Hatchet
Hatchet
Hatchet
Independent Contract
Independent Contrac
t
by Gary Paulsen
Name:___________________________ Number of activities to be completed: _______
1
About the Book
Reading
to spend
Robeson is on his way
Thirteen-year-old Brian
the small plane
father in Canada. As
the summer with his
uninhabited wilderness,
the
over
glides
flying
in which he is
plane crashes
heart attack. After the
the pilot suffers a fatal
clothes on
to shore with just the
into a lake, Brian swims
For the next
ble tool—his hatchet.
his back and one valua
able to hunt
be
to
the skills he needs
54 days, Brian learns
mosquitoes,
lf against porcupines,
for food and protect himse
Brian becomes
Through his ordeals,
moose, and tornadoes.
rceful, and thoughtful.
resou
,
fident
—con
a new person
3
About the Author
Critical Thinking
Brian is lost in the wilderness with only the
items in his pockets, what he is wearing, and
his hatchet. Imagine that you are lost in a
deserted setting with only the contents of your
desk. First, take an inventory of the contents
of your desk. Then fold a sheet of paper in half
several times to make the same number of
boxes as you have items in your desk. In each
box, write the name of the item and then draw
a picture to show how you could use that item
in a survival situation.
father was a career Army
apolis, Minnesota. Gary’s
on May 17, 1939, in Minne she worked in a munitions plant. At age seven
Gary Paulsen was born
go, where
with his mother in Chica
ed with
reunit
officer, so Gary lived
be
to
pines
r to the Philip
Gary went with his mothe
e in school. One day
ntly, Gary had troubl
his father. Moving consta
this was like being
a library card. To Gary,
, westerns, and
a librarian offered him
reading science fiction
began
He
.
world
handed the
the classics.
curity, high-tech jobs
um-se
maxim
in
d
worke
As an adult, Paulsen
become a writer.
he decided to quit and
for the government until
including the Newbery
honors for his books,
ts’
Paulsen has won many
Award, and the Paren
ren’s Book of the Year
Honor Award, the Child
Choice Award.
5
Language Arts
____________ Number
of activities to
Math
2
Brian marks the passage of time by his
successes, such as First Meat Day, First Rabbit
Day, and First Arrow Day. Make a calendar of
events for Hatchet. Obtain a long stick (at least
two feet long). Then cut twenty 1" x 4" strips of
paper. Write a different major event from each
chapter, including the epilogue, on each strip.
Tape each strip to the stick about an inch or so
apart. When you are finished, the stick will be
your calendar of events!
Name:_______________
7
Brian relies on the position of the sun to tell
time. Make a sundial to find out how accurate
they are. Place a small piece of clay on the
eraser end of a pencil. Stand the pencil
upright in the middle of a sheet of paper so the
clay will hold the pencil in place. Place your
sundial near a sunny window. At each hour,
mark where the shadow of the pencil is cast
and label the mark with the hour. Continue
marking the hours as long as the sun shines in
the window. For the next week, examine your
sundial each day. How accurate is it? What are
some of the disadvantages of using a sundial?
9
Brian does a good job of surviving alone, using
his hatchet and his own mental resources.
Imagine that you are stranded in a deserted
place. Where do you think you would best
be able to survive? In the mountains? On an
island? Think about how you would survive,
what you would eat, where you would sleep,
etc. Then write a plot summary for a movie
about your adventure. Include the actor who
would play you, the setting, any problems you
would face, and your daring rescue.
Math
11
son
Person vs. Per
®
____________
1. _________
_________
____________
__________
2. _________
______
____________
Survival on a Budget
©The Mailbox
Survival Pack
used for
want to buy in the first column, what it will be ©The Mailbox
Directions: Write the item you
22
column. Then subtract the price of
in the second column, and its price in the third
and list the amount you have left in
column
fourth
the
in
total
previous
the
from
each item
continue the chart on the back of this sheet.
the last column. If you need additional space,
3
®
Remember that you only have $500
gives light
flashlight
Price
Subtract From
Amount Left
Amount Left
$6.00
$500.00 – $6.00
$494.00
Language Arts
Art
12
Gary Paulsen wrote anoth
er book about Brian
titled Brian’s Winter. In
this book, Brian is not
rescued right away and
is forced to stay in the
wilderness through the
winter. Think about all
the things that Brian will
have to face with the
coming of winter. Fold
a sheet of paper into six
squares. Unfold the paper
and in each square
draw a picture showing
Brian in the winter
facing several different
challe
finding food, keeping warm nges, such as
, and staying away
from hungry animals.
“Hatchet”
Answer Key
will vary. Possibl
e responses are
listed below.
1. Brian is in con
flict with the por
cupine that ente
2. Brian is in con
rs his cave.
flict with the torn
ado
3. Brian is in con
that destroys his
©The Mailbox
flict with the mos
camp.
quitoes that swa
4. Brian is in con
rm all over him
flict with the moo
.
Person vs. Sel
se that attacks
f
him.
1. Brian is in con
flict with himself
about whether
Secret.
to tell his dad the
2. Brian is in con
flict with himself
about learning
3. Brian is in con
to survive.
flict with himself
Person vs. Per
about being pati
son
ent.
1. Brian is in con
flict with his mot
her over her leav
2. Brian is in con
ing his father.
flict with the pilo
t over the pilot’s
“failure” to reach
safety.
®
Courage
you.
to spend. The first item has been chosen for
Use
Item
$494.00 – $6.00
Determination
Patience
4
________
Intelligence
Perseverance
___
____________
___________
____________
__
____________
4. _________
3.
__________
____________
___
2. _________
_________
____________
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®
Kindness
Self-Discipline
_________
____________
____________
___
3. _________
____________
_________
____________
________
___
1. _________
____________
___
2. _________
____________
ure
Person vs. Nat
1. _________
___________
trate eac
conflict in the boo
book that demons
chet. The main
events from the
y conflicts in Hat
shape below with
Brian faces man
Complete each
ers.
ract
cha
r
himself and othe
f
Person vs. Sel
er ness
Canadian Wild
s with
also has conflict
Conflicts in the
inst nature. He
aga
.
ggle
stru
h type of conflict
k is Brian’s
Name
Hatchet
als List
Student Contract Materi
stick, white paper,
• Activity #1: 1 long
ruler, scissors, tape
paper, clock or
• Activity #2: clay, white
watch, pencil
1
14" white paper,
• Activity #3: 8 /2" x
crayons or markers
pencil
• Activity #4: paper,
er
• Activity #5: voice record
page 5
• Activity #6: copy of
10
Brian has many chara
cter traits that enable
him to survive, such as
patience and tenacity.
What other traits would
be necessary to
survive an experience
like Brian’s? Obtain a
copy of page 7 from your
teacher and find out.
Social Studies
Characters in a story usually have some type
Gary Paulsen wrote a sequel to Hatchet
Brian learns the layout
of his environment
of conflict to overcome. Three types of conflict
called The River. In this book, a young
so that he can find food
and not get lost.
are person vs. person, person vs. nature,
psychologist (a doctor who studies the human
Reread chapters 4 and
6, in which the author
and person vs. self. Obtain a copy of page 5
mind) convinces Brian to take him back to the
describes the lake and
its
from
your
teacher
and
find
out
what
types
of
wilderness
and
show
him
how
he
survived.
surroundings.
ian
Canad
Sketch the layout of the
materials on
lake
conflicts
Brian
faces.
Imagine
that
you
are
the
psychologist
• Activity #7: reference
and surrounding
or
s
crayon
Hatchet
area on a paper plate.
plants, 11 index cards,
Then create a map,
interviewing Brian about his experience. Write Name
of yarn, hole puncher
using healthy snacks
markers, pieceName
Hatchet
to represent
a list of at least ten questions to ask Brian.
the different
natura
pencil
,
l
featur
paper
es.
For example, you could
Then write the answers to the questions as
• Activity #8:
use
broccoli for trees, pretze
page 6
ls for sticks, vegetable
you imagine Brian would answer them. Record
• Activity #9: copy of
dip for the lake, etc. Includ
page 7
and you
Part
I Directions: What qualities do you think you
the wilderness
invoices
months
summer
your
interview
using
different
for
Brian
e
• Activity #10:copy of
three
a
l
legen
spend
to
would
going
pretze
are
need
oli,
you
in
that
order
(brocc
to
Page 5d showing
survive
what each snack
in the
y snacks Imagine
catalogs
repres
wildernes
several
s?
ents.
through
For
and
the
psychologist.
Share
your
interview
• Activity #11:health
each
Look
plate
Finally
quality
supplies.
paper
below,
,
and
t
share
write
etc.),
how it would help you your
dip,been given $500 to spend on equipmen
map with the class.
survive.
Students’ respons
sticks, vegetable
have
with the class.
es
s or markers
below to complete the chart.
paper, crayon
Person vs. Nat
to find what you will need. Then follow the directions
• Activity #12:white
ure
be completed: _______
Critical Thinking
Brian encounters many
problems before and
after the plane crash.
Some of these he can
solve on his own, but
some are beyond his
control. Make a chart
with three columns
labeled “Brian’s Proble
m,” “Brian’s Solution,”
“Other/No Solution.” In
the first column,
brainstorm a list of at
least ten problems Brian
encounters. Then, for
each problem, decide
if
Brian can solve it. If he
can, write his solution
or possible solution in
the second column. If
Brian can’t solve the proble
m or if he needs
help solving it, write that
information in the last
column.
Other than his hatchet,
Brian
Pretend that you are plann has no supplies.
ing to spend
three months in the wilder
ness. Unlike Brian,
you have $500 to spend
on equipment and
supplies. What will you
buy? Obtain a copy of
page 6 from your teach
er and complete it as
directed.
Language Arts
6
8
Create a “Survivor’s Guide
to the Canadian
Wilderness” that Brian
would have found
useful. Research at least
ten edible,
nonpoisonous, and usefu
l plants that can be
found in the Canadian
wilder
index cards, draw a pictur ness. On separate
e of each plant.
On the back of the corres
ponding card, write
the name of the plant
and several facts you
learned about it that would
help Brian survive.
On a separate card, design
a cover by writing
the title and your name
. Finally, punch a hole
in the left-hand corner
of each card and tie the
cards together with a
piece of yarn.
Writing
4
Science
Tenacity
allowed to spend $400. What would you eliminate
1. Imagine that instead of $500, you are only
_________________________________________
from your list? ________________________
your
cut in half. What else would you eliminate from
2. Imagine that the $400 you were given is
________________________________________
list? ________________________________
to be stranded in the winter as opposed to the
3. Would your list change if you were going
______________________________________
summer? Why or why not? ________________
Part II Directions: Highlight
___ the qualities that you feel
________________________________
you already have.
6
________________________________________
5
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7
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8