The Sign of the Beaver

By Elizabeth George Speare

Grades 3-5; Genre – Historical Fiction; GRL T; AR pts: 5.0

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.

Vocabulary

Writing Prompts

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Describe the setting of this story? In Maine during summer of 1768 at brand new township; Matt and his father had built the first cabin p.2
2. Why did Matthew’s father leave him alone at the cabin? 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 p.2
3. What two things did Matthew’s father give him before he left and how will that help Matthew while he’s away? A watch- it will keep him company while he’s gone; a rifle- for protection p.4
4. How old is Matt when his father leaves him? 12 years old p.6

Chapter 2

1. How was Matthew feeling about living alone in the wilderness? He liked it; could do the chores and other tasks as he pleased and when he pleased; he filled his days up quickly p.7
2. How did Matthew feed himself? He shot rabbits and ducks; caught fish; had flour to make cakes p.8
3. What’s the advice Matt’s dad gave him about the Indians? Be polite if you should ever meet one p.9
4. Why was Matt uneasy about the Indians? He could feel one was watching and around, but never got to see him p.10

Chapter 3

1. Describe Ben and what happened in the town he left? 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 p.11
2. Why was Matt uneasy with Ben? 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 p.17
3. What was the consequence of Ben seeing the gun and Matt falling asleep? Ben stole the gun p.18

Chapter 4

1. How had Matt been careless in this chapter? He didn’t bar the door well enough and a bear got in and scattered the flour and ate the molasses p.20
2. How was Matt going to have to survive without flour, salt and molasses? On fish as long as he had a fishing line p.21

Chapter 5

1. Why was Matt so anxious to get some honey from the bees? He was tired of plain fish and wanted something tasty p.22
2. What’s Matt’s consequence for disturbing the bees? He got stung all over p.23
3. Who saved him and how? 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 p.26

Chapter 6

1. How did Saknis help Matt when he saw he was awake? 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 p.27
2. How did Attean respond to Matt? He looked like he despised him and the cabin along with everything in it; seemed to inwardly laugh at Matt p.28
3. What did Matt give to repay Saknis for the kindness his gave him? A book; Robinson Crusoe p.29
4. What are the signs Saknis is talking about? The writing in the book p.30
5. Why did Saknis want Matt to teach Attean to read? So he could understand what the white man writes; the white man has fooled the Indians because the Indians haven’t understood their writing p.31

Chapter 7

1. Why did Matt call Attean a savage? Indians were considered savages when the colonists first came to America; the colonists didn’t realize how intellectual and kind the Indians were p.32
2. Find a simile on page 33. As rigid as a cedar post p.33
3. Describe how the first reading lesson went. Attean could pick out the letter “a”, but got impatient and left p.35

Chapter 8

1. What did Matt decide to do for the next reading lesson? He wanted to get Attean interested in learning to read, so he read a portion of Robinson Crusoe p.37
2. How did Attean respond? He didn’t look at all interested but ended up making comments about the story p.37

Chapter 9

1. What did Attean teach Matt to do? Make a snare to catch a rabbit p.40
2. Give some examples of the offerings Attean would bring Matt. Meat, nuts, cakes p.41
3. How did Attean feel about the passage Matt read to him? He said it wasn’t right; the Indian would never say he was a slave to a white man p.43

Chapter 10

1. Explain how Attean taught Matt how to fish. Made a spear, got in the water and threw it at a fish p.46
2. Why did Matt decide to fish his usual way? He made a fool of himself and thought Attean was mocking him p.47
3. What else did Attean teach him after Matt lost his hook? How to make a hook out of a twig, how to make fire with a rock and how to cook the fish they caught p.48

Chapter 11

1. What did Attean say when he saw Matt pulling weeds and what does it mean? “Squaw work”, the women do that work p.52
2. Describe Attean’s dog. 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 p.52
3. Where did Attean take Matt? To a part of the woods he’d never been to; to a beaver dam p.55
4. What will help Matt find his way to where he wants to go and not get lost? Making signs like the Indians p.57

Chapter 12

1. Why did Matt want to make a bow? He was tired of eating fish and wanted something to shoot birds and other animals p.59
2. Describe how Attean and Matt made a bow. Got a thick branch, took off the bark, used a stone to smooth it and shape it; used roots to make the string p.60

Chapter 13

1. Why couldn’t Attean and Matt have the fox or let it go? It was on the Turtle Clan territory and the Beaver clan don’t take animals on the Turtle Clan territory p.64
2. Why was Matt so confused and angry about leaving the fox? He couldn’t understand the Indian code that makes an animal suffer just because of a mark on a tree p.65
3. What had Attean learned from Matt in the time they spent together? He could speak English more easily and picked up some slang words and phrases p.67

Chapter 14

1. Why is Attean disappointed that Matt’s finished reading Robinson Crusoe to him? He likes to tell the adventures he hears to his brothers p.68
2. What did Matt read from to share more stories with Attean? The Bible p.68
3. What story did Attean tell Matt? A similar one to Noah building the ark and the rain flooding the earth p.69
4. Who’s Gluskabe? 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 p.70

Chapter 15

1. What did Matt and Attean run into on the way to the beaver dam? A bear and her cub p.72
2. Describe what happened between the boys and the bear. 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 p.72
3. What did Attean say to the bear? That he was sorry he had to kill her, he didn’t want to p.74
4. What will Matt have to show his father that he helped kill a bear? Attean’s praise that he moved fast like an Indian p.75

Chapter 16

1. Where did Attean take Matt the evening they killed the bear? To his home to participate in the bear feast p.77
2. How did Matt feel around the children and other tribe members after being alone so long at his cabin? Confused from all the noise; overwhelmed p.79
3. How did Matt feel as he danced with the Indians? Happy, excited, relaxed, like he was one of them p.81
4. Attean said he wouldn’t eat this dinner since he had killed it. Why? It’s their tradition to not eat what you kill; there was a pride there; he might not get another bear p.82

Chapter 17

1. Where had all the men gone and why hadn’t Attean gone with them? Hunting; He couldn’t go because he didn’t have a gun p.86
2. Why didn’t Attean’s grandmother want Matt to come to the feast? 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 p.87
3. 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? Attean asked why the white settlers built their cabins on the Indians’ hunting grounds p.88
4. Why had Saknis invited Matt to the feast when his wife was opposed to it? Out of kindness or fairness since Matt had helped to kill the bear p.89

Chapter 18

1. What did Matt find in a trap on the Turtle clan territory? Attean’s dog p.92
2. How did Matt get into to see Attean’s grandmother? He spoke with authority to the girls who came out of the stockade p.94
3. What did Attean’s grandmother do for Matt’s hand? She washed it and put a salve with a bandage on it p.96
4. How did Matt get the dog out of the trap? 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 p.97

Chapter 19

1. Why was Matt so curious and interested while watching the squaws work? He was interested to see how they did things since he had to do the same work at his cabin p.100
2. What activities did the Indian boys let Matt participate in? A gambling game of sticks, a game of hitting the ball with sticks and putting it in the goal, swimming p.100
3. How did Matt lose his shirt? By losing at the gambling game p.101
4. Why didn’t Matt feel alone in the forest anymore? He had made a positive bond with the tribe p.105

Chapter 20

1. What’s a manitou? A spirit that comes in a dream; all Indian boys need to have one p.107
2. How was Attean supposed find his manitou? 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 p.108
3. Why was it so important for Attean to find his manitou? He couldn’t hunt with the men until he received it p.109

Chapter 21

1. Why did Saknis come with Attean to visit Matt? To ask him to come with the Indians up north on the hunt so he wouldn’t be alone during the winter p.111
2. Why couldn’t Matt go with them on the hunt? He had to wait in case his father and family came; he was entrusted with taking care of the cabin p.112
3. Why do you suppose Attean didn’t say good-bye? He was too proud; he would come back to see Matt before leaving p.114

Chapter 22

1. What did Matt do to finally earn Attean’s respect? Stay at the cabin and wait for his father instead of going with Attean and Saknis p.115
2. What gifts to Saknis and Attean give to Matt before leaving? Snowshoes, a small basket of maple sugar and the dog p.116
3. What gift did Matt give to Attean? The watch his father left with him p.118

Chapter 23

1. What did Matt do with one of the blankets from his bed and why? He made pants because it was cold outside p.122
2. How did Matt make his fur hat? He made a deadfall trap, caught an animal, scraped the skin clean, washed it, rubbed and stretched it smooth, then sewed it p.124
3. What did Matt make for his family as he waited for them? new dishes for his mom, a cradle for the baby, a cornhusk doll with silk hair for Sarah p.125

Chapter 24

1. How did Matt know it was going to snow? The clouds were dark gray, feeling in the air p.127
2. What helped Matt feel free and happy with the winter ahead and why? The snowshoes; they gave him a freedom to move about the snow p.129

Chapter 25

1. Who showed up at the cabin? Matt’s family p.130
2. What had taken them so long to get there? They all got sick with typhus and were all too weak and sick to travelp.131
3. Why was the baby with Matt’s family? It only lived five days and then died p.132
4. Was Saknis right about more white men coming? Explain. 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 p.135