Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Essential Questions: (Keep these in mind as you read)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
In what ways are the Maasai like us? In what ways are we different? Consider families,
beliefs, rituals, diet, clothing, and ways of making a living.
How does modernization affect traditional peoples? What are the benefits and drawbacks
of things like technology and infrastructure?
How is the title Facing the Lion an extended metaphor throughout the book? What are
examples of things in the story that are compared to the lion?
What character traits does Joseph possess that help him become successful and a leader
for his people? List at least 3 traits, and give examples for each from the text.
How is Joseph’s memoir different from a text book? Explain which source is likely to be
more “authentic” or accurate, and which would teach you the most.
Below are questions that go with each chapter of the book. You are required to keep up
with these each day. If you get behind, you may borrow a book during 8th period or
arrange to sign one out.
Chapter 1
QOTD: Tell about a time you were really scared. Write what happened and describe how it
made you feel.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. How does Joseph’s family make a living? What are Joseph’s responsibilities?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe a cattle camp.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
3. What happened when Joseph had to face the lions? How did this experience affect the rest of
his life?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 2
QOTD: What reputation does Joseph have in his village? Do you think reputation is important
in our culture as well? In which culture is reputation more important and why? (essential)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Describe the NOMADIC lifestyle of the Maasai. How is a nomadic life alike/ different from
ours?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe Joseph’s family. List the people in it, and describe the roles and responsibilities of
each person.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 3
QOTD: What do you think the little “poems” are at the beginning of each chapter, and how to
they “add” to the story?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Explain 2 ways that cows are important to the Maasai.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. List 3 dangers children face when herding the cattle.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Describe how the children play. What can we learn about their cultural values from this?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Chapter 4
QOTD: Define corporal punishment. How are feelings about corporal punishment affected by
cultural values? (essential)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
1. Describe the PINCHING MAN and explain his role in the village.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How do the Maasai discipline their children? Does it work? Do you agree with it?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Read the article “Why are We Still Hitting.” What is the main idea? List evidence to support
this from the article.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Chapter 5
QOTD: Is education important and necessary to children in 3rd world countries? If so, who
should provide it? Explain your answer. (essential)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. In Kenya, what are the rules about attending school?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe a missionary school in Kenya. What does a classroom look like? What supplies do
they have?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What specific problems did NOMADIC children have when attending school?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. How do Joseph’s parents feel about his education? Why?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Chapter 6
QOTD: List 3 or more character traits that are common among people who are successful…
especially under difficult circumstances. (essential). Explain if these apply to Joseph.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Describe what happens during drought season. How did Joseph survive?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What mistake did Joseph make in this chapter?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. How did his father deal with his mistake? What were the consequences? Do you agree with
the way he handled it?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Chapter 7
QOTD: Make a list of important age milestones in your life (ages that have a special
importance). Then explain if any one of these ties in with being considered an adult.
(ESSENTIAL QUESTION: AT WHAT POINT DOES SOCIETY CONSIDER YOU AN
ADULT?)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Describe the initiation ritual that Joseph goes through in this chapter.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think the ritual is cruel or harmful? How does Joseph feel about it?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Chapter 8
QOTD: Describe a time in your life that you had to fit in with a new group of people or felt like
you did not belong. (Essential Question: Why is fitting in with a social group important?)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. List and explain some ways that Joseph was different from other students at his school.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe Joseph’s schedule and school day. How is it the same as/ different from yours?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Describe how Joseph got home from school during vacations and holidays. What were some
dangers he faced?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
Chapter 9
QOTD: Do you have a mentor? How are mentor’s important in becoming successful?
(essential)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Who was Daniel arap Moi? How did Joseph meet him? How did Joseph impress him?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How did the president mentor and help Joseph?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 10
QOTD: What is America’s reputation in other parts of the world? How would others describe
us? (essential)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
7th Grade Geography
1. What worries and fears did Joseph have about going to America?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 11
QOTD: What does it mean to be intelligent? Are there different KINDS of intelligences?
(essential)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Do you think Joseph’s mother is an intelligent woman? Why or why not? How would
Joseph answer this question?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________