Arctic
Lesson Plan 3 - Novel Study – The Winter People by
Joseph Bruchac
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Students will read a piece of historical fiction and respond to questions to learn
about challenges faced by Aboriginal peoples, explorers, missionaries, and
settlers during the initial settlement era in Canada.
TIME REQUIRED
four to six hours
LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Students will learn about historical ways of life by reading histories and
stories.
• Students will develop their historical thinking skills by engaging critically
with historical fiction that presents multiple perspectives.
• Students will demonstrate understanding of how contact between
Aboriginal peoples and Europeans resulted in advantages and disadvantages
for each group (e.g. cooperation, competition, conflict).
• Students will experience oral, print and other media texts from a variety of
cultural traditions and genres, such as historical fiction, myths, biographies,
poetry, news reports and guest speakers.
MATERIALS (PROVIDED)
• novel: The Winter People by Joseph Bruchac
• 6 Section Worksheets
MATERIALS
(TEACHER SUPPLIED)
BACKGROUND
• copies of Section Worksheets
The raid on the French-affiliated Abenaki town of St. Francis by Major Robert
Rogers and his British Roger’s Rangers was made famous by the novelist
Kenneth Robert’s book Northwest Passage, which later became a film of the
same name starring Spencer Tracy. While Northwest Passage provides a
European perspective of the event, The Winter People presents an alternate
view, based on historical records and Abenaki oral history. Bruchac’s retelling
of the story uses a 14-year old Abenaki protagonist to present the Abenaki
perspective on the events, a far different account of the conflict. During the
French and Indian War of 1755 - 1763, many First Nations allied themselves
with one of the sides in the conflict. The Abenaki of Quebec were aligned with
the French. In 1759, the British attack the village of St. Francis where Saxso,
the protagonist, and his mother and sisters live. Saxso’s mother and sisters are
taken hostage, and the novel follows Saxso on his journey to bring his family
back home. In the process, readers learn about the war that ravaged the
continent in Canada’s early history and how it affected the First Nations that
inhabited it.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
• The Abenaki are of the Algonquian language group that occupied the area
of Vermont, New Hampshire, western Maine, and southeastern Québec.
• Joseph Bruchac is one of the most well-known and celebrated Aboriginal
authors of North America. Though Bruchac is American, The Winter People
focuses on the Abenaki peoples situated in Quebec.
• It is important to explain to students that the English people are referred to
as “The Bostoniak” by the Abenaki people in this book.
• Read the Author’s Note on page 160 of The Winter People before reading
the novel to the class for a good summary of the historical aspects of the
novel. Most of the story and characters are real. (Saxso is loosely based on
a real person.) Consult http://www.avcnet.org/ne-do-ba/menu_rrr.html for
more information.
SUGGESTED PROCEDURE
1. Read the novel aloud to students or choose students to read aloud sections
of the book. The suggested groupings of chapters are as follows:
Chapter
Page Numbers
Number of Pages
Ch. 1
5–9
5
Ch. 2
10 – 16
7
Ch. 3
17 – 24
8
Ch. 4
25 – 34
10
Ch. 5
35 – 39
5
Ch. 6
40 – 43
4
Ch. 7
44 – 50
7
Ch. 8
51 – 56
6
Ch. 9
57 – 61
5
Ch. 10
62 – 66
5
Ch. 11
67 – 71
5
Ch. 12
72 – 77
6
Ch. 13
78 – 81
4
Ch. 14
82 – 86
5
Ch. 15
87 – 90
4
Ch. 16
91 – 95
5
Ch. 17
96 – 100
5
Ch. 18
101 – 106
6
Ch. 19
107 – 112
7
Ch. 20
113 – 116
4
Ch. 21
117 – 120
4
Ch. 22
121 – 126
6
Ch. 23
127 – 131
5
Ch. 24
132 – 135
4
Ch. 25
136 – 140
5
Ch. 26
141 – 144
4
Ch. 27
145 – 149
5
Ch. 28
150 – 156
7
Ch. 29
157 – 159
3
Author’s Note
160 – 166
7
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Suggested Groupings
Section 1
Chapters 1-5
Section 2
Chapters 6 - 10
Section 3
Chapters 11 – 15
Section 4
Chapters 16 - 20
Section 5
Chapters 21 - 25
Section 6
Chapters 26 – Author’s Note
2. After each section, distribute the corresponding Section Worksheet to
students. There is a Response Guide for the Section Worksheets, but it is does
not represent all possible answers.
CONTINUING THE
JOURNEY
Moderate class discussion(s) of Summary Discussion question(s). Note: you
may choose the format of a large group discussion (as an entire class) or
small group discussions (class split into small groups) to suit the needs of your
students.
1. How is spirituality portrayed in this book?
• What did you notice about Father Roubaud?
Father Roubaud cares very much about the people of St. Francis. He feels
that it is his duty to teach them and be one of their spiritual leaders.
• How does he treat the First Nations people in the village?
He treats them very well. The First Nations people like Father Roubaud.
• How does he react to the attack on St. Francis?
He is ashamed that he was not there to protect them. He is mortified that
some of the village women died within the church. He is also very upset
that the church’s silver virgin was stolen. After the attack, he leaves St.
Francis because he is so embarrassed.
• How does Saxso react spiritually to the various crises he encounters?
Saxso finds strength and guidance in his traditional Aboriginal spirituality
in times of crisis more often than the Jesuit side. However, he does often
find comfort in the Catholic faith, as can be seen many times throughout
the book when he rubs his ring.
• How are myths an important spiritual tool for Saxso and his people?
Myths help the Abenaki understand why something is the way it is. It
teaches them important moral lessons as to how to behave and react to
things that happen around them.
• What do the villagers think of Father Roubaud’s church? How is the church
important for various characters (minor and major) in this book?
The church is the centre of town. The clock keeps time for them. Many
people in the village are devout Catholics. They go to mass frequently.
Some even think that by hiding in the church during the attack, they might
not be hurt or killed. Saxso’s mother is a devout Catholic.
• From what you read in this historical novel, how do you think the
introduction of the Catholic faith affected Abenaki daily life and culture?
The effects of the introduction of Catholicism to the Abenaki in this book
are significant. Catholicism affects the way the characters live their lives
and how they think. For example, many characters retain their original
spiritual beliefs and combine them with Catholic beliefs.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
• What does Samadagwis’ death say about the spirituality of this group of
Abenaki people?
Samadagwis’ request to be baptized before his death shows that he feels
this aspect of Catholicism is important. He wants to be rejoined with his
dead fiancée after his death. However, Samadagwis’ calmness before
death and his reaction to the Rangers’ having shot him in the back (seen as
ignoble) are because of his Abenaki cultural and spiritual beliefs. His is a
First Nations trait. Samadagwis also shows the dual spirituality portrayed
in most of the characters in the novel.
2. How is violence portrayed in this book?
• Who uses violence to solve their problems in the book? What are the
results of those decisions?
The Rangers use violence. Their violence is successful in weakening the
village of St. Francis, but despite their efforts, the people rebuild and
regain the lives they had before. Chief Gill and his party use violence.
They seek their revenge on the Rangers, though their efforts aren’t
completely effective. The French use violence against the English. The
English use violence to retaliate. We know from our history books that the
fighting between the French and English lasts for quite a long time. The
French and Indian war was from 1755 – 1763.
• Who uses nonviolent methods of solving problems in this book?
The Worrier indicates that Saxso must use nonviolent methods to retrieve
his mother and sisters. Saxso listens to the Worrier’s recommendation and
does not hurt anyone intentionally during his journey.
3. What do you think the author is trying to say about violence, and
specifically, violence as used by First Nations?
The author is trying to say that in canadian history, violence was used by
all groups involved in the conflicts: English, French, and First Nations. He
is also showing how much pain and suffering that violence brought upon
many people. This story is not a very happy one, and the cause of the
unhappiness is rooted in violence. With the success of Saxso in finding
and collection his mother and sister unharmed, the author is also making a
statement as to the effective use of nonviolent methods to solve problems.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Name: _______________________________
THE WINTER PEOPLE
- SECTION 1: CHAPTERS 1-5
1. Who is the main character in the novel? Complete the mind map with pieces of information you have learned
about the main character.
The main character is:
___________________
2. What does the story about Saxso’s great-grandfather tell us about the Bostoniak? Who are the Bostoniak?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. In this section, Saxso retells the myth of the Giant Beaver. What role does this myth play in Abenaki culture
and society?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 1 Worksheet - page 1 of 2
4. Complete the mind map with pieces of information you have learned about Saxso’s family.
Saxso’s family
5. Who is the Worrier? What does he warn the village about?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. How do the people of the village react to what Saxso tells them?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 1 worksheet - page 2 of 2
Name: _______________________________
THE WINTER PEOPLE
- SECTION 2: CHAPTERS 6-10
1. Summarize what happens to the village during this section. Make sure to include what happens to Great
Simon and Saxso.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What can we learn about Abenaki culture when Saxso describes the benefits of the pine?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Complete the mind map with examples of Catholic and Aboriginal spirituality from this section.
Examples of spiritual
elements from this section
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 2 worksheet - page 1 of 1
Name: _______________________________
THE WINTER PEOPLE
- SECTION 3: CHAPTERS 11-15
1. Draw a picture to illustrate how Rogers is portrayed in this section. Hint: You can draw words as well as images.
2. Saxso is finally given the whole story about his family’s disappearance. What happened?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are some of the differences between a French Marine and a Milice (Militiaman)?
French Marine
Milice (Militiaman)
-
-
-
-
-
-
4.Why do you think the villagers say that Father Roubaud won’t be staying with them after the attack? Why do
you think the priest is so sad?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 3 worksheet - page 1 of 2
5. What is the condition the Worrier insists Saxso obey when he goes in search of his family?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What does the Worrier do with the moose’s shoulder bone? What does it tell Saxso?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Uncle Pierre gives Saxso a canoe. What do you think the canoe represents?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Draw a picture of the canoe. Hint: You may need to do some research to find out what traditional Abenaki canoes looked like.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 3 worksheet - page 2 of 2
Name: _______________________________
THE WINTER PEOPLE
- SECTION 4: CHAPTERS 16-20
1.List three pieces of information about Chief Gill and his family that make them unique characters in the story.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Explain one thing you learned about Abenaki culture when Saxso began his journey.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Complete the mind map with ways that Saxso’s knowledge of the environment helps him survive his journey.
Saxso’s knowledge of the
environment and how it helps
him survive
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 4 worksheet - page 1 of 2
4. Chief Gill tells Saxso what happened when he and his men found the Bostoniak. Saxso questions these
reports. In many cultures around the world, cannibalism is considered one of the worst things a person could do.
Considering what you know about cannibalism, do you believe the stories Chief Gill tells to be accurate? Why
or why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Describe the Abenaki myth about why the tamarack loses its needles every winter. What is the moral lesson of
this myth?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Think of a story that taught you a moral lesson. What is the name of the story and what is the lesson it
teaches? Who told you the story?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 4 worksheet - page 2 of 2
Name: _______________________________
THE WINTER PEOPLE
- SECTIONS 5 AND 6: CHAPTERS 21 - END
1. How does Saxso know that he is following the path his mother and sisters were on?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How does Saxso find his family? Why does he decide to not rush in and rescue them right away?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Draw a picture of who/what Saxso runs into when he is hiding outside the Rangers’ camp.
4. How does Saxso rescue his mother and sisters? How does Saxso’s mother help his plan?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010 Lesson 3 - Section 5 and 6 worksheet - page 1 of 2
5. Why do you think Joseph let Saxso and his mother go?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What do you think was the most important thing Saxso learned from his journey?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Draw a picture of your favourite scene from the book.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
Lesson 3 - Section 5 and 6 worksheet - page 2 of 2
THE WINTER PEOPLE
Teacher Response Guide for Section Worksheets
SECTION 1: CHAPTERS 1 – 5
1. Who is the main character in the novel? Complete the mind map.
Saxso is the main character. He is 14 years old. He lost his father when he was younger. He lives with his
mother and two sisters, Katrin and Marie-Jeanne. Saxso learned to speak English from Mrs. Johnson.
2. What does the story about Saxso’s great-grandfather tell us about the Bostoniak? (p.10) Who are the
Bostoniak?
The Bostoniak are the English people who are at war with the French and, by default, the Abenaki. The story
Saxso’s great-grandfather told indicates that at first the Abenaki were hopeful that the Bostoniak would be a
new trading partner, and approached them in peace, but instead of trade weapons as a sign of peace, the
Bostoniak took the Abenaki bows and kicked them aside. The Bostoniak wanted the land the Abenaki lived
on.
3. In this section, Saxso retells the myth of the Giant Beaver. What role does this myth play in Abenaki society?
The Giant Beaver story is a myth or legend that explains how the waterfall near the village of St. Francis was
created. Myths help people understand why something is the way it is, explain how things occurred, teach
a lesson about something, or explain the Earth’s creation. Myths often explain a practice, belief, or natural
phenomenon from a culturally specific viewpoint.
4. Complete the mind map with pieces of information you have learned about Saxso’s family.
Saxso’s father passed away. He lives with his mother, who is gentle and kind, and his sisters, Marie-Jeanne
(who has a crush on Antoine Gill) and Katrin (who bugs Saxso a lot).
5. Who is the Worrier? What does he warn the village about?
The Worrier is a medicine man. He always tells the people of St. Francis his concerns. He is wise and
knowledgeable. He warns the village: “Our village will be destroyed” (p. 20).
6. How do the people of the village react to what Saxso tells them?
Some believe him, some don’t. Some think he’s just a child. Many flee immediately.
SECTION 2: CHAPTERS 6 – 10
1. Summarize what happens to the village during this section. Make sure to include what happens to Great
Simon and Saxso.
The village is attacked by the Bostoniak. Saxso leads his mother and sisters to relative safety outside the
village. He decides to go with Great Simon back to the village to retrieve Simon’s youngest child Malian.
Both Simon and Saxso get shot.
What can we learn about Abenaki culture when Saxso describes the benefits of the pine?
The Abenaki culture places special importance on nature. Most Canadian Aboriginal religions emphasize a
profound relationship between their people and their environment. From this story we learn that the Abenaki
value and respect everything in nature as a gift from the Creator.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
3. Complete the mind map with examples of Catholic and Aboriginal spirituality from this section.
• Saxso feels his sense of time is lost without the church’s bell. The Abenaki word for ‘clock’ translates to
“that noisy thing which does nothing useful”.
• Samadagwis wants to be baptized before he dies.
• Saxso tells the story about Gluskabe blessing the people with sweetgrass.
• Saxso rubs his Jesuit ring for comfort when Samadagwis dies.
• Saxso talks about the gift of the pine tree.
SECTION 3: CHAPTERS 11 - 15
1. Draw a picture to illustrate how Rogers is portrayed in this section.
Responses will vary. Rogers is portrayed as quite evil and mean. He is seen as the ultimate enemy. He is seen
as immoral (cannibalism).
2. Saxso is finally given the whole story about his family’s disappearance. What happened?
His mothers and sisters were taken captive by Rogers’ Rangers.
3. What are some of the differences between a French Marine and a Milice (Militiaman)? (p. 74-75)
The French Marines come from France. They wear blue woolen waistcoats, long linen shirts, and tricorne
(three-pointed) hats. The Milice are from New France (born in Canada). They wear woolen caps, coats that
have one button and are tied at the waist with a wool sash. The Milice know more about the harsh land and
climate of Canada than the Marines.
4. Why do you think the villagers say that Father Roubaud won’t be staying with them after the attack? Why do
you think the priest is so sad?
He feels as though he let the St. Francisians down. He feels ashamed and embarrassed. At first, he seems
most upset about the silver statue and the burning of the birth, death, and marriage records. Then he seems
very troubled by the deaths of three faithful women in the church.
5. What is the condition the Worrier insists Saxso obey when he goes in search of his family?
Saxso must not seek to kill other humans, even Bostoniak. (i.e. He must not be motivated by revenge.)
6. What does the Worrier do with the moose’s shoulder bone? What does it tell Saxso?
The Worrier puts it in the fire and uses the cracks that the heating process creates to tell Saxso what route he
must take to find his family. The Worrier uses the moose’s shoulder bone for information.
7. Uncle Pierre gives Saxso a canoe. What do you think the canoe represents? Draw a picture of the canoe.
Responses will vary. Best answer: It represents Saxso’s transition from childhood to being a man.
SECTION 4: CHAPTERS 16 - 20
1. List three pieces of information about Chief Gill and his family that make them unique characters in the.
Chief Gill’s father and mother became captives when they were children. They married once they grew up,
and had children. Chief Gill is Caucasian like the Europeans, but his culture and beliefs are Abenaki. Even
though Chief Gill is Caucasian, he is treated as a respected member of the Abenaki tribe. The Abenaki
people do not see skin colour as the determiner of culture. They believe that as long as a person is adopted
into Abenaki society or chooses to join their society, then that person is Abenaki. Read the quote on page 54
for more evidence: “A year younger than me, Tomas had been a white person before being adopted.”
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
2. Explain one thing you learned about Abenaki culture when Saxso began his journey.
• We learn that an important Abenaki value is saying ‘thank you’ for what the Creator gives you.
• We learn that the Abenaki sometimes give human-like qualities to things in nature, like the river.
3. Complete the mind map with ways that Saxso’s knowledge of the environment helps him survive his journey.
Responses will vary.
• “It’s not wise to fill your belly when you are on a long trail.” (p. 107)
• He is able to find food on his journey: inner bark of pine trees, blackberries, blueberries, and many roots.
• He knows the river well and doesn’t get lost.
• He watches for signs of others gone before him, both the men from St. Francis and Rogers’ Rangers.
4. Chief Gill tells Saxso what happened when he and his men found the Bostoniak. Saxso questions these
reports. In many cultures around the world, cannibalism is considered one of the worst things a person could
do. Considering what you know about cannibalism, do you believe the stories Chief Gill tells to be accurate?
Why or why not?
Saxso does not take what Chief Gill told him as the truth. He remembers something his uncle told him:
“Never base your actions on the first reports from any battle. There is always great confusion in war. The
early stories brought back from any fighting are often wrong” (p. 116). The stories about the Rangers eating
Chief Gill’s wife are probably not true, since cannibalism was often used as the explanation of evilness of an
enemy. Exaggeration was used to motivate retaliation and forgo compromise.
5. Describe the Abenaki myth about why the tamarack loses its needles every winter. What is the moral lesson
of this myth?
According to the myth, the tamarack loses its needles every winter because the Creator told the tamarack,
pine, cedar, and spruce that they must stay awake for many nights. The tamarack fell asleep, and so the
Creator gave the three other trees the special power to stay green all year long. This lesson teaches the
Abenaki that it is wise to respect the Creator and live life as the Creator dictates.
6. Think of a story that taught you a moral lesson. What is the name of the story and what is the lesson it
teaches? Who told you the story?
Responses will vary. Some examples: The Three Little Pigs, The Cunning Sun-Tze, The Tortoise and the Hare,
The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Tale of Hungbu and Nolbu, The Story of Urashima Taro, Aesop’s Fables
SECTIONS 5 AND 6: CHAPTERS 21 – END
1. How does Saxso know that he is following the path his mother and sisters were on?
He finds little branches tied in knots. His mother had taught him to do that to trees so he didn’t get lost as a
child.
2. How does Saxso find his family? Why doesn’t he want to rush in and rescue them right away?
He keeps seeing signs of the party (remains of fire, footprints, flattened bushes, etc.). He locates the party
by the smell of meat cooking. When he smells it, he creeps closer and hides and watches the party. He
doesn’t want to rush in because: 1) the Rangers and the Stockbridge Indians would see him and capture him,
too; and 2) the two other women who were captured were Caucasian captives who might not want to be
rescued. If he sneaks in and rescues his family, those two women might sound the alarm.
3. Draw a picture of who/what Saxso runs into when he is hiding outside the Rangers’ camp.
A porcupine! The porcupine ends up sleeping right beside him.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010
4. How does Saxso rescue his mother and sisters? How does Saxso’s mother help his plan?
• Saxso creates the distraction of a landslide by pushing some big rocks down a hill. His mother and sisters
run away.
• Saxso’s mother fetches the gun Saxso hid in the bushes near where he was standing. She turned the gun
on Joseph so he would let them go.
5. Why do you think Joseph let Saxso and his mother go?
Responses may vary.
• Saxso’s mother had a gun pointed at Joseph. (motivated by fear, and/or survival instinct)
• Joseph felt an alliance with Saxso’s family because of their shared First Nations heritage.
6. What do you think was the most important thing Saxso learned from his journey?
Responses will vary.
Best answer: Saxso learned what is important for him to be considered a man, rather than a child.
Copyright © University of Alberta Museums 2010