by Gary Paulsen

A comprehensive study unit of a novel
A Newberry Honor Selection for 1988

Unit Resources/Links

An Awesome Site on Hatchet http://www.mce.k12tn.net/survival/hatchet/hatchet.htm
Hatchet Cyberguide http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/hatch/hatchettg.htm
Glencoe Studyguide (.pdf format) http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/hatchet.pdf
Student Survival Guide for Reading Hatchet (ELD Guide) http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/hatchetweb/
Created by Lewis and Clark College (Oregon) Institute for the Study of American Language and Culture
Hatchet Internet Scavenger Hunt http://homepage.mac.com/cohora/ext/hatchet.html
Hatchet Intro Power Point http://www.fsu.edu/~CandI/ENGLISH/power/ha1.htm
Book Report Template 
                   web (.html format)

                   (.doc MS Word format)


http://www.sjteach.org/bookreportform.html

http://www.sjteach.org/bookreportoutine.doc

Sample Book Report   http://sjteach.org/hatchet/hatchet_regina.html
Book Report Rubric http://sjteach.org/hatchet/hatchetbookreportrubric.html
Submit a student online book review http://www.worldreading.org/submit.phtml
Power Point created by a 5th grade student http://www.sjteach.org/hatchet.ppt
Hatchet Survival WebQuest http://www.nevada.edu/~marna/msaweb.htm
Close Encounters of the Animal Kind WebQuest http://www.arlington.k12.va.us/schools/arlingtonmill/mwstotla/hatchet/
On-line Hatchet Quiz http://www.renlearn.com/ar/arquizzes/htm/hatchet.html
ALAN Review Hatchet Ideas http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring99/unwin.html
Mrs. Fisler's Hatchet Web Activities http://www.millville.org/Workshops_f/revised_hatchet/
hatchtxt/welcomefis.html
Read about the author http://www.garypaulsen.com
Mail to:  Gary Paulsen
              126 Bookout NE
              Tularosa, NM 88352
List of author addresses:
http://www.superkidz.com/authors.html
Wilderness Survival 
Survival Guide http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/wilderness/survival/
Survival Skills and Techniques
http://equipped.org/srvskl.htm
PBS' American Field Guide
http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide/

Canadian Wildlife Service
http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca
Hinterland's Who Who:  The Moose and Others

 
Brainstorm of Ideas for this book for grades 4-7:

Groups illustrate scenes from the story
Dioramas of scenes
Video News report/interview of Brian when he is found
Diary of Brian's experiences day by day=chapter by chapter (pretend he had a diary and a pen)
Research Ideas:  Canada, oil production in Canada, Cessna planes, heart attacks, wilderness survival, etc.

A student created Power Point on the book

 
Section 1: Chapters 1-4
Vocabulary:  abated    altimeter    arc    banked    coma    consuming    depress    frustration    grimacing hordes    hurtling    initial     intervals    keening    massive    rudder     slewed   spasm     turbulence    muck

Section 1 Puzzles:  Word Search    Crossword

Focus:
  • We meet the characters and are introduced to the setting of the story.
  • We see an example of "foreshadowing" an event before it happens (The pilot rubbing his arm)
  • We have examples of "flashback" in which Brian remembers past events (The "secret")

  • The story problem begins to unfold

 
 
Section 2: Chapters 5-8

Vocabulary:   amphibious    apparent    asset    crude    digital    diminish    gestures    interlaced    jets    lushly    motivated    pulverized    receded    relative    rivulets    ruefully    segment    seepage    stranded    gingerly

Section 2 Puzzles:  Word Search    Crossword

Focus:
  • Brian makes decisions.  Evaluate if what he does is the right thing to do.
  • The story problem should be  clear.  The story problem is: ___________________ ______________________________________________________________
  • What complications does Brian encounter in this section:
    ___________________________  ________________________________

    ___________________________  ________________________________
 


 
Section 3  Chapters 9-12

Vocabulary:   assumed    chamber    comprised    convulse    crest    depression    dormant    eddied    exasperation    flailing    focus    gnarled    gratified    haunches    intervals    motive   persistant    primitive    tendrils    tinder

Section 3 Puzzles:  Word Search    Crossword
Focus:
  • While reacting to a problem, Brian realizes something imprtant that will help him survive.  What action was it and what was it that he realized?
  • We see part of the reason for the name of the book.

  • Brian has to deal with even more problems and complications.  Does he start having more confidence in his ability to survive?hasn't

Section 4 Chapters 13-16

Vocabulary:   camouflage    confines    corrosive    detach    devastating    exulted    fashioned    fragile    hummock    impaired    infuriating    prospect     punky    rectify    refracts    sarcasm    stabilize    unduly    virtual    precise

Section 4 Puzzles:  Word Search  Crossword

Focus:

  • Brian continues to struggle with the forces of nature.  It seems that no sooner does he survive one danger that another happens.  How do you think he manages to keep his hopes for survival going?

 
Section 5 Chapters 17-Epilogue

Vocabulary:  appetizer  drone    frenzied    furor    fuselage    incessant    momentary    murky    oblivious    predators    rummaging    stable    stymied    substantial    unwittingly  

Section 5 Puzzles:  Word Search  Crossword

Focus:

  • How does Brian's problem get solved?
  • How does the story conclude?
  • How has Brian changed as a result of his experience?