novel study guides for the classroom

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copyright 2004
created by brian thornton
capo creations, box 1411, haileybury, ontario, canada. poj 1ko
phone: 705 672-5737
not to be used or copied in any manner without specific written consent of
the publisher
all rights reserved

hatchet
novel study guide
gary paulsen

answer all questions in sentence form.

chapter one
describe the setting at the beginning of the story.
how old is brian robeson?
why is brian unable to carry on a conversation with the pilot?
with what single word did his thinking always begin?
what was "the secret"?
why is the pilot rubbing his shoulder?
what has brian's father designed or invented?
where is his father presently working?
what would have happened if brian had gone through regular airport security in
today's world?
explain how chapter one ends.
vocabulary: consuming, copilot, drone, shattering, rudder, banked, lurched,
lashed, wincing, hokey, spasm, jolts, thrumming
enrichment: write a short biography on gary paulsen and present it to your
classmates. make sure to include a discussion on some of his other books.
where do you find oil fields in canada?
what are the symptoms of a heart attack? interview a doctor or nurse about how
a hospital initially deals with a patient who is admitted to the emergency
department and diagnosed as having a heart attack. did any of their answers
surprise you? explain.
create a title page for your novel study guide.
pretend that you are brian and that you also managed to save some paper and a
pencil in the crash. keep a daily journal about what happens during your
ordeal. make sure to include "your" emotions and feelings about this
experience. at the end of the novel reread the journal to see how your opinions
and feelings have evolved.
chapter two
how did brian initially react to the situation?
what motivated brian to finally attempt to fly the plane?
explain how brian called for help and describe what happened.
what would eventually happen to the plane?
 why did brian think that the best place to set down the plane was the edge of
the lake?
describe what happened immediately after the plane's engine coughed and died.
vocabulary: turbulence, procedures, c.p.r., ultimately, swooped, altimeter,
headset, wrenching, static, transmission, frustration, throttle, hurtling,
rebelled, clearing, intervals, visualize
enrichment: interview an experienced pilot to out what the procedures are in a
small plane if the engine has stopped. if possible have a pilot read the novel
and discuss how accurate the details are about the plane and how it handles.
in a small group discuss the emotions you might feel if you were in a plane
about to crash. would you have done anything differently from brian robeson?
chapter three
what suddenly disappeared as brian put the plane into a fast glide?
what did he think he saw near the edge of the pond?
what stroke of good luck did he have just as he approached the lake for his
landing?
describe the actual scene at the moment of the crash including his escape from
the plane.
chapter one ended with one word, "alone" while chapter three also ended with
one word, "nothing". explain why this is effective.
vocabulary: dramatically, wallow, coarse, spiraling
enrichment: brainstorming with a small group of students, design or invent
devices which either avert plane crashes or at the very least increase the
chance of passenger survival. illustrate your designs and describe to the class
how they work.
research the author, gary paulsen, and assume his character as you allow your
classmates to interview you.
chapter four
explain "the secret".
what happened to the plane?
what caused brian considerable discomfort just as the sun began to rise?
describe how you might feel if you were in a similar situation to brian.
vocabulary: hoarse, throb, pulsed, mound, grunting, scrunched, clammy, haze,
hordes, spat, swarm, collapse, moderately, hummocks, ridge
enrichment: in small groups make a chart with two columns. one column will
list noises and sounds of the city while the other will lists of noises and
sounds you might hear in the wilderness. compare lists with other groups.
chapter five
what overpowering craving did brian have when he initially awoke?
what had happened to his face while he slept?
what happened to brian's determination to take only a small drink from the
lake?
why was brian so sure initially that the search planes would find him within a
day or two?
make a list of all the things that brian has in his possession including his
clothes.
make a second list placing every item in order of importance to his survival.
according to brian's former english teacher, what was a person's most
important asset? do you agree? explain.
why did brian feel the hair on the back of his neck go up at the end of the
chapter?
why does brian finger the hatchet towards the end of the chapter?
vocabulary: foul, wither, murky, teetered, trickle, reduce, extensive,
amphibious, motivated, stranded, asset, slewed, sloshing
enrichment: discuss the power of positive thinking. do you think you are a
mainly a positive or negative thinker? explain. discuss with your classmates a
time when positive thinking has benefited you.
make a list of people you know and then divide them into two groups--optimists
and pessimists. decide which group you would prefer to have as friends. defend
your position.
research and describe how animals use various types of body language to signal
fear or anger. make a brief presentation to your classmates.
chapter six
describe brian's new shelter.
why does brian decide to eat before constructing the lean-to?
explain why the author writes the word secret with a capital or uppercase
letter.
why does brian stay close to the lake while searching for food?
using brian's description, find out what type of bird was eating the berries.
why did brian almost spit out the berries?
vocabulary: lean-to, braces, diminish, pulverized, lushly, pace, interlaced,
twinge, initial
enrichment: find a book and/or internet site to research some of the many birds
that are indigenous to the provinces of british columbia and alberta, canada.
many sites also include the sounds of these birds.
chapter seven
why did brian wake up in the middle of the night?
why did brian crawl out of his shelter?
what memory did he have upon returning to the shelter?
why did brian slap the water with his hand?
how do we know that brian is developing an affinity for his shelter?
what type of food is he delighted to find?
what does brian stumble upon in the bush?
why does brian come to a stop after initially fleeing the area?
what does he discover when he looks back?
why did brian place the hatchet by his head when he went to sleep that
evening?
vocabulary: abdomen, jolts, doubled, vomit, diarrhea, peck, vicious, whine,
welted, matted, slits, self-pity, receded, maroon, pits, tart, numb, crude,
weathertight, gorge, wuffling, trotted, patch, pouch, drenched, rivulets,
seeping, tangy
enrichment: research bear attacks. how would you protect yourself from a bear
attack? playing dead is often suggested as a method of dealing with a bear
attack. can you think of occasions when this method might not work? are
certain species of bears more likely to attack and hurt you than others?
explain.
write a short report on protecting yourself from bear attacks and make a report
to your classmates. invite someone into your class who has experienced a bear
attack. explain why it is so important to protect the bears from encroaching
human settlements.
chapter eight
what woke brian in the middle of the night?
explain the cause of the musty smell in his shelter that night.
what important rule of survival did brian learn?
explain how brian fought off the intruder.
what did brian experience when he removed the quills from his leg?
why did brian feel it was important to make a staff or lance for himself?
how does brian interpret his dream?
what important discovery does brian make when he examines the rock at the end
of this chapter?
vocabulary: musty, slithering, skittered, bulk, rasping, gingerly, quill,
smear, doze, initial, segment, gestures, scootched, wince, staff, lance,
granite, imbedded
enrichment: research the porcupine. can a porcupine throw its quills? why are
quills so important to the porcupine?
many native artisans use quills when making their crafts. try to locate some
examples and show them to your classmates. research other ways the natives made
use of the porcupine quills.
chapter nine
why was brian so willing to use money to help start his fire?
what kind of home did brian construct?
how long did it take brian to build the home?
what key element was still missing that prevented the fire from igniting?
describe how brian felt when the "nest" finally burst into flames.
explain why brian described his new "friend" as hungry.
why did the fire trigger brian's memory of his encounter with the porcupine?
vocabulary: ignite, tinder, kindling, sputtered, haunches, exasperation, clump,
shredded, tendrils, flammable, wad, smoldered, cro-magnon, oxygen, mass,
consuming, gratified, brace, flue
enrichment: some people argue that fire is the greatest invention of
civilization. defend their position. act out a scene where a group of
primitive people discovers fire for the very first time.
what are some of the other greatest inventions of all time?
chapter ten
why did brian refuse to leave the fire at first?
how did he resolve the problem?
how large was his initial stockpile of wood?
what unexpected benefits did brian derive from the fire?
describe what brian found under a pile of sand.
what did brian do with his new find?
why was he unable to cook his food?
provide evidence that despite his perilous situation brian remains optimistic.

vocabulary: smeared, banked, eddied, dusk, coals, sloshing, dormant, craved,

intensity, pyramid, raw, convulse
enrichment: research various types of turtles native to british columbia. where
in north america can one expect to find snapping turtles. find some information
and photographs about these animals on the internet and share them with your
classmates.
some turtles are protected by government regulations. find some examples and
explain why the government has decided to protect them.
chapter eleven
where did brian store the remaining eggs?
why was cleaning the camp a laughing matter?
what was brian's suggestion for avoiding depression?
explain how brian's body and mind had changed.
how did the sight of the kingfisher awaken him to a new source of food?
how did brian hope to obtain this new source of food?
vocabulary: staggering, bluff, gnarled, crayfish
enrichment: some experienced outdoor advocates recommend an axe be taken on a
camping trip as opposed to the more "dangerous" hatchet. explain why some
people may feel the hatchet is more dangerous.
some individuals argue that a hatchet with its shortened handle is more likely
to strike you if the blade is accidentally deflected while chopping wood. such
accidents could prove fatal on a wilderness trip.
chapter twelve
how does he modify his spear in an attempt to make it work more efficiently?
what did he discover after spending hours modifying his spear?
what sudden explosion terrified brian?
what is the source of the persistent whining noise?
why is brian so distraught at the end of this chapter?
vocabulary: flailing, primitive, propping, tapered, two-prong, crude, lunging,
thrusting, telegraphed, speckled, persistent, swiveling, waggle
enrichment: camouflage is used by both people and animals. research how
camouflage helps animals and also why humans have opted to use camouflage. with
a small group of your classmates make as long a list as possible of the various
ways that civilization utilizes camouflage.
chapter thirteen
what does the first sentence of this chapter indicate?
why was brian looking for one of the foolish birds?
what other animals did brian encounter on his search for the flock of foolish
birds?
what incident marked the passing of the "old" brian and the birth of a "new"
one?
describe his first attempt at making a bow and arrow.
explain in scientific terms why he was unsuccessful when he first used his bow
and arrow to fish.
what new hope sprung from his misfortune?
vocabulary: tension, measured, gutted, funk, punky, extent, hummock, refracts,
exulted
enrichment: pretend that you are lost in the wilderness and stumble across a
cabin with a satellite telephone. who would you call and what would you say?
chapter fourteen
explain the difference between a mistake in the city and a mistake made in the
wilderness.
why did brian attempt to chase the skunk away from his campsite?
explain how brian's encounter with the skunk had almost fatal results.
how long did it take for brian to improve his shelter so that he would be
safer from the elements and the creatures of the wild?
what "constant" problem did brian face in the wilderness?
describe brian's new location for storing his food securely.
how was he able to reach this new location?
how was brian able to obtain a ready supply of fresh fish for his diet?
vocabulary: rectify, vital, creatures, influence, fragment, confines,
devastating, sulfurous, corrosive, seared, impaired, carp, wove, mesh, propped,
manure, bearings, enclosure
enrichment: pretend you are part of a research group designing survival kits
for hikers who may become lost in the wilderness. what items would you include
and why? once you've designed your product create a poster advertising your
product. you may also take a photo of your survival kit and design a website
for it.
chapter fifteen
what special day was burned into brian's memory?
what secret key finally enabled brian to detect the birds before they exploded
into flight.
explain how he finally got the bird?
what problem did he face once he had killed the bird?
how does the author make us aware of brian's appreciation for the new food?
vocabulary: journal, saliva, chattered, bounded, insane, sarcasm, streamlined,
stabilize, fluttered, fragile, dung, banded
enrichment: list reasons why some people choose not to eat meat products. some
nutritionists argue that meat is unhealthy for the human diet. explain why you
agree or disagree defending your position. prepare some vegetarian diets for
your classmates to taste. some people not only refuse to eat meat products but
also choose not to eat dairy products. conduct some research to find out why.
chapter sixteen
why was brian able to reassure himself despite the fact he was always hungry?
describe the method brian had perfected when hunting birds.
what was the telltale sign that a bird was about to fly away?
what incident indicates that brian had become a highly skilled hunter of
birds?
describe the moose attack on brian.
 what is the telltale sign that a moose is angry?
what woke brian up that night while he slept in his shelter?
what is sticking six to eight inches out of the water after the tornado
passes?
vocabulary: tattered, pitch, shaft, retrieved, wrenched, column, spout
enrichment: many people in contemporary society view hunting as a gruesome form
of bloodsport. why do most indigenous cultures such as first nations people
view hunting as an important part of their life despite the fact that most are
now able to purchase all their foods at grocery stores?
chapter seventeen
why did brian have to work slowly?
why was being seriously injured synonymous with being killed?
why did brian's eyes suddenly snap open at the thought of the plane's tail
sticking out of the water?
why did he decide to build a raft?
how long did it take him to push the raft out to the plane?
what caused brian to shudder when he thought of the front of the plane?
vocabulary: refine, fish pen, ruefully, cluttered, stymied, wisps, rivets,
fuselage, hatch, murky
enrichment: using the internet, research how to build a raft. with some of
your classmates build a model of your raft.
chapter eighteen
what does brian discover when he slams his fist against the plane in
frustration?
what does brian compare the aluminum covering to as he cuts through it with
the hatchet?
what causes brian to rage at his own carelessness?
describe brian's second attempt at retrieving the hatchet.
how does brian react to the gruesome scene he encounters in the plane?
how do we know that brian was exhausted when he finally got back to shore?
vocabulary: stabilizer, elevator, frenzied, swiveled, stale, propel,
substantial, surging
enrichment: brian describes a gruesome scene of a decomposing body in the
plane's wreckage. explain why this gruesome scene is an essential part of
life's cycle and consider the alternatives.
chapter nineteen
make a list of some of the unbelievable riches that he found.
how did he relight the fire this time and explain what this signifies?
explain why he had up and down feelings about the survival pack.
what happened that lead to brian's rescue?
explain why brian's question at the end of this chapter was rather unusual?
vocabulary: butane, rummaging, encased, drone
enrichment: write an alternative ending to this novel. make sure to consider
the numerous possibilities. it need not be a happy ending.
epilogue
explain the purpose of an epilogue?
how much weight did brian lose during his ordeal?
what did brian find himself doing in grocery stores for years afterwards?
in the epilogue the author speculates what might have happened to brian had he
not been rescued. do you agree? explain.
vocabulary: unwittingly, transmitter, virtually, consumed, lean, marvelling,
furor, predators
enrichment: research the cree indians in canada. in many cree communities
today, cree is the spoken language of the natives. research the cree language
and cree syllabics. cree is considered by some academics to be the lingua
franca for many other native groups whose own mother tongue has disappeared.
explain the term "lingua franca" and research native languages in canada to see
if you agree.
as of 2005 many native children living in communities in northern ontario along
the james bay coast still speak cree in their homes and with their friends at
school. in small groups discuss how first nation cultures such as the cree may
have managed to retain their language while many other native groups have lost
theirs. communities along the coast where cree is still spoken as a first
language include: fort albany, kashechewan, attawapiskat and fort severn to name
but a few.

copyright 2003
created by: brian thornton, capo creations, box 1411, haileybury, ontario,
canada poj 1ko
not to be used or copied in any manner without specific written consent of the
publisher all rights reserved