Literature Focus Unit
“Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen
By Stephanie Angell-Feuerstein
SYNOPSIS:
Thirteen year old Brian Robeson is traveling over the deep woods in
Canada to spend the summer with his father, who has recently been divorced
from his mother. Brian knows that his mother caused the divorce because of her
relationship with another man and is very bitter about it. During the flight, the
plane crashes into the forest, sending Brian through a journey of isolation and
survival as he encounters struggle after struggle. This is a coming-of-age book
which carries the reader through all of Brian’s experiences in an exciting and
gripping manner, cheering him on with each success he accomplishes.
Copyright 1987.
THEMES:
 Isolation
o By surviving the crash, Brian finds himself in a world of isolation
from people but slowly learns that he is surrounded by life of other
forms.
 Wilderness survival - becoming self-reliant
o As Brian’s survival instincts kick in, he finds himself learning to
become less reliant on his previous knowledge and more reliant on
himself to obtain the basic elements he needs to survive.
 Coming of age/ emotional maturity
o The events Brian encounters through this journey cause him to
grow emotionally, transitioning from a boy whose world revolves
around him to a man who learns to live in peace with the world.
 Perseverance/ persistence
o Through all of the devastation and downfalls that Brian
experiences, he discovers in himself a sense of perseverance and
persistence to survive no matter what happens.
 Human fallibility
o Brian struggles throughout the book to deal with The Secret and the
anger he feels toward his mother. He can’t accept that his mother
could be less than perfect and is emotionally scarred by this
knowledge.
GOALS/OBJECTIVES:
 Understand the symbolism of the hatchet.
 Recognize basic needs that gave him power to survive;
o Water
o Shelter
o Food
o Fire
 Compare and contrast the concepts of living in isolation and living in an
urban area through the development of a Venn diagram.
 Imagine and consider their own means of survival in the wilderness;
o what ideal materials they would want to have with them
o what fears they would have and how they would deal with those
fears
o whether they think they would come to enjoy it or not and why
 Understand what a coming-of-age novel or experience means and what
types of experiences they have had themselves which helped them grow
in their maturity and understanding of themselves and the world around
them; why this is a coming-of-age novel.
 Learn to accept human nature and understand the strengths and
weaknesses of the people we live with and in our society.
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE:
There is very little background knowledge required for the book. The reader may
want to know a bit about survival in the wilderness, but it’s not necessary to gain
full comprehension of the story. Because of some terminology regarding the
airplane, the reader may also want a bit of background knowledge of the
structure of a plane. However, most of the definitions can be gathered from the
context. This reading level for this book has a range from grades 5 - 8, with
appropriate vocabulary, events, and themes for that range.
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Divorce - 5
2. Hatchet - 8
3. Wallow - 26
4. Nothing - 47
5. Motivated - 53
6. Diminish - 55
7. Wuffling - 72
8. Caution - 74
9. Gingerly - 77
10. Quill - 78
11. Wincing - 82
12. Haunches - 84
13. Painstaking - 86
14. Smoldered - 87
15. Dormant - 96
16. Infuriating - 120
17. Exulted - 121
18. Sulfurous - 126
19. Impaired - 126
20. Camouflage - 134
21. Tattered - 142
22. Insane - 145
23. Grimacing - 148
24. Emphasize - 151
25. Incessant - 155
26. Savagely - 158
27. Frenzied - 168
28. Fuselage - 171
29. Instinctive - 174
30. Drone - 183
VOCABULARY STRATEGIES

STRATEGY 1: Guessed Meanings worksheet (attached)
o Worksheet in which the students use the vocabulary words from the
assigned chapters.
 write the words and the page numbers.
 write what they think the meaning of the word is.
 write the context clues they used from the text to guess the
meaning.
 write the actual definition from the dictionary.

STRATEGY 2: Word Wizard
o Guessed meaning worksheets are discussed in class, challenging
kids to use words in sentences.
 After a basic understanding of the words are met, the words
are the basis of the Word Wizard activity outside of school.
 Students are asked to listen for the vocabulary words in dayto-day life.
 When they hear a word used, they need to write it down on
an index card, the manner in which it was used, and the
person who said it. This card must be signed by the parent.
 The card is returned to the teacher and placed on the Word
Wizard wall in the classroom, and the student receives a
prize from the Word Wizard Treasure Chest.

STRATEGY 3: ELL cards / use words in other formats
o Students apply the meaning of the words using decoding skills by
breaking the root word from the affixes.
 After determining the root word, the students work with
partners to create 5 sentences using the root word with
different prefixes and suffixes.
o Students with disabilities and English Language Learners
 In small groups, students are explained the meaning of the
words and are given cards with pictures illustrating the
definitions.
 Using these cards and cards with words written on them, the
students are asked to match the words with the illustrations.
COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES:
1. Synthesizing Information
o Fill in a Venn Diagram - worksheet obtained from following site
 http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/venn.pdf
o Address the concept of isolation; compare and contrast the living in
isolation versus living in an urban area.
 using a Venn diagram - consider communication, basic
needs, physical needs, social needs.
 use prompts to help kids determine what those needs are.
2. Drawing Inferences
o Consider the importance of the hatchet and how the hatchet helped
him to stay strong and persevere.
o Working in reading groups
 Discuss the different ways Brian used the hatchet to help
him survive.
 Discuss why it was important that the hatchet was a gift from
Brian’s mother.
 Discuss how the hatchet helped Brian to stay strong.
3. Activating background knowledge - KWL Triptych Poster
o Working in small groups, create the first two parts of a three part
poster.
 First poster - include what you know about surviving in the
wilderness.
 Second poster - include what you would like to learn about
from this book.
o Use words, real items, photos, and illustrations on posters.
o Things to consider:
 Include what ideal materials you would want to have.
 Think about what fears you would have and how you would
deal with those fears.
 Consider whether you think you would come to enjoy it or
not and why.
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS



SEQUENCE CHAIN
http://www.educationoasis.com/curriculum/GO/GO_pdf/chain_6.pdf
Sequencing/Time Order Frame worksheet p. 144 binder.
o Using the Sequencing Chain and the Sequence/Time Order
Frame worksheets - attached.
o On the Sequencing Chain worksheet, draw the main events of
the story in the order they occurred.
o Write the explanation of the same event on the Sequence/Time
Order Frame worksheet.
 Include the chapter it occurred in here.
o Record the events as you read through the book.
DESCRIBING WHEEL - based off of the themes of survival and
becoming self-reliant - worksheet attached.
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/wheel_eng.pdf
o As you read the book, look for these elements.
o Mini-lesson prior to the book.
 What aspects helped Brian survive:
 Hatchet
 Finding water
 Food
 Shelter
 Fire
 Bow and arrow
 Memories
 Persistence
o Write a few words in each section to describe how or why each
of these aspects helped him to survive
o Record the chapter in which you discovered each aspect.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Use these questions in whole group mini-lessons, small group discussions, and
individual journal entries.
Knowledge
 Describe Brian’s first experience with fire.
 Identify the items that are most important to Brian’s survival.
 Name three people who are important in Brian’s life.
Comprehension
 Describe Brian’s emotions when the pilot died and he had to take control
of the plane.
 Retell in your own words Brian’s experience with the moose.
 Explain why the hatchet was so important to Brian’s survival.
Application
 Demonstrate how Brian was able to catch fish with his spear.
 Construct a chart detailing the events that helped Brian become more
connected to the world around him in the woods.
 Determine what the most important aspect of Brian’s ability to survive was.
Analysis
 Compare Brian’s life in the wilderness with that of his previous life.
 Distinguish the difference of Brian’s attitude toward survival before and
after he saw the first rescue plane.
 Illustrate Brian’s emotions as he revealed the items in the survival pack.
Synthesis
 Create a chart showing the events of Brian’s life in the wilderness.
 Predict what might happen to Brian after he returns home from the
wilderness.
 Write an alternate ending of the book, describing a brief story Brian’s life if
he had not been rescued when he did.
Evaluation
 Decide whether you would rather live as Brian had learned to live in the
woods or as he lived when he was with his mother.
 Evaluate Brian’s feelings of anger and frustration toward his mother.
 Justify Brian’s decision to retrieve the survival pack from the plane.
COMPARABLE BOOKS
Use these books during guided reading and reading workshop. These books all
have an aspect of growing up and coming to a new realization of their lives.
1. Julie of the Wolves
Jean Craighead George, copyright 1972
2. My Side of the Mountain
Jean Craighead George, copyright 1959
3. The Sign of the Beaver
Elizabeth George Speare, copyright 1983
4. The River
Gary Paulsen, copyright 1991
5. Brian’s Winter
Gary Paulsen, copyright 1996
6. Brian’s Return
Gary Paulsen, copyright 1999
7. Brian’s Hunt
Gary Paulsen, copyright 2003
8. Where the Red Fern Grows
Wilson Rawls, copyright 1961
9. Holes
Louis Sachar, copyright 1998
10. Canyons
Gary Paulsen, copyright 1990
READING AND WRITING ACTIVITIES
 Individual Writing Activity
o Perspective of you as the character
 Take one event from the book
 Put yourself in Brian’s shoes
 How would you react to that event
 How would you feel
 What would you do
 Explain your thinking

Compare a passage from Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain.
o Explain that more kids today identify with Hatchet than My Side of
the Mountain.
o Ask why they think that happens.

Writer’s workshop - compare writing style of two books.
o Compare similar excerpts from “Hatchet” and “Julie of the Wolves”
by Jean Craighead George.
 Compare what does this author do to make their writing
strong (repetition in Hatchet).
 What craft did the authors do to make their point (run-on
sentence - intentional use).

Individual Writing Exercise
o Pretend you are Brian’s friend. Write about your emotions during
Brian’s absence.
 What reactions did you have to hearing about his possible
loss.
 Describe some of your thoughts as you imagined yourself in
his situation.
 Compare this to something that you have actually
experienced.
EXAMPLES OF POETRY
“’Nature’ is what we see” by Emily Dickinson
"Nature" is what we see -The Hill -- the Afternoon -Squirrel -- Eclipse -- the Bumble bee -Nay -- Nature is Heaven -Nature is what we hear -The Bobolink -- the Sea -Thunder -- the Cricket -Nay -- Nature is Harmony -Nature is what we know -Yet have no art to say -So impotent Our Wisdom is
To her Simplicity.
“The Dark Forest” by Edward Thomas
Dark is the forest and deep, and overhead
Hang stars like seeds of light
In vain, though not since they were sown was bred
Anything more bright.
And evermore mighty multitudes ride
About, nor enter in;
Of the other multitudes that dwell inside
Never yet was one seen.
The forest foxglove is purple, the marguerite
Outside is gold and white,
Nor can those that pluck either blossom greet
The others, day or night
“Pain has an element of blank,” by EMILY DICKENSON
Pain has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if there were
A day when it was not.
It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
Students with learning disabilities will be reviewed regarding progress using
running records. If the reading level is too challenging for them, they will read the
book “The Sign of the Beaver” by Elizabeth George Speare which is a bit lower
level of reading than “Hatchet.” Alternate activities will be used to assess the
progress and comprehension of the student, modifying the activities to reflect the
student’s learning abilities. High achieving students will be offered an additional
reading assignment of their choice from the reading list. They will be given a
project in addition to the activities done in the classroom which will compare the
book with “Hatchet.”
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
 GROUP ACTIVITES - before and after posters
o Finish the KWL Triptych Poster
o Third section is what you learned from reading the book.
 Referring to page numbers, use words, illustrations, and
direct quotes from the book to create the third poster.
o Compare the ideas of the K and W posters to what was learned
from the book - connect the concepts
o Students will be assessed based on cooperation, participate.on,
accuracy, and attitude.

Quick running records - conferencing about comprehension
o Throughout the unit, one-on-one quick running records will be
performed as assessments of reading fluency and comprehension.
 If it’s determined that the reading unit is too difficult, an
alternate book will be chosen for the student to read with
activities that would represent the abilities of the student’s
abilities
o Students will be assessed once during the duration of the book
reading assignment.
 Early in the process, the lower level students will be
assessed to determine their ability in the assignment.

Regular checks on Sequencing Chain worksheets
o Students will hand in Sequencing Chain and Describing Wheel
worksheets once a week while reading the book.
o They will be assessed based on accuracy, completeness,
neatness, and timeliness.

Grocery Bag Project
o Working in small groups, students will create a grocery bag graphic
organizer representing the book.
 Front of the bag represents the plot
 Back of the bag represents the themes
 One side of the bag represents the characters
 Other side of the bag represents basic information
o Students will work together to create the bag using diagrams,
illustrations, and quotes from the book.
o Assessment will be based on participation, neatness, creativity, and
presentation.

Chapter Quizzes
o Students will take quizzes periodically throughout the reading of the
book and a final quiz at the end of the book.
 The periodic quizzes will consist of 10 multiple choice
questions.
 The final quiz will consist of 10 multiple choice questions and
two essay questions.
 Quizzes will reflect a total of 10 percent of the unit grade.
RESOURCE PAGE
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/venn.pdf
http://www.educationoasis.com/curriculum/GO/GO_pdf/chain_6.pdf
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/wheel_eng.pdf
http://krummefamily.org/guides/bloom.html
http://www.bartleby.com/113/1019.html
LITERATURE FOCUS UNIT
“HATCHET” by Gary Paulsen
By Stephanie Angell-Feuerstein
Literacy in the Intermediate Grades TCH 621
Marian University
4/18/11