This Lesson is the center piece of the Unit.  Students will learn about an American hero, Velma Johnston, aka Wild Horse Annie.  They will be inspired with her personal story of being hospitalized as a young child with polio and how a picture of wild mustangs in her room gave her hope that one day, she would walk again.  Students will also learn about the fateful day Velma witnessed a truck load of wild horses on their way to a slaughter house.  Lastly, students will feel emboldened with how Velma valiantly navigated all channels of government (with the help of school children) to pass laws for positive, productive change.  Lastly, this Lesson functions as a starting point to launch the Unit and all 12 sequential activities.  
 
Contents in order of use: 
1. Lesson Pre-assessment
2. Lesson Saving OUR Nation's Wild Horses
3. Lesson Template Book
4. Lesson Teacher Parent Information to Help Facilitate Accurate Knowledge Building
5. Lesson Post-assessment
6. Lesson Rating 
 
Subject domains: 
English Language Arts (reading and writing informational text); sequencing events (timeline); descriptive language (adjectives); and character traits.  
Social Studies (geography, maps, laws, symbols, levels of government, civic service, an American hero (Velma Johnston).  
 
Skills: 
Map reading skills (USA and California maps).
Social-emotional learning (empathy, compassion, courage, perseverance, resilience...overcoming obstacles (polio, disfigurement, and bullying).