Spirit Bear Chapter 1 Worksheet
Novel Study • Chapter 1
Touching Spirit Bear
Reading Comprehension & Character Check
Name:
Date: Period:
Chapter 1 Vocabulary Helper
Skiff A small open boat with a motor
Banishment Being sent away as punishment
Circle Justice A healing system, not prison
Defiant Angry; refusing to follow rules
Part 1: Multiple Choice
Circle the letter of the correct answer.
- Where is fifteen-year-old Cole Matthews being taken at the beginning of Chapter 1?
A To a maximum-security adult prison in Washington state
B To a remote, empty island in Southeast Alaska
C To a military boarding school near his hometown
- Who is traveling on the skiff (boat) with Cole to take him to the island?
A Garvey (his probation officer) and Edwin (a Tlingit elder)
B Cole's mother and his defense lawyer
C Peter Driscal and two armed police officers
- What crime did Cole commit against Peter Driscal?
A He stole Peter's bicycle and spray-painted his locker
B He severely beat Peter and smashed his head against the sidewalk
C He blamed Peter for robbing a hardware store
- Why did Cole agree to participate in Native American Circle Justice?
A He felt terrible and wanted to apologize directly to Peter
B He wanted to avoid going to jail and thought he could trick people
C His parents forced him because they didn't want him at home
- How does Cole act toward Edwin and Garvey during the trip on the boat?
A He is polite, quiet, and thanks them for helping him
B He is terrified and begs them to take him back to his mother
C He smirks, acts angry, and speaks rudely with defiance
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen Page 1 of 2 • Continue to Part 2 on back →
Novel Study • Chapter 1
Part 2: Short Answer Responses
Explain your ideas in complete sentences. Use the word bank and sentence frames to help you.
Name:
ELL Writing Support • Helpful Words Bank
responsibility blame anger consequences respect survival alone
Cole beat up Peter Driscal, but Cole says it is Peter's fault. Why does Cole blame Peter instead of blaming himself?
Sentence Starter:
"Cole blames Peter because Peter ____________. This shows that Cole ____________."
Helpful ideas: told the police • snitched • is angry • will not admit his mistakes • is selfish
Edwin tells Cole that on the island, "Patience, gentle hands, and respect" are needed to survive, and that nature will not obey his anger. How do you predict Cole will handle being alone on the island? Explain your prediction.
Sentence Starter:
"I predict that Cole will struggle on the island because ____________."
Writing Self-Check:
Capital letters
Complete thoughts
Periods at the end
Spirit Bear Answer Key
Teacher Resource • Answer Key
Touching Spirit Bear • Chapter 1
Comprehension Check & Text Evidence Guide
Total Points 9 Points Total
Quick Scan Key:
1. B 2. A 3. B 4. B 5. C Q6-Q7: Written (2 pts ea.)
Part 1: Multiple Choice Answers & Evidence (1 pt each)
5 Points Total
- Cole's Destination at Chapter Start
Correct: B
→ B. To a remote, empty island in Southeast Alaska
Text Evidence / Note: Cole is handcuffed in a skiff traveling across choppy Alaskan waters toward an uninhabited island. He was sentenced to a year of banishment through Circle Justice.
- Travel Companions on the Skiff
Correct: A
→ A. Garvey (his probation officer) and Edwin (a Tlingit elder)
Text Evidence / Note: Edwin, a stern Tlingit elder from Drake, steers the skiff. Garvey, Cole's Tlingit probation officer from Minneapolis, helped Cole arrange Circle Justice and built his shelter supplies.
- Crime Against Peter Driscal
Correct: B
→ B. He severely beat Peter and smashed his head against the sidewalk
Text Evidence / Note: After Peter told police Cole broke into and robbed a hardware store, Cole cornered Peter and brutally beat him, smashing his skull on the concrete and causing permanent speech and memory problems.
- Cole's Motive for Circle Justice
Correct: B
→ B. He wanted to avoid going to jail and thought he could trick people
Text Evidence / Note: Cole has zero remorse or desire to heal in Chapter 1. He chose banishment because he despised detention lockup and believes he can outsmart everyone.
- Cole's Attitude on the Journey
Correct: C
→ C. He smirks, acts angry, and speaks rudely with defiance
Text Evidence / Note: Cole glares, mocks Edwin's warnings, curses at Garvey, and hides his internal vulnerability behind a wall of contempt and rage.
Touching Spirit Bear Teacher Answer Key Page 1 of 2 • Short Answer Rubric on back →
Teacher Resource • Scoring Guide
Part 2: Short Answer Rubric & Exemplars
Tiered evaluation criteria for ELL and developing writers.
2 Points Per Question (4 pts total)
Question 6: Why Cole Blames Peter Instead of Blaming Himself
Max 2 Points
Target / Full Credit (2 Points):
"Cole blames Peter because Peter told the police about the robbery. This shows that Cole will not admit his mistakes and always blames other people."
Acceptable Key Ideas: Recognizing that Peter reported Cole/snitched, and identifying that Cole is angry, selfish, not sorry, or refuses to take responsibility.
Developing / Emerging (1 Point Credit):
"Cole blames Peter because Peter snitched. This shows that Cole is not sorry."
Grading Note: Full credit should be awarded if the student uses the provided sentence starter and gives the basic idea (Peter told; Cole is mad/not sorry), regardless of minor grammar errors.
Question 7: Prediction of Cole's Survival on the Island & Edwin's Advice
Max 2 Points
Target / Full Credit (2 Points):
"I predict that Cole will struggle on the island because wild animals and nature will not care about his anger, and Cole does not know how to show respect or patience."
Acceptable Key Ideas: Any logical prediction connected to Cole's hot temper, lack of survival humility, defying Edwin's rules, or facing dangerous wildlife.
Developing / Emerging (1 Point Credit):
"I predict that Cole will struggle because the island is cold and bears are dangerous and Cole is too angry."
Grading Note: Accept simple explanations that link his anger or wilderness danger to difficulty surviving.
ELL & Low-Skilled Student Scoring Guidelines
Meaning Over Mechanics:
Prioritize comprehension and textual recall over English grammar, spelling, or punctuation. If the student communicates the correct concept, grant full content credit.
Sentence Frame Credit:
Students who copied the sentence frames and filled in the blanks with relevant vocabulary from the story have met the scaffolded objective.
Touching Spirit Bear • Chapter 1 Assessment Suite Scoring Complete • 9 Points Maximum
