ACTIVIDADES

Pages 1-4
Before you read

1. Look at the word list at the back of the book. Use some of the words to complete these sentences.
a) The flat tail of the beaver helps it to swim well.
b) Owls can see very well at night with their large eyes.
c) The hunter placed traps to catch wild animals.
d) The Ojibwa was the largest tribe of American Indians.

2. What do you know about American Indians?

I know they are native people of America.

What do they look like?

They have red skin, their hair is long and dark, and their clothes are made of animal skins.

How do they live?

They live in the wood in harmony with the animals and the nature.

How did they live in the past?

In the past they lived in the woods too, but at that time they cut trees and hunted to survive.

3. Discuss the picture of Grey Owl on the cover.

What kind of man was he?

He was a mysterious man who had a big secret. He was a womanizer, too because had a lot of women in
his life.

What work did he do?

He worked as a shop assistant, a ranger, a trapper, a fire ranger, a guide, and as a writer.

When did he live?

He lived for the years in the 1930s.

4. Read the introduction to the book. What did Grey Owl want to do?
He wanted to change the world with his message about the nature and how important it is for the people.

While you read

5. Circle the right answers.

a) What did Grey Owl wear on stage in 1937?
i)

A big hat made of feathers.

ii)

Clothes made of animal skins.

iii) Modern American clothes.

b) What did he show a film of?
i)

Wild beavers.

ii)

The trees and lakes of Canada.

iii) The people of his tribe.

c) What did the people in London think about Canada from Grey Owl's description?
i)

It was a difficult and dangerous place.

ii)

It was like a wonderful dream.

iii) It was less interesting than the modern world.

d) What was Grey Owl's most important message?
i)

The modern way of life was destroying his country.

ii)

Indians were not savages.

iii) The modern world was preparing for war.

e) Which name for the native people is not used today?

i)

Native Americans.

ii)

Indians.

iii) Red Indians.

After you read

6. Work in pairs and discuss these questions.

a) Do you agree with Grey Owl's message about the natural world? Why (not)?
Yes, I agreed with Grey Owls message because the trees, the animals, the plants are important to keep
in balance to the world.

b) What opinion did most people have of Native Americans in the 1930s? How did Grey Owl change
people's minds?
They thought the Native Americans were savages. But Grey owl was intelligent and spoke beautifully
about his people and their way of life.

Pages 5-11
Before you read

7. What do you think Grey Owl's secret was?

I think it was a big secret about his past, how he born, and if he was a real Indian.

While you read

8. Are these sentences right (

) or wrong (x)?

a) Grey Owl died while he was traveling to another talk. x

b) His real name was Archie Belaney.

c) He was born in Regina, Canada.

d) George Belaney's first business in the U.S. failed.

e) George later returned to North America.
f)

Archie was popular at school.

g) Archie loved his first job after school.

x
x

h) He decided to leave Britain and go to Canada.

After you read

9. Discuss these questions.

a) Was Archie a happy child? Why (not)?

No, he wasnt a happy child because his parents were far, and he didnt have friends.
b) What kind of man was George Belaney?
He wasnt a good family man, he didnt worry about his son just he lived his son and wife and never came
back.
c) Was Kittie right to leave Archie with his aunts?
No, she wasnt right. She made a mistake because his son grew up whitout his parents, and it wasnt
good for him.
Pages 12-17
Before you read
10. You are going to read about Archie's new life in Canada.
How do you think this was different from his early life in England?
Make a few notes before you read.
It was better and more different than his early life because he made his dreams come true.

While you read

11. Why were these people important to Archie Belaney? Write one-sentence answers.

a) Bill Guppy:
He taught Archie about the natural world and helped him find a job.
b) Michel Mathias and Ned White Bear:
They became friends and taught Archie Indian ways.
c) The Ojibwa:
The taught Archie to hunt, trap, and fish, and to understand Indian ideas about life and nature.
d) Angele Egwuna:
He married her, and she taught him her language and her peoples way.
e) Angele's uncle:
He gave Archie the name little owl.
f)

Agnes:
She was Archies daughter.

After you read

12. Discuss these questions.

a) What were the most important things that Archie learned from the Ojibwa? Make a list of five things.
He learned to trap, to fish, to language, to understand ideas about their life, and to understand ideas
about the nature.

b) Why do you think Archie left Angele and Agnes?

Because, the most important thing for him was the nature the rest was not so important.

13. Imagine that you are going to Canada. Where will you go? Use the map on pages 14-15 and information
from the internet to plan your trip.
I will go to lake Tamagami to meet the Ojibwa tribe and to visit the Prince Albert National Park.

Pages 18-23
Before you read

14. Discuss these questions.

a) The next chapter is called "Wild Days". What do you think Archie did during this time?
He did more thing savage like trapping, hunting things like these.

b) The First World War started in 1914. What do you think were Archie's feelings about this?
I think that he didnt care because somehow he was a trouble guy.

While you read

15. Are these sentences right (

) or wrong (x)?

a) To people in Bisco, Archie looked American Indian. x

b) In Bisco, Archie told lies about his past.
c) Marie Girard was a good trapper.
d) Archie worked as a ranger at this time.
e) Archie was in trouble with the Bisco police.
f)

He and Marie were married.

g) He was hurt in the war and lost a toe.

h) Archie hated being back in England.
i)

Archie married Ivy.

j)

Ivy didn't want to move to Canada.

k) Ivy ended the marriage with Archie.

After you read

16. Discuss these questions

a) How did the First World War change Archie?
He wasnt more a problematic person.

b) Why did Archie leave so many women? In your opinion, which was the best for him-Angele, Ivy, or Marie?
Why?
Because he didnt feel committed to them. For me the best is Angele because she forgave him.

Pages 24 -31
Before you read

17. Have you ever told an important lie? What was it? What was the result of the lie? How do you feel about it
now?
Yes, I have. It was a lie about my sister. Well, the truth always know the end. I feel bad because somehow
it wasnt a big lie.

18. In the next part of the book, Archie hears from somebody important from his past. Who do you think this
is going to be?
I think is going to be his mother because she was the last of the two parents in leave him.

While you read

19. Correct the mistakes in the sentences.

a) Anahareo (Gertrude) grew up in the woods and couldn't read.

Anahareo (Gertrude) grew up in the city and could read.
b) She was selling potatoes when Archie first saw her.
She was reading potatoes when Archie first saw her.
c) Archie loved Anahareo, and he moved in with her family.

Archie loved Anahareo, and she stayed with Archie in a cabin in the woods.
d) Archie told Anahareo all his secrets.
Archie told Anahareo most his secrets.
e) Anahareo loved to go trapping with Grey Owl.
Anahareo didnt enjoy trapping with Grey Owl.
f)

Archie's letter to his father was published as a book.

Archie's letter to his mother was published in a magazine.

g) Country life knew that Archie was English.

Country life thought that Archie was Native American.
h) Archie saved two beavers after he killed their mother.
Archie saved two beavers after he found their mother dead.
i)

The government built a cabin for Grey Owl in Edmonton.

The government built a cabin for Grey Owl in the Prince Albert National Park.

j)

Beavers eat fish and use their tails for climbing trees.
Beavers eat wood and use their tails to swim, to stand, and to send messages.

After you read

20. Discuss these questions.
a) What do you know now about beavers?
They are important criatures for Canada. They are a national symbol.

b) Why were beavers important to:

Native Americans?
Because they ate their meat and used their fur for clothes.

Grey Owl?
Because he thought they were beautiful. He wanted to save them.

The first Europeans in Canada?

Because in Canada sold their fur for fur coats.

the Canadian government in the 1930s?

Because in the 1930s also wanted to protect them.

Pages 32-41
Before you read

21. Discuss these questions.

a) Do you think Archie stayed with Anahareo? Why (not)?
I dont think so. Because he is a womanizer.

b) How did Canadians feel when they discovered the secret of Archie's past?
They felt very surprised. Because they thought that he had Indian blood.

While you read

22. Answer these questions. Write notes.

a) What was Archie's first book called?
The name was Men of the last frontier.
b) What did he ask people to do at the start of tales of an empty cabin?
He asked to go into the woods, took off their hats and shoes and gave thanks.
c) Which story from this book later became a book?
It was the tree.
d) Why did Anahareo leave?
Because she didnt like Archies new life, and found him difficult.

e) How did the Nugget learn Archie's secret?

They learned from Angele.
f)

Which person from his past came to see him in Oxford?

The person was his mother Kittie.

After you read

23. Discuss these questions.

a) Which book by Grey Owl would you like to read? Why?
the tree because for many people, it was the perfect story for Grey Owls message to the world.

b) In your opinion, did the Nugget do the right thing when it didn't tell Archie's secret?
Yes,it did, because somehow the really important is his message no who he was.

c) What do N. Scott Momaday's words on page 40 mean?

That is to say whatever person could be an Indian is no necessary have Indian blood. The important is to
love nature.

Writing
24. Imagine that you are a person in the book (not Archie). Tell the story of Grey Owl, as you understood it.

25. It is 1937 and Grey Owl is going to give a talk in your London theater. Make a notice to tell people about
it.

26. There were a lot of women in Grey Owl's life. What do you think they felt about him? Why?

27. A town in Canada wants to build a place where people can learn about Grey Owl. Write a letter to the
local newspaper giving your opinion about this. Is it good idea? Why (not)?

28. Look again at the picture story on pages 6-11. Tell the story of another part of Archie's life in the same
way.

29. Describe an animal or a beautiful area that is in danger in your country. What is the problem? Is there a
way of saving it?

30. Write a page for the internet giving Grey Owl's message to the modern world.

31. Imagine that you can make a new life for yourself. What will you be? Write your story.