Rattlesnakes - John Muir
Pre-Reading:
Why might a human find a wild animal threatening?
<<<<<<A human might find a wild animal threatening because of their size, if they are poisonous, or because they are wild so they aren't tamed
Why might a wild animal find a human threatening?
<<<<<<A wild animal might find a human threatening because we could be bigger, we can kill them, or because we could hurt them.
What do you know about rattlesnakes?
<<<<<<Rattlesnakes are poisonous, they have venom that could possibly kill us, and they can sneak up on you and attack when you are not paying attention.
Given what you know, how would you react if you encountered a rattlesnake in the wild?
<<<<<<If I encountered a rattlesnake in the wqild I would walk away and leave it alone because if you leave it alone it will leave you alone.
What do you know about John Muir?
Include an image/caption of John Muir. Include an image/caption of a rattlesnake.
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 guilty about it when they were just giving him a pleading look to let them go but instead he kills them and the two snkaes feel degraded since they did nothing wrong. (pg.176) "I felt degraded by killing business farther from heaven." (pg. 176) " I have always felt somewhat sore and guilty about it."
2.) Why does Muir say that at one time he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found”? (p. 175)
Muir says that one time he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found" (page 175) because people don't like snakes people only think of snakes as disgusting, creepy crawling cresatures, who could kill people but after his encounter he laerned that if he leaves them alone they will leave him alone.
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” because other people kill the snakes too since they feel they should protect themselves if any kind of snake appears wether its poisonous or not. (pg.176)
4.) Why does Muir feel “sore and guilty” about killing the snake he finds in his cabin? (p. 176)
Muir feels "sore and guilty" (page 176) about killing the snake he finds in his cabin because he didn't want to kill it and because the snake gave him that pleading look to let it go but he had to since children and adults come to the cabin and once they see the snakes they will freak out .
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 explains his decision to encamp on a boulder rather than on the patch of flood-sand where he finds two snakes because he might not have anyone to talk to. "I never knew a single instance of their coming into a camp in the night, but fearing that in so small a space some latecomers not aware of my presence." (page 178)
6.) Why does Muir use human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes?
Muir use a human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes because he might not see other people. " I feel sure I did not mistake the feelings of this unfortunate snake." (page 175)
7.) Why does Muir describe snakes as “fair and charitable”? (p. 176)
Muir sees the snake as "fair and charitable" because they never hurt anyone as long you don't do anything that could harm them, even if you just raise your hand that could be alarmed and go into attack mode. (pg.176)
8.) Why does Muir see the second rattlesnake as “desperately embarrassed”? (p. 176)
Muir sees the second rattlesnake as "desperately embarrassed" because the snkae hid in a cabin that was behind flowers that was obvious so he knows that the snake would be killed . (pg.176)
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 animal that I sure I did not mistake the feelings of this unfortunate snake" because he describes the snake as a human who is scared of being killed by an unfortuneate encounter. (pg.177)
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 because he wants to come at and attack. (pg.178)
Vocabulary:
1.) Venomous (p. 175)
Quote: "Only the rattlesnkae is venomous,......" (Page 175)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): poisonous
Synonym: dangerous
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I feel like he should go to the doctor since he has some venom in his system
2.) Persecuted (p. 176)
Quote: "Persecuted and tormented, again, and again,......." (Page 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): mistreat
Synonym: torture
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The person was persecuted when angry bikers hit him for ruining the party
3.) Degraded (p. 176)
Quote: "I felt degraded with killing buisness." (Page 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): treated with disrespect
Synonym: not fairly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): They were treated with disrespect and they felt degraded.
4.) Intentionally (p. 177)
Quote: " Since then I have perhaps a hundred or more in these mountains, but I have never intentionally disturbed them."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): On purpose
Synonym: not an accident
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She intentionally missed when they made her lose her focus.
5.) Provocation (p. 177)
Quote: "....., but even with this provation,......" (Page 177)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Annoy
Synonym: provoke
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He should take a chill pill and not respond to the provation
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 thrown that stuff at him." (pg.178)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): reactive emotion
Synonym: mistreat
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): When my brother loses a game he has a rightous indignation for a few hours before its gone
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
Why might a human find a wild animal threatening?
<<<<<<A human might find a wild animal threatening because of their size, if they are poisonous, or because they are wild so they aren't tamed
Why might a wild animal find a human threatening?
<<<<<<A wild animal might find a human threatening because we could be bigger, we can kill them, or because we could hurt them.
What do you know about rattlesnakes?
<<<<<<Rattlesnakes are poisonous, they have venom that could possibly kill us, and they can sneak up on you and attack when you are not paying attention.
Given what you know, how would you react if you encountered a rattlesnake in the wild?
<<<<<<If I encountered a rattlesnake in the wqild I would walk away and leave it alone because if you leave it alone it will leave you alone.
What do you know about John Muir?
- Born April 21, 1838
- Died December 24, 1914
- Died a day before Christmas
- Author of early advocate of perservation of the wilderness
- Letters, Essays, Stories is all about nature
Include an image/caption of John Muir. Include an image/caption of a rattlesnake.
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 guilty about it when they were just giving him a pleading look to let them go but instead he kills them and the two snkaes feel degraded since they did nothing wrong. (pg.176) "I felt degraded by killing business farther from heaven." (pg. 176) " I have always felt somewhat sore and guilty about it."
2.) Why does Muir say that at one time he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found”? (p. 175)
Muir says that one time he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found" (page 175) because people don't like snakes people only think of snakes as disgusting, creepy crawling cresatures, who could kill people but after his encounter he laerned that if he leaves them alone they will leave him alone.
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” because other people kill the snakes too since they feel they should protect themselves if any kind of snake appears wether its poisonous or not. (pg.176)
4.) Why does Muir feel “sore and guilty” about killing the snake he finds in his cabin? (p. 176)
Muir feels "sore and guilty" (page 176) about killing the snake he finds in his cabin because he didn't want to kill it and because the snake gave him that pleading look to let it go but he had to since children and adults come to the cabin and once they see the snakes they will freak out .
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 explains his decision to encamp on a boulder rather than on the patch of flood-sand where he finds two snakes because he might not have anyone to talk to. "I never knew a single instance of their coming into a camp in the night, but fearing that in so small a space some latecomers not aware of my presence." (page 178)
6.) Why does Muir use human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes?
Muir use a human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes because he might not see other people. " I feel sure I did not mistake the feelings of this unfortunate snake." (page 175)
7.) Why does Muir describe snakes as “fair and charitable”? (p. 176)
Muir sees the snake as "fair and charitable" because they never hurt anyone as long you don't do anything that could harm them, even if you just raise your hand that could be alarmed and go into attack mode. (pg.176)
8.) Why does Muir see the second rattlesnake as “desperately embarrassed”? (p. 176)
Muir sees the second rattlesnake as "desperately embarrassed" because the snkae hid in a cabin that was behind flowers that was obvious so he knows that the snake would be killed . (pg.176)
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 animal that I sure I did not mistake the feelings of this unfortunate snake" because he describes the snake as a human who is scared of being killed by an unfortuneate encounter. (pg.177)
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 because he wants to come at and attack. (pg.178)
Vocabulary:
1.) Venomous (p. 175)
Quote: "Only the rattlesnkae is venomous,......" (Page 175)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): poisonous
Synonym: dangerous
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I feel like he should go to the doctor since he has some venom in his system
2.) Persecuted (p. 176)
Quote: "Persecuted and tormented, again, and again,......." (Page 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): mistreat
Synonym: torture
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The person was persecuted when angry bikers hit him for ruining the party
3.) Degraded (p. 176)
Quote: "I felt degraded with killing buisness." (Page 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): treated with disrespect
Synonym: not fairly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): They were treated with disrespect and they felt degraded.
4.) Intentionally (p. 177)
Quote: " Since then I have perhaps a hundred or more in these mountains, but I have never intentionally disturbed them."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): On purpose
Synonym: not an accident
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She intentionally missed when they made her lose her focus.
5.) Provocation (p. 177)
Quote: "....., but even with this provation,......" (Page 177)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Annoy
Synonym: provoke
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He should take a chill pill and not respond to the provation
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 thrown that stuff at him." (pg.178)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): reactive emotion
Synonym: mistreat
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): When my brother loses a game he has a rightous indignation for a few hours before its gone
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
Narrator = Certain
|
Narrator = Uncertain
|