PRE-READING ACTIVITY

Display a map of Maine in the 1700s, and point out the Penobscot River. Also show the students various links to Internet sites with information about the state of Maine. Explain to the students that Penobscot means "The Rocky Place." How is the name of the tribe pertinent to the state of Maine? Tell the class that the Penobscot Tribe in The Sign of the Beaver leaves their central village during the winter. Ask the students to discuss why the tribe must move with the seasons.

LITERATURE CIRCLES

Students work in Literature Circle on the following activities although each student will keep their own journal. Behavior students will be expected to exhibit.

1. Displays appropriate turn-taking behaviors.
2. solicit another person's comment or opinion.
3. Responds appropriately to comments and questions.
4. Volunteers contributions, as well as responds when directly solicited by a teacher or discussion leader.
5. Gives reasons in support of opinions expressed.
6. Clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so.
7. Begins to ask classmates for similar expansions.
8. Employs a group decision-making technique, such as brainstorming, or a problem-solving sequence (e.g., recognize problem, define problem, identify possible solutions, select optimal solution, implement solution, evaluate solution).

Roles that the students perform in the group will rotate daily. Each group will fill out a sheet with the roles performed and will turn this in weekly.

1. Artful artist uses some form of artwork to represent a significant scene or idea from the reading.
2. Literary luminary points out interesting or important passages within the reading.
3. Discussion director writes questions that will lead to discussion by the group.
4. Capable connector finds connections between the reading material and something outside the text, such as a personal experience, a topic studied in another class, or a different work of literature.
5. Word wizard discusses words in the text that are unusual, interesting, or difficult to understand.

JOURNAL

Students will be given a journal and will be encouraged to respond to what they are reading. Journal cover.

Topics will include:

CHARACTER TRAITS

Using two hula-hoops, label one Matt and the other Attean. Use the list of character words and as a whole group have students list individual character traits on index cards. Have students take turns placing the cards in the appropriate area of the hula-hoop diagram. Cards that describe common traits of both Matt and Attean are placed in the overlapping area of the hoops.

VOCABULARY

The vocabulary in The Sign of the Beaver is really very simple. I will give them a list of vocabulary words and their definitions for each chapter. Students may wish to focus on Attean's developing vocabulary. As he learns more English, he begins to make fun of some of the expressions that Matt uses. Students will be encouraged to write in their journals about new words that Matt and Attean are learning. What are some of the phrases that Attean thinks are humorous? Ask students to share some humorous expressions that they or their family use.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

After the students have read in their books for a few day and been writing in their response journal, I will introduce figurative language. I will explain to students that authors sometimes describe things bye using figurative language. When they use the words like or as to compare things it is called a simile. When a comparison is made and is usually linked with a verb it is called a metaphor. Also, authors occasionally give human qualities or characteristics to objects or animals and this is called personification. We will look at he following examples in The Sign of the Beaver. After we have looked at the examples I will ask students to find examples as they read. Students will write their examples in their journal and will be able to post new examples to a chart of paper on the wall.

(page 2) silence coiled around Matt and reached into his stomach to settle there is  a hard knot

(page 4) the rifle's walnut stock was a smooth and shining as his mother's silk dress.

(page 33) silently the boy sat down, as straight and rigid as a cedar post

(page 38) reading to a wooden post

(page 64) the leaves and earth mounded up like an animal burrow

(page 72) its heavy body brushed aside the branches as though they were cobwebs

(page 73) the bear shook it off as though it were a buzzing mosquito

(page 82) sleepiness began to drag at his eyelids

(page 128) the chilly whiteness reached over his moccasins and closed around his bar ankles

RESEARCH TOPIC

With this book there is a variety of topics the students could choose to do research on. Students can select their own topic. The following are links to various teacher selected topics, but students may choose other topics as well. Students will give an oral report on their topic.

The link page has hyperlinks to various topics:

MAKE UP A GAME

The book describes a game that the young Native American boys are playing. Have students in their literature circles make up their own version of the game. They can bring things from home or request various materials from the teacher. They must make up a list of rules for the game. They will present these in class.

EVENTS LEADING TO FRIENDSHIP

When students are finished reading they will work in their literature circles on the Events Leading to Friendship handout.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Students will work in their Literature Circle groups to answer teacher selected assigned discussion question from the Discussion Questions Page.

INTERDISCIPLINARY

Students will work in the Literature Circles on one or two (as time permits) teacher selected assigned Interdisciplinary Activities.

The Interdisciplinary Activities Page

Send E-mail to sleavitt@shf.org

Last updated: Saturday November 29, 2008

Copyright © 12/03/2008