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My Side Of The Mountain

By Jean Craighead George

Name:

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My Side of the MountainBy Jean Craighead George

I Hole Up in a SnowstormI Get Started on This Venture

Before you read the chapters:

The protagonist in most novels features the main character or “good guy”. The mainprotagonist of My Side of the Mountain is a very enterprising and courageous boy, SamGribley, who decides to spend a year by himself in the wilds of the Catskill Mountains.Think back on some of your favorite characters from past novels you have read or moviesyou’ve seen. What do you think makes for an especially interesting protagonist?

Vocabulary:

Choose a word from the list to complete each sentence.

inspired tethers folly tinder exhibiteddeparture congregate emphatic glorious misstep

1. John’s butterfly collection will be _________________ at the Community Hall all day Saturday.

2. Everyone in the nursing home thought it was ______________ for Marjorie to go bowling so soon after her surgery.

3. I really felt ________________ after hearing the astronaut’s speech.

4. When the crowd began to ___________________ in front of the drug store, everyone was afraid of a stampede.

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5. Mrs. Henderson was quite _______________ when she told the class to be quiet.

6. Sam found some ____________ under the spruce tree which he used to start the fire.

7. The only _____________ made by the sheriff was taking the suspect at his word.

8. Her _______________ was accompanied with a lot of fanfare.

9. The artwork was attached to the wall by a number of thick _____________.

10. Jasmine awoke to a _____________ spring morning.

Questions

1. Describe Sam’s new winter home. Please include at least three details.

2. Describe the setting of the first chapter.

3. On what date does the novel begin?

4. What was Sam’s main worry during the snowstorm?

5. Sam’s trained falcon was named _______________.

6. Sam was originally from the city of ____________________ where he had lived

with his parents, four brothers and ___________ sisters.

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7. Why was that particular spot in the Catskill Mountains especially important to Sam and his family?

8. What were the only items that Sam brought with him to the Catskills?

9. What had been Sam’s dad’s attitude about him leaving for the wilderness by himself? How do you think his mother must have felt about his decision?

10. What was Sam’s biggest challenge in the wilderness? How was this problem resolved?

11.Using a __________ for bait, Sam caught a kind of fish called a ____________.

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Activities

A. Personification is giving human qualities to something that is not human. Hereis an example from Chapter 2: It was a clear athletic stream that rushed and ran andjumped and splashed. In this sentence the stream is described as athletic - and it runsand jumps, attributes usually given to a person.

a) Why do you think personification is a literary device used by many authors?

b) Create your own example of personification.

c) Bonus: Keep your eyes open for another example of personification. When you find one, come back to this page and record it below.

B. Anagrams

An anagram is a word that is formed by changing the order of the letters of another word.For example, the letters in the word PAN can also form the word NAP. Follow thesedirections to form the anagrams:

a) read the clue in the right-hand column.

b) Using the word in the left-hand column move the letters around in any order, but youmust use all the letters.

Each of the words in the left-hand column are found in the first two chapters of our novel.

Word Anagram Clue

aspen The glass in windows.blows Containers for soup.moans Someone who works with stone.trout A person who helps a student learn.

stream A slave-owner.means Horse hair.

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C. Storyboard

A storyboard is a series of pictures that tell about an important event in a story. A storyboard can tell the story of only one scene – or the entire novel.

Complete the storyboard below illustrating the events described in the first chapter of My Side of the Mountain. You may wish to practice your drawings on a separate piece of paper.

1 2

3 4

5 6

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I Find Gribley’s FarmI Find Many Useful Plants

The Old, Old Tree


What do you think will be Sam’s biggest challenge in spending several months in the wilds of the Catskill Mountains?

Vocabulary:

Many of the words in this Crossword Puzzle are from the Chapters to this point in thenovel. Use the words in the box to complete the puzzle.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19

20

21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28

29 30 31 32

33 34 35

36 37 38

39 40 41 42

43 44 45

46 47 48

49 50

51.

52 53

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Down Across2. Approximate.3 Sam ate its tasty bulb.4. Tasty but it pinches.5. Novel by Rudyard Kipling.7. Frisky.8. Part of a fish.9. Sam’s surname.11. Tree named for a nut-tree goddess.

15. Short for City of Angels.16. _______ -dokee.19. Sam went here to research.23. Used to start a fire.24. Narrow gorge with steep sides.26. A part added to something.29. Frantic.30. Option.32. Enthusiasm.33. Its leaf is Canada’s symbol.34. Homes of mussels and clams.38. Misunderstood rodent.41. Sam’s bait.42. “Gar” backward.45. A town Sam visited.47. What hunters pursue.49. A small number.50. A school subject.

1. Sam’s new home.6. An amount of land.10. Not poor.12. Be anxious.13. Fertile soil.14. Under the weather.17. A sometimes poisonous plant.18. Mountains of New York.20. A tattler.21. A polite word.22. A mollusk considered to be a delicacy.25. This person seats people.27. Hello.28. Something you breathe.29. Suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland.31. Last 3 letters.35. Anything but wetter.36. Body part.37. Plural of “is”.39. Not odd.40. Bigger.43. To achieve something great.44. Short for a word meaning commercial.46. Alive and kicking.48. Sudden powerful movement.50. Cool ___ a cucumber.51. A librarian.52. Bend; twist.53. The tree “Gribley” was carved in.

DYCE CRAYFISH LIBRARY PLEASE RAVINE EXCELESTIMATE SHELLS AS ONE EXTENSION LOAMAD RAG GRIBLEY DELHI GRUB HIKIM HICKORY BEECH LARGER AIR OKEEOYSTER TINDER COLTISH HEMLOCK ILL XYZEVEN IVY DRIER GAME ARE FRETCATSKILL USHER LA ACREAGE RICH FINKRAT DESPERATE TURN ZEAL LILY SURGEMAPLE STOMACH LIVING TURNER COLTISH GILLART CHOICE

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Questions

1. Reread the second paragraph of the chapter entitled “I Find Gribley’s Farm”. What is Sam’s attitude about his camping experience at this point in the story? Cite one proof from the this paragraph.

2. Why did Sam visit the library in Delhi?

3. Why didn’t Sam return to the library to tell Miss Turner the good news?

4. Describe how Sam cooked the mussels.

5. Sam says of the hemlock forest: They must have begun when the world began. This may be seen by some readers as an example of exaggeration. Create your own example of this device using events from the novel.

6. Sam enjoyed eating the _____________ of the lily plant. He also ate the

_____________ and _______________ of the dandelion.

7. Describe how Sam came up with a faster means of making a home for himself in the hemlock tree?

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Activities

A. Copy out any three sentences from these chapters and underline the nouns.

B. A simile is a comparison using the words “like” or “as”. An example from this sectionis: “I felt as cozy as a turtle in its shell.”

What two things are being compared in this example?

Invent your own similes comparing the following items with something from your imagination:

a) the roar of a tractor

b) the howl of a coyote

Bonus: Keep your eye open for another example of a simile as you read the novel. When you find one, remember to come back and enter it here

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C. Choose ten words from this section with two or more syllables. Indicate the syllables by drawing a line between each syllable. Example: good / bye.

D. Collector’s Cards

Sports Cards have been a very popular collector’s itemfor a number of years. A Willie Mays 1952 Topps rookiecard is worth $3000.00 today.

Wouldn’t it be great if a series of collectors cards wereissued celebrating some of the trees decorating theslopes of the Catskill Mountains? Our novel has alreadymentioned a number of these trees: beech, hemlock,hickory, apple, walnut. dogwood, maple, pine, ash.

Design a card for a tree of your choice (it must benative to the Catskills). Some possibilities are listedabove, but you may choose one which is not listedprovided it is approved by your teacher. The front should feature a colored picture of the tree, and the back should include at least four fascinating facts about it, i.e. characteristics, fruit (if any), appearance of leaf, use to people, etc.

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I Meet One of My Own Kind . . .The King’s Provider


In the coming chapters Sam shows a lot of courage. Walt Disney defined courage in the following way: All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.How would you define courage?

Vocabulary:

In each of the following sets of words, underline the one word that does not belong. Thenwrite a sentence explaining why it does not fit.

1. opportunity break misfortune happening

2. occasional latitude irregular infrequent

3. hesitate pause wait profit

4. revealed escorted accompanied chaperoned

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5. exertion indolence effort activity

6. marvelous astounding extraordinary suitable

7. obsessed awkward uncoordinated ungraceful

Questions

Cloze Call

Complete the following exercise filling in the correct words from the Word Box.

strawberries Delhi trout peregrine three raccooncliffs cattails dusty shoulder library bananas

hollow steep gray haircut traps sixtyTurner hunt lady Frightful duck forty

To get food Sam set a number of snares and ___________. He also suggested that in

order to eat ______________, they must be cooked well. Sam enjoyed playing a

game with a _____________ that lived in a ____________ tree. One day he met an

old ____________ who was picking ______________. She told him she had been

coming up there for the past ____________ years. They happened to see a bird in in

the sky which she referred to as a ___________ hawk. Sam was sure that it was a

__________________ falcon. Sam’s plan was to get one and train it to ___________.

After escorting his visitor back to _____________, Sam told her that he was going to

the ________________. Before leaving, Miss _________________ gave Sam a

_____________. Back on the mountain Sam found some apples which tasted like

sweet _______________. He also confessed that he found that a ___________ was

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the easiest fish to catch. Sam knew that falcons prefer to nest on _____________.

Climbing the wall, Sam found that the first part wasn’t too ______________. When he

reached the nest he found _____________ fuzzy whitish ____________ birds.

Suddenly the falcon dive-bombed Sam and struck his ________________. He

realized what a serious situation he was in because a falcon’s speed can reach

__________ miles per hour. Sam took one of the baby birds which he called

_______________. Sam thought the little bird smelled ____________ and sweet.

Activities

A. Place the following words from these chapters in alphabetical order.

downpours 1.didn’t 2.dry 3.down 4.closing 5.day 6.excited 7.Delhi 8.extremely 9.dog 10.

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B. The word “fish” can be used as a noun or a verb, depending on thesentence. Use your imagination and write sentences to illustrate howthis word can be used as both a noun and a verb.

FISHNoun

Verb

C. How much do you know about falcons?

Falcons are one of the world’s most exciting birds. Falcons arehunters and predators who seek their prey from above, diving atspeeds of up to 200 miles per hour when a prey is spotted. Usingresources in your school library or on the Internet, investigateadditional facts about this incredible bird. Below record threefascinating facts from your research.

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What I Did About the First Man…I Learn to Season My Food

How a Door Came to Me


In the coming chapters Sam encounters a poacher on the mountain. What is a poacher, and why do you think this activity is outlawed?

Vocabulary:

Draw a straight line to connect the vocabulary word to its synonym or definition.Remember to use a straight edge (like a ruler).

1. savory a. bizarre2. designed b. meager3. ridiculous c. cord4. berated d. impact5. scant e. tasty 6. harass f. deer meat7. tether g. apparatus8. impression h. planned9. venison i. bother 10.device j. scolded

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Questions

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

1. Sam learned to sense when another person was on his side ofthe mountain.

True orFalse

2. Because Frightful was vegetarian it was not difficult for Sam tofind food her.

True orFalse

3. Sam’s fire had been spotted and a fire warden had been sentto check.

True orFalse

4. The more you stroke and handle a falcon the harder it is tohandle.

True orFalse

5. The weasel caught by Sam in his box trap was extremelyangry with Sam.

True orFalse

6. Sam needed deer hide to use for a door, to make himself ablanket and tethers for Frightful.

True orFalse

7. Sam extracted salt from hemlock sticks. True orFalse

8. Sam decided to dig a pit in order to trap a deer. True orFalse

9. The deer was killed by a poacher. True orFalse

10. The pip pop noises at the end of the last chapter were made by fireflies.

True orFalse

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Activities

A. Write the plural of the following nouns from these chapters. Careful – you may wish to consult a dictionary for some of these words.

Singular Noun Plural Nounbodylife

manboxdeerleaf

marshfootash

earthworm

B. Alliteration

Authors often enjoy using alliteration – a literary device where theauthor repeats the same sound at the beginning of several words. Anexample from this section is “A figure four under a big rock.” (Althoughit is usually more effective if there are three or more words in a row –i.e. pretty Polly Parker.)

Using your imagination, create your own examples of alliteration from the followingtopics. Each example must contain a minimum of three words.

An explosion of a hand grenade

The sound of a cricket

From your imagination

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C. Interview at least three other students for their views of this novelso far. (Try to get both positive and negative comments.) Write a briefreport putting these views together.

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Frightful Learns Her ABCs

Before you read the chapter:

Describe how you would be feeling if you were Sam at this point in the story.

Vocabulary:Choose a word from the list that means the same or nearly the same as the underlinedword(s).

jesses personable convenient abundance eventuallyhysterics tedious marksmanship recognition inspiration

1 Grinding acorns between the stones was very tiresomework.

2 It would be much more agreeable if the weather wasn’trainy.

3 I knew our ball team would finally win a game if they kepttrying their hardest.

4 It is critical that a soldier’s aim be good if he or she is tosurvive in battle.

5 Sam cut off two strips to make leg straps for Frightful.

6 I don’t think I have ever met a more friendly woman thanAunt Bertie.

7 We have a great amount of coal in the cellar.

8 If you spend a few hours in the outdoors, I think you willfind the stimulus you need for writing your book.

9 Poor little Violet worked herself into a frenzy when sherode the roller coaster.

10 It’s about time that he received some acknowledgmentfor all his hard work as the town doctor.

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Questions

1. What equipment did Sam need in order to tan the deer hide?

2. Describe how Sam “fixed” frogs for eating.

3. Sam baited his deer traps with ____________.

4. How did Sam explain The Baron’s unusual interest in him? What other reasoncan you think of for this interest?

5. Harold, a visitor to the mountain, thought the old hemlock trees were maybe asold as _____________ or ____________ years.

6. Describe what caused Sam to laugh so hard he almost lost control of himself.

7. One wild plant that Sam knew he had to be most careful about eating was the wild ___________________.

8. Why wouldn’t Sam let Frightful eat the sparrow she killed?

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Activities

A. Homonyms

This chapter includes a number of examples of words that havehomonyms – pair – pear and deer – dear are just two examples. Twowords are homonyms if they are pronounced or spelled the same waybut have different meanings.

Think of two more examples of homonyms and use each in a sentenceshowing the meaning of each word quite clearly.

Example 1

Homonyms Sentence12

Example 2

Homonyms Sentence12

B. Rewrite the following sentences putting in the correct capitalization andpunctuation.

sam walked into delhi to speak to miss turner about borrowing a book

i doubt if mr jameson even knows president obama

do you think janice will move to new york at the end of july

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C. What’s It All About, Sam?

We have already read about some rather unusual topics in our novel: survival in the wilderness, perseverance, falcons, weasels, deer, how to prepare frogs for eating, which plants are safe to eat, etc. Your task is to choose an interesting topic from the novel, then use the chart below to create a research organizer. Place the topic in the middle balloon, then in the connecting balloons choose subtopics which would help you to do a thorough investigation of the topic. For example: if your main topic is dogs, subtopics might include breeds, diet, lifespan, grooming, etc.

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Main Topic

1.

3.

4. 2.

5.


I Find a Real Live Man


Creative chapter titles can really add to a good story. The title of this chapter is especiallyinteresting – I Find a Real Live Man. After you have read this chapter return to thisquestion and create a new title for this chapter which reflect the contents. I Find a Real Live Man _____________________________________________

Vocabulary:


preened disturbance enormous leisurely evidentlyapparently offended contentment racketeer occasional

1. I’m not sure if Marla is serious about her new job, for _______________ she was late three times this week.

2. The principal was quite _______________ to find the insulting graffiti scrawled on the school wall.

3. Mrs. Poppers and the children took a _______________ walk through the park thisafternoon.

4. Frightful sat on the fence post and ______________ her feathers while Sam fishedfor trout in the stream.

5. “I don’t mind if you have an _______________ chocolate bar,” the doctor told her.

6. My dad enjoyed eating an ______________ hamburger for lunch.

7. ________________ Letty wasn’t listening when the stewardess gave the instructions before take-off.

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8. Who would have thought that during the Great Depression his grandfather had spent time in prison for being a _________________.

9. It doesn’t take much of a _______________ to upset the new librarian.

10. After a meal of steamed mussels, Sam sank down in the deep grass with a feeling of peaceful _______________.

Questions

1. Describe how Sam used Jesse C. James to uncover food for him.

2. Two plants that Sam used to create delicious drinks were from the ____________

tree and the ___________________.

3. Describe how Sam was first warned that there was a person on the mountain.

4. What made Sam think that the man was wanted by the police?

b. The man’s actual occupation was ______________________________.

Good to KnowSam does not know what to make of his guest when Bando says, “Desdemondia!”.Desdemondia is a native heroine in Shakesphere's Othello who takes things at their face value, and trust people.

The name, Bando, probably came from Sam mistaking his guest for a bandit.

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5. Why does Sam’s guest decide to stay until Labor Day?

6. Why do you think Sam’s guest does not turn Sam in to the authorities?

7. Why did Bando decide to make jars for Sam? Why didn’t he just go into town and buy some?

Activities

A. Copy out any three sentences from this chapter and underline the verbs.

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B. Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau figures prominently in this chapter – at leasthis name does. Thoreau (1817 – 1862) was a famous Americanpoet and naturalist who was best known for his book, Walden, areflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. Usingresources in your school library or on the Internet, investigate thisfascinating historical figure and record three additional interestingfacts about this important man

C. Talk Show

With two or three other students prepare to participate in a televisiontalk show featuring a character from these chapters. Choose aninteresting character from the book (it doesn’t necessarily have to beSam). Prepare about a half-dozen questions to ask and possibleanswers.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_living


The Autumn Provides Food and LonelinessWe All Learn About Halloween


What are two specific preparations that you feel Sam should make in preparing for winter?

Vocabulary:

Solve the following word search puzzle using the words from the Word Box. Remember– the words can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal, forward or even backward!

Word Box:

MANTLE DETERMINE ABSOLUTE FURIOUS PRECAUTIONKNEADING WHITTLE SCHEME FEROCITY INDIGNITY

ENORMOUS MALLET HARVEST FASCINATE VANISH

M A L L E T E N I M R E T E DK E Q W N E R E T Y U F I O PA N N S D O F G T H J U K L QF Z E O X C I V B U N R M Z XA E P A R O I T U Y L I T R ES U R C D M V V U F G O F D WC I S O V I O C B A H U S S QI H C X C C N U N D C S G B MN S H Q B I B G S S J E H J AA I E W H I T T L E K P R K NT N M W N X N Y M A L S A P TE A E E M Z M T S E V R A H LP V Y T I N G I D N I D F G E

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Questions

1. The following sentence: September blazed a trail into the mountains, is an example of the literary device ___________________________________.

2. Investigate: contrary to Sam’s opinion, field crickets are considered a delicacyby many people. Using resources in your school library or on the Internetinvestigate how best to prepare a field cricket for eating. List two or threeimportant factors in this process.

3. What did Sam notice about The Baron changing his mantle for winter?

4. Name three pieces of winter clothing that Sam began to prepare for himself.

5. What other major problem did Sam realize he must solve before the onset of winter?

b. Describe how he resolved this problem.

6. Describe the mistake that Sam made in this process which almost cost him his life.

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7. Describe Sam’s Halloween Party and the results of his efforts.

Activities

A. Beside each of the following words from these chapters, write its root word.

grasses sensation

running wonderful

pouchful beginning

dragged determination

B. Observation Chart

My Side of the Mountain is a novel chock-full of sights and sounds –especially those from nature. Look back over the novel and get severalexamples of the five senses, then list them in the chart below with a briefdescription about where each was found. You may wish to choose yourexamples from one scene, or include a number of different scenes.

Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell

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C. A Letter Home

Imagine Sam decides to write a letter to a friend from school. Samfinds that writing such a letter is a good way to get things off his chestand share his experiences with someone he knows will understand andbelieve him. It is also an effective way to relieve his loneliness. Useyour imagination to put yourself in Sam’s place and then create such aletter letting your friend know something of your experiences since he/she last saw you.

Use your imagination to describe what has happened in your life during the past fewweeks, mentioning some of the more memorable incidents. Your letter should be at leasta half-page in length and follow the proper format of a friendly letter.

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I Find Out What to do With HuntersTrouble Begins

I Pile Up Wood . . .


If you were in Sam’s place, do you think loneliness would be a problem for you? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:

Write a sentence using the following words. Make sure that the meaning of the word isclear in your sentence.

apparently -

enormous –

military –

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moccasins –

intersection –

cosmetic -

browsed -

plunged -

originate -

conspicuous -

plumage -

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Questions

1. It is hunting season and the mountain is filled with trigger-happy hunters. Whatfactor made it even more dangerous for Sam when hunting season began?

2. Describe how Sam came about “bagging a deer” without even trying in the firstchapter of this section.

3. Why did the increasingly cold weather pose a problem to Sam’s tanning of thedeer hides?

4. Sam decides to go into town “before I could talk myself out of it”. What is onereason he might have given as to why he shouldn’t go into town?

5. How would you describe the reaction of the young man that Sam meets in thedrugstore?

6. Why do you think that Sam didn’t give his real name to the boy in thedrugstore?

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7. Why do you think it was almost a relief to Sam when winter finally did arrive?

8. How would you respond to Sam’s question: I. wonder what made a bird a bird and a boy a boy?

Activities

A. Conflict

We have already read about a number of important conflicts in thisnovel. Conflict is often an important element in a good story. There aregenerally three types of conflict: person against person; personagainst self; and person against nature. Find two examples of conflictin My Side of the Mountain, and tell which type of conflict each is.

1

2

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B. Find three examples of the following parts of speech from these chapters.

Nouns Verbs Adjectives

C. Birds of the Mountain

A number of different kinds of wildlife are mentioned in the novel.Perhaps most fascinating is the number of different birds Samencounters. In the past section we get to know Frightful, the falcon, abit better, as well nuthatches, chickadees and cardinals are alsomentioned. Earlier wood pewees, sparrows, nighthawks and warblers are spotted by Sam. Later in novel he makes mention of a horned owl, a wood thrush, and a red-eyed vireo.

Using resources in your school library or on the Internet do some research on one of the birds mentioned in the novel. Record at least four interesting facts about the bird of your choice. You might also choose to include a picture or drawing.

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I learn About Birds and People


Imagine for a minute that you are one of Sam’s parents. How do you think you would feel now that your son has been gone for so long?

Vocabulary:

Choose a word from the list that means the same or nearly the same as the underlinedword(s).

portico cache absorbent ingenious sensationalserenade elegance rendition sanguine reluctant

1 The princess always displays a certain amount of classwhatever the circumstances.

2 Would you recommend that brand of diaper as being themost retentive?

3 Calvin was very hesitant about accepting the summer jobfrom Mrs. Singh.

4 The old couple decided to take their dinner out onto theporch.

5 Exactly what version of “Oh Susannah” did they sing foryou?

6 Everyone in the audience thought the performance of theDave Clark Five was extraordinary.

7 Don’t tell anyone where I keep my stash of comic books.

8 Coming up with a machine that demonstrates perpetualmotion was very clever.

9 If you’re not careful he will sing love songs to you.

10 The best word to describe her personality is hopeful.

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Questions

1. Why do you think Sam wasn’t lonely?

2. Sam found that each chickadee had its own individual personality. T or F

3. What did Sam make for Bando’s Christmas present?

4. What was the one mistake Sam and Bando made when preparing and storing thejam?

5. Write a brief synopsis of the newspaper articles written about Sam.

6. How would you describe Sam’s dad’s attitude about his son’s adventures?

7. Do you think Sam’s dad was being a responsible parent by waiting until Christmasbefore checking to see if his son was alright? Defend your response.

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Activities

A. Try to reassemble the word parts listed below into ten compound words found in thischapter of My Side of the Mountain.

tail steps balls news foot place times some cat with tea out dog fire paper berry tooth ground snow nuts

1. 6.

2. 7.

3. 8.

4. 9.

5. 10.

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B. The Five W’s Chart

Choose a major event from the novel and then complete the following chart with the important details.

What happened?

Who was there?

Why did it happen?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

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I Have a Good Look at Winter and Find Spring in the Snow


Sam takes a big chance by camping in the forest for several months. What do you think represents the greatest dangers to his survival? Try to come up with two or three possibilities. You can confer with a colleague if you wish and brainstorm some ideas.

Vocabulary:


fatigue eventually urgent copse intruderconcoction treacherous penetrate resilient forage

1. Frightful was always very alert whenever an ______________ entered the forest.

2. I knew that we would ______________ reach our goal if we were persistent.

3. Sam could feel _______________ setting in after walking to the other side of the mountain.

4. In order to be a successful pitcher in the major leagues a player needs to be most ___________________.

5. The roads can be very ___________________ after an ice storm.

6. We could tell by the expression on her face that the news she had to tell us was most ___________.

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7. After their supplies were exhausted, the pioneers were forced to ___________ for their food.

8. Jill prepared a ______________ of vegetables, chicken and rice for dinner.

9. I never thought their team was good enough to _____________ our defense.

10. When we entered the small ___________ of trees, everything seemed to become very quiet.

Questions

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

1. Sam used the habits of a nuthatch as a barometer. True orFalse

2. Sam was visited by a little white-footed harvest mouse. True orFalse

3. Sam watched a cardinal pull its feet up into its feathers one at a time towarm itself.

True orFalse

4. Frightful became quite uneasy when she noticed that a horned owl wasnearby.

True orFalse

5. The winter storm coated everything on the mountain with ice that wasinches thick.

True orFalse

6. Many of the younger trees in the forest collapsed as a result of thestorm.

True orFalse

7. Sam had been missing vitamin C in his diet which he overcame byeating a lot of liver.

True orFalse

8. Sam dug down through the snow until he reached grass so that thedeer would have something to eat.

True orFalse

9. The great horned owl laid two eggs in the hollow maple. True orFalse

10. Although the weather was growing milder, Sam was bitterlydisappointed to see the arrival of spring on the mountain.

True orFalse

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Activities

A. A News Report

Imagine you are a newspaper reporter at the time and place of My Sideof the Mountain. You are asked by your editor to write a short summaryof the adventures described in this novel for your interested readers.

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B. KWS Chart

Choose a topic which is featured in My Side of the Mountain (i.e. falcons, hemlock trees,chickadees, weasels, trout, skunks, deer, etc.). In each of the columns below add details which would help someone who is researching your chosen topic.

Topic:

What I Know What I want to Learn Possible Sources

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The Spring in the Winter and the Beginning of My Story’s End


Many of the issues in this novel are resolved in the coming three chapters. Predict how you think the novel will end.

Vocabulary:

Circle the correct word that best matches the meaning of the underlined word.

1. Sam’s instincts told him that winter was on its way.

a) allies b) intuition c) enemies d) sources

2. I was about to wrestle with him when he said furtively, “I’ll make a deal with you.”

a) comically b) curiously c) intelligently d) slyly

3. Do you think he will recommend you to his boss?

a) endorse b) criticize c) summon d) justify

4. “Please do not do anything untoward,” his mother advised.

a) expensive b) lazily c) troublesome d) callously

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5. The item in the glass quickly dissolved when subjected to heat.

a) exploded b) melted c) died d) gelled

6. The probability of him coming to the party is slim.

a) queasiness b) calamity c) certainty d) likelihood

7. The skunk conceded the den to Sam.

a) loaned b) extinguished c) allowed d) sold

8. Jan is a very sociable girl.

a) unfriendly b) friendly c) greedy d) lonely

Questions

1. It takes ____________ cups of sap to make one cup of maple syrup.

2. One wild plant that was surprisingly tasty was the skunk cabbage. T or F

3. What were the two reasons Sam had for not letting Frightful go free?

4. Why had Matt Spell come up onto the mountain?

5. Do you think that Matt believed Sam when he said he wasn’t the wild boy butjust a citizen? Defend your answer.

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6. When Sam gave Matt the rabbit to eat, why did Matt say, “My whole circulatorysystem thanks you”?

7. Sam refused to give Matt his real name. T or F

8. What was the deal that Matt proposed to Sam?

9. Sam told Matt he would find out if he wrote a story exposing him. How did he say he would find out?

10. Sam admits that he enjoys speaking to others inside his head where it is very sociable. Do you think this is a healthy habit, or is Sam beginning to “lose it”? Defend your answer with a thoughtful explanation.

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Activities

A. Copy out any three sentences from this chapter and underline the adjectives.

B. Comparing Two Characters from the Novel

Using the Venn Diagram below compare Sam with one other character from the novel. Besure to include physical traits as well as personality traits. Remember that any characteristics these two people share should be placed in the middle of the two circles.

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Sam

C. Did You Catch the Flick?

A movie version of this popular novel was released back in 1969starring Teddy Eccles as Sam. The movie version is actually set in theAppalachian Mountains of Quebec, rather than the Catskills. Althoughthe screen version remains faithful in many respects to the charactersand plot of the novel, the movie does take a few “liberties” as well.

If you get a chance to view the movie, use the following framework tomake a comparison of the book and movie.

Similarities The Novel The Movie1

2

3

Differences The Novel The Movie 1

2

3

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I Cooperate With the EndingThe City Comes to Me


Which event in the novel did you enjoy the most? Why?

Vocabulary:

Draw a straight line to connect the vocabulary word to its synonym. Remember to use astraight edge (like a ruler).

1. circumstance a. plentiful2. varied b. wisely3. abundant c. reliant4. drowsy d. wondered5. sagely e. echo; reverberate 6. sensational f. situation7. dependent g. achieve

8. pondered h. diverse 9. accomplish i. spectacular 10. resound j. sleepy

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Questions

1 The climax of a story usually occurs at the most exciting or important point ofthe plot. Where do you think the climax of My Side of the Mountain occurs?

2. What made Sam think that he would not have to hide from Aaron?

3. Aaron had come to the Catskills for the Passover festivals. T or F

4. Sam’s songs had their origins in the songs of the birds living around him. T or F

5. Why do you think Sam was experiencing boredom for the first time?

6. Do you think it was necessary for Sam to blindfold Matt? Why or why not?

7. Sam refers to three different animals to illustrate three different senses: sight,hearing and smell. What were the three animals he refers to?

8. Why did Sam’s whole family join him in the wilderness?

9. What was your own impression of the conclusion of the novel? Did you find it satisfying? Why or why not?

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Activities

A. A Book Cover

Create a book cover for My Side of the Mountain. Be sure toinclude the title, author, and a picture that will make other studentswant to read the novel.

B. Collage

Make a collage from magazine pictures illustrating a scene from thenovel, or events and characters from the entire novel.

C. A Book Review

Now is your chance to share the novel with others. Write a review ofMy Side of the Mountain describing in no more than one paragraphan outline of the plot, and then in another paragraph how you enjoyedthe novel (or didn’t) and why. (Please don’t give away the ending!)This review can be posted to a website like www.amazon.com.

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http://www.amazon.com/

D. Lights, Camera, Action!

Suppose Hollywood decided to make My Side of the Mountain into a full-length feature movie. Who would star in this exciting project? Now suppose you were asked to be the casting director for this movie. Who would you cast for the principal roles:

• Sam –

• Bando -

• Sam’s Dad –

• Miss Turner –

• The old strawberry-picking lady -

• The boy in the drugstore –

• Matt Spell –

• Tom Sidler –

• Aaron –

• ______________ –

• ______________ –

You may wish to choose Hollywood actors for this task, or for some fun, limit your choicesto people in your school (teachers and students). Beside each selection write a brief explanation for your choice.

Check out some of the clips of scenes from the novel featured on Youtube.

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E. Sequence Chart

List the main events of My Side of the Mountain in the order in which they occurred.

My Side of the MountainFirst

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Last

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