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Chapter 5

Hatchet

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

Copywork

He felt his heartbeat increase as the fear started. The thought was there but he fought it down for a time, pushed it away, then it exploded out. They might not find him for a long time.

Read the passage aloud. What changes between the first sentence and the last?

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in order: waking thirsty, drinking at the lake, thinking about the searchers, the pocket inventory, the shout, and the worry about the flight plan.

1. Brian expects to be home "by late night or early morning." What is that expectation built on?Inference

2. Brian yells "I'm hungry" until the whole forest goes quiet. Why might he need to say it so loudly?Character

3. Brian lays out everything he has, then adds the one thing Perpich says he always has: himself. Does that count for much out here?Theme

4. Brian keeps measuring his own trouble against the movies. Why might Paulsen keep bringing the movies in?Author's choice

5. Brian wakes thirsty and ends the chapter on his feet, saying he has to do something. What moves him from one to the other?Plot structure

Make a Connection Tell about a time you were sure something would happen soon and it took longer.

Vocabulary

Crossword
1234
5
6
7
89
Across
  • Across 1. To get bigger or faster.
  • Across 6. Very strong or deep.
  • Across 8. To dry up and shrink.
  • Across 9. So small or poor that it makes you feel sorry.
Down
  • Down 2. Burst out suddenly and with force.
  • Down 3. Covering a large area or a lot of effort.
  • Down 4. Slowly, a little at a time.
  • Down 5. Wild with worry or fear.
  • Down 7. Left in a place with no way to leave.
The words in the chapter
  • increase He felt his heartbeat increase as the fear started.
  • exploded then it exploded out.
  • wither he felt that he would wither up and die
  • stranded What did they do in the movies when they got stranded like this?
  • frantic His father and mother would be frantic.
  • extensive When a plane went down they mounted extensive searches
  • pitiful It was pitiful enough.
  • intense it was so intense that it seemed to become part of him.
  • gradually Gradually, like sloshing oil his thoughts settled back and the panic was gone.

Critical thinking

1. Brian drinks the lake water even though he does not know if he can. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why he does it.

2. Brian works out that the plane may be far from where searchers will look. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how he reaches that.

3. Brian tells himself to slow down and think in short thoughts. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what that does for him.