Stone Fox
Stone Fox
diner
by John Reynolds Gar
About the Book
a potato
father live together on
Little Willy and his grand
sick at heart
s grandfather becomes
farm in Wyoming. Willy’
t threatens
when the governmen
and won’t get out of bed
Ten-yeartaxes.
back
in
$500
to pay
to take away the farm
ng the
to save the farm by enteri
old Willy is determined
lifelong
with Searchlight, his
National Dogsled Race
be awarded the
win the race, they will
can
they
If
nion.
compa
Searchlight
rately needs. Willy and
$500 that Willy so despe
, including the
ienced dogsled teams
must race against exper
iful Samoyeds.
beaut
his
and
Fox
legendary Indian Stone
ently practices
to win, but Willy confid
Stone Fox is favored
beautifully
day. In the poignant,
with Searchlight every
le cost.
wins the race at a terrib
written ending, Willy
About the Author
his mother wanted him
hing of a rebel. Since
dissuaded,
lds Gardiner was somet
first novel. Not to be
As a child, John Reyno
19 before he read his
alled.
read. In fact, he was
, but was secretly enthr
to read, he refused to
h
He pretended not to listen
night.
every
not successful in Englis
him
to
was
he
John’s mother read
g was poor. Therefore,
a boy and
writin
his
about
and
r
story
a
spelle
John was not a good
and, eventually, he wrote
nation
imagi
an
did have
classes in school. John
Fox.
Stone
into
was
made
book
hed. That
In 1987, it was
won several awards.
his dog that was publis
s,
150,000 copies and has
, General Butterfinger
Stone Fox has sold over
ner include Top Secret
. Other works by Gardi
an NBC television movie
Alto Secreto.
and
ins,
Pengu
r’s
Mr. Poppe
als List
Student Contract Materi
Stone Fox
Independent Contract
Independent Contrac
t
Name:___________________________ Number of activities to be completed: _______
1
Social Studies
2
____________ Number
of activities to
Science
7
Learn more about potato plants by growing
one yourself! Obtain a piece of potato that has
sprouted. Have an adult use scissors to cut the
top third off a two-liter plastic bottle and then
punch several drainage holes in the bottom. Place
the bottle in a shallow dish. Plant the sprouted
potato piece in one cup of soil in the bottle and set
it in a sunny window. Add water and soil as the
plant grows, keeping the dirt level just beneath
the plant’s lowest leaves. Observe the plant for
several weeks, describing its changes in a journal.
Then pull the plant out of the soil and look for
baby potatoes near the roots.
Without money to rent a plow horse, little Willy
has to find another way to harvest the potato
crop. Reread chapter 2 in which little Willy
and Searchlight work for more than ten days
to finish the job. Little Willy doesn’t have the
benefit of modern farming machinery to help
him. Farm work has been made easier by
inventions such as the cotton gin, threshing
machine, sulky plow, and the reaping machine.
Obtain a copy of page 5 from your teacher and
learn more about these inventions that have
improved farming methods.
3
Name:_______________
Math
4
Writing
Potatoes are nutritious and delicious! What
are some favorite ways to eat them? Survey
at least 20 classmates to find out their potato
favorites, such as french fries, baked potatoes,
mashed potatoes, hash browns, and others.
Use the data you collect to create a bar or line
graph to show the results of the survey.
As you read Stone Fox, were you able to feel
Willy’s love for his grandfather and his concern
about saving the farm? Think about Willy’s
problems and emotions. Then think about a time
when you were concerned about someone or
something. The feelings, reactions, and other
characteristics of real and fictional people can
be expressed in biopoems. Obtain a copy
of page 6 from your teacher and follow the
directions to complete a biopoem for yourself
and one for a character from Stone Fox.
Research
Language Arts
Math
9
5
6
of page 7
• Activity #7: copy
11
ce materix 18" sheet of light-colored
copy of page 5; referen
• Activity #8: 12"
Grandfather uses familiar sayings, such as
Stone Fox has a team of Samoyed dogs
threshing
construction paper, colored
als on the cotton gin,
Create a board game
g
“Where
there’s a will, there’s a way,” to teach
to
pull
his
sled.
Samoyeds
are
muscular
reapin
using the National
and
plow,
pencils
machine, sulky
Dogsled Race as the
the
on
als
little
Willy
important
lessons
for
life.
Make
and
intelligent
with
beautiful
long
white
hair.
materi
theme. Design a game
ce
machine
• Activity #9: referen
board trail that is simila
plastic
your own collection of “Lessons for Life.” Find
Research this special breed to learn more
r to the race route in the
Shoshone tribe
ed potato, clean 2-liter
book.
• Activity #2: sprout
potato
on
potting
s,
Plan
als
and create chara
ce materi
three of Grandfather’s sayings in the book.
about their characteristics, intellect, and uses.
bottle, shallow dish, scissor
• Activity #10: referen
of
and game cards that provid cter game pieces
Write each one on a separate sheet of black
Use this information to design and illustrate
production, 9" x 12" sheet
soil, water, journal
e ways for players
scisglue,
to move forward and backw
construction paper,
Fox
using
a white-colored pencil to resemble
a poster advertising the sale of a team of
s or markers
Stone
ard. For example,
Namepaper,
• Activity #3: crayon
of
s or markers
“Sell 100 pounds of potato
sors, crayon
of page 6, 9" x 12" sheet
writing on a chalkboard. Then interview several
Samoyeds like Stone Fox’s. Include a detailed
Name
es. Move
Stone Fox
• Activity #4: copy
Stoneforwa
Fox rd
pencils,
1
of poster board, 3" x 5"
three spaces,” or “Falle
construction paper, colored
older people, asking them to share sayings
description of the dogs, including reasons that
• Activity #11: /2 sheet
n tree across track. Go
crayons
backward two spaces.”
index cards, scissors,
scissors, glue
that
they
know.
Write
three
of
these
sayings
on
someone
might
want
to
purchase
them.
Write
a set of directions
board, research
1
and of black paper. Create a cover
or markers
traits
includ
character
2 sheet of poster
/
ing
person’s
Outfitting
a
how
#5:
y
about
n
many
a
dogsled
separate
sheets
Activit
players are needed, how
team can be very expensive. Imagine that you
con- a specific format to give basic informatio
•
of white uses
dogs, crayons
Name
sheet
x 18" A
of
biopoem
need
to
er
to
materials on Samoyed
decide
outfit
a
own
team
• Activity #12: 12"
which
of
six
withmalamute
a title ands.
your
name.
Stack the pages
player goes first,
Alaskan
Pagand
ntors. The
e5
Then
on paper
follow
of inve
the directions below to calculate
tsstructi
or markers
game
theiscost.
won. When you are finishe how the
personality.
protect the righ
and staple the booklet along one edge.
1 " x 6" sheets of black
cotton
2
d, gin
invite
government to
seven 4 /ted
classmates to play the
States
given below.
• Activity #6:by the
s: Study the lists of required equipment shown
Uni
nted item.
white-colored
game179
write two biopoems using the format Direction
with you.
ed
construction paper,uce
below. Calculate the subtotal
s: On
and sell the pate
Directionlica
tionsa separate sheet of paper,
Patents are issu
value3of
Proofread
poem.
can rprod
each
second
the
list.
in
whostaple
Then
Fox
calculate
Stone
from
the
pencil,
on the patent app
total
person
value
a character
griculture
People in Poetry
10
Social Studies
Potatoes originally came
from South America.
Today, the potato is grown
in most countries
around the world and
is one of the most
important foods. Resea
rch to learn about
worldwide potato produ
ction. List the major
potato-growing countries
of the world and the
amount of potatoes each
country produces in a
year. Create a bar graph
to illustrate the data.
Then list the major potato
-growing states in the
United States and each
state’s potato production.
Create a second bar graph
to show this data.
Cut out your graphs and
glue them to a sheet of
construction paper, labelin
g each one.
Critical Thinking
A Costly Team
be completed: _______
Social Studies
When Willy enters the
race, Mayor Smiley
gives him a map showi
ng the ten-mile route.
Reread chapter 9 and
use the details to create
your own map of the route
for the race. Include
important landmarks such
as the lake and
Grandfather ’s house.
Remember to create a
map key and a compass
rose. Add pictures of
Willy and other important
characters from the
book. Then color your
map.
Language Arts
Stone Fox is a member
of the Shoshone tribe.
His people, a peaceful
tribe
had been forced to leave of seed gatherers,
their homeland in
Utah and settle on a reserv
ation in Wyoming
with the Arapaho tribe.
Stone Fox’s dream
is to return his people
to their original lands.
Research the Shoshone
tribe to learn about
its way of life and home
land
of the Europeans in Ameri before the arrival
ca. Pretend you are
Stone Fox. Write a persu
asive letter to the
president of the United
States describing your
tribe’s history and asking
that your people be
allowed to return to their
homeland in Utah.
• Activity #1:
Inventions in A
8
Dogsled teams like Stone
Fox’s require a lot
of equipment for comfo
rt and safety. Pretend
you need to outfit a team
of six Alaskan
malamutes. First, you
will need to purchase
the
necessary equipment.
Obtain a copy of page
7
from your teacher and
follow the directions to
complete the activity.
Writing
12
Little Willy enters the Nation
al Dogsled Race
that takes place in Jacks
on,
February. Before the race, Wyoming, in
he reads newspaper
stories about his comp
etitors. Stone Fox is the
most famous participant
and is favored to win,
but the others have good
racing records and
excellent dog teams as
well. Reread the accou
nt
of the race in chapter
9. Design a newspaper
front page for that day.
Write and illustrate at
least three news article
s, including at least
one article about the outco
me of the race. Be
creative, but make sure
your stories accurately
represent the time and
setting of the novel.
“Stone Fox”
Answer Keys
wn
of the investment that you would need to make. Eli Whitne
only
in none poem and
yourself
Describe
h inventio
inventions sho
cut
a patent is the
Hint: You y
of eac
finished,
are
will
When you
need
©The
Mailbox
3 such
to purchase
more than one unit of some items,
ls to research the
n draw a sketchedit your work. Then copy
22 the poems onto the silhouettes below.
as the collars and booties.United States
and
reference materia lication for each inventor. The
Directions: Use
app
of construction paper.
©The Mailbox
©The Mailbox
separates the cott
modified patent
out the silhouettes and glue them to a sheet
onseeds from the
below. Fill out the
et.
she
Sled and Sled Dog Equipment
Declara
Survival Supplies The cotton gin
4
cotton fibers
sketches to this
tion—
has a turning cylin
and attach the
1 sled
Utility
1 ax
Biopoem Format
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$769.00
hooks push the
$18.00
or Des
with wire hooks.
ent
cott
t
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a
6
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harnesses
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1 ax cover
The wire
$18.00 each
narrow slits, whi
Who fears (list three things)
$3.50 threshing machine
Year In
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Line
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2 flashing
2 boxes of matches
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$14.50 each
1788
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______
Name
Line 8: Who gives (list three things)light collars
of In
ity o n
Four adjectives describing the
Line 2:____
4 collars
(or 2 lighters)
Andrew Meikle
$3.75 each
Util
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______ ventor:
$1.50 each
Line 9: Who would like to see (list three
n— plicat
______
person
48 booties
1 cookstove and fuel
p
atio
Scotland
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$1.20
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each
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or
__
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things
$99.95
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__
____Relative
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Dec
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___
1 compass
______ of (brother,
___
$75.00
$9.75 separates the kernels of
Line 10: Resident of
___
______ Citizenship:
__ etc.)
___
grain from the
son, cousin,
d: _
2 cable ganglines
______
___
12 pounds of dog food
The
stalks
threshing machine
ente tor:
$1.85 per
Line 11: Last name or nickname
pound
___
____
I believe
is powered by
r Inv
____
4:__ Lover of (list three things or people)
___
Line
___
one 4-dog section
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_
a turning cylinde
_
Yea
horses. It has
_
In
$45.00
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_
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the first
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m
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Who
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5:
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Line
in
a
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_
kernels from the
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2-dog
:
_
section
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into a bucket, and
ntor of
$30.00
Subtotal: ________________
__
tton
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ship
straw. The kern
_
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things)
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three
(list
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Pu
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rpose
Line 6: Whoreneeds
shing
__
1 picket line (6-dog)
itiz
belt carries the
__
f the
$75.00
of
of C _____
straw away.
tor o
N
______ my invention: __
ntry
NW
3 stake-out cables
ven
__
sulky plow
___
NE
$7.00 each
______
Cou
______
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rst in
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Subtotal:
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liev
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tion: __
tion
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I be
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______ __________
ven
___
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______
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United States
y in
__
________________________
______
gin
___ ______ ______ _
of m
__ ________________
___
_ ____ __________ ________
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allows the farm
______ _________
______
___ ______ ______ _____
_
Purp
Musher
er to sit and ride
_
Equipme
ntThe
____
____
__
__ __
___
___
while tilling
___
sulky plow is pull
1 pair of snowshoes
___ ______ _____ _____ ______ _ __________ __________ _____
ed by horses. It
____________________________
_ ___
____
______
_
_
_
_
can ride while
has a seat and
____________
___
________
__________
___ ption: _ _____ _____ ______
with
bindings
__
tilling the land.
wheels so the
$99.00
__
______
cri
farmer
reaping machi
___ _____ ____
_
Des
_
_
1
cold-weat
ne
her
__
___
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1831
Relative of ____________________
___ ______ _____
____
sleeping bag
________
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________
of
$519.00
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Relative
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Cyrus Hall McC
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n Pa
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orm
headlamp
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s
$46.00Uni
e
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ted States
or D
___
3 pairs of gloves
tility on
Lover of ______________________
$5.00 per
pairts
harves
n—U
of ______________________
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ati
grain faster than
Decla
ratio ApplicLover
ion—Utility
farmers with han
The
__
Subtotal: ________
Decla
or Design Pa
reaping__
_
d tools
________
_
machine is pull
_
tent
___
ed by horses. Its
Application
_
Who feels _____________________
sharp blade that
____
revolving wheel
____ ________________
ted:
cuts
________
_
n
feels
Year Invente
Who
thro
_
moves a
ve
ugh stalks of gra
_
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d: _________
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ear In
_
in.
ntor:
Y
_
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In
Name of Inve
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ntor:
__
____ :
Nam
Page 6
____
Who needs _________________________
_________
____________
__
____ nshipWho
_
________
_
_
________
_
_
needs
_
____________
__
Sled and sled dog
ping
Citize
____
Country of Citi
_______
e rea
try of
equipment valu
____
zenship:
r of th
Coun
e = $1,224.60
Survival supplie
____
vento
____________
s value = $156.40
____
Who fears _______________________
first in
_
____________
________
____
Musher equipm
___________
I believe I am
_
m the .Who fears ________
_
a
Your
_______
_
I
sponsor
ent value = $67
_
will
also
the first inve
give you $350.00 for miscellaneous supplies,
__
9.00
____
ntor of the sul
elieve (reaper)
_
plow.
_
Mis
b
such
_
as
cell
warm
_
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clothing,
_
ane
_
_
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ky
food, and water.
value = $350.00
__
hin
tion:
mac
____ ______
Total investment
inven
Who gives ______________________
Purpose of my
________
f my Who
_
____ ________
= $2,410.00
invention: ___
ose o
__
____ ___________
____ gives
Total Investment: __________________
____________
Purp
____________
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____
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would like to see ____________
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Who
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Description:
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_______
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____
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_____________________ 6
_______
________________________5
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