Title: Call It Courage (Sperry, Armstrong) Level X

Quick summary: Mafatu has been afraid of the sea ever since he was a small boy and nearly drowned at sea with his mother. He is teased by the other boys when he wont go out and go fishing with them. His only friends are his dog, Uri and an Albatross named Kivi. He goes off alone in his canoe to face his fear and prove his courage. Possible Reading Assignments: (8 days) 1: Ch. 1 -2 Summary Ch. 1 Pgs. 1 - 13 Mafatu a Polynesian boy is son of a Great Chief. The thing the village people desire most is courage. Mafatu has one big fear; it is the fear of the sea that surrounded him. His mother had died in a terrible storm on Sea, saving her son. This memory made him afraid every time he went fishing with his brothers. He was laughed at. His only friends were a dog and an albatross. One day he over hears some boys his age talk about their big fishing day and mocking Mafatu for not going because he is a coward. Mafatu decides to prove his courage and he takes off at night in his canoe. Mafatu is at sea in his canoe and is wondering if they notice he is gone. He sees a great whale, dolphins and many other sea creatures. He is with his dog Uri and his friend the albatross. He is surrounded by a sea of green and gray. A lightning storm arises a big wave crashes upon Mafatu; he survives but looses his knife, drinking water and fishing spear. Uri is okay. Night comes and then morning. As Mafatu is trying not to be afraid of death he spies his friend Kivi, the albatross, in the sky. He is guiding him someplace. Mafatu looks ahead on the horizon and spies land. This island was different than his own. It was not flat; it had peaks and green trees. Mafatu is taken in by the waves to the reef and he and Uri are thrown out of the canoe. He swims until he touches sand under foot. Impulsively he drags himself to the jungle, finds a stream of water and sees Uri making his way across the sand to Mafatu. 2: Ch. 3 3: Ch. 4 4: Ch. 5 Purpose for reading/Comp. Strategy Connections: Have you ever been afraid of something? What has made you afraid or why are you? Have you ever had someone not be kind about you being afraid? How do you think Mafatu feels?

Difficult Vocabulary Polynesians pg. 1 Indifference pg. 1 Intervals pg. 2 Impending pg.2 Millrace pg. 3 Frigates pg. 3 Pandanus pg. 4 Nondescript pg. 7 Serenely pg. 8 Bonitos pg. 9

Ch. 2 Pgs. 14 - 27

Idly pg. 14 Swells pg. 14 Atoll pg. 14 Desolation pg. 15 Oppressive pg. 15 Shoal pg. 15 Cachalot pg. 16 Scudded pg. 18 Sennit pg. 18 Tumult pg. 19 Marae pg. 22 Wafted pg. 26 Tantalizing pg. 26

Imagery/word choice: This chapter is filled with a unique verbs/adverbs and many metaphors as well as several similes. Read varied passages/paragraphs and discuss the imagery/word choice with the children and find simple comparison verbs that might make the story less exciting.

Ch. 3 Pgs. 28 49

Mafatu is alive on the island. He is injured and hungry. He climbs to the top of a plateau and can see the entire island. He sees smoke in the distance and wonders if he is on the island of the eaters of men like his grandfather told him about. He makes a slide out of tree leaves and slides down the side of a volcano. He spots a trial that is not made by wild animals but by men. He follows the trail to a Sacred Place were he is afraid to enter. However, he sees a spear which he knows is a valuable tool that he could use. He uses all his bravery and retrieves the spear. Bones fall and he runs fast away and climbs back up the vines to the top of the plateau. He decides he will never return there. He knows that it could be dangerous. He makes a shelter out of leaves and sparks a fire all by himself. He cooks bananas and breadfruit (like potatoes) in the fire. He is gaining more confidence as he is able to provide for himself. He is glad he is alone because of the eaters of men but also lonely. He has won a great victory over himself. He has forced himself to do things he has dreaded.

Gusto pg. 28 Relishing pg. 29 Inhabited pg. 29 Eaters of Men pg.30 Plash pg. 30 Congealed pg. 30 Cauterize pg. 32 Caustic pg. 32 Aerial pg. 33 Eerie pg. 33 Amethyst pg. 35 Impaled pg. 36 Adze pg. 37 Basalt pg. 37 Clambered pg. 38 Fibrous pg. 40 Extricated pg. 40 Corroded pg. 41 marae pg. 42 haunches pg. 45 inevitable pg. 47 deftly pg. 48

Essence: How is Mafatu feeling about himself after some of his experiences from the text? What words from the text or advents show us? Imagery/Word choice: The verbs in the passages from page 30 to 34 are full of incredible verbs, similes, metaphors and several sentences with personification. Have students read aloud and make a group list of lively verbs that are unusual as well as metaphors, similes and personification. Examples: The curve of the beach reached out like two great arms to enclose the lagoon. Orthe forgiving jungle (pg. 30) Verb Examples: Trooped, belched, shuttered, muttered, Essence: We see how Mafatus skills he has learned from his child hood are helping him now to survive. Mafatu was very skilled but just did not have the courage to show off his Skillman ship. He realizes he was brave a long but just needed a reason to use it. He had learned wisdom. Just needed to prove it to himself not to others or in front of others. Examples from the book: Saving Uris life, Saving his own life, being challenged by a boar. Using his talents and abilities.

Ch.4 Pgs. 50 - 76

Mafatu sets out to finish his canoe. He begins to realize the importance of the hours he spent learning how to make utensils such as knives, back on his island. He comes upon some whale bone in the water and realizes how important this is. HE thanks the sea god and he and his dog Uri haul it back to his camp where he makes a very carefully crafted knife. He has built a trap to catch fish and discovers a tiger shark that keeps steeling his fish. One day while out on his raft checking his trap he sees the tiger shark steel his fish, it angers him, Uri barks and falls in. Mafatu dives in to save Uri and out of love for his dog he kills the tiger shark, he can hardly believe himself. He later begins to thinks about the hours he spends climbing to the plateau to look out for the eaters of men when he could be working on his canoe, but knows it is important. One day while he is climbing up he comes across a wild boar. He stands brave and holds his spear study. The boar charges and Mafatu kills the boar. He is elated and makes himself a boars tooth necklace. He

Buoyant pg. 50 Felling pg. 52 Archipelago pg. 52 Veritable pg. 54 Elation pg. 56 Imperative pg. 56 Unmercifully pg. 58 Impotent pg. 59 Rivulets pg. 66 Outrigger pg. 67 Prow pg. 67 Shoals pg.69 Dappled pg. 69 Oblique pg. 72 Baleful pg. 72 Siphoned pg. 72 Gunwale pg. 73 Piteously pg. 73 Prodigious pg. 74 Phosphorescent pg.74 Ebbing pg. 74

finally finishes his canoe, places it in the water to test it and while he is out sailing he drops his beloved knife in the water. He feels that he must retrieve it, he is unsure about the depth because of the water. He dives in after it, an octopus, (feke) comes out and wraps around him. Mafatu struggles to get the knife and with it kills the octopus. He is again amazed what he was able to accomplish. He cuts of the tentacles and decides he will make a necklace of those as well to show his father his bravery. He goes back to camp and makes ready to go back to his island on the morrow. The next morning Mafatu awakens to drum beats. He knows the eaters of men have come. Ch. 5 A chill sweat brakes over Mafatu. He quickly Pgs. 77-92 climbs up to the plateau. He looks down and sees fierce brown men. They are in their sacred place, painted faces, brandished weapons, dancing around fire. He turns around to see four men coming upon him. He quickly runs off to his canoe, knowing if he can get there is has a chance. He makes it to his canoe and quickly sets sail. Some of the men make it in the water and swim after him. He knocks one away with his paddle. They go to their strong black canoes and paddle after him. The follow him for a very long time and almost overtake him. Mafatu escapes them with his skillful sailing. He is now out on the Sea for several days in the heat without rain. He keeps following the familiar constellation that leads him to his island home. Just when he is about ready to give up, he stands up and shouts to the god of the sea, I no longer fear you sea He looks out in the distance and sees the fire lights of a lagoon, he realizes it is Hikeuru. He drags up the beach, the people see a brave boy with a knife and a boars tooth necklace. They realize it is Mafatu. His father greats him as he collapses. He announces his brave son has returned. Mafatu, a brave name for a brave boy. Even today the people of Hikeuru sing this tale around their fires. Other Activities/Ideas:

Waning pg. 77 Ominous pg. 77 Reverberated pg. 78 Thrummed pg. 78 Summation pg. 78 Conch pg. 80 Pursuers pg. 81 Thwart pg. 81 Zephyr pg. 82 Torrent pg. 82 Profaned pg. 83 Imperceptibly pg. 83 brandished pg. 84 impetus pg. 84 enveloping pg. 85 conflagration pg. 86 monotony pg. 87 benign pg. 87 nautilus pg. 88 iridescence pg. 88 daft pg. 89 atoll pg. 90 albeit pg. 91

Synthesis: What pieces of the story help you see the whole meaning? What do you think Mafatu has learned? What is the heart of this story? How do you think the villagers will treat Mafatu now? How do you think the story continues?

Writing: Give students photos from islands scenes (or any scenery). Have them come up with several different sentences that would include lively verbs, interesting adjectives, personification, metaphors and similes to describe their scene. Imagery: Have students illustrate their favorite scene from the story, using the descriptive words as a guide.