Grade 8 Semester 1
My Reading Record for Touching Spi rit Bear
Date
Beginning
Time
Ending
Time
Beginning
Page
Ending
Page
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
670L
Within Cole Matthews lie anger, rage and hate. Cole has been stealing
and fighting for years. This time he caught Alex Driscal in the, parking
lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Now, Alex may have
permanent brain damage and Cole is in the Biggest trouble of his life.
Cole is offered Circle Justice: a system based on Native American
traditions that attempts to provide healing for the criminal offender,
the victim and the, community. With prison as his only alternative,
Cole plays along. He says he wants to repent, but in his heart Cole
blames his alcoholic mom his, abusive dad, wimpy Alex -- everyone
but himself -- for his situation. Cole receives a one-year banishment
to a remote Alaskan island. There, he is mauled by Mysterious white
bear of Native American legend. Hideously injured, Cole waits for his
death His thoughts shift from from Anger to humility. To survive, he
must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life. Rescuers
arrive to save Cole's but it is the attack of the Spirit Bear that may
save his soul. Ben Mikaelsen paints a vivid picture of a juvenile
offender, examining the roots without absolving solving him of
responsibility for his actions, and questioning a society in which angry
people make victims of their peers and communities.
I.B.2 & I.B.3 The following are vocabulary words that you will
experience throughout reading Touching Spirit Bear. Complete the
chart as you read, you may need to look some words up in the
dictionary.
Page
4
5
14
14
20
24
26
41
42
42
43
45
47
48
49
52
56
58
60
60
60
64
64
64
66
67
68
68
Word
banishment
skiff
wallow
wince
brandish
barrage
sullen
disconnected
conjure
notion
vague
defy
taunted
rigid
canopy
delinquent
skepticism
chuffs
coaxed
receding
stoke
rivulet
conceding
smoldering
cowered
incessant
gluttonous
brazenly
Synonyms or short definition
Send someone into exile, away
71
72
74
75
76
76
77
77
77
78
78
80
81
84
84
85
88
88
89
89
91
92
93
94
94
94
95
96
98
98
101
108
108
agonizing
wincing
shrouded
frigid
stuporous
tattered
pummeled
acrid
grimaced
fury
vulnerable
doggedly
bough
squandered
dismal
reluctantly
quarry
pity (pitied)
replenish
torment
forage
defiance
sauntered
vice
deceit
submission
resigned
ambled
bizarre
bombarded
delirium
vengeance
tousled
109
118
119
126
128
129
130
134
135
135
136
137
143
145
146
147
150
150
156
158
159
160
161
165
169
179
186
188
189
190
191
191
192
marina
obediently
relinquish
diminished
persistent
smoldered
inevitable
irked
canopy
bow
scouring
wry
gorge
menacingly
fester
breaching
grudgingly
gingerly
chuckle
deliberately
galvanized
betraying
awning
dawdled
stifled
totem
ingenuity
sullen
frantic
meandered
cease
ceremoniously
sparse
193
194
199
199
201
209
211
212
240
240
writhed
lunged
resentment
endure
taunting
helm
trawler
coaxed
shrugged
awkwardly
Journal One
In Touching Spirit Bear, the main character, Cole
experiences a lot of anger and frustration during his life.
He deals with these emotions in several ways throughout
the text.
I.D.12 In complete sentences describe a time in your life
when you felt anger towards someone or something.
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Why were you angry?
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How did you resolve the conflict?
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I.C.4
Character and Dance Experiences
Several nights, one or more of the characters danced to learn
something from the many animals seen on the island. Each character
experienced something different in his dance. In this table record the
lessons learned from each of the character’s perspective
Cole
Edwin
Garvy
Peter Driscal
(15 year
(Tlingit
(Youth
(9th grade
old boy)
Elder)
Probation
boy)
Officeer)
Animals:
Whale
(page
151)
Wolf
(page
161-2)
Spirit Bear
(page
171-3)
Eagle
(page
181)
Beaver
(page
186)
Mouse
(page
229-30)
I.C.4 Draw conlusions | cause & effect:
Cole’s Characteristics:
Peter’s Characteristics:
How are Cole and Peter alike?
How are
they
different?
I.C.4 A double-entry journal is where there is a quote in the left-hand
column waiting for you to write in complete sentences a reflection or
reaction to the quote on the right side of the page.
Quote
“You aren’t the only creature
here. You’re part of a much
bigger circle. Learn your place
or you’ll have a roughtime”
(Mikaelsen, 17).
“’Is everything always in a
circle?’ Cole had asked Garvey.
“Why not?’ Garvey said. ‘Life
is a circle.’ (Mikaelsen, 34).
“Peter shrugged awkwardly and
grinned at Cole. ‘A circle is all I
could teach him to carve.’ Cole
smiled and nodded ‘I’m a slow
learner. But I’m working on it.’
(Mikaelsen, 240).
Your reflection:
Complete the three sections of
this graphic organizer by answering
the questions with information from
the book “Touching Sprit Beat”. Be
sure to refer to pages 10, 11, 17, 32
and 33 from Chapters 4 – 6.
What?
What is Justice Circle? What are the rules
during the meeting? What are the benefits
to this type of meeting?
Justice
Circle
How?
How can Justice Circle be helpful? How
does it compare to prison?
Who? Who can attend the Circle
Meetings? Who are the meetings
intended for? From what peoples did
this practice originate?
I.C.1
I.D.12 In Chapter Three Garvey uses many individual ingredients of
one cake as an illustration of the numerous ingredients that make-up
each of our lives and who we are as people (pages 29 and 110).
Create a recipe card of the ingredients that make up you and what
they represent to you as a person. You may create images of the
ingredients and label them.
Recipe of
_____________________________
My Ingredients are and they represent:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Example: Cayenne pepper because it represents my hot temper
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I.C.4 Discussion Web: Complete this in pairs or small groups:
1. In this section give support from the book that defends Cole
getting a second chance on the island:
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2. In this section give support from the book that describes why Cole
should not get a second chance on the island:
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3. Now write your conclusion statement in complete sentences of
whether you feel Cole did or did not deserve a second chance on the
island, support your argument with supporting details from “Touching
Spirit Bear”
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Paired or small group discussion questions.
Discuss these questions and record your answers in complete
sentences.
1. I.C.4 Why do you think Cole is so violent? From where did he learn
how to be violent? How can he break this cycle?
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2. I.C.4 Based on “Touching Spirit Bear” what is your opinion of the
Native American Circle? Is that a fair way to deal with problems? If
you got in trouble, would you want to go through a Circle Justice?
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3. I.D.12 Cole starts carving a totem. What animals or symbols would
be on a totem you created to represent yourself?
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4. I.C.1 At what point in the novel do you think Cole starts to take
responsibility for his actions? Support your answers with details
from the text.
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5. I.C.4 Based on the story, do you believe in the Spirit Bear? Why or
why not?
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6. I.C.1 How does the attack by the spirit bear change Cole? Give
specific examples from the text to support your answers.
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7. I.D.12 One theme that runs throughout this book is that
everything in life is a circle. Give specific examples from the book
where this is supported. Do you believe in that in your own life?
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8. I.C.4 From the beginning to the end of the book, how is Cole
leaving the island different from the Cole who arrived on the
island?
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Journal Two
I.C.4 Ben Mikaelsen, the author of Touching Spirit Bear has asked you
to write a final chapter to his book, following Chapter 28. Write how
you will conclude Touching Spirit Bear.
Chapter 29
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The End