The Sign of the Beaver

1
The Sign of the Beaver

• By Elizabeth George Speare
• 5th Grade Reading Unit

2
Project Expectations

• Complete online project and Webquest
• Debate your point of view on in-depth discussion
  questions.
• Classify fiction and nonfiction facts into a
  comparison chart
• Research Native American culture
• Examine museum artifacts while on a virtual field
  trip
• Use technology as a writing tool and resource
• Use online resources to create projects
• Complete writing activities

3
Lets Recall

• Matt has been left in charge of the family cabin.
• Matt had an encounter that left him missing a
  very valuable resource.
• Matt had a very foolish adventure that threatened
  his life.
• Matt was saved, but became involved in an
  arrangement that will change his life.

4
Discussion Questions

• Before beginning this activity, discuss
  these questions with your partners.
• How would you feel to be left home alone for 7
  weeks?
• What are some things you would need to do to
  survive?
• What are some things you could do to pass the
  time?
• Would you welcome company or would you be scared?

5
Lets Get Started!

• The BeginningsElizabeth George Speare got the
  idea for Sign of the Beaver from an actual story.
  Read the description of the "real-life" Matt and
  Attean.
• If the above link does not work, go to
  http//www.milohistorical.org/history/beaver.php
  Use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the
  fiction with the nonfiction.

6
Penobscot Indians

• The Penobscot tribe is a big part of the book.
• Use the Internet to find at least 5 different
  things that will help you to better understand
  this tribe.
• Write your answers on your fact sheet.
• Things to look for
• -Where they lived -What they ate
• -Things they made -What they hunted
• -Their family life -Tribe traditions
• -What they lived in
• google search
• Bonus Find what the word Penobscot stands
  for!

7
Hudson Museum/Penobscot IndiansVirtual Field Trip
The Hudson Museum at the University of Maine has
an exhibit on the Penobscot Indians and the novel
The Sign of the Beaver. Here you can see
pictures of several items mentioned in the novel.
1- Skim the introduction on the Sign of the
Beaver page. 2- Click on exhibits 3- Click on
the side bar for specific exhibits.

• Hudson Museum- The Sign of the Beaver

8
Create a Character Scrapbook
Go to the address below and follow the directions
to create a scrapbook page on both Matt and
Attean. You need to design a face and compose 10
things to know on the tablet. You may print your
page at the end.

• http//teacher.scholastic.com/activities/scrapbook
  /

9
Let The Reading Continue!
Do not advance to the next slide until you have
completed reading the novel.
10
After the end

• Choose one of these activities to write about.
• The Ending After the EndingAt the end of Sign of
  the Beaver, the reader is left wondering what
  will happen to Attean and his tribe as they set
  of to settle in a new place. We also think about
  Matt and his family's survival in the tough
  wilderness of Maine. Now use your imagination to
  take the story beyond its ending using the
  worksheet provided.
• My Crystal Ball SaysPredict what will happen to
  major characters from the book 20 years after the
  conclusion of the story.