Image of three different horses running in a grassy field
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Background Builder,

Giddyup! Get 4 Horse Facts

You are about to read a true story about a little horse that needed a friend. First, read four facts about horses. 

From the February 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: Give students background knowledge about horses before they read “The Lonely Little Horse.”

Lexile® measure: 340L
Featured Skill: Vocabulary, Main Idea,
Vocabulary: ranch, cattle, trained, herd
Topic: Science,
Common Core Standards
  • Science Focus
    Animals
  • Common Core Standards
    RI.2.1 Key details RI.2.4 Vocabulary RI.2.5 Nonfiction text features RI.2.7 Use visuals RI.2.9 Compare two texts on a similar topic RI.2.10 Read grade-2-appropriate informational text SL.2 Participate in conversations about grade-2 texts
TEKS Standards
  • Science
    (13) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms have structures and undergo processes that help them interact and survive within their environments. The student is expected to: (B) record and compare how the structures and behaviors of animals help them find and take in food, water, and air; (C) record and compare how being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves, and cope with changes

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1. They come in different sizes.

Richard Austin/Shutterstock
 

Some horses are much taller than a person. A mini horse is a very small horse. 

2. Some live on a ranch. 

© Wakr10 | Dreamstime.com
 

A ranch is a large farm where people raise animals. There are ranches for cattle, or cows, and sheep. 

A horse ranch is a place for horses. They run, eat, and sleep there. 

3. They are smart.

iStockPhoto/Getty Images
 

Horses can be trained. That means people can teach them what to do. People can train them to be ridden, to stand still when they are being brushed, to stop, and even to do tricks. Giddyup, horses!

4. Horses need friends.

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Horses like to be with other horses. They stay in a herd. That is a group of animals.

iStockPhoto/Getty Images
 

What if a mini horse was too grumpy to make a friend? Find out in The Lonely Little Horse!

Slideshows (1)
Activities (3)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (3) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

  • Small group; whole group; independent reading

Pairings and Text Connections

Read this Background Builder before reading the Big Read, “The Lonely Little Horse.”

Before-Reading Resources

  • Text Preview Bookmarks 
    (5 minutes) Kids can cut out the nonfiction bookmark and use it to preview the text.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow 
    (5 minutes) Help students become familiar with the vocabulary words they will see in the article.

Suggested Reading Focus

Knowledge-building (30 minutes)

  • This article gives students background knowledge that will help them better understand this issue’s Big Read, “The Lonely Little Horse,” on page 6.

After-Reading Skills Practice

 (15 minutes for each activity)

  • Quiz: Comprehension check
  • Nosey’s Fact File: Students can fill out sheets with facts about horses. Then you can send pictures of their fact files to [email protected]. She will write back!

Text-to-Speech