Core Skills Analysis
English
- Will showed literary understanding by completing a novel study for *Hatchet* and creating a panel with an alternative ending, which means he worked with plot structure and considered how the story could change if events unfolded differently.
- By inventing an alternative ending, Will practiced creative writing and narrative thinking, including pacing, cause and effect, and the need for a clear resolution that fits the events of the novel.
- Answering reading comprehension questions shows Will was able to locate details from the text, recall important information, and explain his understanding of characters, setting, and major events.
- The combination of a creative response and comprehension work suggests Will engaged with both the meaning of the story and its structure, balancing interpretation with evidence from the novel.
Tips
To extend Will’s understanding, he could compare his alternative ending with the original ending and explain how each version changes the tone or message of the novel. He could also revisit key scenes from *Hatchet* and identify the events that made his ending possible, helping him strengthen cause-and-effect thinking. A next step could be to write a short paragraph from Brian’s point of view at a different moment in the story, which would deepen character voice and empathy. Finally, discussing which details from the book must stay the same for his ending to make sense would help him connect creative writing with textual evidence.
Book Recommendations
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: A survival novel about Brian, a boy stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash, who must rely on himself to stay alive.
- The Cay by Theodore Taylor: A survival story about a boy and an older man stranded on an island, focusing on courage, adaptation, and endurance.
- Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell: A classic survival novel about a young girl left alone on an island who must learn to survive through observation and resilience.
Try This Next
- Write 5 discussion questions about why Will’s alternative ending works or differs from the original.
- Create a two-column chart comparing the original ending of *Hatchet* and Will’s alternate ending.
- Draw a storyboard of the last three scenes in the novel, then label the cause-and-effect chain.