Touching Spirit Bear
Chapter 1 Questions
1. Where did Cole Matthews agree to spend one year and why?
2. What two men accompanied him?
3. How old is Cole?
4. What did Cole say about the people that tried to help him over the years?
5. Why did Cole always count on one last chance?
6. What was his latest arrest?
7. Who turned Cole into the authorities for the robbery?
8. Describe the detention center using specific examples of textual evidence.
9. Was Cole regretful for beating up Peter? How do you know?
10. How did Cole describe his parents? Use textual evidence.
11. What was Garvey’s occupation?
12. Explain Circle Justice.
13. Why did Cole think the judicial system was a fool?
Chapter 2 Questions
1. What did Cole resent about Circle Justice?
2. Did Cole admit to being afraid of anything?
3. Edwin told Cole the land would provide or _____________ him.
4. Edwin said, “__________________ can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher.”
5. “Whatever you do to the animal, you do to ____________.”
6. What is an at’oow?
7. Who gave Cole an at’oow and why?
8. How long was Cole in the detention center?
9. What did Garvey call Cole?
10. What does a sponsor do in Circle Justice?
11. Why did Cole cry?
12. Who was Cole’s sponsor?
13. What happened as a result of Cole’s anger?
Chapter 3 Questions
1. Who did Cole feel unloved by and why?
2. What did Garvey try to teach with the cake ingredients?
3. How did Cole react when something bad happened in his life?
4. For getting on what team does Cole remember his father criticizing him?
5. Garvey tells Cole, “Forgiving isn’t ______________________.”
Chapter 4 Questions
1. Garvey said, “Life is a _________________________.”
2. Where did the Hearing Circle meet?
3. Who was at the Hearing Circle meeting?
4. What did the Keeper use to symbolize respect and responsibility?
5. What were two obligations of the circle?

6. Do you think Cole meant it when he said, “I’m sorry,” to Peter? Why or Why not?
Chapter 5 Questions
1. What causes Cole not to see the incoming tide while swimming?
2. What did Cole remember when he was asleep?
3. What big white thing does Cole see?
4. What did Cole sling at the bear?
5. What does Cole want from his parents?
Chapter 6 Questions
1. What did Cole bring up about his father during the group meetings?
2. Who didn’t know when Cole’s birthday was?
3. Was Cole nervous about seeing the Spirit Bear? How do you know?
4. Why doesn’t the group believe Cole has changed?
5. Garvey tells Cole that banishment is harder than what?
Chapter 7 Questions
1. What did Cole know he needed to escape?
2. What did Cole kill and cook?
3. How long has Cole been on the island?
4. With what did Cole come after Spirit Bear?
5. Why did Cole look to see if anyone was watching him?
Chapter 8 Questions
1. What happened after Cole attacked Spirit Bear with a spear?
2. Why were the seagulls interested in Cole?
3. Who did Cole think was laughing at him?
4. What did Spirit Bear’s fur prove and how did the fur make him feel?
5. What did Cole have nightmares about all of his life?
Chapter 9 Questions
1. Why is Cole crying?
2. Why does Cole get irritated seeing the mother bird feeding her young?
3. Who reappears?
4. Why did Cole yell out, “Help me! Somebody help me”?
5. What did it show about Cole’s character when he asked the sparrows, “Are you okay?”
Chapter 10 Questions
1. What did Cole question about the sparrow’s life?
2. What is apart of the cycle of life?
3. What decision did Cole make?

4. What did Cole need to survive?
5. P.84 Who did Cole hurt more than anyone else and how?
6. Life was empty and meaningless unless he found ___________________.
7. What did Cole eat?
8. What was pricking at Cole?
Chapter 11 Questions
1. What did Cole’s diet consist of?
2. “Food was energy and energy was ______________.”
3. What happened when Cole spit at Spirit Bear?
Chapter 12 Questions
1. What did Cole imagine he was?
2. If Cole did not get help, his life would end up in the ___________________.
3. For Cole, nothing existed in the world except for _____________________.
4. What did Cole feel when he touched Spirit Bear?
5. What did Cole notice that he had never noticed before?
6. Who came to Cole’s rescue?
7. What was wrong with Cole?
8. Why does Cole say he is okay?
Chapter 13 Questions
1. Who is Rosey?
2. What was significan t when Cole said, “my fault”?
3. What did Rosey say was wrong with him?
4. What did the different people do for Cole? a. Garvey________________________________ b. Rosey_________________________________ c. Father_________________________________ d. Edwin__________________________________ e. Mother__________________________________
5. Why did Cole burn the shelter, try to escape, and try to kill Spirit Bear?
6. Cole said he’s done being ________________________.
7. Where did Cole say Spirit Bears were from?
8. Cole was ready to speak the truth even if it meant what?
9. What did Cole secretly take out of his pocket?
10. What was a memory that would never disappear from his mind or heart and why?
Chapter 14 Questions
1. Where did Cole go when he left the hospital?
2. Who did Cole not see at the hospital?
3. How long had it been since Spirit Bear mauled Cole?

4. Ho had the relationships between Cole and his mom changed?
5. Ho was the bear’s mauling different from the belt beatings by Cole’s father?
6. What happened in Cole’s parents marriage?
7. Why did Cole’s father beat him?
8. Explain the Circle Justice meeting.
9. Who turned Cole’s father in for child abuse?
Chapter 15 Questions
1. Who was the only person to speak on behalf at the Circle Justice meeting?
2. How many days had Cole been on the island before Garvey and Edwin found him mauled?
3.
What was the point of Edwin’s demonstration to the group?
4. What did Cole do as we waited for his verdict?
5.
Why did Nathaniel Blackwood announce he would not longer be Cole’s lawyer?
6. Since Cole was released into Garvey a nd Edwin’ custody, where will they go?
7.
What is one disability Peter has as a result of Cole’s actions?
Chapter 16 Questions
1. In what state was Circle Justice?
2. How did Cole sell his belongings?
3. What did Edwin do to the boat to insure Cole didn’t escape?
4. Who helped Cole set up the tent and cook supper?
5. How was Garvey’s hotdog different from Cole’s hotdog?
6. What did Edwin tell Cole he was celebrating?
Chapter 17 Questions
1. 1. Edwin was right when he said __________ was never forgotten?
2. What lesson did Edwin teach Cole with a stick?
3. What did Edwin tell Cole would help him focus on happiness instead of anger?
Chapter 18 Questions
1. What was the first dance Cole danced?
2. Edwin told Cole he could skip a day going to swim when his _______________ skipped a day.
3. “Pretend the rock is your ___________________.”
4. Edwin told Cole to throw the rock down the hill and imagine his ___________ rolling away.
Chapter 19 Questions

1. What would be Cole’s last chore before leaving the island?
2. Garvey told Cole when he went to bed instead of cooking supper-- “There’s not enough room on this island for both you and your ____________________.”
3. What did Cole learn from the wolf dance?
4. True or False: Cole soaked in the pond alone.
5. What did Cole learn as he rolled the rock down the hill?
Chapter 20 Questions
1. What animal did Cole see?
2. What did Cole use for a door handle?
3. How do you know that Garvey and Edwin trust Cole at the end of the novel?
Chapter 21 Questions
1. Where did Cole go to the bathroom?
2. What did Garvey give Cole before he left to go back to Minneapolis?
3. What did Cole think of doing with the log besides carving a totem pole?
4. True or False: Cole recievedmail from his mother each day.
5. What was the first animal Cole carved on the totem?
1. Whose trust did Cole betray?
Chapter 22 Questions
Chapter 23 Questions
1. To be ______________ Cole had to clear his mind.
2. What was the longest dance Cole performed?
3. During this time, what object did Cole constantly lunge toward and attack?
4. What words were Cole able to speak that he had never been able to say?
Chapter 24-25 Questions
1. What did Cole have to discover before he could completely heal?
2. How did Cole keep track of time?
3. Why were Cole’s activities limited to reading, schoolwork, chopping fire wood, etc.?
4. From what did Cole make Christmas ornaments?
5. What disturbing news did Cole hear about Peter?
6.
What was the purpose of Edwin’s visit at the end of the chapter?
7. What two choices did Cole say Peter had?
8. How did Cole respond to Edwin’s question, “Would you be willing to stay here longer if it meant helping Peter?
9. How long were Peter’s parents going to stay on the island?
10. What was the significance of the totem carvings?

Chapter 26-27 Questions
1. Who decided to stay on the island with Peter and Cole?
2. Who filed for custody of Cole?
3. How did Peter tell Cole to come into the cabin?
4. What animal taught persistence and boldness and how?
5. What was the significance of the animal Peter carved on Cole’s totem?
Chapter 28 Questions
1. Who went to the pond to soak?
2.
True or False: Peter wanted to be Cole’s friend.
3. Cole told Peter he would do what to make things right?
4. Who initiated the fight?
5. What did they see and why?
6. What did Cole and Peter do together and why was it significant?