Surviving the Unknown - Hatchet (Middle School) Digital Download
In this unit, students will embark on an adventure alongside Brian, a boy who miraculously survives a plane crash and is forced to learn how to survive alone in the wilderness with nothing but his hatchet. As they read Hatchet and follow Brian on his journey, students will also be on a journey to learn about what it means to survive, the importance of perseverance, and the roles that mindset, instinct, and luck play in one’s ability to survive. By the end of this unit, students will be able to apply these concepts not only to Brian’s experience, but to those of historical figures, real life explorers, other fictional characters, and their own life.
As students work through the activities in this unit they will be developing hands-on skills that are essential to navigating various survival situations. They will explore different ways to build a fire, the uses of a hatchet, essential survival supplies, and how to build a shelter. After learning about these skills they will then apply their knowledge of survival to a wilderness area of their choice in the culminating research project and presentation. With each activity and project students will be gaining knowledge and understanding that they can carry with them far beyond the pages of this workbook. This unit is meant to guide students in building essential survival skills and challenge them in their critical thinking, perseverance and mindset. The goal is to equip their young minds with far more than a hatchet and luck, and give them the confidence and ability to persevere and survive no matter what direction their journey takes.
Activities include:
Exploring the essential questions: What does it mean to survive? How can perseverance impact the outcomes in various situations? How might mindset, instinct, or luck impact ones ability to survive?
Exploring the idea of who survives and why through excerpts from numerous well-known texts
Academic vocabulary
Non-fiction articles
Mini-research task
Robinson Crusoe excerpt and accompanying assignment
Music analysis and accompanying activity
Survival skills: 10 essentials, uses of a hatchet, how to start a fire, how to build a shelter
Journal prompts for before and after reading each chapter of Hatchet
Reading Logs - an assignment that spans the entirety of the text, utilizing a research-based close reading strategy that improves reading comprehension and analytical skills. Grading rubric included.
Film pairing and accompanying assignment
Music pairing and accompanying assignment
Art and poetry pairings and accompanying assignments
Non-fiction articles
Wilderness research project and presentation
Creative final project
BONUS RESOURCES
An original recipe that is not only delicious, but pairs well with the text
Invitation to join our private Facebook group, exclusively for purchasers of our curriculum (where you will have direct access to the creators of this curriculum)
Complete parent/teacher guide included - the parent guide provides all necessary information for the implementation of this unit including an example 8 week pacing guide.
You will need to purchase a copy of the anchor text, Hatchet, by Gary Paulse to accompany this unit. We encourage you to purchase through your local bookstore, or purchase here.
This product is a digital download.
Have questions about this unit? Don’t hesitate to reach out! Contact us directly here.
