Students interested in Sam's falcon can research the ancient art of falconry.
"My Side of the Mountain," by avid naturalist and author Jean Craighead George, easily makes many recommended reading lists with its classic appeal to young readers through Sam Gribley's independent survival experience. Outdoor adventure tales such as this help teachers inspire reluctant readers by appealing to some students' interest in the natural world and wilderness survival. Literature-based activities for students cross curricular boundaries in language arts, math, science, art and social studies as well as give learners a chance to try their hand at survival techniques.
Language Arts
Baron Weasel, Jesse James the raccoon and Sam's many other animal companions can motivate wildlife poetry. Have students read selections from Thoreau's "On Walden Pond" and draw connections between this Thoreau and the reason Bando gives Sam this nickname. Give your traditional book report a new look by turning it into a digital slide show. The author's website (see Resources) contains an email link allowing students to send her an email as welling as learn more about her and her work.
Math
Give students a graph of quantities for Sam's food supply, such as blueberries, dandelions, mushrooms, wild carrots, arrow leaves, cattails, raspberries, rabbit, venison, fish, squirrel and turtle. Make up word problems, such as, "If Sam used 3 cups of wild carrots for a soup once a week, how long would his carrot supply last?" or, "Sam wants to lay in a supply of 100 cups of strawberries. His bucket holds one quart. How many trips will he need to make to Mrs. Strawberry's patch?"
Science
Frightful, the peregrine falcon that Sam captures and raises from a fledgling and subsequently trains, provides ample material for writing a falcon training manual or newsletter on the biology, care and feeding of falcons. Diagram the web of life in Sam's environment with the animals, flora and fauna. Conduct a science experiment on food preservation in the wilderness. Try smoking, drying, salting or burying your food. Compare the condition and edibility of the food after a few weeks.
Art
Translate Mrs. George's detailed descriptions into a drawing or model of Sam's tree house. Carve the model out of small log and use clay and pebbles for the chimney. Cover the door with a small piece of leather to represent the deer hide. Have a student follow Sam's example to make a pants and jacket pattern for himself. For an additional challenge, he can get some cloth that resembles deer hide and sew the clothes. Make clay jam jars or follow Sam's instructions to create a slide willow whistle.
Social Studies
Practice map skills by drawing a map of the Gribley farm. Design a virtual scrapbook of seasons in the Catskill Mountains. Include a caption for each picture of the cyclical beauty of this region.
Wilderness Survival
Tell students to imagine they are setting out on an adventure, as Sam did. Have them make a list of supplies they will need to pack to survive on their own, including a reason for choosing each item. Sam makes many devices to help him survive in the wilderness. Let students test their survival skills by making a box trap or fish hook according to the diagrams in the book. Other students may enjoy building a model of Sam's bed or a meat-smoking rack with toothpicks and string.
Tags: deer hide, makes many, Side Mountain, wild carrots, will need