Touching Spirit Bear
By Ben Mikaelsen
Unit Plan
By
Cathleen C. Clara
TE 843
June 29, 2003
Table of Contents
Objectives/Vocabulary/Big Idea
3
Lesson 1-24
4-10
Standards and Benchmarks
11-13
Chapter Questions
14-21
Resources
22-23
Touching Spirit Bear
Unit Plan
9-18 weeks
Touching Spirit Bear
By Ben Mikaelsen
Harper Trophy 2002
ISBN 038080560X
Objectives:
1. Discussion and evaluation of poor choices, consequences and
responsibility for those actions.
2. History and implementation of Circle Justice.
3. History, study and research writing about the Tlingit Indians of
Alaska.
4. History and preservation of the Spirit Bear.
5. Increase and improve vocabulary and writing skills through
journaling.
6. Increase and improve vocabulary and reading skills through
reading aloud.
7. Evaluations of personal feelings about crime and justice.
8. Create community through the use of circles as a discussion device.
Vocabulary:
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Anger
Crime
Decision
Justice
Responsibility
Restoration
Retribution
Values
The Big Idea: Misdirected anger and poor choices can destroy a person’s
life.
Lesson 1
Introduce the big idea. Have students journal on what they believe this
statement to mean. (At the end of the book, they will again answer this
question.)
Discuss ways in which we have seen this happen in real life (other folks
they know), in their lives and in the media (movies, books, etc).
Explain that students will be reading the book Touching Spirit Bear and
review objectives with them.
Read an excerpt from the book to wet their appetites.
Lesson 2
Journal: Crime is an act against the community.
Explain to students that while reading the book, they will be exploring the
concept of circle justice.
Review basic concepts of circle justice.
Have student form the circle. Introduce talking piece (a new one can be
selected by class). Explain how the circle works with basic value of
respect and have students say their name and say on thing they really like
about themselves.
Lesson 3
Journal: What did you think of the circle yesterday?
Guest: Mike Schriner (Martial Arts and Language Arts teacher) to do team
building and trust activities with students.
Lesson 4
Journal: List one of your values and describe why it is important to you.
Create group values. Create cards to place in center of circle for each
meeting.
Choose a circle keeper.
Test the values and keeper. Circle to discuss activities from day before.
Positives and negatives.
Lesson 5
Guest: Mike Schriner
Naming circle. Student will choose an animal from three that they believe
best represents them (The Animal In You by Roy Feinson). Students will tell
the circle the animal they chose and why. Each member of the circle will
be given scraps of paper to write their ideas for the person’s name (i.e.:
Powerful Penguin). An envelope will be passed around to collect slips of
paper. Each student will choose from suggestions or make their own.
Lesson 6
Journal: Please write about your experience with the naming circle.
Students will make posters of their names to hang on the wall to represent
their place in the circle.
Lesson 7
Journal: Think back on a time or two when you were REALLY angry. How
did you handle that anger? In general, how to you release your anger
(what methods)? Explain.
Read chapters 1-3.
Supplement chapter questions when needed (see Chapter Questions)
throughout the reading of the book.
Lesson 8
Circle to discuss chapters 1-3.
Present 3 vocabulary words to the group: Crime, Anger, Decision. Each
circle member should tell one thing that comes to mind when they hear
each of these words.
Create a semantic map (teach them this technique if they are not familiar
with it) with students using the three vocabulary words using Crime as the
core concept.
Discuss what Cole’s crime against Peter and how we would treat this in
terms of his criminal behavior.
Lesson 9
Circle of Anger
Discuss Cole’s Anger and how it led to a poor decision and a crime.
Describe how we react when we are angry,
Discuss positive and negative ways to express/vent our anger
Reflect on Big Idea
Lesson 10
Journal: Reflecting on the decision that Cole has made, how could he
have handled this differently? Explain.
Read Chapters 4-6
Lesson 11
Journal: Define what justice means to you. Give examples.
Review chapters 4-6.
Word Web on Tlingit Indians and Circle Justice. Group students, have
them choose either Tlingit Indians or Circle Justice and in their groups
create word webs of what we know from the book about TI or CJ. Then
they will make a list of what they still want to know that they haven’t
found out in the book.
Students will choose to research Tlingit Indians (history, tradition, culture) or
Circle Justice and create a visual that they will present to the circle. They
may do this in groups or individually (their decision).
Those who choose Circle Justice should focus on these core
concepts/vocabulary: Justice, Responsibility, Restoration vs. Retribution.
Presentation of projects to the circle.
Visit to Nokemos Learning Center in Okemos, MI
Circle: Discuss visit to Nokemos.
Lesson 12
Essay: What justice do you think Cole deserves? Will Circle Justice fit his
crime or should he do the time? Explain.
Restoration vs. Retribution Circle
Discuss concepts learned from presentation and our feelings about
whether we think circle justice can be successful.
Possible role-play of a problem to be resolved by Circle Justice. (use
examples from Circle Justice training or an example created by the class)
Lesson 13
Journal: Do you respect nature? Why or why not? In what ways do you
and other humans treat nature harshly and gently? Explain, give
examples.
Nature circle: discuss good and bad experiences with nature. What we
know about other people’s experiences with nature.
Lesson 14
Journal: Enter the Spirit Bear. What do you know about bears and human
contact with them?
Discuss journal, do a KWL.
Mini lesson/lecture on Spirit Bear taken from the Valahalla Wilderness
page.
Read with students 2 Spirit Bear articles
1. Alaska game panel protects 'Spirit Bear' from hunting
2. Canada's "Spirit Bears" Gain Perilous Popularity
Information from National Parks on contact with bears.
Read Chapters 7-9
Lesson 15
Journal: Do you think that Cole’s mauling will change him at all? Explain.
Circle: Discussion of chapters 7-9. Why Cole was mauled, what we think
the mauling represents and whether he will learn anything from it.
Essay: According to National Park guides, what did Cole do wrong when
he came in contact with the bear and why?
Lesson 16
Journal: In your opinion, do you think Cole will survive? If so, how? If not,
why?
Circle: What we would do in Cole’s situation and advice to him on how
to survive.
Read Chapters 10-13 (end of part 1)
Lesson 17
Journal: What do you think will happen to Cole when he returns to the
mainland? Explain.
Review chapters 10-13
Circle: Role-play Cole’s circle. How we would handle Cole’s situation
and what decisions we would make concerning his future.
Lesson 18
Read chapter 14 and 15.
Essay: Cole has been given another chance at Circle Justice, in fact he
has been given many second chances.
Do you think this is fair, why or why not?
Describe a time that you were given a second chance. Did it change
anything for you, why or why not? Will this chance change anything for
Cole?
Lesson 19
Journal: Do you think that Cole has really taken responsibility for his
actions? Why or why not?
Read Chapters 16-19
Review
Circle: Edwin tells Cole that we never really get rid of our anger. Discuss
the methods that Edwin and Garvey teach Cole to deal with his anger.
Are these methods that could work for us?
Lesson 20
Journal: In your opinion, what are the ways that Cole can blow his
second chance on the island? Give Examples.
Circle: Cole is carving a totem. What are the things he will put on it and
why? What would we put on our own totems?
Research: Pictures and information about Totems
Project: Create a personal totem out of clay, wood, soap or linoleum
(carve a totem stamp)
Extra Credit: Create your own animal dance to present to the circle.
Lesson 21
Journal: Cole is faced with solitude on the island. How would you handle
the solitude? What would you do to keep yourself occupied?
Read Chapters 20-24
Circle: Discuss 20-24. Concept of healing from Circle Justice. What is
Cole learning about himself while on the island? Will he be able to heal?
How?
Lesson 22
Journal: Would you be able to face the person you committed a crime
against, the way that Cole is going to face Peter? Why or why not?
Circle: Predictions on how Cole’s adventure with Peter will go and
whether we think coming to the island will help Peter.
Create a chart for Peter on how to handle anger according to Cole.
Read Chapters 25-26
Lesson 23
Journal: Write your predictions for the end of the book.
Circle: Review 25-26. Discussion on Peter’s behavior and how we would
handle it if we were Cole. How do we feel about the way Cole is
handling it?
Read Chapter 27-28 (end of book)
Lesson 24
Journal: Reflect on our ‘Big Idea.’ How is this idea true and untrue based
on what we learned from this lesson?
Circle: Discuss feelings about the end of the book and whether we think
they are realistic or not. If you had to choose between Circle Justice and
jail, which would you choose and why.
Essay: Reflect on the book and what you have learned from it. Write on
one of these topics:
1. After seeing how anger can really hurt yours and others lives, do
you think you will handle your anger differently, why or why not?
2. Reflect back on that time you were really angry and reacted in a
negative way. How could you change what happened so that
there was a less negative outcome? Explain.
Project: Write one jeopardy style question from each chapter of the
book, review with Cathleen, then write out cards. Cathleen and one
student (playing Vanna) will review all questions and make sure there
aren’t overlaps. Create game board, choose teams and play jeopardy
as a final for the book.
Survey on how students felt about the book and the way it was presented.
Visual Connection: Watch Once Were Warriors. Make connections about
anger, actions and consequences between the book and movie.
Standards and Benchmarks
Language Arts
MEANING AND COMMUNICATION
Content Standard 1: All students will read and comprehend general and
technical material.
(2) Read with developing fluency a variety of texts, such as novels, poetry,
drama, essays, research texts, technical manuals, and documents.
(4) Selectively employ the most effective strategies to recognize words as
they construct meaning, including the use of context clues, etymological
study, and reference materials.
(5) Respond personally, analytically, and critically to a variety of oral,
visual, written, and electronic texts, providing examples of how texts
influence their lives and their role insociety.
Content Standard 2: All students will demonstrate the ability to write clear
and grammatically correct sentences, paragraphs, and compositions.
(1) Write fluently for multiple purposes to produce compositions, such as
stories, poetry, personal narratives, editorials, research reports, persuasive
essays, resumes, and memos.
Content Standard 3: All students will focus on meaning and
communication as they listen, speak, view, read, and write in personal,
social, occupational, and civic contexts.
(1) Integrate listening, viewing, speaking, reading, and writing skills for
multiple purposes and in varied contexts. An example is using all the
language arts to complete and present a multi-media project on a
national or international issue.
(3) Read and write fluently, speak confidently, listen and interact
appropriately, view critically, and represent creatively. Examples include
speaking publicly, demonstrating teamwork skills, debating formally,
performing literature, and interviewing for employment.
(6) Determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and concepts in
oral, visual, and written texts by using a variety of resources, such as
context, research, reference materials, and electronic sources.
(8) Analyze their responses to oral, visual, written, and electronic texts,
providing examples of how texts affect their lives, connect them with the
contemporary world, and transmit issues across time.
LITERATURE
Content Standard 5: All students will read and analyze a wide variety of
classic and contemporary literature and other texts to seek information,
ideas, enjoyment, and understanding of their individuality, our common
heritage and common humanity, and the rich diversity in our society.
(1) Select, read, listen to, view, and respond thoughtfully to both classic
and contemporary texts recognized for quality and literary merit.
(3) Analyze how the tensions among characters, communities, themes,
and issues in literature and other texts reflect the substance of the human
experience.
SKILLS AND PROCESSES
Content Standard 7: All students will demonstrate, analyze, and reflect
upon the skills and processes used to communicate through listening,
speaking, viewing, reading, and writing.
(1) Use a combination of strategies when encountering unfamiliar texts
while constructing meaning.
Examples include generating questions; scanning for specific information
related to research questions; analyzing tone and voice; and representing
content through summarizing, clustering, and mapping.
DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING
Content Standard 9: All students will demonstrate understanding of the
complexity of enduring issues and recurring problems by making
connections and generating themes within and across
texts.
(1) Analyze and reflect on universal themes and substantive issues from
oral, visual, and written texts.
Examples include human interaction with the environment, conflict and
change, relationships with others, and self-discovery.
(2) Synthesize from multiple texts representing varied perspectives, and
apply the principles and generalizations needed to investigate and
confront complex issues and problems.
.
IDEAS IN ACTION
Content Standard 10: All students will apply knowledge, ideas, and issues
drawn from texts to their lives and the lives of others.
(1) Use themes and central ideas in literature and other texts to generate
solutions to problems and formulate perspectives on issues in their own
lives.
(2) Function as literate individuals in varied contexts within their lives in and
beyond the classroom. Examples include using text resources while
thinking creatively, making decisions, solving problems, and
reasoning in complex situations.
INQUIRY AND RESEARCH
Content Standard 11: All students will define and investigate important
issues and problems usinga variety of resources, including technology, to
explore and create texts.
(2) Determine, evaluate, and use resources that are most appropriate
and readily available for investigating a particular question or topic.
Examples include knowledgeable people, field trips, prefaces,
appendices, icons/headings, hypertext, menus and addresses, Internet
and electronic mail, CD-ROM/laser disks, microfiche, and library and
interlibrary catalogue databases.
Chapter Questions
All chapter questions were created by former students.
Chapter 1
Chapter Questions:
1. Have you ever done, or known someone, who has done what Cole
has done? If so, how did that make you feel?
2. What is your impression of Cole? Explain.
3. How would justice be served in terms of what Cole has done?
Explain.
4. How do you think Cole’s actions will affect the rest of Peter’s life?
5. If you had a choice between spending time in jail or banishment to
an island, which would you choose and why?
6. What is the purpose of Circle Justice? (Explain what CJ is about,
etc)
7. Why do you think Cole is so angry? Explain.
8. Do you think Cole releases his anger in healthy ways?
9. What are healthy ways to release anger?
10. Do you think that Circle Justice will change Cole, why or why not?
11. Why do you think Cole hates his parents? Explain.
Chapter 2-3
1. After what Cole has done, and based on his record from the past,
do you think he deserves a second chance?
2. What is Cole’s opinion of ‘chances?’
3. Why do you think Garvey is trying so hard to help Cole? Explain.
4. Do you think that Circle Justice should be used in Michigan, why or
why not?
5. Why did Cole burn all of his supplies?
6. Was it a smart thing to do? Why or why not?
7. How does Cole feel about everyone in his life? Explain/Give
examples.
8. How did Edwin the Tlingit Elder describe the one room shelter he
had built for Cole?
9. What is Cole’s secret about his Dad?
10. If you had Cole’s life, would you feel the same way? (would you
lash out at people, burn things, act rudely, etc.) Explain.
11. Why does Cole act like he is so tough and untouchable?
12. Where is the island located and why has this location been chosen
for Cole’s banishment?
13. Do you think Cole will learn anything from his banishment, if so,
what?
Chapter 4-6
1. If you had an anger problem like Cole, what would you do about
it? Explain.
2. Describe Cole’s Mother and Father.
3. Do you think that his parent’s are to blame for the way Cole is
behaving? Why or why not?
4. Do you think that Cole’s Mother and Father will ever change? If so,
how? If not, why?
5. If you were confronted by a circle of people who cared about you
and the community, they way Cole has been, how would you react
and feel? Explain.
6. What had Cole done to Peter? How will Peter be affected by this in
the future?
7. What impression do you have of Peter, his parents and lawyer?
8. Do you think that Cole will ever realize what he has done to Peter?
Explain.
9. Do you think that Cole will ever apologize to Peter and mean it?
10. When Cole lashed out at his Father, what do you think was going on
in his head?
11. Would you have reacted in the same way?
12. Cole is behaving pretty badly on the island. What do you think will
happen to him?
Chapters 7-8
1. Besides ‘OFF,’ what other ways can you repel mosquitoes?
2. Imagine you are on the island. You are seeing many amazing
things; wilderness, orca whales, seals. Would you take time to enjoy
those things? Why or why not?
3. Why do you think the Spirit Bear keeps watching Cole? Explain.
4. How could Cole actually think he could kill the bear?
5. Do you think that there is any spiritual significance to the Spirit Bear?
Explain.
6. Now that Cole had been attacked, do you think his outlook on life
will change?
7. How did the mauling make you feel? Do you think Cole deserved
it?
8. Why do you think the bear keeps coming back, even after he has
already left Cole for dead?
9. Edwin tells Cole that ‘whatever you do to the animals, you do to
yourself.’ What does this mean? Do you believe it to be true?
10. Can you give another example of how destroying something in
nature might destroy a part of you?
11. How do you think you would survive on the island?
Chapters 9-10
1. If you were Cole, would you eat what he is eating, try to find
something else, or starve? Why?
2. If you were Cole’s parents, would you be worried about him? Why
or why not?
3. Do you think that loneliness and pain is going to change Cole for
better or worse? Explain.
4. Has Cole changed in the last two chapters? How and why?
5. What was your impression of Cole’s vision on the sparrows? What
did it mean?
6. Garvey and Edwin told Cole several times that life is a circle. Do
you think that Cole is starting to understand that now that he is
immobilized?
7. Life is a circle. What does that mean to you? Do you believe this to
be true?
8. Give an example (not from the book) of how life is a circle.
9. What will Cole do with the mouse??
Chapter 11-13
1. If you were an animal, what animal would you say you resembled
the most (based on characteristics, thinking, and methods of
living/survival)? Give examples.
2. By reaching up and touching the Spirit Bear, what do you think Cole
gained with the bear?
3. Why do you think Cole has suck strong feelings towards the at.oow?
4. Now that we are half way through the book, what are your
impressions of Cole? Have they changed at all since the beginning
of the book?
5. If you were to be left for dead, like Cole, what would your last
thoughts be about?
6. Edwin and Garvey have found Cole. What do you think will
happen to Cole after he recovers from his wounds?
7. Do you think Cole still needs to pay society back for his mistakes?
(jail time?)
8. Garvey says to Cole: I am helping myself, by helping you. What
does this mean?
9. Has helping other people ever helped you? Explain.
10. Will people believe Cole about the Spirit Bear? Why or why not?
Chapters 14-15
1. It has been six months since the bear attacked Cole. How does he
feel about the bear and his experience on the island now?
2. Why do you think Cole’s Mother came to visit him in the hospital,
but his Father didn’t?
3. Why do the judge and the people at the Justice Circle think that
Cole is lying about the Spirit Bear?
4. Why do you think Edwin and Garvey are sticking their necks out for
Cole?
5. How does the Circle react and respond to Cole?
6. Why do you think the Circle has such a hard time believing that
Cole is serious about the island and rehabilitation?
7. Would you believe Cole if you were a member of the circle? Why
or why not?
8. What did Cole find out at the end of the chapter?
Chapters 16-17
1. What stipulations were there to Cole returning to the island?
2. What is the significance of the stick?
3. What does Edwin tell Cole about breaking the end off the stick?
4. If you were to be stranded on an island for a year what would you
want to make sure you had with you?
5. Do you think you could handle being on an island alone for one
year? Why or why not?
6. Do you think the Spirit Bear is still on the island and will Cole see it?
7. Do you think that Cole deserves this second chance, or should they
have put him in jail?
8. Much earlier in the book Garvey talks about why he thinks prison or
jail is ineffective. What is your opinion? Do you think that jail would
help someone like Cole?
9. What other community resources might help Cole more than jail?
Chapters 18-19
1. Edwin takes Cole to a pond to soak in. Describe Cole’s first
experience at the pond.
2. Why does Edwin take Cole to the pond?
3. What is the purpose of the animal dances at night?
4. Why did the fish swim away from Cole?
5. Describe what the rock is and its purpose.
6. Do you think there is value in soaking in the pond and carrying the
rock? Why or why not?
7. Cole really angers Edwin and Garvey in chapter 19, why? What do
they threaten to do?
8. Why are Edwin and Garvey making Cole build his own shelter?
9. How does Cole feel when they refuse to help him?
10. What did each learn about the wolf? Explain.
11. Do you think you would be able to dance animal dances? Would
you be willing to?
Chapters 20-22
1. Cole is left for a second time on the island by himself. How are his
feelings different this time from the first time?
2. It is clear that Cole has some serious emotional healing to do. What
do you think will really help him heal?
3. When coming into contact with animals on the island, Cole realizes
that he needs to become invisible. What techniques does he use to
do this? Do they work? Why or why not?
4. What do you think will make Cole really invisible to the animals?
5. Why do you think the Spirit Bear hasn’t reappeared?
6. Why do you think Cole is having so much trouble dancing the anger
dance?
7. Why is it so important for Cole to dance the anger dance?
8. If you were on the island, like Cole is, what would you do to spend
your time? Give examples.
9. Do you think Cole will be successful this time on the island, why or
why not?
10. What is Cole planning to do with the big log he found?
11. How would you handle being alone on an island? Would you be
scared, adventurous, etc? Explain.
Chapters 23-25
1. If you were to carve a totem, what would you put on it?
2. What do you think Cole should put on the bottom of his totem?
3. Why do you think Cole wants Peter to come to the island?
4. What has been happening to Peter that makes Cole think he should
come to the island?
5. What do you think would help Peter deal with what Cole did to
him?
6. Do you think coming to the island will help or hurt Peter? Explain.
7. Do you think that Peter’s parents will allow him to come to the
island, why or why not?
8. How did Cole finally become invisible?
9. What happened when Cole became invisible?
10. What dance does Cole finally do? How does that make him feel?
11. Do you think that Cole has really changed and that he can help
Peter?
Resources
Texts
The Animal in You
by Roy Feinson
St. Martins Press 1998
ISBN 0312180403
Ben Mikaelsen Websites
http://www.litplans.com/author.htm?a=Mikaelsen
Spirit Bear
Alaska game panel protects 'Spirit Bear' from hunting
http://www.theolympian.com/home/specialsections/Outdoors/20020824/
37245.shtml
Canada's "Spirit Bears" Gain Perilous Popularity
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/0724_030725_spiritbe
ars.html
Valhalla Wilderness Society
http://www.savespiritbear.org/project/spiritbear/about_bear/science_inf
o.html
Info on Bears
Yosemite National Park
http://www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/yo/flora/bears.html
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
http://www.nps.gov/seki/snrm/wildlife/food_storage.htm
Circle Justice
US Department of Justice: Balanced and Restorative Justice
http://ssw.che.umn.edu/rjp/Resources/Documents/BazUmb94.pdf
Executive Summary Restorative Justice Circles in South St. Paul, MN
http://ssw.che.umn.edu/rjp/Resources/Documents/Circles.sum.sept.pdf
Justice Circles Value Restoration over Punishment
http://perc.ca/PEN/1996-12-01/mcdonald2.html
Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking Resources
http://ssw.che.umn.edu/rjp/Resources/Resource.htm
International Institute for Restorative Practices
http://iirp.org/
Tlingit Indians
The Tlingit of the Northwest Coast
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmnh/exhibits/north-south-eastwest/tlingit/
For Photos (Spirit Bears, Tlingit Indians, etc.)
Corbis
http://pro.corbis.com