The Sign of the Beaver - Literature Kit Gr. 5-6

Book excerpt: Learn the importance of having skills for wilderness survival. Offer students a variety of objective and subjective questions. Get a clear understanding of the setting by comparing 1768 with today. Explore the concept of stereotyping with Matt's interaction with Attean. Students write an alternate ending to the incident with the bear that reflects how they would have reacted in that situation. Match vocabulary words found in the novel with their meanings. Write an editorial for the local newspaper for or against the use of leg traps. Compare Attean's, Matt's and today's society and culture by finding similarities and differences between food, housing and clothing. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: A story of wilderness survival in 18th Century Maine, about a young boy who is caught between two worlds. Shortly after Matt and his father finish building a cabin on their new settlement, Matt finds himself alone in the Maine wilderness with his nearest neighbor several miles away. With his father returning to civilization to get their family, Matt’s adventures begin. Matt is stung nearly to death by a swarm of bees, but manages to survive with the help of two local Natives—Attean and his grandfather, Saknis. As the summer progresses, the two boys have a number of adventures together, including killing an angry bear. In autumn, Matt is rejoined with his parents just after the snow flies.