select the most appropriate pages for your class or small group of readers. Pages are at different levels of difficulty for the purpose of differentiation.
In addition, the free teaching supplement has some writing exercises and other activities for literacy classes. I think students ages 10 to 14 would benefit from reading and studying this book. Previously, I wrote about O’Beara’s book A Pony for Quarantine. I also created a teaching supplement for that book and other horse books written by O’Beara.
I also made aA Dog for Lockdown that some teachers may find helpful.
Thank you for reading, Carolyn
The teaching supplement includes paragraph writing frames and evaluation rubrics.
Discussion questions for the story are included
Students will read and notice themes in the book.
The book has several settings with details for students to identify.
Students will identify and discuss traits of writing in the text.
Students will create a bullying resource page for a quick consultation if needed in the future.
Clare O’Beara Author Interview
Clare O’Beara is a prolific, award-winning author who also happens to be a tree surgeon, national showjumping champion, book reviewer for Fresh Fiction, previous MENSA leader and volunteer, and advocate for gifted education among other talents and abilities.
Rodeo Finn by Clare O’Beara Free Student Work Pages
Rodeo Finn by Clare O’Beara is a multi-genre novel for teens and young adults. Realistic equine fiction with nonfiction information regarding Ireland’s and Arizona’s farming, ranching, and equestrian competitions form the story. The free book companion PDF for the book.
Show Jumping Team by O’Beara Book Companion Free
Show Jumping Team was written by a National Show Jumping Champion of Ireland, Clare O’Beara. The book is multi-genre as it is realistic fiction with nonfiction information about horses and horse shows. Free teaching supplement at this link.
A Pony for Quarantine by O’Beara
A Pony for Quarantine by Clare O’Beara is so much more than a “horse” book as by way of the pony theme it shares many life lessons for teens. A free teaching supplement is at this link.
A Dog for Lockdown by O’Beara
Second in the lockdown series by Clare O’Beara, A Dog For Lockdown is a story about a thirteen-year-old boy who lives with his mother. The free teaching supplement is at this link.
Dining Out Around the Solar System by Clare O’Beara (Book 1 of 4)
In a future where giant corporations run countries, all British Space Mines has to fear are journalists and hackers.
Donal and Myron are their worst nightmare. See Wise Owl Factory’s review on The New Book Review.
Dining Out With The Ice Giants (Dining Out Around The Solar System Book 2) Clare O’Beara
Two journalists in an alternate future London meet the people from the outer planets – during one of the worst winters for cold and flooding that London has suffered. From political misdeeds to mushroom picking in a disused Tube station, Donal and Myron uncover all sorts of activities… and dangers. See what Wise Owl Factory’s thinks about this book on The New Book Review.
Dining Out With The Gas Giants (Dining Out Around The Solar System Book 3) by Clare O’Beara
Donal and Myron are journalists who’ll go anywhere for a story. This summer, as tempers flare and riots are sparked in London’s heat, they get a lead they can’t resist. Not all the off-world immigrants are friendly. See Wise Owl Factory’s review on The New Book Review.
Dining Out on Planet Mercury by Clare O’Beara
When a girl from Mercury is suspected of murder, the police need Irish journalist and hacker Donal as interpreter.
Off-world workers are being exploited in more ways than one. See Wise Owl Factory’s review on The New Book Review.
A Pony for Quarantine by Clare O’Beara
Quarantine! Moya, age 13, is sent home from school. She isn’t sure what is happening. Her parents and brother are home, too. She can hear neighbors cleaning to be prepared in the event they will be sick. Her own parents leave to shop for food, and although they might not get everything they want, will be able to get food. The store is only allowing 100 people inside at a time.
