Rattlesnakes (from Our National Parks)
John
Muir
Pre-Reading:
Why might a human
find a wild animal threatening?
A human might find a wild animal threating because they could be very dangerous
Why might a
wild animal find a human threatening?
A wild animal might find a human threatening because we are bigger then some animals.
What
do you know about rattlesnakes?
Rattlesnakes are snakes that when threatened they shake their rattle to make you back you away or if you don't they will strike you.
Given what
you know, how would you react if you encountered a rattlesnake in the
wild?
If I encountered a snake I would just run away from it.
What do you know about John
Muir?
John Muir was born on April 21, 1838 and died on December 24, 1914.
Why might a human
find a wild animal threatening?
A human might find a wild animal threating because they could be very dangerous
Why might a
wild animal find a human threatening?
A wild animal might find a human threatening because we are bigger then some animals.
What
do you know about rattlesnakes?
Rattlesnakes are snakes that when threatened they shake their rattle to make you back you away or if you don't they will strike you.
Given what
you know, how would you react if you encountered a rattlesnake in the
wild?
If I encountered a snake I would just run away from it.
What do you know about John
Muir?
John Muir was born on April 21, 1838 and died on December 24, 1914.
Interpretive Questions:
1.) Why
does Muir learn to respect rattlesnakes after he kills
two?
Muir learns to respect rattlesnakes after he kills two because he feels bad for killing them. "It was not only fear that he showed, but a good deal of downright bashfulness and embarrassment."(p.177)
2.) Why does Muir say that at one time
he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found”? (p.
175)
Muir says that at one time he "imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found"? (p.175) because snaked are dangerous.
3.) Why, after killing the first
snake, does Muir say he feels “degraded by the killing business”? (p.
176)
After killing the first snake, Muir says he feels "degraded by the killing business"? (p.176) because he doesn't fell good about killing the snake.
4.) Why does Muir feel “sore and
guilty” about killing the snake he finds in his cabin? (p.
176)
Muir feels "sore and guilty" (p.176) about killing the snake he found in the cabin because he feels sad about killing the snake.
5.) Why does Muir explain his decision
to encamp on a boulder rather than on the patch of flood-sand where he finds two
snakes?
Muir uses his decision to encamp on a boulder rather than on the patch of flood-sand where he finds two snakes because he found the snakes there. "some latecomers not aware of my presence might get stepped on while replenishing the fire."(p.178)
6.) Why does Muir use human
characteristics and feelings to describe
snakes?
Muir uses human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes because he was the one who killed the snakes. "It was not only fear that he showed, but a good deal of downright bashfulness and embarrassment."(p.177)
7.) Why does Muir describe snakes
as “fair and charitable”? (p. 176)
Muir describes snakes as "fair and charitable"? (p.176) because he describes them at delicate creatures.
8.) Why
does Muir see the second rattlesnake as “desperately embarrassed”? (p.
176)
Muir sees the second rattle as "desperately embarrassed"? (p.176) because the snake was embarrassed that he got caught in the cabin.
9.) Why does Muir say, “I have looked
into the eyes of so many wild animals that I feel sure I did not mistake the
feelings of this unfortunate snake”? (p. 177)
Muir says "I have looked into the eyes of so many wild animals that I feel sure I did not mistake the feelings of this unfortunate snake"? (p.177) because he thinks he had to kill the snake.
10.) Why does Muir describe the snake he accidentally threw his bundle of
bread on as having a “come-in-if-you-dare expression”? (p. 178)
Muir describes the snake he accidentally threw his bundle of bread on as having a "come-in-if-you-dare expression"? (p.178) because he just wants the bread not to kill the snake.
1.) Why
does Muir learn to respect rattlesnakes after he kills
two?
Muir learns to respect rattlesnakes after he kills two because he feels bad for killing them. "It was not only fear that he showed, but a good deal of downright bashfulness and embarrassment."(p.177)
2.) Why does Muir say that at one time
he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found”? (p.
175)
Muir says that at one time he "imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found"? (p.175) because snaked are dangerous.
3.) Why, after killing the first
snake, does Muir say he feels “degraded by the killing business”? (p.
176)
After killing the first snake, Muir says he feels "degraded by the killing business"? (p.176) because he doesn't fell good about killing the snake.
4.) Why does Muir feel “sore and
guilty” about killing the snake he finds in his cabin? (p.
176)
Muir feels "sore and guilty" (p.176) about killing the snake he found in the cabin because he feels sad about killing the snake.
5.) Why does Muir explain his decision
to encamp on a boulder rather than on the patch of flood-sand where he finds two
snakes?
Muir uses his decision to encamp on a boulder rather than on the patch of flood-sand where he finds two snakes because he found the snakes there. "some latecomers not aware of my presence might get stepped on while replenishing the fire."(p.178)
6.) Why does Muir use human
characteristics and feelings to describe
snakes?
Muir uses human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes because he was the one who killed the snakes. "It was not only fear that he showed, but a good deal of downright bashfulness and embarrassment."(p.177)
7.) Why does Muir describe snakes
as “fair and charitable”? (p. 176)
Muir describes snakes as "fair and charitable"? (p.176) because he describes them at delicate creatures.
8.) Why
does Muir see the second rattlesnake as “desperately embarrassed”? (p.
176)
Muir sees the second rattle as "desperately embarrassed"? (p.176) because the snake was embarrassed that he got caught in the cabin.
9.) Why does Muir say, “I have looked
into the eyes of so many wild animals that I feel sure I did not mistake the
feelings of this unfortunate snake”? (p. 177)
Muir says "I have looked into the eyes of so many wild animals that I feel sure I did not mistake the feelings of this unfortunate snake"? (p.177) because he thinks he had to kill the snake.
10.) Why does Muir describe the snake he accidentally threw his bundle of
bread on as having a “come-in-if-you-dare expression”? (p. 178)
Muir describes the snake he accidentally threw his bundle of bread on as having a "come-in-if-you-dare expression"? (p.178) because he just wants the bread not to kill the snake.
Vocabulary:
1.)
Venomous (p. 175)
Quote: "Only the rattlesnake is venomous, and he carefully keeps his venom to himself as far as man is concerned, unless his life his threatened." (p.175)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): poisonous
Synonym: toxic
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): the movie that I saw was about a snake who was not venomous.
2.) Persecuted (p.
176)
Quote: "Persecuted, tormented, again and again he tried to get away...." (p.176)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): to treat cruelly
Synonym: torment
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): Back in the old days in Germany, people were persecuted for being Jewish.
3.) Degraded (p.
176)
Quote: "I felt degraded by the killing business....." (p.176)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): reduced far below
Synonym: corrupt
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): I was so degraded, I left the party.
4.) Intentionally (p.
177)
Quote: "but I intentionally disturbed them..." (p.177)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): done in a way planned out
Synonym: set
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): The pitcher intentionally walked the batter.
5.) Provocation (p.
177)
Quote: "but even with this provocation, and when my head came in sight within a foot of him, he did not strike." (p.177)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): causes someone to be angry
Synonym: annoy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): A lion can turn dangerous at the least provocation.
6.) Righteous indignation
(p. 178)
Quote: "When he caught sight of me he eyed me angrily, and with an air of righteous indignation seemed to be asking why I had thrown that stuff on him." (p.178)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): to breathe angrily
Synonym: anger
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): Sometimes my brother have righteous indignation.
1.)
Venomous (p. 175)
Quote: "Only the rattlesnake is venomous, and he carefully keeps his venom to himself as far as man is concerned, unless his life his threatened." (p.175)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): poisonous
Synonym: toxic
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): the movie that I saw was about a snake who was not venomous.
2.) Persecuted (p.
176)
Quote: "Persecuted, tormented, again and again he tried to get away...." (p.176)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): to treat cruelly
Synonym: torment
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): Back in the old days in Germany, people were persecuted for being Jewish.
3.) Degraded (p.
176)
Quote: "I felt degraded by the killing business....." (p.176)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): reduced far below
Synonym: corrupt
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): I was so degraded, I left the party.
4.) Intentionally (p.
177)
Quote: "but I intentionally disturbed them..." (p.177)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): done in a way planned out
Synonym: set
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): The pitcher intentionally walked the batter.
5.) Provocation (p.
177)
Quote: "but even with this provocation, and when my head came in sight within a foot of him, he did not strike." (p.177)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): causes someone to be angry
Synonym: annoy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): A lion can turn dangerous at the least provocation.
6.) Righteous indignation
(p. 178)
Quote: "When he caught sight of me he eyed me angrily, and with an air of righteous indignation seemed to be asking why I had thrown that stuff on him." (p.178)
Definition (based on context/in your own
words): to breathe angrily
Synonym: anger
Sentence (underline the vocabulary
word): Sometimes my brother have righteous indignation.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to
show examples of when the narrator feels certain about something and when the
narrator feels uncertain about something. Include 5 examples and support
with page numbers and opinion for each column.
You
are CONVINCED by what the author says V. You ARE NOT CONVINCED by what
the author says
Use textual evidence to
show examples of when the narrator feels certain about something and when the
narrator feels uncertain about something. Include 5 examples and support
with page numbers and opinion for each column.
You
are CONVINCED by what the author says V. You ARE NOT CONVINCED by what
the author says
ConvincedI am convinced when the author says that he felt bad about killing the snake in his cabin. (p.178)
I am convinced when the author says that snakes are dangerous. (p.177) I am convinced when the author says that snakes are venomous. (p.175) I am convinced when the author says that he killed two snakes. (p.175) I am convinced when the author says that when he killed the first snake he found it in the San Joaquin Plains. |
Not ConvincedI am not convinced when the author says that some snake are harmless. (p.175)
I am not convinced when the author says that not one person has been bit by a snake at Yosemite National park. (p.175) I am not convinced when the author says that snakes should be killed where found because there God's creatures. (p.175) I am not convinced when the author says that when he tries to make the snakes go away. (p.179) |