"Rattlesnakes" By: John Muir
Pre-Reading:
Why might a human find a wild animal threatening? A human might find an animal threatening if the animal is venomous or is larger and has sharp teeth or claws.
Why might a wild animal find a human threatening? An animal might find a human threatening if the animal is small than the human.
What do you know about rattlesnakes? Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes and have rattlers at the end of their tails to warn predators.
Given what you know, how would you react if you encountered a rattlesnake in the wild? If I encountered a rattlesnake in the wild I would run away.
What do you know about John Muir? He was born on April 21, 1838. He was a naturalist, author and wanted preservations of wilderness in America.
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?
2.) Why does Muir say that at one time he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found”? (p. 175)
3.) Why, after killing the first snake, does Muir say he feels “degraded by the killing business”? (p. 176)
4.) Why does Muir feel “sore and guilty” about killing the snake he finds in his cabin? (p. 176)
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?
6.) Why does Muir use human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes?
7.) Why does Muir describe snakes as “fair and charitable”? (p. 176)
8.) Why does Muir see the second rattlesnake as “desperately embarrassed”? (p. 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)
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)
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 is threatened." (p. 175)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
2.) Persecuted (p. 176)
Quote: "Persecuted, tormented, again and again he tried to get away, bravely striking out to protect himself, but at last my heel came squarely down, sorely wounding him, and a few more brutal stampings crushed him." (p. 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
3.) Degraded (p. 176)
Quote: "I felt degraded by the killing business, farther from heaven, and I made up my mind to try to be at least fair and charitable as the snakes themselves and to kill no more save in self-defense." (p. 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
4.) Intentionally (p. 177)
Quote: "Since then I have seen perhaps a hundred or more in these mountains, but I have never intentionally disturbed them, nor have they disturbed me to any great extent, even by accident, though in danger of being stepped on." (p. 177)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
5.) Provocation (p. 177)
Quote: "My hands had
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
6.) Righteous indignation (p. 178)
Quote:
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
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 an animal threatening if the animal is venomous or is larger and has sharp teeth or claws.
Why might a wild animal find a human threatening? An animal might find a human threatening if the animal is small than the human.
What do you know about rattlesnakes? Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes and have rattlers at the end of their tails to warn predators.
Given what you know, how would you react if you encountered a rattlesnake in the wild? If I encountered a rattlesnake in the wild I would run away.
What do you know about John Muir? He was born on April 21, 1838. He was a naturalist, author and wanted preservations of wilderness in America.
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?
2.) Why does Muir say that at one time he “imagined that rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found”? (p. 175)
3.) Why, after killing the first snake, does Muir say he feels “degraded by the killing business”? (p. 176)
4.) Why does Muir feel “sore and guilty” about killing the snake he finds in his cabin? (p. 176)
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?
6.) Why does Muir use human characteristics and feelings to describe snakes?
7.) Why does Muir describe snakes as “fair and charitable”? (p. 176)
8.) Why does Muir see the second rattlesnake as “desperately embarrassed”? (p. 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)
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)
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 is threatened." (p. 175)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
2.) Persecuted (p. 176)
Quote: "Persecuted, tormented, again and again he tried to get away, bravely striking out to protect himself, but at last my heel came squarely down, sorely wounding him, and a few more brutal stampings crushed him." (p. 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
3.) Degraded (p. 176)
Quote: "I felt degraded by the killing business, farther from heaven, and I made up my mind to try to be at least fair and charitable as the snakes themselves and to kill no more save in self-defense." (p. 176)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
4.) Intentionally (p. 177)
Quote: "Since then I have seen perhaps a hundred or more in these mountains, but I have never intentionally disturbed them, nor have they disturbed me to any great extent, even by accident, though in danger of being stepped on." (p. 177)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
5.) Provocation (p. 177)
Quote: "My hands had
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
6.) Righteous indignation (p. 178)
Quote:
Definition (based on context/in your own words):
Synonym:
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):
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