The Sign of the Beaver

As the novel ends, Matt is happily reunited with his family—but he knows it will be difficult to convince them, and other settlers soon to arrive, that Saknis’s people aren’t dangerous. Given that most colonists in Maine do not understand much about Indigenous people and culture, and the Penobscot recently fought with the French against English settlers, what can Matt say or do to bridge the two groups? Reflect on Matt’s realizations and new learning throughout the novel and discuss what lessons he might try to convey to family, neighbors, and other colonists.

Teaching Suggestion: It might be useful for students to list lessons Matt has learned—either pieces of practical knowledge from the Penobscot characters or bigger life lessons he comes to understand. Students might find their reading questions a valuable resource in reviewing the entire novel.

Differentiation Suggestion: Learners who might struggle with the analytical elements of the prompt may benefit from the use bulleted sentence stems (e.g., “When Matt loses his rifle, he learns ___________.”)