6th Grade Language Arts
Rite of Passage

 A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a
person's progress from one stage to another.
 Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding
events such as other milestones, coming of age,
marriage and death.
 Initiation ceremonies such as baptism, confirmation
and Bar or Bat Mitzvah are considered important
rites of passage for people of their respective
religions.
Rites of Passage

 While a rite of passage can be just about anything,
some have stood the test of time long enough to be
known, expected, and respected.
 Some mark the day when a boy ends his childhood
and becomes a man, others may mark occasions of
career milestones, religious standings, or social class
hierarchies.
 While these rites will vary throughout the world, one
thing is certain – rites of passage are something we
all inevitably go through.
Maasai Lion Hunt

 The Maasai are a peaceful people
in Kenya and Tanzania, but they
still need a way to keep their men
on their toes. Instead of using
humans as targets for their
warriors to hone their skills, they
prefer to target lions- and not the
sickly, young or female ones. The
Maasai Warriors only hunt
capable, large, male lions that
have a pretty decent chance of
winning, and they do it with a
spear. Considering the fact that
guys on safari with huge rifles
still manage to get killed by lions
every year, those Maasai
Warriors have some guts.
Bar Mitzvah

 Jewish law says that a boy
should be capable of handling
his life as a man at the age of
13. We overlook the
importance of this nowadays,
but the implications are huge.
Once a boy has his Bar
Mitzvah, he’s responsible for
his own actions, and able to
do adult things like get
married. We may still largely
view teenagers as kids here,
but in the parts of Israel
where the old laws still have
clout, people pay much more
attention to this sort of thing.
High School
Graduation

 High schoolers across
America both dread and covet
this day. All at once, they’re
free from the horrors of high
school, and suddenly
expected to actually do
something. While every study
yields a slightly different
result, less than half of all
Americans both go to college
and actually finish a four-year
degree. That means high
school diplomas are still the
mainstay of our educational
milestones. Since graduation
happens so close to legal age
of 18, most of America views
it as the crossing point into
adulthood.
Poy Sang Long

 Young Burmese boys, usually around
ten years old, go through this threeday long Buddhist ceremony. They
spend most of those three days riding
around on the shoulders of grown
men, dressed up in full swagger to
imitate Buddha, the idea being that he
himself was a prince before giving it
all up to walk the path of
enlightenment. On the third day it all
comes to a head when the young boys
are ordained and entered into the
priesthood, and spend at least one
week with the monks. Afterwards,
some go home to their families and
some stay to become monks
themselves. Bet you thought you had
it bad when your family dressed you
up as a kid.
Walkabout

 The Aborigines of Australia
take becoming a man pretty
seriously. So seriously, in fact,
that they send their adolescent
boys out into the wild to see if
they can survive in the
Austrailan Outback, unassisted
for six months. During this
time they are forced to survive
on their own, and spend a
great deal of time thinking
about all the great big stuff
men think about when they’re
wandering around a desert.
When they come back to their
people, they don’t get a merit
badge, they get respect.
Hunter’s First Kill

 Men have taught their sons how
to hunt since prehistoric times,
and pieces of that legacy still live
today. A hunter’s first kill is a
pretty big occasion, usually
marked by ritual. While some
families have their own rituals,
passed down a few generations,
most follow the universal theme
of “first blood.” The new hunter
will mark himself with the blood
of his prey, usually painting his
face with it, and some even go as
far as to drink the blood. Once
this happens, the young man can
call himself a hunter.
A Boy Called Slow

By: Joseph Bruchac
Slow was born in 1831. As a child, Slow did not like his name.
His parents named him Slon-he, or Slow, because he never did
anything quickly. Slow grew up to become a leader of the Lakota
Sioux. A Boy Called Slow is the true story of his life.
Slow can only earn a new name by having a powerful dream or
by doing something brave. Slow’s father, Returns Again, got his name
for bravery in battle. Returns Again can also understand the speech
of animals. A buffalo once spoke four more names to him.
One night, at the age of fourteen, Slow goes with his father and
other men. They are going to take horses from their enemy, the
Crow. With only a coup stick, Slow charges ahead of the others. As
one of the Crow warriors is about to shoot an arrow, Slow hits his
arm with the coup stick. The arrow misses its mark. Slow is a hero.
Slow’s father is so proud that he gives the boy a new name. It is
the first name the buffalo bull spoke to him. The new name means
“Sitting Bull.” Sitting Bull became one of the greatest Lakota
warriors in history.
Comparison

 In chapters 10 and 11 of Hatchet Brian has undergone
some significant changes. He is growing up and
maturing.
 In the story A Boy Called Slow, Sitting Bull preforms a
deed which is so valiant and courageous that it earns
him a new more respected name.
Your Turn!

 Write a paragraph in which you describe something
you have done or would like to do that would prove
you worthy of leaving your childhood behind and
gaining new respect for yourself.
 Examples: rescuing a cat from a tree, helping your
little brother with his homework, babysitting, trophies,
awards, good deeds.
 Think of a new name to give yourself that describes
your worthy deed.
 Make a poster of your new name and story. Illustrate
it.
Sitting Bull
One night, at the age of fourteen, I went with my father and
other men. We were going to take horses from our enemy, the
Crow. With only a coup stick, I charged ahead of the others. As
one of the Crow warriors was about to shoot an arrow, I hit his
arm with the coup stick. The arrow missed its mark. I was a hero!