Hatchet • written by Gary Paulsen
Fiction • 4 Cycles
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 1 • Day 1
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify a problem for the
main character in the story.
Today's Big Question:
Why do people read survival stories?
Vocabulary:
rebelled, intervals, exposed, agony, abating,
frantic, motivated, asset
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 1 • Day 2
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify the problems facing
Brian and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
Why is it important to consider all your
options?
Vocabulary:
rebelled, intervals, exposed, agony, abating,
frantic, motivated, asset
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 1 • Day 3
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify the problems facing
Brian and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
How does it feel to have a brush with death?
Vocabulary:
rebelled, intervals, exposed, agony, abating,
frantic, motivated, asset
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 1 • Day 4
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify the problems Brian
faces and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
Can a positive attitude help you to survive?
Vocabulary:
rebelled, intervals, exposed, agony, abating,
frantic, motivated, asset
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 1 • Day 5
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify the problems facing
Brian and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
Are there such things as good luck and bad
luck?
Vocabulary:
rebelled, intervals, exposed, agony, abating,
frantic, motivated, asset
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 1 • Day 6
Writing Project: Song Lyrics
The students will write the lyrics to a song.
Writing Prompt & Scoring Guide:
See C1• D6 in the student book.
Vocabulary:
rebelled, intervals, exposed, agony, abating,
frantic, motivated, asset
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Memorable Song Title
Verse 1
Story Events
Action Verbs
1.
2.
3.
4.
Chorus
1.
2.
1.
2.
Repeated Lines
Emotion Words
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 1
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify qualities in Brian
that affect his problems and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
What does it mean to be resourceful?
Vocabulary:
diminish, pulverized, vicious, matted,
gorge, indicated, tendrils, interior
Standards: RE 4.08, 4.10, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 2
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify qualities in Brian
that affect his problems and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
How can paying attention to nature help you to
survive?
Vocabulary:
diminish, pulverized, vicious, matted,
gorge, indicated, tendrils, interior
Standards: RE 4.08, 4.10, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 3
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify qualities in Brian
that affect his problems and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
Why is fire important for survival?
Vocabulary:
diminish, pulverized, vicious, matted,
gorge, indicated, tendrils, interior
Standards: RE 4.08, 4.10, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 4
Vocabulary Challenge:
Match the vocab words and the definitions.
Word:
Definition:
diminish
pounded
pulverized
dangerous
vicious
pointed out
matted
become less
gorge
slender & winding things
indicated
the inside of something
tendrils
tangled
interior
eat greedily
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 4
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify qualities in Brian
that affect his problems and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
Why is fire a “hungry friend”?
Vocabulary:
diminish, pulverized, vicious, matted,
gorge, indicated, tendrils, interior
Standards: RE 4.08, 4.10, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 5
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify qualities in Brian
that affect his problems and their solutions.
Today's Big Question:
How can small successes affect your outlook?
Vocabulary:
diminish, pulverized, vicious, matted,
gorge, indicated, tendrils, interior
Standards: RE 4.08, 4.10, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 2 • Day 6
Writing Project: Character description
Write a description of the person you would
take on a survival challenge.
Writing Prompt & Scoring Guide:
See C2• D6 in the student book.
Vocabulary:
diminish, pulverized, vicious, matted,
gorge, indicated, tendrils, interior
Standards: RE 4.08, 4.10, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 3 • Day 1
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will analyze how the setting of
the story affects Brian.
Today's Big Question:
What does it mean when we say “mind-body
connection”?
Vocabulary:
flailing, persistent, effortlessly, exulted, rectify,
vital, prospect, memorable
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 3 • Day 2
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will analyze how the setting of
the story influences Brian’s thoughts and
actions.
Today's Big Question:
How do people act in situations that they view
as hopeless?
Vocabulary:
flailing, persistent, effortlessly, exulted, rectify,
vital, prospect, memorable
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 3 • Day 3
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will analyze how the setting of
the story influences Brian’s thoughts and
actions.
Today's Big Question:
What shapes the way we think about ourselves
and the world?
Vocabulary:
flailing, persistent, effortlessly, exulted, rectify,
vital, prospect, memorable
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 3 • Day 4
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will analyze how the setting of
the story influences Brian’s thoughts and
actions.
Today's Big Question:
What is the most important activity for every
creature on the planet?
Vocabulary:
flailing, persistent, effortlessly, exulted, rectify,
vital, prospect, memorable
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 3 • Day 5
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will analyze how the setting of
the story influences Brian’s thoughts and
actions.
Today's Big Question:
Can a small change in the way you look at
things have a big effect on your chances for
success?
Vocabulary:
flailing, persistent, effortlessly, exulted, rectify,
vital, prospect, memorable
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 3 • Day 6
Writing Project: Action plan
Write an action plan to help Brian survive the
winter in the Canadian North Woods.
Writing Prompt & Scoring Guide:
See C3• D6 in the student book.
Vocabulary:
flailing, persistent, effortlessly, exulted, rectify,
vital, prospect, memorable
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 4 • Day 1 • Themes/Mood
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify a mood the author
creates.
Today's Big Question:
How do you react when trouble comes out of
nowhere?
Vocabulary:
massive, incessant, ruefully, stymied,
pronounced, capacity, numb, unwittingly
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 4 • Day 2 • Themes/Mood
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify a mood and analyze
how the author creates it.
Today's Big Question:
Do people who have been through hard times
ever look back and miss them?
Vocabulary:
massive, incessant, ruefully, stymied,
pronounced, capacity, numb, unwittingly
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 4 • Day 3 • Themes/Mood
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify mood and analyze
how the author creates it.
Today's Big Question:
Do you own something so precious that you
would risk your life to keep it?
Vocabulary:
massive, incessant, ruefully, stymied,
pronounced, capacity, numb, unwittingly
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 4 • Day 4 • Themes/Mood
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will contrast mood in two
different passages.
Today's Big Question:
Can getting everything you want be
disappointing?
Vocabulary:
massive, incessant, ruefully, stymied,
pronounced, capacity, numb, unwittingly
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 4 • Day 5 • Themes/Mood
Reading Goal:
As we read, we will identify mood and analyze
how the author creates it.
Today's Big Question:
How can surviving hardship change you?
Vocabulary:
massive, incessant, ruefully, stymied,
pronounced, capacity, numb, unwittingly
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10
Reading Level Six
Hatchet • Cycle 4 • Day 6
Writing Project: Conversation
Create a conversation between Terry and Brian
after Brian’s return from the wilderness.
Writing Prompt & Scoring Guide:
See C4• D6 in the student book.
Vocabulary:
massive, incessant, ruefully, stymied,
pronounced, capacity, numb, unwittingly
Standards: RE 4.08, 5.11, 6.10