Grade 7
Language Arts Novel Unit
Novel Title: The Call of the Wild
Marking Period:
Unit Length:
Four
2 – 3 weeks
Enduring Understanding(s):

Literature helps us learn about life

The use of reading strategies affect
comprehension

Author: Jack London
Prerequisite(s):




Designated Group
Accelerated
On
Above
Below
(Nextext Classic Retelling)
The ability to identify character traits
The acceptance that reading is a thinking process
Create a structure to generate and organize ideas
Knowledge of types of conflict
Curricular Connections:



Writing is both a thinking and communication
process
Science – Biomes
Social Studies – African culture (Interactive Reader piece)
Possible Service Learning – Animal rights, cruelty, ASPCA…
Essential/Key Questions:



What can we learn from literature about adapting and
changing to help survive life’s challenges?
What reading strategies are most useful for the
comprehension of survival stories?
How can we show understanding and comprehension of
reading by writing to inform and/or for personal
expression?
Technology Indicator(s):
Students will be able to use computers and related
technologies to:
 Increase productivity, promote creativity, and
encourage collaboration
 Gather, evaluate, and analyze information
Name of novel: Call of the Wild
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Evidence of Learning:
Formative Assessments:




Reading strategy assessment
Self-selected reading teacher
conference logs
Unit 3 Assessment results
Functional Reading Test scores
Summative Assessments:
 Unit 4 extended writing
and/or sugeested activities
 Unit 4 assessment results
Created by: Ted DeGraff July 2002
Instructional Resources:
Other literature
Sourcebook
“Attack” p. 84 (writing a story
beginning, native perspective)
“On the Red Man’s Trail” p. 93
(writing a news article, native
perspective)
Interactive Reader
“African Elephants at Risk” p. 354
(cause and effect, animal cruelty)
Hey! Listen to This Jim Trelease
“The Cremation of Sam McGee” by
Robert W. Service (Yukon poet)
NATT(ms) MTA Satellite Program, 2002
1
Novel Planning Sheet
Selection pages - Chapter one pages 24 -32______
Read Aloud/Journal Topic
Teacher Directed Reading
Teacher Directed Writing
Outcome:
The students will
activate emotions and
build prior knowledge
Outcome:
Students will identify the
relationship between the conflict
and developing character traits
Outcome:
Students will analyze cause
and effect text structure
Procedure:
Procedure:
Procedure:
From Call of the Wild
Teacher will read aloud
“The Gold Rush in the
Yukon” and “Life in the
Yukon” pages 10-14
Before: Discuss the title “Into the
Primitive” see word development
Word Development
Outcome:
Students will use
prior knowledge and
analyze word
structures
Procedure:
Read and do activity on cause
Students will
and effect on p. 354+355 in the brainstorm possible
Interactive reader
meanings of the word
Share journals
and meaning of the
Students write a short article
terms primitive and
Journal:
about how Buck has begun to
primordial
Students will Purpose for reading: What primitive
emotions (traits) are displayed in this adapt to survive his current
predict what changes or
adaptations a person would
section?
situation using cause and effect As a class discuss the
have to make moving to this
text structures
meanings creating a
setting
During: Teacher models identifying
word web
character traits and marking
Other possibilities:
examples with post it notes. Review
characterization. In cooperative
View Charlie Chaplin’s
“Gold Rush” with narration
groups the students read chapter one
to bridge the comedy and
and note examples of
Other possibilities
survival units
characterization.
Link to Social Studies (Africa)
Search web sites about the
After:
As
a
class,
using
Inspiration,
a
Link to service learning
gold rush, Yukon, Jack
London, Iditirod…
web will be created for the character Compare contrast Yukon and
TR1
Africa biomes
traits and actions of Buck TR2
Name of novel: Call of the Wild
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Technology
Outcome:
Students will use
computers to
organize information
Procedure:
The program,
Inspiration will be
used to create the
character webs in the
directed reading and
the word web in the
word development
As a class, develop a consensus as to
what the conflict of the story is
Above average students:
Have copies of the unabridged story
available
Created by: Ted DeGraff July 2002
NATT(ms) MTA Satellite Program, 2002
2
Novel Planning Sheet
Selection pages - Chapters 3 and 4 pages 42 –64______
Read Aloud/Journal Topic
Teacher Directed Reading
Outcome:
The students will
visualize to aid
understanding
Outcome:
Students will identify the
relationship between the conflict and
developing character traits
Procedure:
Procedure:
From Hey! Listen to
This
Read aloud “The
Cremation of Sam
McGee”
Before: Discuss the titles of chapters
three and four ,“The Dominant
Beast” and “Who is Master?” see
word development
Share journals
Journal:
What is the effect of
Yukon living on the
men? How must they
change or adapt?
Name of novel: Call of the Wild
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
During: Teacher models identifying
character traits and marking
examples with post it notes. Review
characterization. In cooperative
groups the students read chapters
three and four and note examples of
characterization.
Speaking / Listening
Outcome:
Students will communicate
effectively in a variety of
situation, with different
audiences, purposes, and
formats
Procedure:
Word Development
Technology
Outcome:
Students will use
prior knowledge and
analyze word
structures
Outcome:
Students will use
computers to
organize information
Procedure:
Procedure:
Teacher models with one
Students will
student a dialogue between two brainstorm possible
dogs on Judge Miller’s land
meanings of the word
and meaning of the
In groups, the students will
terms dominant and
assume the identity of either
beast
the humans or dogs in the
Yukon at this point of the
As a class discuss the
story. They will identify and
meanings creating a
discuss the aspects of having to word web
adapt to life in the Yukon.
The program,
Inspiration will be
used to create the
character webs in the
directed reading and
the word web in the
word development
As a class, we will discuss the
new perspectives and points of
view that were revealed
After: As a class, using Inspiration, a
web will be created for the character
traits and actions of Buck TR2
Reassess the consensus conflict. Is it
still correct? Is one conflict
becoming clearer or more powerful?
Created by: Ted DeGraff July 2002
NATT(ms) MTA Satellite Program, 2002
3
Novel Planning Sheet
Selection pages - _Chapter 7 pages 102 – 126_____
Read Aloud/Journal Topic
Teacher Directed Reading
Teacher Directed Writing
Outcome:
Students will predict
ideas and events
Outcome:
Students will identify the
relationship between the conflict
and developing character traits
Outcome:
Students will write a
character description by
developing and organizing
facts to convey information
Procedure:
Procedure:
Procedure:
Read aloud pages 102 – Before: Discuss the final chapter
113. Model predicting title: “The Sounding of the Call”
and solicit class
predictions of the
Share journals
ending
During: Teacher reviews identifying
character traits and marking
Journal: What does the examples with post it notes. Review
author mean when he
characterization. In cooperative
writes “Life streamed
groups the students read chapter
through him in a flood, seven and note examples of
as if it would burst and characterization.
pour out over the
world.”? P.113
After: As a class, using Inspiration, a
web will be created for the character
traits and actions of Buck TR2
Name of novel: Call of the Wild
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Reassess the consensus conflict. Is it
still correct? Is one conflict
becoming clearer or more powerful?
Optional framework extended
writing
Teacher will print out and
distribute the Inspiration webs
from the three chunks
containing Buck’s character
traits and the actions that
revealed them.
Word Development
Technology
Outcome:
Students will use precise
language, vivid verbs,
sensory details, and
colorful modifiers
Procedure:
Outcome:
Students will use
computers to
organize information
Read the abridged page
120 and the unabridged
paragraph (TR3)
The program,
Inspiration will be
used to create the
character webs in the
directed reading and
then use that
information to create
the outline for the
writing assignment
Have the students add to
the next sentence
“Truly Buck was like an
evil force…”
Procedure:
Students will do a full process
writing that answers, “What
can we learn from reading
about Buck to help us to adapt
and change to help survive
life’s challenges?”
Create a rubric as a class at
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/
Other possibilities
Have the students create a
Power Point presentation TR4
Other writings TR5
Created by: Ted DeGraff July 2002
NATT(ms) MTA Satellite Program, 2002
4
Novel Plot Summary
Parts of the Plot
Summary
Exposition
The Yukon Gold Rush creates a demand for dogs. The character, the dog Buck, is sold into sled dog work.
Buck must leave warm California where he is king within his owner’s compound. He must quickly learn that
there are different rules of survival in the outside world.
Rising Action
Buck has several owners that treat him with varying degrees of cruelty. Buck adapts to the idea of survival of the
fittest and asserts himself as a strong smart leader. As he learns to change to meet the survival demands of the
Northland he starts to “hear” his instincts to become undomesticated.
Climax
Buck returns to the camp of his most loving owner after running free in the wild to find that all of the humans
and dogs are being slaughtered by natives. In a rage Buck becomes a wild beast and attacks the natives, running
them off and then discovering his owner’s body.
Falling Action
Buck wanders the camp not knowing what to do. He has always had a master, but now he was alone.
Resolution
Name of novel: Call of the Wild
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Buck accepts the “call” and becomes a member of a wolf pack making the story long transition from domestic
pet to natural animal.
Created by: Ted DeGraff July 2002
NATT(ms) MTA Satellite Program, 2002
5