Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen

Pre-reading/Motivational Activities:

Prior to reading the book, ask for predictions:

What do you think the story is going to be about?

Who do you think the main characters are going to be?

What are some things the hatchet might be used for?

How do you think Brian will solve the problem of starting a fire?

Predict some of the dangers Brian will face.

Vocabulary:

Pre-teach vocabulary.

What words are the most difficult to pronounce in the story? (List words and look for similarities).

What do you do when you come to a difficult word to pronounce when you are reading? (Share strategies for word identification, such as structural analysis).

What strategy do you use to help you understand what you are reading? (Look for context clues).

Discussion Questions:

Ask questions on a literal level, as well as those designed for higher order thinking, such as:

Have you ever been faced with an unusual problem which required you to learn some new skill?

What is the power of positive thinking? Do you believe in it or not?

Make a comparison of how Brian is like you.

Think of a time when you felt sorry for yourself. Talk about how it did or didn’t help to feel sorry for yourself.

Can you think of a time when you had to keep trying, for a long time, making many mistakes, before you were successful at something?

Journal Topics:

	The memory that never fades
	It was hard to tell if it was really or my imagination
	My body ached all over
	The secret hideout
	I was so sick
	The worst smell on earth
	There was nobody to tell
	I never felt so alone
	It was one of the most disgusting things I had ever eaten
	I no longer felt like the same person
	Learning through mistakes
	What a feast!
	It took me a long time to figure it out
	Bad luck day
	Starting all over again
	Losing something of great importance
	It was the most horrible sight I had ever seen
	Unbelievably, I had done it!
	The morals/lessons I learned from this story

Activities:

Divide into groups. Choose a record keeper for your group. Brainstorm about items you might need to survive in the wilderness of Canada. Agree on a list of twenty items and list them in order of importance of necessity. Narrow this list down to 12 items. Use construction paper to make a replica of the survival kit.

After the kits have been displayed, read the chapter that tells about what Brian found in the kit from the plane. Compare your kits to the one Brian found. Discuss why some of the things are alike or different. Vote on the ideal contents.

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