JULIE OF THE WOLVES THE AUTHOR

Transcription

1 Name JULIE OF THE WOLVES THE AUTHOR In her novels, Jean Craighead George blends accurate accounts of the natural world with stories about young people growing into adulthood. The idea for Julie of the Wolves grew out of a research trip George and her son Luke made to Barrow, Alaska. The aim of her trip was to learn about wolf behavior from a scientist conducting a study there. George was impressed with the social ties that hold a wolf pack together. She notes, A single wolf is not a wolf, just as a totally solitary human being is not truly human. While in Barrow, George and her son also made some personal discoveries about the culture of the Inuit people. (Inuit is a term many Arctic peoples prefer to the more general term Eskimo.) One day an excited Inuit boy led them onto the ocean ice to show them an amazing sight. A group of Inuit men were carefully cutting up an enormous bowhead whale they had just caught. George was deeply moved by the experience. Later I would learn that I had been observing a 2,000-year-old ritual of carving the whale for distribution among Eskimo people, she writes. Later she met a young Inuit woman who was the inspiration for the character of Julie. A keen observer of nature, George writes about wildlife and wild places with simplicity and dignity. At the same time, she inspires her readers to ponder their place in the natural world. THE STORY Left by her widowed father when she was very young, Miyax, whose English name is Julie, lives with her great-aunt Martha until she turns 13. She is then expected to marry Daniel, the son of Naka, an Inuit who practices old-time traditions. Unhappy in her arranged marriage, Miyax runs away in search of a new life. She ends up lost in the barren Alaskan tundra and encounters a pack of wild Arctic wolves. Near starvation, she watches them very closely until she finally learns and understands how to communicate with them. TIME AND PLACE Julie of the Wolves is set in far northern Alaska around the early 1970s. Most of the action of the novel takes place on the open tundra. This land, located on the northern part of the earth, is bare and generally flat. The landscape has a greenish-brown color in summer. In winter, covered with snow, it becomes almost totally white. The Arctic tundra is a land of light and a land of darkness. During the summer, there are days when the sun never completely sets. In winter, there are days when the sun doesn t appear above the horizon. This sharp seasonal contrast is due to the Arctic tundra s location to the North Pole. Because the earth tilts away from the sun in winter, sunlight does not shine directly on the northernmost part of the earth. For this reason, there are long periods of darkness during winter. In summer, when the earth tilts toward the sun, this northernmost region is sometimes exposed to the sun s rays both day and night. The climate of the Arctic tundra also shows sharp contrasts. Temperatures can range from 40 F in summer to -25 F in winter. Because of the long, freezing winters, the soil is permanently frozen into what is called permafrost. However, a thin layer of soil on top of this permafrost layer briefly thaws during the summer. In this layer that thaws, low-lying plants, such as mosses, grasses, and tiny wildflowers, bloom and grow during the brief but bright summer. Fierce winds that blow throughout the year keep taller plants from growing. Wildlife, as you might expect, is not abundant in the tundra. However, some mammals and birds, as well as insects, have adapted to the severe conditions. Common mammals in the Arctic tundra include the Arctic wolf, Arctic fox, and Arctic hare. There are also four types of birds that live on the tundra year-round: the ptarmigan, a chicken-like bird; the raven; the gyrfalcon; and the snowy owl. Several Arctic animals, such as the hare and the ptarmigan, gradually turn white as winter comes. In the snow, this color change helps to hide the animals from their predators. Other animals live in the tundra only during the summer. Birds such as geese and Arctic terns migrate south before the cold weather settles in. In fall, the shaggy, antlered caribou travel south from the tundra to escape the winter winds and find more food.

2 THE GRAY WOLF The type of wolf that Julie meets on her journey is the gray wolf. At one time, the gray wolf lived throughout North America, from Arctic Alaska to central Mexico, as well as in Europe and Asia. In North America today, gray wolves are found mainly in Alaska and Canada. Since 1995, however, wildlife managers have reintroduced the wolves in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Gray wolves are known for their intelligence and the clearly defined social structure of their packs. A pack is a family group led by an adult breeding pair, known as the alpha pair. Both the male and female alphas look after the pack s pups and act as leaders during the hunt. The wolf pack has a distinct order of rank. Each wolf knows which pack mates are his or her superiors and which are inferiors. The wolves establish and maintain this social structure through body language postures, movements, and expressions that send a variety of messages. Another part of their language is howling. Group howling helps to maintain the pack s closeness. SCHEDULE MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 10/22 -spelling pre-test -intro unit -HW: read pp /23 -HW: read pp /24 -HW: read pp /25 -Part I QUIZ -HW: read pp /26 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 10/29 -spelling post-test -HW: read pp /30 -HW: read pp /31 -HW: read pp /1 -HW: read pp /2 -HW: read pp /5 -spelling pre-test -HW: read pp /6 -trifold DUE -Part III QUIZ 11/7 11/8 NEW UNIT -study notebook DUE 11/9 (Key: HW=homework) VOCABULARY carrion, ambrosia, immense, predicament, grovel, annex, taut, frigid, roost, bleakness, plaintive, nomadic, forage, brandish, regal, morsel, cowed, misgivings, croon, vitality, predator, cumbersome, lair, depart, quonset, gingerly, dialect, sheath, discern, instincts, diligently, monotony, edible, vibrant, ferocity, tribute, regurgitate, plumage, gesture, sinew, quivering, hostile (1) On a separate sheet of paper, alphabetize the words above. (2) Choose 10 of the above vocab words and complete a Vocabulary Builder page for each. QUIZZES Two after Part I and Part III. STUDY NOTEBOOK You will assemble a study notebook for this novel to demonstrate your understanding of the book and its message(s). Create a cover page that lists the book title and your name. Add a colorful and meaningful mandala (circular image without words that portrays important incidents) of Julie s life. Include your vocab activities, worksheets, and journal entries; number the pages; and include a Table of Contents. Please do your own work. DUE Nov 8. JOURNAL ENTRIES Write a thorough response of at least 25 words for each of the following questions.

3 1. What did you find most interesting about Julie s response to her surroundings? Explain. 2. Miyax s English name is Julie. She didn t mind when the children of Mekoryuk called her Julie. She didn t even mind when her mother called her by her English name. Why does she mind when her father, Kapugen, calls her Julie? 3. Kapugen taught Miyax that to an Inuit, it is a wealthy spirit which makes one a leader. Name the three qualities which Kapugen says makes a wealthy spirit. Give an example of someone you know who has all three of these qualities. 4. Kapugen taught Miyax to wait patiently and never give up. She would get what she needed. How did this help her to survive? Give examples. 5. Do you think Miyax s attempt to cross the tundra alone was wise? Explain. 6. Why did Miyax believe that the wolves might help her get food? How did she hope to communicate with them? Think of some of the animals you know. Do they have certain actions that tell you how they are feeling? Give some examples in your explanation. 7. Do you think the scenes of Julie interacting with the wolves could really happen? Explain. 8. Miyax says that Amaroq is clearly the wealthy wolf. How does she define wealthy? How does she know that Amaroq is the leader of the wolf pack? 9. Throughout her ordeal on the tundra, Miyax recalls much of Kapugen s advice. At one point she recalls he said, Change your ways when fear seizes, for it usually means you are doing something wrong. What did he mean? Explain how you could apply that advice to your own life. 10. How did the hunters killing of Amaroq change Miyax s thinking about civilization? How did this experience change Miyax? 11. What was Miyax s impression of Daniel? Was she right in leaving him and attempting to cross the tundra? What else could she have done? 12. [Kapugen] had been dead to her for so long that she was almost frightened by the knowledge that he lived. Yet she loved each cold chill that told her it was true. Why do you think Miyax is frightened when she learns that her father is still alive? How does she still need him? At the end of the story, Julie pointed her boots toward Kapugen. How does this decision help to resolve her conflict? 13. At the conclusion of the story, after Miyax buries Tornait in the snow, she said, the hour of the wolf and the Eskimo is over. What did she mean? 14. As Julie leaves for the wilderness, why do you think she says, Julie is gone. I am Miyax now? 15. Do you think that traditional Inuit ways can survive in the modern world? Explain. PROJECT Complete the Julie of the Wolves trifold. Fold it into thirds so that it looks like a brochure. DUE Nov 6.

4 STUDY NOTEBOOK RUBRIC (65 points) EXCELLENT (7) GOOD (5) SATISFACTORY (3) NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (1) Ideas Ideas expressed & organized clearly Ideas somewhat well expressed & organized Ideas somewhat organized but unclear & difficult to determine most important ideas Seems like collection of unrelated information & impossible to determine most important ideas Presentation & Craftsmanship Pride evident AND (Art) All graphics or artistic aspects are neatly & colorfully done OR (Writing) Work is typed, neat, clean, & easy to read with no grammar, spelling, or capitalization errors Care evident AND (Art) All graphics or artistic aspects are neat OR (Writing) Work is handwritten, neat, clean, & easy to read with 1-3 grammar, spelling, or capitalization errors Some care evident AND (Art) Some graphics or artistic aspects are messy OR (Writing) Work is crumpled or slightly stained & has 4-5 grammar, spelling, or capitalization errors Looks like it was done in a hurry AND (Art) Graphics or artistic aspects are distractingly messy OR (Writing) Work looks like it s been shoved in locker and/or has 6+ grammar, spelling, or capitalization errors Creative expression Product shows much original thought; ideas are presented creatively yet easily understood Product shows some original thought; ideas are presented somewhat creatively & are easily understood Uses other people s ideas (giving them credit); little evidence of original thinking; ideas somewhat creatively presented but not easily understood Uses other people s ideas but doesn t give them credit; ideas not presented creatively; not easily understood Knowledge gained Topic clearly understood & information presented forcefully & convincingly Topic clearly understood & information presented well Main points understood & information presented adequately Doesn t show adequate understanding of topic Cover Neatly & creatively presented; relevant & colorful mandala graphics; includes name/date Mostly neat & creative; most mandala graphics are relevant; colorful; includes name/date Somewhat neat & creative; some mandala graphics are relevant; may be colorful; may not include name or date Messy; not creative; few mandala graphics are relevant; not colorful; missing name or date Contents All required elements are completed, accurate, & included Some elements are missing Vocabulary All 10 vocab sheets are complete & accurate; vocab list is alphabetized All 10 vocab sheets are complete but several errors; vocab list is alphabetized Missing 1-2 vocab sheets; vocab list may not be alphabetized Missing 3+ vocab sheets; vocab list not alphabetized or missing Journal entries All entries are complete & thorough Most entries are complete & thorough Some entries are complete Few entries are complete & thorough & thorough Project Project is complete, thorough, demonstrates much research, & accurate Project is complete, thorough, demonstrates some research, & may have inaccuracies Project is incomplete, brief, demonstrates little research, & has several inaccuracies Project is incomplete, doesn t demonstrate research, & has many inaccuracies Submitted on time: /2 points OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES Check your vocabulary skills by completing four online games concentration, matching, Java flash cards, and a word search. All are accessible from <

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15 PART I In the first part of the story, we see Julie in a desperate predicament. As you read Part I, notice how Julie interacts with her environment and how she deals with difficulties. In the chart below, list three of her personal traits. Then, list one or two actions or decisions that reveal that trait. TRAIT: resourceful Examples: -Builds house from sod chunks -Eats lichens when no meat is available -Obtains meat from wolves TRAIT: Examples: TRAIT: Examples: TRAIT: Examples:

16 PART II During her early childhood, Julie lives in a traditional Inuit seal camp. As an older child, she lives in two other communities an Inuit village and the town of Barrow. As you read, use the chart below to record details about Julie s everyday life in each setting. List at least six details on each side of the chart. LIFE AT THE SEAL CAMP watches Kapugen hunt seals Mekoryuk LIFE IN VILLAGE AND TOWN Barrow