Hatchet
Hatchet
Brian's Saga: Book 1
by: Gary Paulsen
$160 per month
1 session per week
Blurb from Amazon:
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, haunted by his secret knowledge of his mother’s infidelity, is traveling by single-engine plane to visit his father for the first time since the divorce. When the plane crashes, killing the pilot, the sole survivor is Brian. He is alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present.
At first consumed by despair and self-pity, Brian slowly learns survival skills—how to make a shelter for himself, how to hunt and fish and forage for food, how to make a fire—and even finds the courage to start over from scratch when a tornado ravages his campsite. When Brian is finally rescued after fifty-four days in the wild, he emerges from his ordeal with new patience and maturity, and a greater understanding of himself and his parents.
This course will allows students to develop important reading skills, learn new vocabulary and develop critical thinking skills. We will periodically incorporate science, math, geography and writing into our novel study.
Teacher
Ages
11 - 15 years old
Sessions
Session 1
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will examine the life of Gary Paulsen and determine what influenced him to write "Hatchet".
Students will create a wilderness survival booklet that they will use throughout the novel study.
Students will identify theme and discuss the themes in Hatchet.
Students will examine and create wilderness survival tips.
Students will discuss divorce and how it can effect a character.
Students will analyze information about Cessna wilderness planes.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 1 and 2
2) Problem Solving - Start a list of things Brian owns and how he might be able to use them in the wilderness.
3) Critical Thinking - Pack a backpack full of items you will need to take on a camping trip. You can only take items that will fit in your bag. Be ready to present what you have in your backpack and your reasoning for each item in the next session.
Session 2
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their camping items to the class.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 1 - 2.
Students will examine what a heart attack is.
Students will identify synonyms and antonyms of vocabulary words they have read.
Students will analyze texts and defend a claim based on evidence found in the text.
Students will describe personification, cliff hanger and identify examples of each in the text.
Students will identify the main parts of an airplane and explain why they are important.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 3 and 4
2) Problem Solving - Continue your list of things Brian owns and how he might be able to use them in the wilderness.
3) STEM Activity - Paper Floatplane Challenge.
Session 3
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their Paper Floatplane Challenge.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 3 - 4.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify an example, non-example and write sentences of vocabulary words they have read in chapters 3 - 4.
Students will compare and contrast the Canadian wilderness and the town the student lives in.
Students will analyze texts and defend a claim based on evidence found in the text.
Students will describe onomatopoeia and identify examples of the literary device in the text.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 5 and 6
2) Problem Solving - Continue your list of things Brian owns and how he might be able to use them in the wilderness.
3) Research - Choose one of the activities on page 22 of your Hatchet study guide. Be ready to report your findings to the class in the next session.
4) Analyzing Diagrams and Text - Complete pages 23 - 24 of your Hatchet study guide.
Session 4
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapter 5.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will analyze the supplies Brian has and determine if they think he can survive.
Students will write an incident report of Brian's accident and how he has survived so far in the wilderness.
Students will describe point of view and identify an example of it in the text.
Students will identify passages in the text that are important later on.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 6 - 7
2) Problem Solving - Make a list of ways Brian's hatchet is helpful to him.
3) STEM Activity - Temporary Shelter Engineering Project
Session 5
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their Temporary Shelter Engineering Project
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 6 - 7.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brain's hatchet has been helpful to him in chapters 6 - 7.
Students will describe foreshadowing, similes and identify an examples of them in the text.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 8 - 9
2) Problem Solving - Make a list of ways Brian's hatchet is helpful to him.
3) Research and Investigation - Choose one of the research and investigation activities to complete. Be ready to present your findings in the next session.
4) Creative Writing - Brian’s meeting with the black bear in the raspberry bushes took both Brian and the bear completely by surprise. Brian was probably the first human which the bear had ever seen. Imagine that you are the bear and you are relating your adventures to the rest of your family at the end of the day, or perhaps you are recording the day’s events in your journal for posterity. Tell your story from the bear’s point of view, including as much detail as possible. What you saw and felt.
Session 6
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 8 - 9.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brain's hatchet has been helpful to him in chapters 8 - 9.
Students will describe metaphor and identify an examples of it in the text.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 10 - 11
2) Problem Solving - Make a list of ways Brian's hatchet is helpful to him.
3) Research and Investigation - Choose to research either the porcupine or Big Foot using the resources that the teacher gives you. Be ready to present your findings in the next session.
4) Creative Writing - When Brian awakens to the smell in the cave, he compares the smell to graves, cobwebs, dust and old death. It was a smell that was “alive and full”. Imagine that instead of awakening to a porcupine, Brian woke to the smell of a black bear in his shelter. How might Brian have described the bear smell? (Use at lease four vivid words or phrases.) Finish your story by relating what might have happened in the shelter occupied by both Brian and a bear.
5) Bring To The Next Session -
Paper Towel or Plate = Clear Space
Mini Marshmallows = Fire Ring
Coconut = Tinder
Pretzel Sticks = Kindling
Potato Sticks = Matches
Candy Corn = Fire
Pretzel Logs, Licorice, Twizzlers, or Tootsie Rolls = Fuel
Red Hots = Fire Starters
Cup of Juice, Water = Fire Bucket
Coffee Stirrer or Popsicle Stick = Critter Stick
Session 7
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 10 - 11.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brain's hatchet has been helpful to him in chapters 10 - 11.
Students will create an edible campfire and learn how to build different types of campfires.
Students will learn campfire safety.
Students will describe metaphor and identify an examples of it in the text.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 12 - 13
2) Problem Solving - Make a list of ways Brian's hatchet is helpful to him.
3) STEM Activity - Critter Camouflage Engineering Challenge
Session 8
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 12 - 13.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brain's hatchet has been helpful to him in chapter 12.
Students will identify antonyms and synonyms related to vocabulary words found in the text.
Students will explain the effect fear had upon Brian.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 14 - 15
2) Critical Thinking - Students will identify the changes Brian has made to his thinking while they read.
3) Research and Investigation - Students will research wolves and food fish using the resources given to them.
4) STEM Activity - Bow and Arrow Engineering Challenge
Session 9
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 14 - 15.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brian's thinking has changed so far in the story.
Students will describe figurative language and how it was used in the text.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 16 - 17
2) Critical Thinking - Students will identify the changes Brian has made to his thinking while they read.
3) Creative Writing - “Small mistakes could turn into disasters, funny little mistakes could snowball so that while you were still smiling at the humor you could find yourself looking at death.” From your own experiences or from your imagination, write about a personal incident which would prove the above statement. Make sure to include enough detail to make the story as exciting as possible for your readers.
Session 10
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 16 - 17.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brian's thinking has changed so far in the story.
Students will describe sarcasm, descriptive words and how they were used in the text.
Students will use the descriptions in chapter 17 to sketch Brian’s spear and his fish board.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Chapters 18 - 19
2) Critical Thinking - Students will identify the changes Brian has made to his thinking while they read.
3) Creative Writing - “Brian refers to some of his more important days as First Days: First Arrow Day, First Rabbit Day, etc. Everyone experiences First Days – days which are memorable because they were “firsts” for important events. Write an account of one such First Day in your life, describing the event, your feelings, and why in retrospect it was an important day in your life.
4) STEM Activity - Wood Raft Engineering Challenge
Session 11
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 18 - 19.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brian's thinking has changed so far in the story.
Students will describe sarcasm, descriptive words and how they were used in the text.
Students will use the descriptions in chapter 17 to sketch Brian’s spear and his fish board.
HOMEWORK:
1) Reading - Read Epilogue
2) Critical Thinking - Students will identify the changes Brian has made to his thinking while they read.
3) Research - Choose one of the following to research and complete. Be ready to present your findings to the class in the next session.
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Diving to the bottom of the lake proved to be quite an ordeal for Brian: “bad air triggers were starting to go off in his brain”; “his lungs were ready to explode”; and “he had flashes of color in his brain”. Find a source which explains the purpose(s) of oxygen to the human body. How does the body use oxygen and what exactly happens when our supply is cut off (oxygen deprivation)? Provide as much detail as possible.
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Sketch an accurate representation of Brian’s route from the plane’s tail down through the cables and formers to the plane’s cabin and his return. Show the water level and critical parts of the plane.
4) Creative Writing - Chapter 19 records a very interesting day for both Brian and the pilot of the rescue plane. Pretend that you are either Brian or the pilot and describe this eventful day in a journal entry at day’s end. Pay particular
attention to recording in your journal what was going on in your mind while reading about the incidents described in this chapter.
5) Bring To The Next Session -Wrapping paper and markers
Session 12
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students will present their homework.
Students will define key vocabulary words found in the epilogue.
Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read.
Students will identify ways Brian's thinking has changed so far in the story.
Students will create a timeline of Brian’s 54 days using the back of wrapping paper to display their project. They will include major events, “First Days,” etc. Students will use different colors to reflect the significance of each action in Brian’s ordeal. (For example, you could use red to indicate very important events, blue for moderately important events, and green for events of little importance.)
