The main character in the story, Sam, is only a young teenager when he decides to live on his own in the woods, owned by his family from long ago. When Sam leaves New York, all he brings with him is a penknife, $40.00, a ball of cord, and an ax. With these things, access to a library, and the help of a few others, Sam is able to survive in the wilderness indefinitely. For this assignment, students will make a “Wilderness Survival Brochure”, as written by Sam Gribley. Each page will include details about 4 things that Sam did in order to survive in the woods.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a wilderness survival brochure for the book My Side of the Mountain.
Student Instructions:
Encourage students to work in pairs or small groups to research real-life wilderness survival techniques beyond the book. This builds teamwork skills and expands their understanding of survival strategies.
Give each group a specific aspect of survival, such as building shelters, finding food, or first aid. This ensures a variety of information and keeps students focused on their topic.
Have groups create quick, visual presentations or poster boards summarizing their research. This reinforces public speaking and helps peers learn from each other.
Ask students to include at least one new, researched survival tip in their own brochures, citing sources where possible. This connects literature with real-world skills and sharpens research abilities.
Lead a class discussion or writing prompt to compare researched survival methods with the strategies Sam used in the novel. This deepens comprehension and encourages critical thinking.
A wilderness survival brochure for My Side of the Mountain is a student-created project that describes how Sam Gribley survives in the woods, using examples from the book. It includes survival tips, scenes, and instructions as if Sam is teaching others.
Four ways Sam survived include: building a shelter inside a tree, finding and catching his own food, making use of simple tools like a penknife and ax, and learning from library books and people he met. Each method shows his creativity and resourcefulness.
Start by creating a title and cover page. Then, describe four survival strategies Sam used, provide evidence from the text, and illustrate each scene. Write instructions as if you are Sam teaching someone else how to survive.
Using evidence from the text ensures your brochure is accurate and shows you understood My Side of the Mountain. It helps you support your descriptions with real examples, making your project stronger and more credible.
Each page should have a description of one way Sam survived, a matching scene or illustration, and instructions written in Sam's voice. Be sure to reference specific moments from the book for authenticity.