Comprehension Strategies

What genre is Hatchet? How do you know?

I think that Hatchet is realistic fiction. I know that Hatchet is fiction, because it's main purpose is to entertain. Although it is realistic, it is not talking about a true event, and the author and the main character have different names. You are supposed to read this book from beginning to end; you can't read chapters out of order and still understand it. For most of the book there is only the protagonist, but at the beginning there are some minor characters like his mother and the pilot. Because it is mostly just him, alone, there isn't much dialogue except at the beginning. The setting is very important, because he is lost in the forest. There is a conflict. It is boy versus nature. We haven't gotten to the end yet, but I sure hope there is a happy resolution. I know that Hatchet is not non-fiction, because there are no non-fiction text-features. For example, there aren't any photos with captions, or headings, or an index.

How to give a level 4 answer:

1. Use sentences with periods and capitals.

2. Use the words from the question in your answer.

3. Give evidence from the text AND explain what it means.

4. Think beyond the text. Make a connection. How does it affect you?

5. Think about what the writer is doing. (text features, genre, etc.)

Question: How did Zinkoff feel about losing the race?

Tell us the answer using words from the question. If a person was reading your answer, they should be able to understand, even if they never saw the question.

I know that Zinkoff felt upset about losing the race from the way he acted at dinner time.

Give evidence from the text. If you are using the exact words of the text, use quotation marks.

The author told us, "He hopes his parents won't ask him about field day." Then, he screamed at his little sister, Polly, after she asked him, "Didja win?"

Then explain why those details help you understand.

If Zinkoff was feeling okay about the race, he wouldn't have avoided talking about it. Usually Zinkoff likes talking about his day.

Add a connection.

I don't think anyone would have been happy after being laughed at and called a loser by so many people in his class. I know, I wouldn't be.

More Examples

Why is it dangerous for the boy in Hatchett to find food?

It is dangerous for Brian to find food because he is alone in the wild with no training. He doesn't have a lot of tools and he has no experience in these woods. On page ? he is worrying about getting lost while looking for food. If he goes too far, he might not find his shelter again. On page ? he wonders if the berries will be poisonous. He doesn't really have any way of knowing and he can't just go to the hospital if there is a problem. On page ? a bear is trying to eat the same food. It could decide to eat him instead!

Look at the photo. How does it help you understand the text better?

The photo shows a bear eating berries in the forest. It helps me see how scary it would be to suddenly see one like Brian did when he was picking berries. The teeth are so big! I can relate to Brian's inability to speak. If I saw one like that, I would be speechless, too!

How can you use the information that Brian learned in the wild?

I hope that I never get lost in the woods and that I never need the information Brian learned in the wild for that. However, I can use the information for other things. On page ? he learns that birds flock to berries. When I go bird watching, I will pick a place where there are some berry bushes so I can get good photos. On page ? he learns that if he eats too fast, he gets sick. I often tend to gobble down my food so it would be good for me to remember. In this book, I think the big ideas are that he learns adapt and he never gives up. Even though he is lost and does not have any training, he keeps going. When things get tough for me, I can remind myself to keep going, just like he does!

1) Slow down and take your time.

2) Look for parts of the word that you do know. Use your fingers!

3) Think of different pronunciation rules and try them.

4) Does it match any words that you know? If you think you have it, re-read it and check to make sure it makes sense.

5) If it is a word you have never heard, just try your best. You can always write it down and look it up later. If you use Google Translate, it will say it for you.

6) Re-read the sentence so you can practice saying it smoothly.

Examples:

commencement com + men _____ + ment 'ce' says 's'

intuition in + ______ + ______ 'tion' says 'shun'

'u' can say 'uh' or 'you'

'i' can say I or i or be silent

2) Using Context Clues

• Does what you know about this topic help you?

• What is the paragraph about?

• What is the sentence trying to say? Do the other words give you clues?

Example: "White and red trillium carpeted the woods, and delicate pink lady's slippers bloomed."

Thinking:

• I know that lady's slippers are a kind of flower. And they are blooming in this sentence.

• This part of the book is about how it is spring time. And they are blooming.

• If trillium are "carpeting" the woods that means that they are on the ground and there are lots of them.

• They must be a kind of plant, maybe a flower.

Dictionary definition:

"Trillium is a kind of flowering plant that grows in North America and Asia. There are about 50 species of trillium."

Don't forget to think about context when you are using the dictionary. Think about which definition is correct in that context.

Example: "The model had ruby lips that matched her one-of-a-kind gown."

Dictionary Definition: ruby 1 n. A clear, red precious stone. 2 adj. Having a deep red color.

Thinking: It doesn't really make sense for her to have lips made of stone. They must just be red.

Example: He was plummeting downward so fast, his clothes ballooned around him. Gregor the Overlander, p14.

1. He is going down fast. His clothes have room to balloon out so he is not touching the walls or sliding.

2. It is describing how he is going down.

3. It might mean "falling quickly."

Example: Be she queen, be she?” asked the leader, dipping its head in slavish devotion. Gregor the Overlander, p19.

1. The roach is asking if Boots is a queen. He is bowing his head.

2. It is something to do with how he is bowing his head. It has to do with being like a slave (slave + ish).

3. It might mean something like "working hard."

A fact is true. It is something that everyone can agree on.

A connection is information that you have from your experience or something you have read before.

An inference is when you use textual clues and all of your knowledge to make an educated guess.

Be careful when you read...some authors have very strong opinions that they use instead of facts. Their writing can seem strong, but when you examine it closely, it is really full of holes. Don't be fooled!

Examples of this can be found in many places on the internet, including "news" sites. You have to look at the facts and judge this writing for yourself. Also, you can see this in fiction, too...especially stories that were written a long time ago. Sometimes an author will have certain beliefs that you can see in their big ideas, but they contain prejudice.