The Sign of the Beaver
About
Until the day his father returns to their cabin in the Maine wilderness, 12-year-old Matt must try to survive on his own. During an attack by swarming bees, Matt is rescued by an Indian chief and his grandson. A Newbery Honor Book.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe the setting of this story?
Page 2 — In Maine during summer of 1768 at brand new township; Matt and his father had built the first cabin
2
Why did Matthew’s father leave him alone at the cabin?
Page 2 — He went back to their home in Quincy, MA to get Matthew’s mom, sister and new baby and bring them to the new cabin
2
What two things did Matthew’s father give him before he left and how will that help Matthew while he’s away?
Page 4 — A watch- it will keep him company while he’s gone; a rifle- for protection
4
How old is Matt when his father leaves him?
Page 6 — 12 years old
6
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
How was Matthew feeling about living alone in the wilderness?
Page 7 — He liked it; could do the chores and other tasks as he pleased and when he pleased; he filled his days up quickly
7
How did Matthew feed himself?
Page 8 — He shot rabbits and ducks; caught fish; had flour to make cakes
8
Why was Matt uneasy about the Indians?
Page 10 — He could feel one was watching and around, but never got to see him
10
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Describe Ben and what happened in the town he left?
Page 11 — Heavyset, stomach bulging, wearing a ragged blue army coat, tangled reddish whiskers, said the town was after him and he decided to go get some beaver pelts and live with the Indians
11
Why was Matt uneasy with Ben?
Page 17 — He didn’t know how long he’d stay at the cabin, he didn’t know if he could trust him, didn’t’ know if he was dangerous
17
What was the consequence of Ben seeing the gun and Matt falling asleep?
Page 18 — Ben stole the gun
18
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
How had Matt been careless in this chapter?
Page 20 — He didn’t bar the door well enough and a bear got in and scattered the flour and ate the molasses
20
How was Matt going to survive without flour, salt and molasses?
Page 21 — On fish as long as he had a fishing line
21
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Why was Matt so anxious to get some honey from the bees?
Page 22 — He was tired of plain fish and wanted something tasty
22
What’s Matt’s consequence for disturbing the bees?
Page 23 — He got stung all over
23
Who saved him and how?
Page 26 — Two Indians; they got him out of the water and pulled out the poisonous needles from the stings; carried him home and gave him medicine
26
What would be your reaction if you were helped by two strangers you were nervous about?
Listen to your answer
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
How did Saknis help Matt when he saw he was awake?
Page 27 — Checked his ankle to see if it was broken, left delicious food for him; gave him a crutch and moccasins to wear since Matt lost one of his boots
27
How did Attean respond to Matt?
Page 28 — He looked like he despised him and the cabin along with everything in it; seemed to inwardly laugh at Matt
28
Why did Saknis want Matt to teach Attean to read?
Page 31 — So he could understand what the white man writes; the white man has fooled the Indians because the Indians haven’t understood their writing
31
List a difference between Ben and the two Indians.
Ben took advantage of Matt's vulnerability and stole his gun; the Indians saved Matt's life and were honorable when he was wounded
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why did Matt call Attean a savage?
Page 32 — Indians were considered savages when the colonists first came to America; the colonists didn’t realize how intellectual and kind the Indians were
32
Find a simile on page 33.
Page 33 — As rigid as a cedar post
33
Describe how the first reading lesson went.
Page 35 — Attean could pick out the letter “a”, but got impatient and left
35
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What did Matt decide to do for the next reading lesson?
Page 37 — He wanted to get Attean interested in learning to read, so he read a portion of Robinson Crusoe
37
How did Attean respond?
Page 37 — He didn’t look at all interested but ended up making comments about the story
37
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What did Attean teach Matt to do?
Page 40 — Make a snare to catch a rabbit
40
Give some examples of the offerings Attean would bring Matt.
Page 41 — Meat, nuts, cakes
41
How did Attean feel about the passage Matt read to him?
Page 43 — He said it wasn’t right; the Indian would never say he was a slave to a white man
43
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Explain how Attean taught Matt how to fish.
Page 46 — Made a spear, got in the water and threw it at a fish
46
Why did Matt decide to fish his usual way?
Page 47 — He made a fool of himself and thought Attean was mocking him
47
What else did Attean teach him after Matt lost his hook?
Page 48 — How to make a hook out of a twig, how to make fire with a rock and how to cook the fish they caught
48
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
What did Attean say when he saw Matt pulling weeds and what does it mean?
Page 52 — “Squaw work”, the women do that work
52
Describe Attean’s dog.
Page 52 — Mangy tail, thin, coat of coarse brown hair, whitish patches on his face that made him look like a clown, pointed nose with bumps and bristles, ears were beat up like they’d won lots of battles
52
Where did Attean take Matt?
Page 55 — To a part of the woods he’d never been to; to a beaver dam
55
What will help Matt find his way to where he wants to go and not get lost?
Page 57 — Making signs like the Indians
57
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Why did Matt want to make a bow?
Page 59 — He was tired of eating fish and wanted something to shoot birds and other animals
59
Describe how Attean and Matt made a bow.
Page 60 — Got a thick branch, took off the bark, used a stone to smooth it and shape it; used roots to make the string
60
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why couldn’t Attean and Matt have the fox?
Page 64 — It was on the Turtle Clan territory and the Beaver clan don’t take animals on the Turtle Clan territory
64
Why was Matt so confused and angry about leaving the fox?
Page 65 — He couldn’t understand the Indian code that makes an animal suffer just because of a mark on a tree
65
What had Attean learned from Matt in the time they spent together?
Page 67 — He could speak English more easily and picked up some slang words and phrases
67
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Why is Attean disappointed that Matt’s finished reading Robinson Crusoe to him?
Page 68 — He likes to tell the adventures he hears to his brothers
68
What did Matt read from to share more stories with Attean?
Page 68 — The Bible
68
What story did Attean tell Matt?
Page 69 — A similar one to Noah building the ark and the rain flooding the earth
69
Who’s Gluskabe?
Page 70 — A mighty hunter that came from the north who was very strong. He made the wind blow and made thunder. He made all animals and Indians
70
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
What did Matt and Attean run into on the way to the beaver dam?
Page 72 — A bear and her cub
72
Describe what happened between the boys and the bear.
Page 72 — The bear looked angry, Matt threw a rabbit he had just shot at the bear and hit her in the nose. Attean then had time to shoot the bear two times and stab her with a knife. Matt stabbed too, but she was already dead
72
What did Attean say to the bear?
Page 74 — That he was sorry he had to kill her, he didn’t want to
74
What will Matt have to show his father that he helped kill a bear?
Page 75 — Attean’s praise that he moved fast like an Indian
75
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Where did Attean take Matt the evening they killed the bear?
Page 77 — To his home to participate in the bear feast
77
How did Matt feel around the children and other tribe members after being alone so long at his cabin?
Page 79 — Confused from all the noise; overwhelmed
79
How did Matt feel as he danced with the Indians?
Page 81 — Happy, excited, relaxed, like he was one of them
81
Attean said he wouldn’t eat this dinner since he had killed it. Why?
Page 82 — It’s their tradition to not eat what you kill; there was a pride there; he might not get another bear
82
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
Where had all the men gone and why hadn’t Attean gone with them?
Page 86 — Hunting; He couldn’t go because he didn’t have a gun
86
Why didn’t Attean’s grandmother want Matt to come to the feast?
Page 87 — She doesn’t like white man; they shot Attean’s mother. Then Attean’s father went to find the man who killed his mother and never came back
87
What was Attean’s response when Matt said that Indians did the same thing to white settlers and that the white women were afraid to come out of their cabins?
Page 88 — Attean asked why the white settlers built their cabins on the Indians’ hunting grounds
88
Why had Saknis invited Matt to the feast when his wife was opposed to it?
Page 89 — Out of kindness or fairness since Matt had helped to kill the bear
89
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
What did Matt find in a trap on the Turtle clan territory?
Page 92 — Attean’s dog
92
How did Matt get into to see Attean’s grandmother?
Page 94 — He spoke with authority to the girls who came out of the stockade
94
What did Attean’s grandmother do for Matt’s hand?
Page 96 — She washed it and put a salve with a bandage on it
96
How did Matt get the dog out of the trap?
Page 97 — He had gone for help at Attean’s home; Attean’s sister Marie came with Matt; she put a blanket over the dog’s head and Matt was able to get the trap open
97
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
Why was Matt so curious and interested while watching the squaws work?
Page 100 — He was interested to see how they did things since he had to do the same work at his cabin
100
What activities did the Indian boys let Matt participate in?
Page 100 — A gambling game of sticks, a game of hitting the ball with sticks and putting it in the goal, swimming
100
How did Matt lose his shirt?
Page 101 — By losing at the gambling game
101
Why didn’t Matt feel alone in the forest anymore?
Page 105 — He had made a positive bond with the tribe
105
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
What’s a manitou?
Page 107 — A spirit that comes in a dream; all Indian boys need to have one
107
How was Attean supposed find his manitou?
Page 108 — He had to make special preparations: bath himself carefully, take special medicine to make him clean inside and out, go far into the forest and build himself a wigwam of branches, he would stay alone for many days and wouldn’t eat anything, he could drink a little bit of water from the brook at night, sing sacred songs, repeat the ancient prayers of his people, and wait faithfully, then when he received it he could go back to his people
108
Why was it so important for Attean to find his manitou?
Page 109 — He couldn’t hunt with the men until he received it
109
Chapter 21
Comprehension questions
Why did Saknis come with Attean to visit Matt?
Page 111 — To ask him to come with the Indians up north on the hunt so he wouldn’t be alone during the winter
111
Why couldn’t Matt go with them on the hunt?
Page 112 — He had to wait in case his father and family came; he was entrusted with taking care of the cabin
112
Why do you suppose Attean didn’t say good-bye?
Page 114 — He was too proud; he would come back to see Matt before leaving
114
Chapter 22
Comprehension questions
What did Matt do to finally earn Attean’s respect?
Page 115 — Stay at the cabin and wait for his father instead of going with Attean and Saknis
115
What gifts to Saknis and Attean give to Matt before leaving?
Page 116 — Snowshoes, a small basket of maple sugar and the dog
116
What gift did Matt give to Attean?
Page 118 — The watch his father left with him
118
Chapter 23
Comprehension questions
What did Matt do with one of the blankets from his bed and why?
Page 122 — He made pants because it was cold outside
122
How did Matt make his fur hat?
Page 124 — He made a deadfall trap, caught an animal, scraped the skin clean, washed it, rubbed and stretched it smooth, then sewed it
124
What did Matt make for his family as he waited for them?
Page 125 — new dishes for his mom, a cradle for the baby, a cornhusk doll with silk hair for Sarah
125
Chapter 24
Comprehension questions
How did Matt know it was going to snow?
Page 127 — The clouds were dark gray, feeling in the air
127
What helped Matt feel free and happy with the winter ahead and why?
Page 129 — The snowshoes; they gave him a freedom to move about the snow
129
Chapter 25
Comprehension questions
What had taken Matt's family so long to get to the cabin?
Page 131 — They all got sick with typhus and were all too weak and sick to travel
131
Was Saknis right about more white men coming? Explain.
Page 135 — Yes. Matt’s mother heard from another couple that they were settling 5 miles from their cabin and three other families were coming and were going to set up a mill; they would have a town and maybe a school
135
What is a theme demonstrated throughout this story?
Coming of Age; Friendship; Survival and Independence
What did you like about this story?
Listen to your child's answer
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