Touching Spirit Bear

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Cole, the protagonist of Touching Spirit Bear, is banished to a remote Alaskan island instead of serving time in jail for his crime. What do you know about alternative methods of criminal justice, either in America or around the world? Do you think that jail is an effective way to deal with people who commit crimes, especially youth? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may not be aware that other forms of criminal justice exist aside from jail; it may also be useful to explain what “criminal justice” means in this context. This question gauges students’ familiarity with the basic premise of the novel by examining how they feel about the way American society deals with people who have committed crimes. This question also connects to the theme of Healing and Reconciliation, Both Within and Outside of Oneself.

• “This Judge Wants to Stop Sending Kids to Jail: How We Can Help”: TEDx Talk on the potential benefits of restorative justice, particularly for young people; connects to the theme Healing and Reconciliation, Both Within and Outside of Oneself
• “How Does Incarcerating Young People Affect Their Adult Health Outcomes?”: Academic article describing a study that examines how incarceration affects adolescents’ mental, physical, and psychosocial health (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing)

2. What do you know about the natural environment of Alaska, or the Arctic/subarctic region generally? What are the landscape and weather like? Which types of animals and plants live there? How do you think that an Alaskan setting might influence the trajectory of a story?

Teaching Suggestion: Much of the focus of the story is on the natural environment and how Cole survives and learns from living in this harsh climate. This question gauges students’ general understanding of Alaskan nature and encourages students to make educated predictions about the types of hardships that Cole will endure while living there. It may be worth noting that Alaska is a large state that encompasses multiple biomes; although students may associate Alaska with the polar regions, the island where Cole stays is not quite so harsh.

• “Old Cabin in Alaskan Wilderness”: This photo evokes the sense of isolation and immersion in nature that Cole experiences in the novel.
• “Fauna of Alaska Taxonomic List of Mammals”: Comprehensive list of all known mammals in Alaska

Short Activity                                                          

Create a brief list of everything you would take if you were going to an Alaskan island by yourself. You are only allowed to bring one duffle bag, and you will be staying on the island for a full year. Be ready to share the reasons for your choices.

Teaching Suggestion: This short and simple activity can help gauge students’ knowledge of survival skills and the wilderness; the challenges of compiling such a list can also prepare students to empathize with Cole’s struggles. Students might benefit from first brainstorming as a group the aspects of basic living, including food, clothing, shelter, entertainment, and health. When they are finished, students can share one or two of their responses as well as the reasoning behind them.

• “Surviving on the Foods and Water from Alaska’s Southern Shores”: Detailed guide explaining the strategies and skills that a person can use to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. (Content may require a purchase or subscription.)
• “Stationed in Alaska: Subjective Winter Stress and Mental Health”: This scholarly article discusses the negative effects of the long, dark, cold Alaskan winters on mental health; Cole faces some of the mentioned effects during his time on the island. (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing)

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

The novel’s protagonist, Cole, is both a perpetrator and a victim of bullying and abuse. Being bullied makes Cole angry and causes him to lash out at others, thereby creating a cycle of bullying. What can individuals do to end the cycle of bullying?

Teaching Suggestion: Bullying and abuse can be difficult and highly personal topics for students to think about and discuss. Some students may feel more comfortable writing about or discussing examples of bullying and abuse from films, TV, and pop culture rather than personal situations. This question connects to the theme of The Damage of Bullying and Control.

• “StopBullying.gov”: Official US website listing resources for children who are victims of bullying