Wilderness Watch Reading List
Wilderness Watch
Top-Tier Adventure & Survival Recommendations for 6th Grade
Field Report #06
Subject: High-Stakes Reading
If You Liked "Hatchet"...
Brian Robeson's survival in the Canadian wilderness is a masterclass in grit. If you enjoyed his journey of perseverance and resourcefulness, these books are the next logical steps in your adventure. Pack your gear—it's going to be a wild ride.
Peak
Grit Level: Extreme
By Roland Smith
After Peak Marcello gets arrested for climbing a skyscraper, his estranged father takes him to Everest. But it's not a vacation—it's a race to become the youngest person to reach the summit.
MOUNTAINEERING
FAMILY SECRETS
Ice Dogs
Grit Level: High
By Terry Lynn Johnson
Victoria Secord is a champion dog sled racer. When she gets lost in the Alaskan backwoods with a mysterious boy and her team of dogs, she has to use every ounce of her training to survive the freezing cold.
SLED DOGS
WINTER SURVIVAL
Alone
Grit Level: Psychological
By Megan E. Freeman
A novel in verse about Maddie, a girl who wakes up to find her entire town has been evacuated without her. She’s alone in a deserted city with only a Rottweiler for company.
URBAN SURVIVAL
VERSE NOVEL
Wilderlore
Grit Level: Magical
By Amanda Foody
For fans of Hatchet who also love Pokémon or high fantasy. Sam Thorne must survive a wilderness filled with magical, dangerous creatures to find the legendary "Accursed" beast.
CREATURES
QUEST
Pro-Tip for 6th Grade Adventurers
Survival stories are about more than just finding food and water. They are about the internal struggle. Pay attention to how the characters change on the inside while they fight to stay alive on the outside.
Wilderness Word Quest Worksheet
Wilderness Word Quest
Master the Language of Survival
Survival Level: 06
Name
Date
Part 1: The Survival Glossary
Study these eight critical survival terms. You'll need them to describe the harrowing journeys in your next adventure book.
Resilience /rəˈzil-yəns/
The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
Precarious /prə-ˈker-ē-əs/
Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.
Ingenuity /ˌin-jə-ˈn(y)o͞o-ə-dē/
The quality of being clever, original, and inventive.
Terrain /tə-ˈrān/
A stretch of land, especially with regard to its physical features.
Adversity /əd-ˈvər-sə-dē/
Difficulties; misfortune.
Isolation /ˌī-sə-ˈlā-shən/
The process or fact of being alone or set apart from others.
Resourceful /rə-ˈsôrs-fəl/
Having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties.
Perseverance /ˌpər-sə-ˈvir-əns/
Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Part 2: Field Application
Fill in the blanks using the vocabulary words from Part 1.
The climber found herself in a position, clinging to a narrow ledge with 2,000 feet of empty air below her.
Brian’s allowed him to fashion a fishing spear from a simple willow branch.
Weeks of complete in the Alaskan cabin made Victoria realize how much she missed the sound of human voices.
The rocky, jagged of the mountain made every step a challenge for the exhausted hikers.
Part 3: Show Your Grit
Imagine you are stranded in the wild. Write a short journal entry (4-5 sentences) about a challenge you face. You must use at least three vocabulary words from the list.
4-5 Sentences
3 Vocab Words
Survivor Grit
Wilderness Word Quest Answer Key
Answer Key
Wilderness Word Quest Worksheet
Teacher Resource
Part 2: Field Application Answers
Question 01
The climber found herself in a precarious position, clinging to a narrow ledge with 2,000 feet of empty air below her.
Question 02
Brian’s ingenuity (or resourcefulness) allowed him to fashion a fishing spear from a simple willow branch.
Question 03
Weeks of complete isolation in the Alaskan cabin made Victoria realize how much she missed the sound of human voices.
Question 04
The rocky, jagged terrain of the mountain made every step a challenge for the exhausted hikers.
Part 3: Grading Guidance
Sample Journal Entry:
"I woke up to a freezing wind howling through the trees, making me feel a deep sense of isolation. My shelter felt precarious, shaking with every gust of wind. I knew I had to show perseverance to make it through the night. Using my resourceful nature, I gathered more pine boughs to insulate the floor."
Checklist for Success:
- Are there 4-5 complete sentences?
- Are at least 3 vocabulary words used correctly?
- Does the entry demonstrate a survival challenge?