by Wilson RawlsITERATUREIBRARY - PDF document

A by Wilson RawlsITERATUREIBRARY Where the Red Fern Grows the sand banks of a river. When hunting, heplaces and things he saw.pursue his dream of writing. When WilsonWest Coast and lumberyards in Britishing them in a trunk at his motherÕs home.wasnÕt worth saving. Without showing hislished in 1961. RawlsÕs second book, Wilson Rawls died in 1984. He had onecopy of his book to his father and say, ÒIt tooka long time, Dad, but Imade it.ÓMeet Wilson Rawls Long before we moved from the farm, Ilearned the[Jack LondonÕsCall of the Wildof the WildÐÐWilson Rawlsorn in 1913, Woodrow Wilson Rawls wasnamed for President Woodrow Wilson,who took office that year. Rawls grew up onsmall farms in Scraper and Tahlequah,regularly. Wilson learned to read by listeningagain. He didnÕt like the fairy tales that his sis-the WildcouldnÕt afford paper or pencils, so the firstRobert Bower, Idaho Falls Post Register Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls burned the first version ofpure trash,Ó Rawls told a reporter, Òand noLater, his wife convinced him to return tobased on his boyhood and called ÒThe Secretof Youthhound, memories of his childhood are stirred.feeds him before sending him on his way. Ashis childhood and to the memories of twogood friendsÐÐredbone hounds named Old. Writers use flash-ColmanÕs life.The story, which is now considered a clas-teachersÕ workshop on childrenÕs books at thenarrated by Wilson Rawls himself.becoming a writer, he said:writing. You are never too young to start. Doyour story down on paper. Your first work willprobably need a lot of rewriting. You can worryRemember, the more you write and rewrite, thedonÕt give up, you will make it some day. Thearea of astonishing beauty. Deep valleys con-regionÕs natural resourcesÑthick forests ofoak, maple, hickory, and pine; mountain Introducing the Novel Where the Red Fern Grows Several kinds of hounds are mentioned in thenovel, including redbones, blueticks, walkers,game, particularly raccoons, by scent. Eachbreed has its own desirable hunting character-BillyÕs dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann, areredbone hounds. The redbone hound is bestknown for its loud voice, strong nose (capablecoon), persistence, and well-developed treeinginstinct. It is comfortable in water and onrough terrain. These dogs are especially braveRedbones are typical of other hounds inheight and weight, ranging from 21 to 26their most distinctive feature, ranging from adeep red to a light tan.In general, they are intelligent dogs thathave a strong sense that they are hunting for their master, not just themselves. Muchthey tend to be stubborn and make goodDid You Know? explore. Unusual place names like Pea VineHollow, Sparrow Hawk Mountians, andBluebird Creek add to the areaÕs charm.out running water and electricity. Schoolwrite, but other parents werenÕt able to dothese things themselves, and so couldnÕt Where the Red Fern Grows Do you have the desire and persistence to wait two years for something you really want? Would Did You Know?Raccoons are common animals in the Ozarks region. A raccoon is recognizable by its black ÒburglarÕsmaskÓpattern around its eyes and its bushy, ringed tail. The tail serves as a brace when the raccoonRaccoons usually search for food along the waterÕs edge. Because they dip their food in water beforethey eat it, humans think raccoons clean their food before eating it. However, raccoonsÕ sense of touchis heightened when their fingers are wet, which is probably the reason raccoons ÒwashÓ their food.Writers often use . Similes arenÕt meant to be taken literally. They are a kind of VOCABULARY PREVIEWY PREVIEWv. n. inferior or undesirable dog; mongrelfester [fes5t@r]v. n. unconquerable spiritmull[mul]v. v. $5le Before You ReadWhere the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern Grows Writers develop the personality of their characters through methods of characterization. Whena writer reveals the characterÕs personality by showing what thecharacter does and says and by showing what others think and say about the character. Use thegraphic below to note what you learn about Billy ColmanÕs personality in this section. Where the Red Fern Grows long, shaggy straw-colored hair uncombed;clothes clean but old andworn; muscular; brown,scratched bare feet What he looks like OthersÕ reactions Where the Red Fern Grows Were you surprised that Billy put so much time and energy into saving money for the Based on your response to the Focus Activityon page 12, how are you like Billy?How are you different? Analyzing LiteratureRecall and InterpretWhy do Grandpa and Billy keep the secret of the dogs from BillyÕs father? What Why, in BillyÕs opinion, do the names carved in the tree seem perfect for his pups? trap one? Name ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooDate oooooooooooooooooooooooooClass oooooooooooooooooName ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooDate oooooooooooooooooooooooooClass ooooooooooooooooo Where the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows Save your work for your portfolio. Analyzing Literature only with his dogs. Why is Mr. Colman concerned? Do you agree or disagree with Literature and WritingWriting a LetterWrite to a friend in a nearby town and describe what you saw. Begin with a sentencethat summarizes the impression you want to give your friend about this stranger. Then,Extending Your ResponseLiterature GroupsTo bring the action to life for his readers, Wilson Rawls chooses active, descriptiveout of a pipe. With your group, search for other examples ofpractical and realistic approach to training a dog to walk on a leash, stay, retrieve, or¥What expectations for change can an owner have? What can she or he expect to¥What preparations should the owner make? What props or aids will he or she need?¥What steps should be taken? In what order?¥What tips can you offer about communicating with a dog during training?¥What important warnings and reminders will help both the animal and owner? Where the Red Fern Grows Would you risk your life to save an animal? Would it depend on whether or not the animal wasShare IdeasWith a small group, discuss the two questions above. How would you describe the act of putting ananimalÕs life before a humanÕs life? Do you think itÕs heroic? responsible? irresponsible? foolish? WhyRead about how BillyÕs attitude toward animals develops as he gets more experience hunting with Did You Know?warmth, durability, and ability to repel water. During the 1920s, when pelts for coats brought eigh-Today, synthetic fabrics, game laws, and hunters who are more interested in the sport than themoney, offer some protection to the raccoon. the moods, fears, and uncertainties of their human companions. They believe that fear, confidence, VOCABULARY PREVIEWbegrudgingly udgingly $]adv. belligerententadj. hostile; aggressivedestine[des5tin]v. droningoning$n5ing]5ing]$r5ing]r5ing]adj. capable of moving and bending easilynonchalantly [non2sh@ la#nt5leadv. . $d5@l]v. $$$]]v. Before You ReadWhere the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern Grows read the second part of the novel, fill in the Venn diagram with words and phrases that show Where the Red Fern Grows Old DanLittle Ann boldsweetloyal Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Personal ResponseHow did you feel about Grandpa accepting the PritchardsÕ bet? Explain the reasonsfor your feelings. Analyzing LiteratureRecall and Interpret after the ghost coon hunt? Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows Save your work for your portfolio. Analyzing Literature Billy demonstrates great bravery and strength of character. Does Rawls make thischaracter seem believable, or is he too good to be true? Explain your answer by Literature and WritingWrite a letter to the editor of a newspaper in the area where Billy lived. Commenton the circumstances and tragic results of BillyÕs bet with the Pritchards. Include inyour letter your opinion about BillyÕs bet with the Pritchards. Assume that newspaperreaders are familiar with the tragedy.Extending Your ResponseLiterature GroupsDuring this section of the novel, BillyÕs parents begin to treat him differently, eventhough they never give up worrying about his welfare. With your group, search forspecific examples of the way BillyÕs mother and father now react to his behavior.Then discuss whether Billy acts any differently now that he is treated this way.way to get the animal is by chopping down the tree. Because of the treeÕs size, chop- Where the Red Fern Grows Predict how Billy, Old Dan, and Little Ann will do in the raccoon-hunting competition.Chart ItWith a group of your classmates, discuss your predictions. What, if anything, has already hap-Read to find out what happens to Billy, Grandpa, and the dogs when they enter the raccoon- Did You Know? The field trial, or hunt, tests a houndÕs ability to find and tree a raccoon. These competitionshave historical roots, and they still go on today. On the night of the hunt, dogs and their keeper. Each group drives to the area of its choice, and the hunters turn their dogs loose to huntreturnto its owner.flict, suspense builds to the climax, or the moment of greatest emotional intensity, just before theoutcome of the conflict is revealed. Writers create suspense by dropping hints about what might VOCABULARY PREVIEW[flin5tehaggard[hag5@rd][lK$thmortaltal^rt5@l]predatory[pred5@ to^r2escourge Before You ReadWhere the Red Fern Grows In this section of the novel, Billy, his family, and his dogs face many life-threatening situations. Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows ProblemsOutcomes It'sclose to daybreak, and Billy and his dogsneed one more raccoon skin to make it to thechampionship round. Did Little AnnÕs fate surprise you? Why or why not? Analyzing LiteratureRecall and InterpretIn what ways are BillyÕs dogs unusual? Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern Grows Analyzing Literature How important are the female characters, such as BillyÕs sisters and mother, to beloved animal. What would you say to Billy Colman that might comfort him? Literature and Writingfor the following school year. What would your recommendation be? Write a letter toyour teacher, recommending a course of action. In your letter, consider your responseto the novel. Also, consider the authorÕs techniquesÑsuch as character development,Extending Your ResponseLiterature GroupsWriters often build suspense by dropping hints about events that will occur later in astory. Looking back over the whole novel, you may now understand references that. With your group, look for other examples ofArtistic InterpretationMany readers visualize scenes and characters as they read a story. Share your visual-even collage. With your class, plan a way to display your work for other students in Save your work for your portfolio. Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.Personal ResponseDid you like the ending of the book? Why or why not? Writing About the NovelEarly in the story, BillyÕs father says, ÒThereÕs more to an education than just reading Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows Save your work for your portfolio. Before You ReadBackgroundWriter Willie Morris grew up on the Mississippi Delta in Yazoo City. He attended college inTexas, won a Rhodes scholarship, and became the youngest editor in the history of HarperÕsmagazine in New York City. a letter to MorrisÕs son David,answers DavidÕs question about growing up in the South. In this chapter, Morris looks back at hismemories of his boyhood best friend, a fox terrier named Old Skip. ally had those attributes? Why or why not? 3.Making Connections Write a Letteran adult. Write a letter to a child describing some of the things you did for fun, real or imagined,as a younger child. Add details to entertain and inform your reader. Good Old BoyWillie Morris Where the Red Fern Grows Before You ReadThink about an activity or hobby that you really enjoy. Have you ever met someone who makesBackgroundThe following two articles offer different views on raccoon hunting. Karin Winegar interviews seriously. Leroy Powell, on the other hand, finds humor in the sport. explain why or why not. 3.Making Connections raccoon hunt. With whom would you prefer to go coon hunting: Billy, Marilyn Le Blanc and Creative WritingWrite a paragraph on a separate sheet of paper describing the activity or hobby you thought of inKarin WinegarLeroy Powell Where the Red Fern Grows Before You ReadBackground 4.Making Connections Tell a Tall TaleTall tales Where the Red Fern Grows Where the Red Fern Grows Before You ReadHave you heard the saying, ÒA dog is a manÕs best friendÓ? Do you agree with it?BackgroundThis reading tells the story of an extraordinary feat that a dog performed for its master. It mayhelp you understand the deep bonds that can exist between a dog and its owner. The author, What role does Dragon play in revealing Aubrey de MontedidierÕs killer? Do you find his 3.Making Connectionsshows the most loyalty to its owner. Explain your choice. PerformingWork together in a small group to write a script for a TV show in which an animal is a main character. Choose the type of animal, and include a brief physical description of it. Namethe human characters, and explain their relation to the animal. Write a brief outline of the opening scene of an episode of the show, and include some dialogue. Perform the scene, usingretold by Before You ReadBackgroundMargery WilliamsÕs ÒThe Velveteen RabbitÓ is a classic story of a stuffed rabbit who longs to beloved by his owner, a young boy. As the Boy plays with the stuffed rabbit, a friendship grows. TheBoy and his Velveteen Rabbit develop a relationship similar to the one between Billy and his What happens to the Rabbit after the BoyÕs illness? Why, do you think, would you love 3.Making ConnectionsÒThe Velveteen Rabbit.Ó How are these relationships the same? How are they different? The Velveteen RabbitMargery Williams Where the Red Fern Grows