Imagine that it is Friday night. You're home alone and suddenly have the
urge to grab a snack. You wander into the kitchen thinking that maybe a coke
and some chips will hit the spot. After you rummage through the cabinets
and the refrigerator, you settle instead on a piece of chocolate cake and a
glass of milk.
Often we go in search of one thing, but because of circumstances we hadn't
expected, we wind up with something entirely different. That's what
happpened when Gary Paulsen set out to write about slavery. Peruse Paulsen's
explanantion of what happened when he began his research and how his quest
led him in another direction.
Internet Links
Read the following selections and then answer the questions that follow.
...
A message from the author (You only need to read the first section.)
Capital offense (definition)
Background on Gary Paulsen (including additional books)
After reading, do the following.
Copy and paste these next questions into a word document. Answer them in
thoughtful and meaningful sentences. Print out your work and turn it in
with the final project.
1. Who was the subject of Gary Paulsen's original research? (Include several
relevent facts.)
2. Why did plantation owners want to prevent the slaves from learning to
read and write?
3. What is a "capital offense"?
4. Gary Paulsen offers the advice, "Read like a wolf eats." What does he
mean by this?
5. What means more to Gary Paulsen than the money he earns and the awards he
has received?