After you've finished reading Hatchet, or after finishing a chapter, ask your students to complete a literary element scavenger hunt! Give them a list of elements or devices to find and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each in the story! They will have an absolute blast and earn mastery of the words when they are completed.
Possible literary elements include:
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows different literary elements from Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.
Encourage students to brainstorm their own versions of literary devices based on themes or events from Hatchet. Ask them to think about Brian's experiences and come up with creative similes, metaphors, or personification that could fit into the story.
Have students write their original literary element sentences on paper or digitally, then invite them to share with a partner or small group. Model active listening and give peers a chance to ask questions or give constructive feedback.
Select a few creative examples and post them on a bulletin board or display them digitally. Recognize students for their effort and originality, motivating others to participate in future activities.
Facilitate a discussion about how their new examples relate to Brian’s journey or the themes in Hatchet. Highlight how figurative language can enhance storytelling and deepen understanding.
Hatchet features several literary elements such as simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, allusion, alliteration, foreshadowing, flashback, analogy, irony, and mood. These devices help convey the story's themes and emotions effectively.
A great method is a literary element scavenger hunt. Give students a list of elements to find in Hatchet, then have them create a storyboard that illustrates and explains each element with scenes and characters from the book.
A scavenger hunt asks students to search for specific literary elements within Hatchet. Students identify examples from the text, then illustrate and describe how each element enhances the story, boosting comprehension and engagement.
The Hatchet literary elements activity is designed for grades 6–8. It helps students at a developing to mastery level analyze and understand figurative language and literary devices in the novel.
Yes, this activity is ideal for individual work. Each student reviews the list of literary elements, finds examples in the text, and creates their own storyboard to showcase understanding of Hatchet.