Quick Synopsis:

Written in the form of a diary, this story relates the days of Sam Gribley a young boy who runs away to the wilderness to live as one with nature in the Catskill Mountains.

The novel is about a teenage boy named Sam Gribley who decides to leave his overcrowded apartment in the city and live on his family's land in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. During his adventure, Sam learns about courage, independence, and the need for companionship. He also develops a close relationship with the animals in his environment, including a baby falcon and wild raccoons and weasels.

Overall Learning Expectations:

The students will:

• To present to students a tale of wilderness survival through Newberry Award winning literature.
• To show students, that with a degree of resourcefulness and patience, many things can be accomplished and that running away has its own set of difficulties.
• To introduce students to the rich variety of life of the forest and the interrelationships of the plants and animals living there. 

Teacher Notes Include:

• At A Glance – Skill List           
• Learning Objectives, Story Summary and Author Biography
• Teacher Input Suggestions
• Looking Over Novel
• Author’s Preface
• Answer Key    

Chapter Questions

• Section One
  • Reproducible Booklet Cover
• Chapter Titles: In Which I Hole Up in a Snowstorm; I Get Started on This Venture; I Find Gribley’s Farm

• Before You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Vocabulary
• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Word Study
  • Part C – Problems and Solutions
  • Part D – Homophones

 Section Two

• Chapter Titles: In Which I Find Many Useful Plants; The Old, Old Tree; I Meet One of My Own Kind and Have a Terrible Time Getting Away

• Before You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Vocabulary
• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part C – Writing – Using Words in a Sentence
  • Part D – Word Study

 Section Three

• Chapter Titles: The King’s Provider; A Brief Account of What I Did About the First Man Who Was After Me; In Which I Learn to Season My Food; How a Door Came to Me
•  Before You Read the Chapters
• • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Vocabulary
• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part C – Putting Events in Correct Order
  • Part D – Writing a Description
  • Part E – Word Study
  • Part F – Root Words

   Section Four

•  Chapter Titles: In Which Frightful Learns Her ABC’s; I Find a Real Live Man

• Before You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Vocabulary
• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Word Study
• Vocabulary Review Sections One to Four

 Section Five

• Chapter Titles: In Which the Autumn provides Food and Loneliness; We All Learn About Halloween; I find Out What to Do with Hunters
• Before You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Vocabulary
• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Word Study

 Section Six

• Chapter Titles: In Which Trouble Begins; I Pile Up Wood and Go on With Winter; I Learn about Birds and People
• Before You Read the Chapters

• Part A – Answer Questions
• Part B – Vocabulary

• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Word Study

 Section Seven

• Chapter Titles: In Which I Have a Good Look at Winter and Find Spring in the Snow; The Spring in the Winter; The Beginning of My Story’s End
• Before You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Vocabulary
• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Word Study

 Section Eight

•  Chapter Titles: In Which I Cooperate with the Ending; The City Comes to Me
• Before You Read the Chapters

• Part A – Answer Questions
• Part B – Vocabulary

• After You Read the Chapters
  • Part A – Answer Questions
  • Part B – Word Study

 Additional Activities:

• Alliteration
• Character Proofs
• Independent or Group Activities
• My Opinions Worksheet
• Novel Study Evaluation
• Recipe Writing
• Questions and Answers
• Sam’s Home
• Spelling Practice
• Spelling Test
• Story Summary Worksheet
• Vocabulary Check Up Sections One to Four
• Vocabulary Check Up Sections Five to Eight
• Vocabulary Review Sections Five to Eight

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