Tag Archives: lingering questions

One of our book study groups, recently completed Gary Paulsen's Hatchet.  Throughout the book, questions had come up in discussions.  Students compiled a list of some of these lingering questions:  How long can a Cessna 406 fly on a full tank of gas?  How long can a person hold his/her breath under water?  What does a modern day survival pack look like or contain for a single engine plane?  How long would it take for a body to decompose in the water?  What diseases come from drinking contaminated water or wild animal meat?  Are wolves naturally attackers?  How long does it take before a search is called off for a missing person, and who determines the call?  Each student spent time researching his/her particular interests.  It was fun seeing computers, calculators, and maps all in use at the same time.                               

As our class is presently studying expository writings, one of our students found herself enjoying the book Wildfires by Seymour Simon.  She became particularly interested in the fires of Yellowstone National Park.  This led her into some research on the size of the park, the percent which was affected by the 1988 fires, and the impact on the vegetation and wildlife.  Excited with her new found information, she volunteered to share with her classmates.  How interesting!

One of our students recently enjoyed reading Theodore Taylor's The Cay.  She was excited about comparing the plot to two other books we had studied this year, Hatchet and Island of the Blue Dolphins .  She helped to lead our class in a great discussion contrasting and comparing the characters, settings, and plots.  It was fun learning the definition of a "cay,"  as well as finding the Cayman Islands on the map.  The setting of the book led into a discussion of the strong discrimination feelings, as well as the global effects of World War II.  Our whole class enjoyed learning, because one student got excited about her choice of books and was willing to share it with classmates.