Literature Circle Guide:
Shiloh
by Kathleen Simpson
S
C
H
O
L
A
S
T
I
C
PROFESSIONALBOOKS
New York • Toronto • London • Auckland • Sydney
• Mexico City • New Delhi • Hong Kong • Buenos Aires
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducibles from this book for classroom use. No
other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without permission
of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Professional Books, 557 Broadway,
New York, NY 10012-3999.
Guide written by Kathleen Simpson
Edited by Sarah Glasscock
Cover design by Niloufar Safavieh
Interior design by Grafica, Inc.
Interior illustrations by Mona Mark
Credits: Cover: Jacket cover for SHILOH by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Used by permission of Dell Publishing,
a division of Random House, Inc.
Interior: Author photo on page 9 by Katherine Lambert Photography.
Copyright © 2002 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
ISBN 0-439-35539-7
All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
40
08 07 06 05 04 03 02
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Contents
To the Teacher
................................................... 4
Using the Literature Circle Guides in Your Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Setting Up Literature Response Journals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Good Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
About Shiloh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
About the Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Enrichment Readings: West Virginia, Animal Abuse Laws, Beagles . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Before Reading the Book . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Group Discussion Reproducible: Before Reading the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 3-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 3-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 9-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 9-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapters 13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapters 13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Literature Response Journal Reproducible: Chapter 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Group Discussion Reproducible: Chapter 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Reproducible: After Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Reproducible: Individual Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Reproducible: Group Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Literature Discussion Evaluation Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
3
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
To the Teacher
As a teacher, you naturally want to instill in your
students the habits of confident, critical, independent, and lifelong readers. You hope that even
when students are not in school they will seek out
books on their own, think about and question
what they are reading, and share those ideas with
friends. An excellent way to further this goal is by
using literature circles in your classroom.
A Allow three or four weeks for students to read
each book. Each of Scholastic’s Literature
Circle Guides has the same number of sections
as well as enrichment activities and projects.
Even if students are reading different books in
the Literature Circle Guide series, they can be
scheduled to finish at the same time.
A Create a daily routine so students can focus
In a literature circle, students select a book to
read as a group. They think and write about it on
their own in a literature response journal and then
discuss it together. Both journals and discussions
enable students to respond to a book and develop
their insights into it. They also learn to identify
themes and issues, analyze vocabulary, recognize
writing techniques, and share ideas with each
other—all of which are necessary to meet state
and national standards.
on journal writing and discussions.
A Decide whether students will be reading books
in class or for homework. If students do all
their reading for homework, then allot class
time for sharing journals and discussions. You
can also alternate silent reading and writing
days in the classroom with discussion groups.
This guide provides the support materials for
using literature circles with Shiloh by Phyllis
Reynolds Naylor. The reading strategies,
discussion questions, projects, and enrichment
readings will also support a whole class reading
of this text or can be given to enhance the
experience of an individual student reading the
book as part of a reading workshop.
Read More About
Literature Circles
Getting the Most from Literature Groups
by Penny Strube (Scholastic Professional
Books, 1996)
Literature Circles by Harvey Daniels
(Stenhouse Publishers, 1994)
Literature Circles
A literature circle consists of several students
(usually three to five) who agree to read a book
together and share their observations, questions,
and interpretations. Groups may be organized
by reading level or choice of book. Often these
groups read more than one book together since,
as students become more comfortable talking
with one another, their observations and
insights deepen.
When planning to use literature circles in your
classroom, it can be helpful to do the following:
A Recommend four or five books from which
students can choose. These books might be
grouped by theme, genre, or author.
4
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Using the Literature Circle
Guides in Your Classroom
If everyone in class is reading the same book,
you may present the reading strategy as a minilesson to the entire class. For literature circles,
however, the group of students can read over and
discuss the strategy together at the start of class
and then experiment with the strategy as they
read silently for the rest of the period. You may
want to allow time at the end of class so the
group can talk about what they noticed as they
read. As an alternative, the literature circle can
review the reading strategy for the next section
after they have completed their discussion. That
night, students can try out the reading strategy
as they read on their own so they will be ready
for the next day’s literature circle discussion.
Each guide contains the following sections:
A background information about the author
and book
A enrichment readings relevant to the book
A Literature Response Journal reproducibles
A Group Discussion reproducibles
A Individual and group projects
A Literature Discussion Evaluation Sheet
Background Information and
Enrichment Readings
◆ Literature Response Journal Topics
A literature response journal allows a reader to
“converse” with a book. Students write questions,
point out things they notice about the story, recall
personal experiences, and make connections to
other texts in their journals. In other words, they
are using writing to explore what they think about
the book. See page 7 for tips on how to help
students set up their literature response journals.
The background information about the author and
the book and the enrichment readings are designed
to offer information that will enhance students’
understanding of the book. You may choose to
assign and discuss these sections before, during,
or after the reading of the book. Because each
enrichment concludes with questions that invite
students to connect it to the book, you can use this
section to inspire them to think and record their
thoughts in the literature response journal.
1. The questions for the literature response
journals have no right or wrong answers but
are designed to help students look beneath the
surface of the plot and develop a richer
connection to the story and its characters.
Literature Response Journal
Reproducibles
2. Students can write in their literature response
journals as soon as they have finished a reading
assignment. Again, you may choose to have
students do this for homework or make time
during class.
Although these reproducibles are designed for
individual students, they should also be used to
stimulate and support discussions in literature
circles. Each page begins with a reading
strategy and follows with several journal topics.
At the bottom of the page, students select a
type of response (prediction, question,
observation, or connection) for free-choice
writing in their response journals.
3. The literature response journals are an excellent
tool for students to use in their literature circles.
They can highlight ideas and thoughts in their
journals that they want to share with the group.
4. When you evaluate students’ journals,
consider whether they have completed all the
assignments and have responded in depth and
thoughtfully. You may want to check each day
to make sure students are keeping up with the
assignments. You can read and respond to the
journals at a halfway point (after five entries)
and again at the end. Some teachers suggest
that students pick out their five best entries
for a grade.
◆ Reading Strategies
Since the goal of the literature circle is to empower
lifelong readers, a different reading strategy is
introduced in each section. Not only does the
reading strategy allow students to understand this
particular book better, it also instills a habit of
mind that will continue to be useful when they
read other books. A question from the Literature
Response Journal and the Group Discussion pages
is always tied to the reading strategy.
5
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
4. It can be helpful to have a facilitator for each
discussion. The facilitator can keep students from
interrupting each other, help the conversation get
back on track when it digresses, and encourage
shyer members to contribute. At the end of each
discussion, the facilitator can summarize everyone’s
contributions and suggest areas for improvement.
Group Discussion Reproducibles
These reproducibles are designed for use in
literature circles. Each page begins with a series
of discussion questions for the group to
consider. A mini-lesson on an aspect of the
writer’s craft follows the discussion questions.
See page 8 for tips on how to model good
discussions for students.
5. Designate other roles for group members. For
instance, a recorder can take notes and/or list
questions for further discussion. A summarizer
can open each literature circle meeting by
summarizing the chapter(s) the group has just
read. Encourage students to rotate these roles, as
well as that of the facilitator.
◆ Literature Discussion Questions: In a
literature discussion, students experience a book
from different points of view. Each reader brings
her or his own unique observations, questions,
and associations to the text. When students
share their different reading experiences, they
often come to a wider and deeper understanding
than they would have reached on their own.
◆ The Writer’s Craft: This section encourages
students to look at the writer’s most important
tool—words. It points out new vocabulary,
writing techniques, and uses of language. One or
two questions invite students to think more
deeply about the book and writing in general.
These questions can either become part of the
literature circle discussion or be written about in
students’ journals.
The discussion is not an exercise in finding the
right answers nor is it a debate. Its goal is to
explore the many possible meanings of a book.
Be sure to allow enough time for these
conversations to move beyond easy answers—
try to schedule 25–35 minutes for each one. In
addition, there are important guidelines to
ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.
Literature Discussion
Evaluation Sheet
1. Let students know that participation in the
literature discussion is an important part of their
grade. You may choose to watch one discussion
and grade it. (You can use the Literature
Discussion Evaluation Sheet on page 33.)
Both you and your students will benefit from
completing these evaluation sheets. You can use
them to assess students’ performance, and as
mentioned earlier, students can evaluate their own
individual performances, as well as their group’s
performance. The Literature Discussion Evaluation
Sheet appears on page 33.
2. Encourage students to evaluate their own
performance in discussions using the Literature
Discussion Evaluation Sheet. They can assess
not only their own level of involvement but also
how the group itself has functioned.
3. Help students learn how to talk to one
another effectively. After a discussion, help them
process what worked and what didn’t. Videotape
discussions if possible, and then evaluate them
together. Let one literature circle watch another
and provide feedback to it.
6
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
certain words, phrases, or passages in a book.
Others note the style of an author’s writing or
the voice in which the story is told. A student
starting to read Shiloh might write the following:
Setting Up Literature
Response Journals
Although some students may already keep
literature response journals, others may not
know how to begin. To discourage students from
merely writing elaborate plot summaries and to
encourage them to use their journals in a
meaningful way, help them focus their responses
around the following elements: predictions,
observations, questions, and connections. Have
students take time after each assigned section to
think about and record their responses in their
journals. Sample responses appear below.
This story must take place in the country.
I can tell because of the way the family
members talk, and because they are having
rabbit for supper. The father says that he
shot the rabbit himself; he couldn’t do that
in the city. Marty seems pretty unhappy
about the rabbit. He wants to make sure it
died quickly, and even then he doesn’t eat it.
◆ Questions: Point out that good readers don’t
necessarily understand everything they read. To
clarify their uncertainty, they ask questions.
Encourage students to identify passages that
confuse or trouble them, and emphasize that
they shouldn’t take anything for granted. Share
the following student example:
◆ Predictions: Before students read the book,
have them study the cover and the jacket copy.
Ask if anyone has read any other books by
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. To begin their literature
response journals, tell students to jot down their
impressions about the book. As they read,
students will continue to make predictions about
what a character might do or how the plot might
turn. After finishing the book, students can reassess their initial predictions. Good readers
understand that they must constantly activate
prior knowledge before, during, and after they
read. They adjust their expectations and
predictions: a story that is completely predictable
is not likely to capture anyone’s interest. A
student about to read Shiloh might predict
the following:
On page 14, Marty says he knows someone
has kicked or beaten the dog. He is sure
because the dog won’t come when it’s
called, and it seems very shy. I don’t understand how he can be so certain that the dog
has been abused. Aren’t some animals just
shy by nature, like some people?
◆ Connections: Remind students that one
story often leads to another. When one friend
tells a story, the other friend is often inspired to
tell one, too. The same thing happens when
someone reads a book. A character reminds the
reader of a relative, or a situation is similar to
something that happened to him or her.
Sometimes a book makes a reader recall other
books or movies. These connections can be
helpful in revealing some of the deeper meanings
or patterns of a book. The following is an
example of a student connection:
The book jacket tells me that Marty finds
an abused dog and his parents make him
take it back to its owner. It also says that
Marty names the dog Shiloh and “secretly
decides he’ll do anything” to save it. It
sounds like Marty might do something
against his parents’ wishes.
◆ Observations: This activity takes place
Marty and the beagle make me think of
another story I read about a boy and some
hunting dogs. It was called Where the Red
Fern Grows. Even though that story takes
place a long time ago, it seems kind of similar. Both stories deal with questions about
loyalty and responsibility. Also, both boys
have to make serious choices about dogs.
immediately after reading begins. In a literature
response journal, the reader recalls fresh
impressions about the characters, setting, and
events. Most readers mention details that stand
out for them even if they’re not sure what their
importance is. For example, a reader might list
phrases that describe how a character looks or
the feeling a setting evokes. Many readers note
7
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
The Good Discussion
with a discussion so students can try out what
they learned from the first one.
In a good literature discussion, students are
always learning from one another. They listen to
one another and respond to what their peers
have to say. They share their ideas, questions,
and observations. Everyone feels comfortable
about talking, and no one interrupts or puts
down what anyone else says. Students leave a
good literature discussion with a new
understanding of the book—and sometimes with
new questions about it. They almost always feel
more engaged by what they have read.
◆ Assessing Discussions: The following tips
◆ Modeling a Good Discussion: In this era of
3. The group should look at the Literature
Discussion Evaluation Sheet and assess their
performance as a whole. Were most of the
behaviors helpful? Were any behaviors
unhelpful? How could the group improve?
will help students monitor how well their group
is functioning:
1. One person should keep track of all behaviors
by each group member, both helpful and
unhelpful, during the discussion.
2. At the end of the discussion, each individual
should think about how he or she did. How
many helpful and unhelpful checks did he or
she receive?
combative and confessional TV talk shows,
students often don’t have any idea of what it
means to talk productively and creatively
together. You can help them have a better idea of
what a good literature discussion is if you let
them experience one. Select a thought-provoking
short story or poem for students to read, and
then choose a small group to model a discussion
of the work for the class.
In good discussions, you will often hear
students say the following:
Explain to participating students that the
objective of the discussion is to explore the text
thoroughly and learn from one another.
Emphasize that it takes time to learn how to
have a good discussion, and that the first
discussion may not achieve everything they hope
it will. Duplicate a copy of the Literature
Discussion Evaluation Sheet for each student.
Go over the helpful and unhelpful contributions
shown on it. Instruct students to fill out the sheet
as they watch the model discussion. Then have
the group of students hold its discussion while
the rest of the class observes. Try not to interrupt
or control the discussion and remind the student
audience not to participate. It’s okay if the
discussion falters, as this is a learning experience.
“I was wondering if anyone knew . . .”
“I see what you are saying. That reminds me of
something that happened earlier in the book.”
“What do you think?”
“Did anyone notice on page 57 that . . .”
“I disagree with you because . . .”
“I agree with you because . . .”
“This reminds me so much of when . . .”
“Do you think this could mean . . .”
“I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying.
Could you explain it a little more to me?”
Allow 15–20 minutes for the discussion. When
it is finished, ask each student in the group to
reflect out loud about what worked and what
didn’t. Then have the students who observed
share their impressions. What kinds of
comments were helpful? How could the group
have talked to each other more productively?
You may want to let another group experiment
“That reminds me of what you were
saying yesterday about . . .”
“I just don’t understand this.”
“I love the part that says . . .”
“Here, let me read this paragraph. It’s an
example of what I’m talking about.”
8
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
About Shiloh
books are based on things that have happened
to me, things I have heard or read about, all
mixed up with imaginings.”
Shiloh is the first in a trilogy, or series of three
books. It has been followed by Shiloh Season
and Saving Shiloh. Phyllis Naylor creates a sense
of place that is almost tangible, and characters
that grow naturally out of the story’s West
Virginia setting. In Shiloh, Marty’s compassion
for an abused dog pushes him to take a hard
look at ideas about the rights and responsibilities
of animal owners—ideas long accepted in his
family and community. As the character wrestles
with frustrating conflicts between his conscience,
his family, and the law, readers wrestle right
along with him. Marty’s moral dilemmas will
inspire much debate among readers of Phyllis
Naylor’s 1992 Newbery-winning novel.
The idea for Shiloh came after she and her
husband met a timid beagle while walking along
a river in West Virginia. The dog followed them
to the home of friends they were visiting.
Everyone wondered why it was so shy. Ms.
Naylor’s friends adopted the beagle and named it
Clover. Meanwhile, Ms. Naylor imagined what
might have happened if she had known the
dog and its owner. Shiloh was the result of
her imaginings.
Phyllis Naylor lives in Bethesda, Maryland,
with her husband Rex. They have two grown
sons and two grandchildren. When she is not
writing, Naylor enjoys hiking, swimming,
singing, and going to the theater.
About the
Author:
Phyllis
Reynolds
Naylor
Other Books by
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
How I Came to Be a Writer
Phyllis Reynolds
Naylor was born
during the Great
Depression of the
1930s. Although they
had few toys, Phyllis and her friends created their
own fun. As a child, her favorite way to pass the
time was by writing stories. She would dig
wadded up paper out of the trash basket and write
stories on the back of the paper. The first story
Naylor ever had published appeared in a church
magazine when she was sixteen years old.
Night Cry
Danny’s Desert Rats
The Grand Escape
Reluctantly Alice
A String of Chances
Walking Through the Dark
Phyllis Naylor has had more than one hundred
books published. This hardworking author
generally has two or more books in the works at
any given time. She has suggested that writing
is as necessary a part of her life as breathing.
Characters and events in her novels come from
events and people in her own life. Ms. Naylor
writes, “Getting an idea for a book is not hard
for me; keeping other ideas away while I’m
working on one story is what’s difficult. My
9
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Enrichment: West Virginia
birds and small animals. As Marty and his father
discuss in the story, West Virginia has strict laws
governing when, where, how, and what animals
may be hunted.
West Virginia, often called “the mountain state,”
is a region crosscut by mountains and rivers. In
the eastern part of the state, the Shenandoah and
Allegheny mountains slice the land into rugged
valleys and ridges. The high Allegheny Plateau
slopes down to the west from the mountains,
with rivers cutting deep gorges in the terrain.
Shiloh takes place in the hills above Friendly,
West Virginia. About 150 people make Friendly
their home. This tiny town lies near the Ohio
River, about four miles south of Sistersville,
which is slightly larger.
With many miles of deep rivers and dense
forest, West Virginia has served as a fruitful
hunting ground for centuries. The Iroquois,
Cherokee, Shawnee, and other peoples hunted
deer, bear, elk, beaver, and smaller animals long
before the first Europeans arrived there in the
1600s. Most of the larger animals are gone now,
but hunting is still popular. Modern hunters
pursue boar, deer, bears, raccoons, foxes,
bobcats, rabbits, and beaver, as well as various
Setting is an important element of every story.
If Shiloh had been set in West Virginia in the
1700s, how do you think the characters would
feel about hunting and laws that restrict
hunting? Do you think people will keep animals
as pets, two hundred years from now? Record
your ideas in your journal. As you read Shiloh,
consider how characters and events might be
different if the story were set in Arizona,
Southern California, or where you live.
10
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Enrichment:
Animal Abuse Laws
Many of us take for granted the notion that
cruelty to animals should be against the law, but
that hasn’t always been so. For a long time,
most people felt that animals did not feel pain or
emotion; the idea that it might be wrong to hurt
them made little sense. In the early 1800s,
however, a few people began to think differently.
In 1822, a law was passed in England to protect
cattle from unnecessarily cruel treatment. Soon
after, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals was formed, largely to see that the law
was enforced.
In 1866, a New Yorker named Henry Bergh
helped form the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). A
few days later, the state of New York passed an
animal protection law, and gave the ASPCA a
charter to enforce the law in the state of New
York. Similar societies popped up across the
nation, but few have the authority to actually
enforce laws.
wealthy businesspeople, and an enormous
number of activist groups. There is still much
debate over what is cruel, because no one really
knows how much animals think and feel.
Henry Bergh was enthusiastic about protecting
animals. He took on big business, sportsmen,
and even the famous circus owner, P. T. Barnum.
His reputation as a meddler and a stubborn dogooder grew, but eventually, he earned the
respect of many of the same people that he took
to task for mistreating animals.
Before you read Shiloh, think about the
following questions: Do you think animals have
the same range of feelings that we have? Do
they love each other, and us? Do they feel
sadness, joy, anger, contentment? Do they
communicate? What does this mean in terms of
how we should treat them?
In the 1870s, Henry Bergh’s compassion
brought about important changes in how the law
was used to protect abused children. Knowing
Bergh’s reputation, a social worker contacted him
about a child named Mary Ellen. Mary Ellen had
been terribly abused by her adopted parents, but
the social worker could not get the courts to
remove her from the home. Henry Bergh and his
lawyer fought to have the girl taken out of the
abusive home, and won. Soon after, in 1874,
they founded the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children.
After you finish the book, return to the above
questions. How has reading Shiloh affected your
responses to the questions?
Over time, animal protection laws in the
United States have expanded to cover more
animals and a wider definition of cruelty. The
cause is a popular one, supported by celebrities,
11
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Enrichment: Beagles
needs a lot of training and wants to be exercised
daily. Beagles are quiet dogs in the sense that
they rarely bark. Although every dog is an
individual, beagles generally don’t make the best
watchdogs. They do howl, though, creating an
awful racket when tracking a scent, or
sometimes when they’re bored.
More than ten thousand years ago, on an
African or European plain, noisy hounds helped
a hunter run down a deer. Such hounds were
among the earliest breeds trained to help people
hunt animals for food. Today, there are many
breeds of hounds raised for hunting, all around
the world.
The beagle’s boundless energy and keen sense
of smell sometimes get the dog in trouble with
the hunter. Hot on the trail of a rabbit or hare,
the beagle may run after a scent all day, ignoring
its master’s call, just as Shiloh repeatedly does in
Phyllis Naylor’s novel.
Hounds make up a group of dog breeds that
are prized mainly for their hunting skills. Some,
like the greyhound, have been trained to run fast
for great distances. At one time, greyhounds
helped hunters chase game animals until the
animals fell to the ground, exhausted. “Sight
hounds” use their eyes to follow game for the
hunter. Other hounds, such as the beagle, have
been bred and trained to use a keen sense of
smell to follow game trails.
Shiloh remains true to the nature of its breed.
Again and again, the dog behaves in ways that
are characteristic of beagles, even though Judd
Travers tries to force it to do otherwise.
Do you think that animals can be trained to
behave in ways that are against their nature?
Should people try? As you read Shiloh, look for
examples of behavior that are characteristic of
beagles. Consider how Judd Travers and Marty
react to Shiloh’s “beagle behavior,” such as the
dog’s tendency to run away. Think about how
the two characters’ reactions differ. Which do
you think is more appropriate, and why?
Beagles are small and quick and make good
rabbit hunters. Most stand about 14 inches tall
and have short hair and smooth coats splashed
with white, tan, brown, and black. With loads of
energy, intelligence, and a happy nature, they
are also popular family pets. If you decide on a
beagle for a pet, however, be prepared to give it
a lot of time and attention. This is a breed that
12
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Before Reading the Book
Reading Strategy:
Discovering What You Already Know
By now you have read information on the book’s jacket and examined the cover art.
Perhaps the story sounds familiar to you. Have you experienced situations similar to
Marty’s? Have you read other books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor? Ask yourself, “What
do I already know about the story of Marty and Shiloh?”
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Consider everything you know about Shiloh and about author Phyllis Reynolds
Naylor. Make a web similar to the one shown below to show what you already
know. Note that you will have to add more circles to the web.
Phyllis Naylor wrote it.
Shiloh
This author has written
a lot of books.
Shiloh is a beagle.
2. Write about an experience with pets, stray animals, or animals in the wild that
you’ve had.
3. How do you go about selecting books to read on your own? Is Shiloh is a book
you would have chosen to read? Explain your reasons.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections about the
book? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
13
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Before Reading the Book
For Your Discussion Group
A Make a chart to show which
group members have and have
not owned pets, what kinds of
pets they have owned, and how
group members came to have
them. Discuss the importance of
pets in pet owners’ lives and
how group members without
pets feel about pet ownership.
A Next make a list of things that
pet owners do to care for their
pets. Include daily maintenance
such as providing food and a
safe place to sleep, as well as other care such as boarding when a family is on
vacation, and veterinary care when a pet becomes ill. Consider extravagant kinds of
care that some owners provide for their animals.
A Discuss the extent of a pet owner’s responsibility. Look over your list of ways that pet
owners care for their pets. Is every owner obligated to do everything on the list?
Where does an owner’s responsibility end, or does it?
TIP
When you are brainstorming, remember that
the goal is to collect as many different ideas
as possible without commenting on them.
Everybody’s ideas should be included.
14
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 1–2
Reading Strategy: Making Inferences
We learn a lot about people by watching the way
they behave. If a fellow student lines up pencils
neatly in his binder, you understand that he
probably likes things to be in order. If a student
walks into the classroom humming a tune, you
infer that she probably feels cheerful. Authors often
describe characters’ behavior in order to help us
understand something about that character. In the
first two chapters of Shiloh, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
tells us a great deal about the characters by describing what they do. Think about how
the characters behave, and what you understand about them because of their behavior.
Record your inferences in your journal.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Describe Marty’s personality. Make note of his likes and dislikes, his temperament,
and his attitudes toward animals, family, and home. If he were a real person,
explain whether you and he would be friends.
2. Reread the last three paragraphs of Chapter 1, in which Marty looks out the
window. Why do you suppose the author included this passage? When you read
it, what did you infer about Marty and his mother?
3. Draw a picture of Marty and his family. Include details in your picture that tell
something about the characters. Write a few sentences to describe each character.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
15
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 1–2
For Your Discussion Group
A When Marty and his father return the beagle to
Judd in Chapter 2, how does Marty feel about
Shiloh? How does Judd feel about the beagle?
Discuss events in the story that make the characters’ feelings clear.
A Discuss Marty’s reasons for returning the dog to Judd. Have a group member record
those reasons. Then record reasons why it may not have been a good idea to return
Shiloh. Should Marty have returned Shiloh to Judd? Take a vote, allowing group
members to explain why they voted as they did.
A What would you have done if you were in Marty’s shoes? What if a dog followed you
home? How would you handle the situation?
Writer’s Craft: Dialect
People from large cities such as Boston or New York generally speak English a little
differently from people in small farm communities of West Virginia. And a person who
lives in Texas will probably have different speech patterns from someone who lives in
Minnesota. The difference in how language is used from one region to the next is called
dialect. In fiction, dialect used thoughtfully and sparingly helps readers connect with
characters by making them seem more real. (However, writers must be careful about
using dialect. Too much can be distracting, or even confusing.)
Consider Marty’s dialect in Shiloh, as the character describes how he spends a Sunday
afternoon. Note that only the first sentence in the paragraph includes a subject.
I take the .22 rifle Dad had given me in March on my eleventh birthday
and set out up the road to see what I can shoot. Like to find me an apple
hanging way out on a branch, see if I can bring it down. Line up a few
cans on a rail fence and shoot ‘em off. Never shoot at anything moving,
though. Never had the slightest wish.
Discuss possible reasons why Phyllis Naylor chose to write Shiloh in dialect. Did it help
you, the reader? Explain.
16
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 3–4
Reading Strategy: Making Predictions
In Chapters 1 and 2, you learned about the setting
and characters in Shiloh. In Chapters 3 and 4, the
story becomes complicated, as Marty grows attached
to Shiloh, and is more certain than ever that the dog
is mistreated by its owner. As complications develop,
readers wonder what will happen next. While you
read, look for clues that the author has imbedded in the story. Use these clues to make
predictions about what will happen. You’ll probably find that you need to adjust your
predictions as the story develops.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Will Marty find a way to buy Shiloh from Judd Travers? Describe some ways he
might earn money to purchase the dog.
2. Marty’s father tells his son that the new game warden is strict, quick to fine people
who shoot game out of season. Dad seems to agree with the warden, saying,
“Well, that’s the way it ought to be, I guess.” How do you think Judd would feel
about the new game warden’s strictness? What clues in the story lead you to
believe as you do?
3. When Judd tells Marty that he calls his dogs “Git” or “Scram,” Marty gets angry
and says the dog’s name is Shiloh. What would you have done in Marty’s place,
and why?
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
17
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 3–4
For Your Discussion Group
A Imagine you are Marty, and you discover that
the dog, Shiloh, has found its way to your
yard again. What would you do? Discuss
every option you can think of.
A Make a list of the promises Marty makes to
Shiloh in Chapter 4. What problems do you
think Marty will encounter if he tries to keep
those promises?
A If you could give Marty advice, what would you tell him? Working as a group,
compose a letter to Marty, giving him suggestions about what to do next.
Writer’s Craft: Imagery
Just as a painting is made up of many brush strokes, a story is made up of details. As
you read the description below of Shiloh licking Marty’s fingers and Marty running his
hands over the dog’s ears, focus on the image, or picture, that takes shape in your mind.
Last of all, I take the lard bread from my pocket and feed it to Shiloh in
little pieces, letting him lick my fingers after every bite. I wrap my arms
around him, pat him, run my hands over his ears, even kiss his nose. I
tell him about a million times I love him as much as I love my ma.
This image conveys much information about how Marty feels at that moment, and how
Shiloh responds to him. By painting a picture with details, the author also helps readers
connect with characters. Characters seem more real because you “see” them in your
mind. Discuss other examples of imagery in Shiloh.
18
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 5–6
Reading Strategy: Summarizing
As you read, it is often helpful to summarize what
you have read. When you summarize, you recall
the most important details and leave out those that
are less important. This skill helps you, the reader,
in two ways. First, going over events a second
time helps you remember what you have read.
Additionally, summarizing encourages you to figure
out what is most important about what you have
read. This contributes to your understanding of
what the book is about. In your journal, summarize the story up to this point.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. At the beginning of Chapter 5, Marty considers three immediate problems—
keeping Shiloh hidden, keeping the dog quiet, and getting food to the dog. Write a
summary of how Marty handles these problems.
2. In Chapter 6, Marty recalls a time when he lied to his sister and his mother about
having eaten a chocolate rabbit. Why do you suppose Marty remembers this
experience at this point in the story? Describe a time when you felt like Marty
does as he remembers the chocolate rabbit.
3. Think about a time when you had to choose between doing two things, neither of
which seemed to be entirely right. Write about what happened, what you decided
to do, and why.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
19
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 5–6
For Your Discussion Group
A Work together to summarize the events
in Chapters 5 and 6.
A Discuss everything that Marty does to
take care of Shiloh. Do you think he does
enough to meet all of the dog’s needs?
A In Chapters 5 and 6, Marty finds himself
involved in one deception after another.
Make a list of the lies he tells in order to
keep Shiloh.
A Marty comments about lies in the middle of Chapter 6, “Funny how one lie leads to
another and before you know it, your whole life can be a lie.” Describe examples
from Shiloh of how one lie leads to another. Do you think this is true in real life?
Discuss your ideas and give examples.
Writer’s Craft: Conflict
Main characters struggle against nature, other characters, and, sometimes, themselves.
Often, characters struggle against some combination of these. This struggle is called
conflict. Conflict creates tension and makes you care about what the characters do. It is
an important element of every story. A good example of this is the way Marty struggles
with Judd Travers and his own feelings in Shiloh.
To understand conflict, discuss the following questions: How does Marty feel about
hiding Shiloh from his parents? How does he feel about returning Shiloh to Judd? What
might happen if Judd finds out that Marty is hiding his dog? How does Judd’s description
of his childhood affect Marty’s feelings about the man?
20
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 7–8
Reading Strategy: Cause and Effect
Events in stories such as Phyllis Naylor’s Shiloh are related to
each other in some way. Very often, that relationship is one of
cause and effect. This means that one event causes another to
happen, usually complicating the character’s situation. To better
understand Marty’s predicament, think about how his actions
cause other events to occur.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Draw a cause-and-effect
diagram like the one at the
right to show how Marty’s
actions complicate his
situation. Add more Cause and
Effects boxes if necessary.
CAUSE
EFFECT
2. After Marty asks the storekeeper for discounted food, people in the community
begin leaving gifts of food in their mailboxes. How do you think the people of the
community would feel if they knew that the Prestons do not really need help?
3. Consider a time when you kept an important secret from your best friend. Why
did you keep the secret? Did your friend find out? Did the secret change your
friendship? Write about what happened, and whether keeping your secret was a
good decision.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
21
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 7–8
For Your Discussion Group
A Why doesn’t Marty tell David Howard about Shiloh?
What might happen if he were to share his secret with
David? Would David be obligated to tell an adult?
Express the reasons behind your opinion.
A Describe Marty’s predicament at the end of Chapter 8.
How has he complicated his own situation? Discuss
what Marty has done and what the results of his actions
have been.
A Share predictions about what might happen next.
Writer’s Craft: Suspense
Suspense is a feeling of anxiety, the reader’s urgent need to know what will happen
next. In this passage, the mood is warm and happy until Marty hears his name, looks
up, and sees his mother.
I move my arms off my face after a while and let him rest his paws on
my chest, and I’m lying there petting his head and he’s got this happy
dog-smile on his face. The breeze is blowing cool air in from the west,
and I figure I’m about as happy right then as you can get in your
whole life.
And then I hear someone say, “Marty.” I look up and there’s Ma.
The sudden shift in mood is dramatic. But the author doesn’t reveal upcoming events,
and instead ends the chapter, leaving the reader “hanging.” This method of creating
suspense is, in fact, often called a “cliff hanger.”
Discuss other ways that authors create suspense. Then look for suspenseful passages in
Chapters 9 and 10. Think about how Phyllis Naylor creates suspense, and how you
might use these same methods in your own writing.
22
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 9–10
Reading Strategy:
Making Judgments
The best stories make readers think. They
wonder what it would be like to experience
what characters experience. They wonder
whether they would do as the characters do,
or whether anyone really would behave in
that way. These stories present new ideas and situations, or present old ones in a new
light. Readers feel encouraged to examine ideas, consider facts presented in the story,
and make judgments, or decisions, based on those facts. We also factor in our own
experiences, all that we already know. In Shiloh, Marty has many questions and strong
feelings about what’s right. As you read, think about Marty’s dilemmas and judge for
yourself what is right and what is wrong.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Marty feels that Shiloh is his dog more than Judd’s because it is he, Marty, who
loves the dog. Are there times when ownership should go to the person who cares
most? Explain.
2. How do you think Marty’s father feels when he discovers that his son has been
hiding Judd’s dog? Pretend that you are Ray Preston, and write a letter to your son
expressing your feelings about what has happened.
3. Has someone ever told you a secret that you felt you should share with someone
else? Explain what happened and how you felt.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
23
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 9–10
For Your Discussion Group
A Discuss Marty’s deal with his mother.
Should she have agreed to keep his secret
from her husband? Should Marty have
asked her to? Explain.
A Marty feels responsible for Shiloh’s injuries.
Do you think he is responsible? Discuss
why or why not.
A Marty has deceived his parents in order to save Shiloh. Was hiding the dog the right
thing to do? Consider the consequences of Marty’s behavior and discuss your ideas
with the group.
Writer’s Craft: Verbs
This passage from Shiloh conveys a sense of excitement, because of the author’s choice
of specific verbs–leap, thrust, and racing.
I leap out of bed, thrust my feet in my sneakers, and with shoelaces
flying, I’m racing through the kitchen toward the back door.
That excitement might be lost if different verbs were used—I get out of bed, put my feet
in my sneakers, and without tying my shoelaces, I’m moving through the kitchen
toward the back door.
Skilled writers use verbs that are specific to help readers picture events. Look over a
piece of your own writing. Are the verbs specific and descriptive? Do they help convey
the image that you wished to convey? In your journal, list the verbs that are not specific.
Then write a few new, more specific verbs beside each one.
24
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 11–12
Reading Strategy: Visualizing
Authors describe details of setting, characters, and
action in order to help you, the reader, visualize, or
picture events in your mind. Visualizing is often an
important step in understanding what is happening to
a character. As you read Shiloh, pause at points in the
story that seem hard to understand, or are crucial to
the plot. Try to visualize what is happening. If you do
not immediately get a clear picture in your mind, try
rereading that part of the story. Look for details that
could make the picture clear.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Choose a scene from Chapters 11 or 12 and draw it in your journal. Include details
that contribute to the story. Underline details in the book that help you visualize
the scene.
2. Think about a difficult time in your life when a friend gave you comfort. Draw a
picture in your journal of that experience, including details that might help
someone looking at the picture understand what happened. Then write a
description of events pictured.
3. Reread the section near the end of Chapter 11 that begins with “What I didn’t
expect…” Then make a list in your journal of details that help you visualize
Shiloh’s arrival with Doc Murphy.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
25
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 11–12
For Your Discussion Group
A Choose a group member to reread the
pages in Chapter 12 when Judd appears
at the Prestons’ house. Note details that
help you visualize events after Judd’s
arrival at the house.
A How do you think Marty feels at this
point in the story? What clues in the
story help you know? How would you
feel and behave in Marty’s place?
A Think about events that occur when Judd comes to the Preston house. Imagine that
one or more of the characters behave differently, changing the outcome of Chapter 12.
Rewrite this part of the story, and choose a group member to record the changes.
Include important details to help readers visualize. Then assign roles among group
members and act out the new scene.
Writer’s Craft: Metaphor
Writers often compare one person or thing to something else in order to describe it.
When a writer implies that a person or thing is something else, the comparison is called
a metaphor. In this passage, the author compares Marty’s sister to a songbird, using the
word warble to describe how Becky might tell Marty’s secret.
Then I think of how there are exactly seven people now who know I have
Judd Travers’ dog, and it’s only a matter of time before somebody lets it
out. Probably Becky. She’ll warble it to the first person coming up the lane.
Why do you think Phyllis Naylor compares Becky to a songbird? What characteristics do
Becky and the songbird share? The most important thing to think about when you read
a metaphor is why the author chose these particular people or things to compare. What
does the author want you to know about them?
26
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 13–14
Reading Strategy:
Asking Questions
If you don’t understand everything that you read,
or you want to know more about something in
your reading, note your questions in your journal.
Then, present the questions to your group for
discussion. Perhaps other group members will
have a clearer understanding of the reading, or
will have questions of their own.
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Look over the questions you have. Which questions can be answered by rereading
the book? Which questions can be answered using other sources? Which can be
answered only by you, the reader?
2. Does the law in your area protect animal owners, even if they are cruel? Ask
questions or use the library and Internet to find out. Record your findings.
3. Have you ever been to an animal shelter? Describe your experience.
4. If deer hunting is legal in your area, ask questions or use the library and Internet
to find out what happens to someone who is caught hunting out of season.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
27
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapters 13–14
For Your Discussion Group
A Discuss group members’ questions about
Chapters 13 and 14.
A Is it wrong for Marty to keep Judd’s poaching a secret, so that he can keep Shiloh?
A Go over the terms of the bargain Marty
makes with Judd. Is the bargain a fair one?
What will each of them gain from the deal?
A If you were in Marty’s place, how might the
agreement be different? Discuss other terms that should have been included in the
agreement. Select a group member to record your version of the agreement.
Writer’s Craft: Variety
Because the story is told by Marty, many rules of grammar are ignored by the author of
Shiloh. Words are intended to sound the way they would sound if spoken by an elevenyear-old boy. However, Phyllis Naylor knows that the rules of good writing still apply. To
keep readers from being bored, she uses a variety of sentence lengths and types. Read
the following passage from the book:
Still so early in the morning the mist is rising up out of the ground, and
when I come to a stretch of field, looks like the grass is steaming. Sky’s
light, but the sun hasn’t showed itself yet. You live in hill country, it
takes a while for the sun to rise. Got to scale the mountains first.
In the passage, longer sentences at the beginning of the paragraph slow the reading,
giving readers time to consider the description. The last sentence is short and punchy,
letting readers know that the description of the sunrise is finished. Does your own
writing include a variety of sentence types and lengths? Look over something you have
written. Revise all or part of it to include a variety of sentences.
28
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
L it e rat u
r e Re sp o n se J o u r n a l
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapter 15
Reading Strategy: Rereading
A suspenseful story like Shiloh keeps the reader wanting to know what will
happen next, encouraging a fast read. However, there is more to this book
than an exciting story. To get the most from Shiloh, reread important
passages. Look for details that tell you how characters feel and change. Note Phyllis
Naylor’s use of images that influence your feelings about the characters and their problems.
How did rereading enhance your enjoyment and understanding of the story?
Writing in Your Literature Response Journal
A. Write about one of these topics in your journal. Circle the topic you chose.
1. Marty and Judd are very different, but have some things in common, too. Reread
Chapter 15, looking for details that tell you about these two characters. Complete a
Venn diagram similar to the one below to compare Marty and Judd.
Marty
Both
Judd
2. After Marty begins working for Judd Travers, Judd seems to look for ways to get
out of their agreement. Consider how Marty responds to Judd’s behavior. Why do
you think Judd decides to honor the deal?
3. Have you ever known someone whom you didn’t like, but felt sorry for? Describe
the person and tell why you felt sorry for him or her.
B. What were your predictions, questions, observations, and connections as you
read? Write about one of them in your journal. Check the response you chose.
❒ Prediction
❒ Question
❒ Observation
❒ Connection
29
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Group D iscussion
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
Chapter 15
For Your Discussion Group
A On a large sheet of paper, draw a calendar with a box
to represent each of the ten days that Marty works for
Judd. List important events that occur between Marty
and Judd in the appropriate boxes.
A Now go back and include details in your calendar that
offer clues to changes in the characters’ feelings about
each other and about their deal.
A Reread the last paragraph in the book. Discuss what
Marty means when he says that nothing is as simple
as you guess. How do you suppose his ideas about
right and wrong have changed? What has he learned
about himself and about Judd Travers?
Writer’s Craft: Context
Some of the language used by characters in Shiloh might be unfamiliar to readers, for
example, the word squaller in the passage below.
“That biggest dog, now,” Judd goes on, ”He’s the loudest squaller I got.
I can tell from his racket whether he’s following a fresh track or an old
one, if he’s runnin’ a ditch, swimmin’, or treed a coon.”
Stopping to look up every unfamiliar word in a dictionary would slow reading to an
impossible pace. Also authors sometimes create new words that may not appear in the
dictionary. For this reason, the author plants context clues to help readers understand
difficult words. Context is the language that surrounds the unfamiliar word. Use context
clues to figure out what squaller means in the passage above. Underline words and
phrases in the passage that help you understand the word squaller.
30
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Shiloh
After Reading
Shiloh raises many questions about animal rights, deception, responsibility, and justice.
A In your journal, list questions that this story caused you to consider. What answers, if
any, did you find?
A Discuss the following questions with your group: Did you enjoy reading Shiloh? What
did you like most about it? What did you like least? In what ways did the characters
seem like real people? If they didn’t, why didn’t they? Was the book hard to put
down? How did you feel about the ending? What was your reaction to Phyllis Naylor’s
writing style? Would you like to read something else by this author?
A Have each group member bring to class one or more different book reviews from
magazines, newspapers, or the Internet. Look for reviews written for young people,
preferably of books that you have read. Read the reviews aloud with the group, and
discuss them. Would they be helpful to someone who is deciding whether or not to
read that book? Are the reviews well written? Do they seem to be accurate?
A Write your own review of Shiloh, and share it with the group. Mention in your review
questions that the story raised in your mind, as well as your feelings about the
characters, the plot, and the author’s writing style. Comment on each other’s reviews,
make revisions, and create final copies.
A Post your reviews in the classroom to provide information and your point of view to
those who may be considering reading Phyllis Naylor’s Shiloh. You may also want to
share your reviews with another class.
31
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Individual Projects
1. Phyllis Naylor gives readers some clues about what Judd’s childhood was like. Use
your powers of imagination and clues from the book to write a story about an event
in Judd’s childhood. Write it from Judd’s point of view.
2. Choose a type of pet and research the kinds of care the animal requires. Include
specific traits and behavior in your research. If you choose an animal that includes a
number of breeds (such as cat, dog, or horse), narrow your choice to a particular
breed. Use your school library, the Internet, and interviews with experts to complete
your research. Then create a helpful handbook for owners of the pet you have
chosen. Include information and art to show what pet owners can expect and what
kinds of care this animal requires.
3. The book Shiloh has been adapted into a movie. Check your local video stores or
libraries to find a videocassette copy of the movie. After watching it, compare the
movie to the book. You may present your comparisons in a Venn diagram, a brief
report, or a pair of reviews. Which presentation of the story did you prefer, and why?
Explain whether viewing the movie changed your ideas about the book.
✃
Name ______________________________________ Date _______________________
Group Projects
1. Some animal shelters take care of pets that have been neglected or abused. Do such
organizations exist in your area? What happens to abused and neglected animals
where you live? What can individuals do to support local animal shelters? Brainstorm
ways to find answers to these and your own questions about this issue. Consider
forming an organization in your school to support local animal shelters.
2. Work together to create 8 to 16 illustrations of the most important moments in Shiloh.
Bind the illustrations and add captions to form a picture book summary of Phyllis
Naylor’s novel.
3. What will the future hold for Marty and Judd? Make predictions about how life will be
different for them. Prepare a skit that illustrates these predictions. Assume roles and
perform your skit for classmates.
32
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Literature Circle Guide: Shiloh © Scholastic Teaching Resources