The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare A Novel Teaching Pack by Margaret Whisnant

This 110 page resource for teaching Elizabeth George Speare's 1984 Newbery Honor Book has eight components. (1)The detailed CHAPTER SUMMARIES, written in bulleted format for easy reference, provide a quick method for becoming familiar with the material when time is limited and for refreshing memory when using the novel from year to year. (2)PREREADING ACTIVITIES include a researchable trivia activity, discussion and research topics, and a bulletin board idea. (3)In the VOCABULARY section are an alphaetized whole-book word list, sectional word lists with definitions, dictionary activities, and usage worksheets. (4)The chapter-by-chapter SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS can be used in a variety of ways including homework reading guides. The questions require detailed, FACTUAL responses. (5)The series of OBJECTIVE TESTS, which cover the novel as chapter-by-chapter quizzes and as a whole book test, DO NOT REQUIRE STORY INTERPRETATION, but they do check for basic story comprehension. Students will find it necessary to read the material carefully and thoroughly for FACTUAL CONTENT in order to score well on these tests. The pages are also useful as whole-class discussion guides, small-group or independent reading guides, homework, and conferencing tools. (6)The activities in THINK, WRITE, CREATE, both chapter-by-chapter and whole book, engage the HIGHER LEVEL THINKING SKILLS of Bloom's Taxonomy. These open-ended activities cover a range of difficulties from the most basic to challenges for gifted students. The items, as well as other components in the teaching pack, address a variety of common core educational standards. (7)The GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS for writing are based on specific novel events or characters rather than a standard design. Each one offers opportunities for practicing and improving writing skills. (8)Full ANSWER KEYS are included. Some pages are illustrated with black and white clip art.