My Side of the Mountain tells the story of Sam Gribley, who is unhappy in the city and decides to make a life for himself in the mountains on the family’s old land. It takes a certain kind of person to do something like this. For this activity, students will create a spider map that describes some of Sam's character traits. They can identify why these traits made him so successful in his quest and what drove him to follow his passion.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a 3 cell spider map of Sam’s character traits in My Side of the Mountain.
Student Instructions:
Gather students in a circle and invite each to share one trait from their spider map, explaining why they chose it. This encourages active listening and helps students build confidence in sharing ideas.
Ask students to reflect on times when they showed similar traits as Sam. This personal connection deepens comprehension and makes character analysis more meaningful.
Designate a bulletin board for students to post their finished spider maps. This showcases diverse perspectives and celebrates student work, fostering a sense of pride and community.
Lead a discussion or brainstorming session where students identify book or movie characters who share traits with Sam. This builds connections across texts and helps students recognize universal qualities.
Sam Gribley is portrayed as resourceful, independent, and courageous. These traits help him survive alone in the mountains, adapt to challenges, and pursue his dream of living off the land.
To create a spider map, students should write each character trait of Sam in a separate cell, provide a supporting example from the text, and add an illustration that represents the trait. This helps visualize Sam's personality and growth.
Independence is key to Sam's journey because it motivates him to leave the city and survive on his own. His self-reliance is essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving his goals in the wilderness.
A character transformation activity involves students mapping out how Sam Gribley changes throughout the story, focusing on his evolving traits and the experiences that shape his growth.
The Sam Gribley character trait spider map is best for students in grades 4-6, providing an age-appropriate way to analyze literary characters and strengthen comprehension skills.