TEACHER GUIDE TO ‘YUREK: EDGE OF EXTINCTION – A BEN...

TEACHER GUIDE TO ‘YUREK: EDGE OF EXTINCTION – A BEN TAVERS ADVENTURE’

This free Guide was written by a recently retired educator of over 30 years of experience and can be downloaded from the author’s website at www.clydewoolman.com

Dear Teacher – About the Guide: With the diversity of learning needs in classrooms placing substantive demands on preparation and resources, reasonably priced, quality student material that can be used year after year is a valuable addition to your ‘tool kit’. The guide includes questions and activities using several teaching approaches to novel study, thus providing the flexibility and support you need. The 40+ page guide has four distinct components; Part 1: For time-strapped teachers, who may not have the time to read all the novels read by their students there is a 10 page chapter-by-chapter synopsis of the novel. Part 2: For teachers wishing to stimulate student discussion on the novel’s theme without a great deal of detailed follow-up questions/activities, there is a one-page student question sheet on the novel’s theme of Decision-Making, Leadership and Power, highlighted by the villain’s lust for power and the Ben and Yurek developing the traits associated with good decision-making and positive leadership. Part 3: For teachers wishing to use the novel for students to make Broad Extensions and Connections there are three one-page question/activities sheets in each of the following topics;

3.1 The Mythical Creature Extension, (with teacher background), particularly in the first part of the novel when Yurek starts the search for human help,

3.2 The Mountain Environment Connection, (with teacher background), especially in the novel’s middle part with the alpine/glacial setting prominent,

3.3 The Friends and Trust Connection, emphasized in the final portion of the novel as human Ben and sasquatch Yurek develop a strong friendship. Part 4: For teachers wishing a more detailed approach there are chapter-by-chapter questions and activities, (including alterations for students in the United States),with one easily photocopied page for each of the 17 chapters as well as a 10 page teacher answer key at the end. The student activities have a range of difficulty and variety of tasks emphasizing both specifics and broad extensions;

4.1 A section on Checking Out the Characters, for detailed student work on the main characters in the novel,

4.2 Promoting Learning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness, using the novel to enhance student knowledge from material directly in, or related to, the storyline,

4.3 Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding, by using the novel as a launch for students to explore broader issues and topics,

4.4 Letting students ‘get in the novelists head’ by Predicting the Future Plot. If you have any comments please feel free to contact the author at [email protected] I hope your students enjoy Yurek: Edge of Extinction. They may be interested in the first novel of the Ben Tavers series, Smugglers at the Lighthouse, also published by Moosehide Books of Ontario. Thank you – Clyde Woolman - Author

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER SYNOPSIS

‘YUREK : EDGE OF EXTINCTION – A BEN TAVERS ADVENTURE’

There are no ‘strong words’ in this novel.

For teachers in the United States - the synopsis and Teacher Guide uses Canadian spelling so a few words may be slightly different (travelling & traveling – honour & honor etc.) Kilometers have been converted to miles and meters to feet for

student activities. The term ‘sasquatch’ is more common in Canada, originating from an aboriginal name and was reportedly first used in English in 1929 by a teacher in Agassiz, a small community in the upper Fraser Valley about 70 miles east of Vancouver. The term ‘Bigfoot’ is more common in the United States and was reportedly first used in California in 1958.

Chapter 1: Angry at Authority: The chapter opens with Yurek being swept downstream by rapids. Though weakened by illness, he manages to clamber to shore and retrieves the fish he had caught in the lake, surprised that the bears had missed an easy meal. Returning to his clan who are camped in the mountains, he argues with Tenzig who is the the Taljeet, or leader. Yurek believes that humans, who he has seen only from a distance and been surprised by their multi-coloured skin (clothing) and one eyed birds (small aircraft), may have medicines that could help the ailing young yeti who are falling ill and dying at an alarming rate. Yurek’s father Kitar, well-respected though low in social status, supports his son against the Taljeet and Yurek decides to leave the safety of his clan and travel to find and enlist human help. The Taljeet offers a different solution, arguing that a mysterious human (Booling), who holds an ancient silver band may secretly help the yeti, and the leader will solicit his aide. While this proposal calms the members of the clan, including Kitar, (who remains suspicious of Taljeet motives), the frustrated and angry Yurek has already left the cave and made his decision to search for human help at chapter’s end. Chapter 2: A Sinking Feeling in a Crappy Kayak: The setting shifts to Vancouver’s False Creek where 13 year old Ben Tavers, and his cousin, 16 year old Ally are renting kayaks. Ben was raised in Toronto and now lives with his mother in Vancouver, while Ally lives in the tiny village of Bamfield on the west-coast of Vancouver Island. Ben needs practice since they are going to Harrison and will be kayaking and camping while their mothers visit the Hot Springs spa. Ally is experienced in outdoors activity, does not use make-up and wears unfashionable ‘comfort’ clothes. Her natural attractiveness interests Biff, the big, dumb beach boy running the shop. As Ally argues with Biff about the cheap unseaworthy kayaks, Ben goes solo and takes the kayak into the water, drifting helplessly away from the dock with no rope when Ally spies him and leaps onto the craft to help. Biff’s cheap kayak starts sinking and Ally is forced to dive into the water to save Ben who has leaped for the dock, missed, and plunged into the oily liquid. Eventually she pulls Ben to safety and stomps into the shop for a showdown with Biff. Ben intervenes and a settlement is made, pleasing Biff, who, as he tells his friend Sam, has a big plan to guide a famous professor around Harrison Lake, even though he and Sam no nothing about guiding in the outdoors.

synopsis cont. Chapter 3: The Weird and Wacky Double Search: Returning alone to his apartment, Ben spies a dark shape in the shadows of a nearby building. Somewhat anxious, he goes upstairs and tries to watch TV. A knock at the door surprises him since no one has buzzed up. The lock slowly begins to turn. Scared, Ben pulls out his hockey stick and puck to smack the intruder, only to find that it is his mysterious old friend Booling, with whom he had an adventure on the West Coast Trail during the Spring Break, outlined in the novel, Smugglers at the Lighthouse’. Now early summer, Ben has not seen Booling since. The small Ben is regarded as ‘strange’ by his peers since he likes to daydream and has a high tolerance for others who are ‘different’ such as Booling. For that reason, Ben is teased and occasionally bullied and finds elderly people less judgemental than those his own age. Mystical and wizard-like, Booling had a mysterious connection with an eagle in the last adventure, an eagle which had its wing broken by Ben’s Maple Leafs hockey puck. Booling still has a lame arm. The old man has come to enlist Ben’s help in searching for a missing teenage sasquatch, (Yurek). Booling believes he is too old to use the power of the band effectively and Ben had successfully used the bracelet in the previous adventure. When Ben finds out that the missing young sasquatch is likely to be travelling near Harrison, he marvels at either the coincidence or fate that Booling seems to be able to arrange, since he and Ally were going to Harrison with their mothers, Sarah, (Ben’s mom) and Judy, (Ally’s). Unstated in this chapter but referred to in Chapter 2 is that Biff is going as well, guiding a famous professor. Ben is further astounded when he finds the sasquatch is searching for humans. Hence the ‘weird and wacky double-search’, as the humans (with Ally) will search for Yurek while Yurek is searching for humans. Chapter 4: Poolside Chaos: A beginning driver, Ally struggles with the traffic as she, Ben and their mothers travel to Harrison, (Booling had previously left for Harrison on some mysterious business and Ben has not yet had a chance to tell Ally about the upcoming search). Arriving in the small town of Harrison, nestled near the tip of the Fraser Valley about 120km (70 miles) east of Vancouver, Ally is unimpressed by the touristy nature of the community and the early summer crowds with their big R.V.’s. Ben is fascinated by the long aqua-marine lake and the majestic glacier-tipped mountains to the north, the home of the sasquatch . A luxury hotel sits near the town’s famous hot springs and the foursome visit the hotel’s spa, (unable to afford the hotel the group is staying at a more modest motel). Neither Ally or Ben are interested in spas with their mud baths, hydro massages and aroma therapy, so Ben takes a look at the pool, only to encounter a surprise attack by Biff who is poolside. A scuffle occurs between Ben and Biff, with the considerably smaller, but much brighter, Ben swacking the big beach bum with towel flicks, firing sun-tan lotion into his sunglasses and dumping the big lug into the hot tub before escaping.

synopsis cont. Chapter 5: The Bridge Between Fact and Fantasy: Ben is finally able to meet with Ally alone and he explains the upcoming quest to the skeptical teenage girl. They meet Booling in a coffee shop and the old man informs them that sasquatch leaders have been meeting with a human hermit and trading for materials such as aspirin, rope etc. In doing so, the Taljeets may have inadvertently picked up human diseases which the immune systems of the young yeti cannot fight. Booling fears that this may be similar to the smallpox virus brought by Europeans to North America from which the Aboriginal people died in alarming numbers. Booling also explains that an evil anthropology professor, Fenton, who uses washed up actors dressed in sasquatch costumes as a hoax to stoke his research grants, may be on the track of the real missing yeti and had enlisted the aid of Biff and Biff’s friend Sam. It becomes imperative to find Yurek before he is captured by Fenton and made into a media circus, and critical to find an antidote for the ill young yeti. Booling attempts to give the silver band to Ben since the boy’s energy could make better use of its magic. Ben refuses, and at the end of the chapter a strange shadowy figure appears to be watching them. Chapter 6: A Great Moment Goes Wrong: Lonely and somewhat worried, Yurek ponders a return to the clan but decides to proceed downwards. He travels largely by night as sasquatch are nocturnal animals, the described large yellow eyes having tremendous sight. Yurek eats plants, shakes trees to bring down squirrels and uses his long arms to reach into dens. From a great distance he spies Harrison Lake and even the large Hotel structure, marvelling at the size of the building. Eventually arriving at Harrison Lake, Yurek skirts the shoreline and arrives at a cabin where he hears two humans arguing. Inside are Professor Fenton and Watkins, the washed-up actor he dresses in sasquatch costumes. Yurek finds the human voices and smell annoying and his language skills are not good, so he fails to understand much of the conversation where Fenton and Watkins, dressed in a sasquatch costume, are arguing about money. Fenton has no further need of Watkins since he is now hunting for a real sasquatch. Yurek cannot understand the concept of money and since he hears the word costume continually, he reasonably assumes it to be a human greeting. Fenton drugs Watkins and heads to his dinghy as Yurek gathers courage and approaches the renowned sasquatch expert with a ‘costume’, greeting. Initially Fenton thinks Yurek is Watkins and then realizes it is a real sasquatch and faints. Thinking he has hurt the professor somehow, Yurek runs away, pausing to glimpse at the prone Watkins lying in the cabin wearing a sasquatch costume. Scared and confused, Yurek runs away. Fenton recovers, gets to the boat, tells Biff and Sam to guard Watkins and to watch out for a hunched old man (Booling). The professor then grabs a rifle and heads out after Yurek.

synopsis cont. Chapter 7: One Event – Many Explanations: Ben, Booling and Ally explore a deserted cabin where Booling plays a joke on Ben, scaring the boy and receiving a ‘high-five’ and ‘thumbs-up’ gesture from the boy, small steps to Booling re-connecting with humans. At the next cabin the group splits up and Ben runs into a bear with her cub. The bear chases Ben down a trail, and unable to outrun it, Ben ‘plays dead’. The bear, realizing what’s happening is annoyed that the little human could think it to be so stupid and leaves Ben alone in disgust. Ben can’t believe the bear is so dumb, so the one event of the bear leaving Ben alone has more than one explanation. At the chapter’s conclusion Booling asks Ben once more to take the silver band as the old man fears he will be captured. Ben wants one answer to the connection between the silver band, Booling and the yeti, to which the old man replies that there are many explanations. Frustrated, Ben declines the offer of the band. Chapter 8: What to do With a Missing Sasquatch?: Booling asks Ally to take the silver band and Ally reluctantly accepts. Even though she is grounded in reality and not a daydreamer like Ben, Booling believes there is a hidden side to her that will allow her to use the magic. The old man states that if he is captured, he will purposely lead the professor to a cabin near the mountain glacier. As Ben, Ally and Booling paddle their kayaks northwards on Harrison Lake, Booling explains the origin of the yeti in an area in Asia in what is now northern India. The human rulers had possession of the original silver bands but were corrupted by their magic and overthrown in a rebellion. The leaders and their followers travelled to the Himalayas and, having learned their lesson, used the bands to help survive in the harsh high mountain environment. They grew long hair for warmth, became taller for strength and to walk in deep snow, grew a sixth toe for support on ice, and developed excellent sight through their yellow eyes catching and holding the sun. During the Ice Ages many yeti clans travelled across a land bridge between what is now Russia and Alaska and came to what is now Canada. Given Booling’s knowledge and his tie to the silver band, Ben continues to believe that Booling was once a Taljeet, a yeti leader. Spying Biff’s company boat moored on the lake near a cabin and afraid that Yurek has been captured, the trio devise a plan. Ally fires rocks at the cabin, smashing the walls and front deck, causing disruption to Sam and panic in Biff. Ben and Booling attempt to sneak in by a side door but Sam catches them and slams the rifle butt into Ben, knocking him unconscious. Inside the cabin, Booling tries to convince Sam and Biff that he is Ben’s grandfather and that they should take the sasquatch lying on the floor, (the drugged Watkins in a sasquatch costume), back to Harrison and sell him, though only Booling knows the figure is a fake sasquatch. Booling has convinced Sam, who is ready to double-cross the professor but Sam leaves his rifle against the wall where Biff grabs it and points it at his former friend, thus double crossing him. With flourish, professor Fenton roars into the cabin at chapter’s end.

synopsis cont.

Chapter 9: Secrets: With Biff now firmly allied with Fenton, the professor displays a theatrical flourish as he pulls and rips the sasquatch mask of Watkins, much to the horror of Biff and Sam. Fenton’s love of drama with the trained ability to move into a new character, would serve him well if he ever managed to obtain the silver band. The professor had received a secret message from a yeti one week earlier, warning about a hunched old man named Booling who possessed a magic silver band. The yeti ‘partner’ had wanted the band and the return of the missing teen sasquatch, and if Fenton were to provide these, the yeti would provide the professor with three living sasquatch ‘specimens’ for him to take back to the human world which would make Fenton rich and famous. Booling claims he has hidden the silver band and promises to take Fenton to it if the professor does not further harm the badly-hurt Ben. Fenton orders Biff to pour poison down Sam and Ben, thus breaking his word and takes Booling prisoner, though he leaves a packet of strange herbs on the counter. After watching Fenton and Biff lead Booling away, Ally approaches the cabin and finds the injured Ben. Curious about the unconscious Sam and the prone man with a human face and a sasquatch costume on his torso, she is more concerned with Ben and attempts to use the silver band to heal him. Initially frustrated by her inability to break from her natural realistic ways and become somebody or something she isn’t, Ally finally manages to force herself into the necessary dreamlike state, finding her secret side Booling thought might be there. She heals Ben, but finding the magic of the silver band “too weird”, gives the bracelet back to him. Chapter 10: Basic Instinct and Initial Trust: Ben and Ally debate whether to travel to the mountain glacier cabin where Booling had said he would trick the professor into taking him, or return to Harrison for help, finally deciding on the former. They leave the cabin and Ben takes the Booling’s packet of dried leaves which has been ignored by the professor. While the plan is to skirt the shoreline in their kayaks , (they need two if they are to rescue Booling and the missing teen sasquatch), and then cross at the end of the lake into which a river flows, Ally knows the distance is shorter but the crossing difficult. Ben is unable to cross due to the river current flowing into the lake and while Ally succeeds, he has to paddle back to the cabin and then go straight across the lake from there. After paddling across he awkwardly beaches his kayak for a rest. Noticing movement he finally comes face to face with the missing sasquatch, Yurek, who has hurt his ankle. Both the teenage sasquatch and human cringe at what they believe to be the awful smell of the other. Both raise rocks in preparation for battle and Ben is surprised when Yurek can speak English and puzzled by the sasquatch’s ‘costume’ greeting.

synopsis cont. Given that Ben is a tolerant teen willing to accept people and things as they are, and Yurek is open to new ideas, (he was the one who made the drastic move of leaving his clan in search of human medicine), the two rely on their trusting instincts and put down their potential weapons. Chapter 11: A Friend Heals – A Friend Hurts: Yurek initially refuses to travel in the kayak, the “floating log” as he calls it, until Ben teases him, calling him chicken. The two awkwardly clamber onto and into the vessel and Yurek decides to play a joke back at Ben, asking how he can “relieve his waste”. Yurek is even less proficient than Ben at paddling and he explains how the Taljeets learned English from the Aboriginal people. The duo finally reach the spot near the river mouth where Ally has hidden her kayak. Initially she thinks Ben’s “fur-ball” partner is Watkins, the fake sasquatch, who has somehow escaped from the cabin. Ben convinces her that Yurek is “certified grade A sasquatch” and Ally is shocked that Yurek can speak English when the sasquatch uses the ‘costume’ greeting. Yurek thinks Ally may be Ben’s mother and then is more confused when Ben informs her that some people think she is a “wildcat”. While using the silver band to heal Yurek’s ankle, Ben falls into a vision of ancient people sitting around a campfire chanting in a strange language, with Ben joining in. Though successful at healing Yurek, Ben is exhausted by the ordeal and Yurek is bothered by what Ben has chanted. The teen yeti bounds away, telling Ally that she and Ben should meet him in a cave high above after Ben wakes. Ben and Ally eventually find the cave after hiking up a steep path and find Yurek in the cave. The sasquatch has been hunting and killed three rabbits and he quickly chomps down one without cooking and displays appalling table manners. ‘Grossed out’, the human teens give their rabbits to Yurek. Ben pulls out the packet of dried leaves, admitting to Yurek that Booling made the concoction and he does not know what is in it. Yurek gobbles the packet and soon collapses, worrying both Ben and Ally. Chapter 12: Trapped: This chapter shifts to Booling’s predicament with Fenton and Biff. The professor has gone ahead to meet his mysterious partner and Biff cannot fathom why Fenton is so interested in a silver band when they were supposedly trying to find a missing teenage sasquatch. But as an anthropology professor, Fenton has a reasonable understanding of the legends of the magic contained in the silver band. Booling manages to trick Biff to go the wrong direction and soon the beach-bum is lost. The duo arrive at a pool fed by a waterfall and the rifle-toting Biff orders Booling to the far side from which there is no quick escape while he dives into the water for a refreshing swim to clear the small mind that he has. Attracted by the noise, a cougar arrives and debates whether to kill and eat Booling, or wait for Biff to exit the pool. Booling is old and withered, and thus likely tough and tasteless meat, while Biff is young and muscled. The cougar has recently eaten, so it decides to plop itself down by Biff’s rifle and wait,

synopsis cont. allowing the old man to slowly leave the area. Booling considers trying to help Biff but the young man’s pleas to the cougar to “kill the old man, not me”, convince him to leave Biff to his own devices. Heading to the mountain-glacier cabin, the crippled old man is later startled by two voices. One he recognizes as Fenton and the other is vaguely familiar from a time long ago. Fenton is arguing with his partner who is claiming that the professor should never have left the stupid Biff to guard the tricky Booling. The partner covets the silver band and only Booling supposedly knows where it is. Fenton is becoming as interested in the silver band as in capturing Yurek and receiving three young yeti as a reward. The partner realizes Fenton’s growing interest in the silver band and warns the professor away from that desire, demonstrating the partnership to be based on the greedy self-interest of each party. Booling is seen near the trail to the cabin and captured and the old man realizes the person with the vaguely recognized voice from long ago – the Taljeet, Tenzig. Chapter 13: The Giant Slide: A refreshed and apparently fully healed Yurek awakes and joyously leads Ally in an awkward dance before she rebuffs his advances. He then begins to throw giant boulders off the cliff until Ben warns him to stop making so much noise which prompts a fake anger in the now-energized sasquatch. The trio follow a high altitude valley from where Yurek insists there will be a break in the valley walls and they will be able to see the glacier cabin far below. When Ben asks how they will descend, Yurek fails to provide specifics. On the journey the three discuss the concept of power and decision-making. Yurek cannot grasp the concept of money and how it relates to power and control with humans. Ben cannot believe that the yeti allow the Taljeet to make the decisions and have little or no individual decision-making and control over their own lives. Despite this, and the obvious physical differences, Ben realizes there is very little substantive difference between humans and sasquatch. After passing through the promised break in the valley walls, the trio can see the cabin far below. Rocks shaped like an arrow to be seen from above point to the cabin which all assume had been purposely arranged by Booling to confirm that is his destination. Yurek explains that they will slide down the glacier, he on his rear end and Ben and Ally on their packs. Before he can explain further, the suddenly impulsive Ally hops on and flies down the icy hill, travelling the wrong way which will mean she will stop further from the cabin. A reluctant Ben goes next and initially enjoys the ride until he steals a glance back at the following Yurek, veers off course, and goes too close to the less-firm ice near the rocky edges of the glacier. Yurek has warned him to stay away from the blue ice where a crevasse may be but Ben cannot pilot his pack well enough and flies into a deep, icy fissure.

synopsis cont. Chapter 14: Risky Rescues: The chapter opens with Ben having fallen into a deep crevasse, landing on a ledge. He is shaken and disoriented but not hurt badly. Yurek checks on him from above and then has a rescue idea and departs, leaving Ben to shiver and eventually doze in the icy cavern. Ben is awakened by the regularity of thunderous thuds on the glacier’s surface, as Yurek plans to drop a large log into the cavern, land it on the ledge where Ben is lying, thus allowing Ben to crawl up the log to the top. The only problems are ‘minor’ – the descending log could shatter the ledge or could strike Ben and knock him downwards into the seemingly bottomless ice fissure. After the log-drop, Yurek warns Ben to avoid looking down as the boy wiggles upwards. Ignoring Yurek’s advice, Ben slips and almost falls off the log, and only Yurek’s quick thinking of turning the snag allows Ben to regain his grip and crawl upwards, exchanging banter with Yurek as he goes. In the meantime, Ally has landed at the end of the glacier but in the wrong place. Disoriented from spinning on the make-shift sled, she is surprised by Biff. The young man is wearing only boxer shorts (with tiny turtles on them), and shredded shoes. Biff explains that Booling left him with the cougar and the big cat had torn up his clothes and dragged his rifle away. Mistaking Biff’s hand on her shoulder as an attack, Ally whirls and sends the now-pathetic beach boy to the ground. Two distant rifle shots from the professor just miss Biff and he realizes his error in siding with the professor and double-crossing his friend Sam. He offers to help Ally rescue Booling and she accepts, partially out of pity, partly from secretly liking him and also because Biff could never find his way back to the boat by the lakeside cabin on his own. Chapter 15: Dealing with Death: Ben and Yurek notice the marks in the snow where Ally would have landed, indicating a scuffle between two people. Worried by this, and Yurek’s report of hearing loud cracks when he was rescuing Ben, (rifle shots) they head for the cabin via a shortcut Yurek knows, and the sasquatch is aghast at the use of guns and how easily humans can obtain them. Near the cabin they are surprised by Tenzig holding a rifle. Angered, Yurek charges his Taljeet who shoots the young sasquatch twice, bragging that he could have killed Yurek since he has become, “good at using this firestick”. Badly injured, Yurek blurts out that he knows where the silver band is, worrying Ben, (who has the band in his pocket) and surprising Tenzig. The old yeti has been frustrated by the professor hitting Booling so hard to get the information that the old man has been unable to speak and thus reveal the location of the hidden band. Ben begins bargaining and dealing with Tenzig, claiming he knows where the band is hidden in the wilderness and only requests a short time alone in the cabin to say goodbye to his friends. The Taljeet tests Ben’s bravery by threatening to shoot the boy and Yurek, but Ben, outwardly calm but shaking

synopsis cont. inside, holds his ground and the deal is done. Of course once he has the silver band, Tenzig plans to renege on the deal and kill Ben and Yurek as well as his ‘partner’, professor Fenton. Chapter 16: An Impossible Choice: Ben, the injured Yurek, the Taljeet and the returning Fenton (who has been busy taking rifle shots at Biff), enter the cabin. Ben finds an injured and unconscious Booling, but Ally is not in the cabin and must still be ‘free’. Professor Fenton chides Tenzig for shooting Yurek and “ruining a perfectly good specimen”, while the Taljeet reminds Fenton that they would already know the location of the silver band if the professor had not beaten Booling so badly. Both plan to obtain the silver band and double-cross the other and the Taljeet convinces Fenton to let Ben have 15 minutes with his friends in a trade for Ben revealing the location of the silver band. Alone, Ben attempts to heal Booling first and the old man wakes and tells the boy there is not enough time to heal both he and Yurek. The old man insists that the teen yeti be healed first since he is young and descended from kings. Yurek though, refuses to be helped, insisting that Booling be saved first since the old man is the only one who can make the medicine to heal the sick young sasquatch. Torn between deciding who to heal, Ben finds he cannot use the silver band at all since he needs to be of ‘one mind’ so he can focus. Forlorn, he also realizes that not deciding who to save is actually a decision in itself, and in doing so he has doomed he and his friends to death. Stricken with grief and anger, Ben hurls the silver band into a corner of the cabin and slumps down, dejected. Fenton and Tenzig return and when the depressed Ben does not reveal the band’s location, Fenton slugs him and knocks the boy semi-conscious. The Taljeet spies the band on the floor and lunges for it at roughly the same time as the professor. A brawl ensues, the sasquatch bigger and stronger but the human younger and quicker. Fenton wins the fight, knocks the Taljeet out with a rifle butt and gazes at the silver band. An awakening Booling senses Fenton’s dreams of leadership and his fascination with the yeti. As the professor rubs the band against the Taljeet’s body, the connection becomes stronger. Booling encourages the lust for yeti power in the professor, hinting that the professor could be a great Taljeet. Booling knows Fenton’s love of theatrics and his ability to focus and become another character will help the professor draw on the silver band’s magic. Chapter 17: The Limits of Magic: As Ally and Biff sit against the outside cabin wall they hear horrible howls of pain and anguish. Biff looks in a window and turns deathly white at what he has seen, unable to speak or move. Ally is forced to enter the cabin alone, seeing professor Fenton’s horribly contorted face, his painfully twitching torso and his clothes ripped and shredded by his own hands.

synopsis cont. Ben lies dazed in a corner and tells Ally to use the silver band to heal Yurek, the magic bracelet having been used and dropped, by Fenton. Ally takes the rifles outside to Biff and begins to use the band to heal Yurek. She is surprised by the ease in which the young sasquatch recovers. As the tired Ally is recovering, Biff drags Tenzig inside as the Taljeet was trying to escape while Ally had been busy healing Yurek. A fight had ensued with Biff besting the already hurt Taljeet. Using the silver band, Yurek heals Booling while Ben recovers. Booling explains that Fenton wanted to be a leader and had been obsessed with the sasquatch, to the point where he wanted to be a leader of the yeti – a Taljeet. Booling had encouraged him in this thinking but the professor went mad as the band made him realize the considerable gap between his lust for leadership and his poor skills and abilities. The band made him see himself for what he was and he was unable to see the truth. The Taljeets believed that the magic of the silver bands could make them human again so they had more contact with humans to find the bracelets, even though they knew they were bringing a disease back to the young yeti. Booling explains that the Taljeet belief that the original humans had used the bands to morph into yeti to survive in the high mountains was wrong and based on a myth. The human adaptation to the yeti of the high-mountain environment was a slow, natural one. With the Taljeets disgraced, Kitar, Yurek’s father, and then Yurek himself will be the new leader and Yurek promises that all yeti will be more involved in decision-making. Once he realizes that Booling’s medicine is easily made and available, Yurek refuses the silver band stating that the yeti will “make new legends without magic.” He also states that Tenzig, and Fenton would be tried by a council of elders and laughs at Ben’s teasing about playing defence or goalie for the Maple Leafs. Ben had always wanted to know if Booling was a Taljeet and insists on one answer which Booling replies that ‘he knew Tenzig from earlier contact”, and states that to be his ‘one answer’ and refuses to elaborate.

THE THEME OF ‘YUREK : EDGE OF EXTINCTION’

DECISION-MAKING, LEADERSHIP AND POWER (the nature of the questions are such that background information is not provided for this segment)

A theme is a broad and general thread throughout a novel and the theme that runs through ‘Yurek: Edge of Extinction’ involves Decision-Making , Leadership and Power. The teenage Ben and Ally chafe at their lack of decision making and control over their lives early in the novel as they are ‘forced’ to go to the spa and to ask permission to go on an overnight camping trip. They display the leadership qualities of caring, cleverness and courage throughout the novel, supporting their claims for more control. Yurek slowly displays more and more leadership qualities as the story progresses and in the end we find he is descended from a line of Kings. By leaving the clan in chapter one Yurek displays a high degree of decision-making to control his own life. Yet he remains puzzled about individual control over lives until Ben and Ally’s prompting questions about the Taljeet’s exclusive power makes the young sasquatch question the lack of participatory decision-making. In the end, both Ben and Yurek are faced with decisions involving almost impossible choices in order to defeat their adversaries whose lust for power eventually destroys them.

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each section)

Decision-Making: 1. Ben claims that humans like to make decisions on their own so they have control over their

lives. Some people clearly make a lot of good decisions and some seem to make many bad ones. While everyone makes poor decisions once in a while, what makes some people good decision-makers more often and more regularly than other people?

2. At the end of the story a point is made that if you are silent or fail to make a decision to act you have, by doing nothing, in a strange way , made a decision. Do you agree with this? Why or why not, (this is a difficult question and it may help to think of examples of inaction).

Leadership:

1. Fenton desperately wants to be a leader and Yurek is descended from a line of leaders though he has no formal training for the role. What are the characteristics of a good leader and can

they be taught?

Power: 1. Power is the ability and/or authority to control other people. Some people claim that once a

person has power he or she will want to keep it and rarely give it away. Do you think that is true? Do you think there are students who like to have ‘power’ over others? What is it about their behaviour that makes you believe this?

2. In the story the Taljeets have been acting in secret with a plan to return to human form. In World War II the atomic bomb development was kept secret. Are there any examples in today’s world where it would be acceptable for the Canadian or American government to keep secrets from the population? You may wish to set up a debate on this topic.

BROAD EXTENSIONS AND CONNECTIONS

THE EARLY PORTION OF THE NOVEL

THE MYTHICAL CREATURE EXTENSION

Usually a story has broad links to ideas, places or events and sometimes an author can use a story as a connection to tell more, either directly or through hints, about an idea, place or event. The author uses the connection to add and extend meaning, understanding and viewpoint to encourage the reader become more involved with the story. One example in Yurek - Edge of Extinction is a Mythical Creature Extension since most people would regard the sasquatch as a mythical creature, though in the story they have a wide range of human qualities and emotions. This connection is strong throughout the novel but particularly in the early portion as Yurek is introduced, has a failed first contact with humans and then meets and becomes friends with Ben. Possible activities to build understanding and learn more about mythical creatures are below and your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each.

Mythical Creatures:

1. Most people believe the the yeti/sasquatch are mythical creatures and the story is unclear whether Booling was once one. What is a mythical creature? Choose four mythical creatures or figures from the following list, research the creature and either draw or write a brief explanation of each: 1. Vampires, (Eastern Europe), 2.Hercules, (Greek) 3. Ananta, (India), 4. Bo, (China), 5. Sampati, (India) 6. Genie, (Arabia), 7. Ao Chin, (China).

2. Create a mythical creature of your own. Give him or her a name, explain where it lives and describe what the creature looks like using a drawing or a written report. Many ancient mythical creatures had special powers and weaknesses so give yours both.

3. Hobbits are famous creation of a similar-to-human creature. One of the most famous and popular fantasy stories written for young people was ‘The Hobbit’ which was then followed by a trilogy (three books) called Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings became three very successful movies and the Hobbit movie was released in December 2012. Give a basic description of the book or movie, The Hobbit.

Wizards:

1. Ben likes reading stories about wizards and warlocks which are popular magical characters in European cultures, and his ability to drift into other worlds helps him use the silver band. What are wizards and what are their mythical powers?

2. Ben believes Booling is somewhat ‘wizard-like’. Two famous wizards in literature have been Merlin and Gandalf. Find information about these two famous wizards and the stories in which they played a major role.

3. The famous 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was based on a book written in the late 1800’s. There are a number of differences between the book and movie. Why do you think these differences between a book and the movie occur, especially in movies with or about mythical creatures?

BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS

THE MYTHICAL CREATURE EXTENSION

Mythical Creatures: Question #1: A mythical creature is one designed to explain the way the world is, such as

good and evil, or a natural event, such as lightning, tides, fire, rainfall etc. Some purely mythical creatures students were asked to research were…1. Vampires – most cultures have similar myths of immortal-like beings existing on the blood of the living – Dracula, a famous fictional vampire, was supposedly modelled after a real Transylvanian leader, (a region in what is now Romania), Vlad the Impaler. 2. Hercules – in Greek mythology Hercules was half-man, half-God in a human body. He possessed enormous strength. 3. Annanta – in Hindu mythology this is a 1,000 headed serpent having the ability to spit fire. 4. Bo – in Chinese mythology a type of unicorn with the body of a black horse with a horn protruding from its forehead. It eats large animals such as tigers and leopards. 5 - Sampati – an Indian mythical beast with an eagle body and a man’s head that began life as a ball of pure energy. 6. Genie – Arabian myth of a demon/spirit that is human in appearance, some of which are friendly and can grant wishes though sometimes these carry a curse. 7 – Ao Chin – one of the four great Dragon Kings in Chinese Mythology. The four rule the sea, live at the bottom of the ocean and help during droughts.

Question #3 The Hobbit novel was written in 1937 by J.R. Tolkein, and tells of hobbit Bilbo

Baggins winning the master ring from Smeagol (also Gollum) in a riddle game while searching for treasure. The novel was followed by the trilogy Lord of the Rings where Bilbo’s nephew Frodo seeks to destroy the ring to prevent ownership by the evil warlord Sauron. The Hobbit is a major motion picture released in December of 2012 following the success of the Lord of the Rings movies.

Wizards: Question #1: The term wizard likely comes from the middle English word wysard with the root word being ‘wise’. Wizards can bend the natural forces around them to suit their purposes. Often the term ‘sorcerers’ is synonymous with wizard, but when distinctions are made sorcerers tend to engage in black magic and have more innate power where wizards often have to learn their craft. Question #2: Merlin was a fictional wizard in the legends of King Arthur. The historical existence of Arthur is disputed and debated, though folklore has it that he was an English King who defeated the invading Saxons in the 5th and 6th centuries and set up a kingdom that included Britain, Ireland, Iceland and Gaul, (much of what is now France). Merlin was his advisor who could wield magic and shapeshift. Merlin was bewitched by the Lady of the Lake who was his student and she eventually imprisoned him. Gandalf was one of the wizards in J.R. Tolkein’s trilogy, ‘The Lord of the Rings’, who helps the hobbit Frodo on his quest to destroy the ring. Gandalf begins the journey as Gandalf the Grey but then is presumably killed in a battle, only to return as Gandalf the White after the fall of the White Wizard who has been secretly helping the evil Lord Sauron. Question #3 Movies usually require action and it is also difficult to take a novel and make it into a movie, usually less than two hours long. In a novel readers form a vision of a character, in a sense creating the character in his or her mind. In a movie, the viewer is watching the director or actor’s view of the character. Novels with mythical creatures make the reader utilize even more intense personal imagination and thus can more easily disappointed when the ‘movie version’ is on screen.


THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE NOVEL

THE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT CONNECTION

Usually a story has broad links to ideas, places or events and sometimes an author can use a story as a connection to tell more, either directly or through hints, about an idea, place or event. The author uses the connection to extend meaning and understanding and encourage more involvement with the story. One example in Yurek - Edge of Extinction is a Mountain Environment Connection since the story is largely set in and around Harrison Lake and the surrounding mountains and Yurek is a high-mountain dweller. This connection is strong throughout the novel but particularly in the middle portion as Booling is captured and taken to a cabin beside a glacier high in the mountains. Possible activities to build understanding and learn more about the mountain environment are below and your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each.

Glaciers: 1. Harrison Lake has a slight emerald green hue that fascinates Ben. Some glacial lakes have an

almost green colour to them. What causes this emerald-like colour in glacial lakes?

2. Ben, Yurek and Ally spend time scrambling over moraines which are often piled high with very large boulders rather than small pebbles. Often they appear as a jumbled mass of huge boulders making a straight wall. What are moraines and why would frontal ones often look like a wall across a valley with very large boulders? (this is a difficult question!)

The Himalayas and Mount Everest: 1. Booling explains that the humans who eventually became yeti had fled to the Himalayan

Mountains. On a map of eastern Asia that outlines the countries of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, India, China and Tibet label the countries and show the territory covered by the Himalayan Mountain range, (note that Tibet is not technically an official country and is part of China and though this has been a controversy for many years.)

2. Booling explains that the humans who became yeti had fled to the Himalayas, the highest mountain range on the earth’s surface and Mount Everest is the highest mountain from sea level. In 1953 the first people reached the summit (top) of Mt. Everest, succeeding where others before them had failed.

2a. Research the expedition and find out the difficulties they had reaching the top, or…

2b. On a map/diagram of Mt. Everest show the route the expedition took as they moved up the mountain.

3. So many expeditions now attempt to climb Mt. Everest some have argued for tough rules to

control the number of climbers for safety and environmental protection. With a partner set up a debate, one person supporting the need for tough rules, the other opposing any regulations.

4. Mt. Everest is 8,848 meters (29,028 ft.) in elevation and is the regarded as the highest mountain.

But Mauna Kea in Hawaii is 10,200 meters (33,464 ft.) Explain this strange ‘twist’ of facts.

BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS

THE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT CONNECTION

Glaciers:

Question #1 Glacial flour or rock flour is fine-grained salt-sized material from a glacier grinding bedrock and can cause the turquoise colour that can be seen in glacial lakes. Two such lakes are Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies in Banff National Park (Alberta) and Emerald Lake in the same mountain range but in Yoho National Park in B.C. Both Lake Louise and Emerald Lake have up-scale lakeside hotels, the Lake Louise Chateau and the Emerald Lake Lodge. Being close to the Trans-Canada highway, the lakes have a tremendous number of visitors, especially Lake Louise.

Question #2 Moraines are the piles of debris pushed forwards or sideways by a glacier as it moves, then becoming much more visible as the glacier retreats and the ice melts, leaving the debris. Frontal moraines are made up of debris pushed ahead as the glacier moves forward. When the glacier retreats, especially if it does so suddenly and rapidly, it will quickly ‘dump’ this debris, leaving a pile of rocks often in a line, thus resembling a giant wall.

The Himalayas and Mount Everest:

Question #2a In 1952 a Swiss team accompanied by a Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay (sherpas are an ethnic group in Nepal) came within 800 meters (874 yards) of the summit. The eventually successful 1953 British expedition under Hunt was split into two teams. At the last camp, about 1,000 meters (1,093 yards) below the top, one team tried and came within 91 metres (99 yards) when a person’s oxygen system failed and they had to return to camp. Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay (on this climb as well), then went for the top, reaching it and spending 15 minutes there before descending. Hillary took a picture of Norgay at the summit but strangely did not want his photo taken. It is of note that the clothing and equipment in 1953 was much more rudimentary than that available today. In 1978 two climbers were the first to reach the summit of Mt. Everest without oxygen masks!

Question #3 Besides the negative impact on the sensitive environment through the

lack of comprehensive and consistently enforced rules, (Everest lies on the border between Nepal and China), there has also been recent discussion about the quality and experience of the climbers who are not adequately prepared and are injured or die on the ascent.

Question #3 Mount Everest is regarded as the tallest in elevation based on its height

from sea level and is probably best described as the highest point on the surface of the earth. The entire planet’s highest mountain, as measured from the base, is Mauna Kea which is 10,200 meters (33,464 ft.) rising from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. However, only 4,205 meters (13,795 ft.), or about 41% of Mauna Kea is above sea level.


THE LATER PORTION OF THE NOVEL

THE FRIENDS AND TRUST CONNECTION (the nature of the questions are such that background information is not provided for this segment)

Usually a story has broad links to ideas, places or events and sometimes an author can use a story as a connection to tell more, either directly or through hints, about an idea, place or event. The author uses the connection to add and extend meaning, understanding and viewpoint to encourage the reader become more involved with the story. One example in Yurek ; Edge of Extinction is a Friends and Trust Connection since the story is largely revolves around the relationship between the main characters, particularly in the later portion of the story. This is when the friendship develops between Ben and Yurek, the ‘partnerships’ between Biff and Sam and professor Fenton and the Taljeet Tenzig, break down, and a concluding hint that there had been a prior relationship between Booling and Tenzig. Possible activities to build understanding and learn more about this connection are below and your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each section.

Making Friends: 1. Positive communication helps people get along with others and can help them become friends.

Most people agree that these skills can be taught. What are these skills and if you were the teacher, how would you go about teaching positive communication skills?

2. Ben and Yurek slowly become close friends. What do you think were three or four of the main reasons they developed a friendship?

3. A great deal of communication is done without words. Some people are not very good at noticing the signs people send and some can sense the signals right away. Make a chart with the titles, 1. eyes, 2. eyebrows, 3. face, 4. arms, and 5. mouth. Over the next two days try to notice and record all the non-verbal signals sent to you by friends, teachers and parents, (don’t tell anyone you are looking!) You do not need to explain the meaning, just note the total number. You may be surprised at how many times this communication occurs!

Keeping Friends and Building Trust: 1 On a few occasions, Ben and Yurek have disagreements. (such as when Ben thinks Yurek wants

to take the silver band) that are solved before a fight. Taking action when you are angry can lead to saying or doing something that will hurt a friend’s feelings or make someone mad at you. What strategies do you use to calm yourself down, (sometimes called ‘coming down from anger mountain’) before making a decision to say or do something rash?

2 Ben and Yurek trust each other. When someone says, “I can really trust that person,” what does that mean to you and how does that help in keeping friends?

3 In one chapter Ally finds she has a hidden or secret side like many people have. Would you tell your close friends about any secret side you have? (of course it would no longer be a secret if you told!) What are the benefits and dangers of telling close friends this type of information?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 1 - ANGRY AT AUTHORITY

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or only certain questions in each section)

Checking Out the Characters:

1. The Taljeet claims that “Being smart is not the same as being wise”. What does that mean and do you agree? Why or why not?

2. What are some hints that Yurek’s father, Kitar, and Yurek himself, may have more leadership ability and importance than they seem?

Learning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness:

1. If the young yeti continue to die from disease, the species may become extinct. An endangered species is one that has a high risk of becoming extinct. Many mammals have become extinct in the past and there are many on the endangered list today. Three of those today are the Humpback Whale, the Gorilla and the Tiger.

1a Explain the main reasons these mammals have become endangered and thus at high risk of becoming extinct? or… 1b Using two maps of the continent of Africa, show the change in wilderness areas where the Gorilla (Africa) lived, the first map from a year of your choice from 1945-1960 and the second map showing the area today. Do the same with two maps of the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia and show the changes in territory for the tiger between the two dates.

2. The yeti clan is gathered about a large cave and very large caves are often called caverns. Caves

and caverns are often populated with bats (probably the origin of the idea of the Batcave in Batman movies) since bats like dark places. Draw a chart (3x4) with three types of bats written down the left side – Little Brown Bat, Vampire Bat and Golden Crowned Flying Fox (it is a bat!) and four categories written across the top – Where They Live, Wingspan, Weight and What They Eat. Check out the details of each bat and fill in the boxes in your chart. How does the Little Brown Bat help the agricultural, (food) industry?

Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding:

1. The Taljeet claims that if a yeti was captured he or she would be locked in a cage and/ or put on show to make money. What do you think humans would do if a yeti/sasquatch was captured?

Predicting the Future Plot:

1. Yurek describes an airplane and human clothing in this chapter. How do you think he would describe a boat?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 2 - A SINKING FEELING IN A CRAPPY KAYAK

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or only certain questions in each section) Checking Out the Characters:

1. How would you describe Biff’s character? Is he someone you would want as an older brother? Why or why not?

2. Ben tells Ally to stop being so picky about safety and eventually takes the kayak out on his own without permission. Later he uses a good argument to convince Biff to pay money for the damaged clothes. These events seem to say that Ben’s character is a combination of impulsive, stubborn and clever. Which classmates, boy or girl come closest to this combination of character traits and give examples of their behaviour to support your view.


1. Kayaks and canoes are used to explore the outdoors. What are the differences between the two vessels?

2. Ben falls in the oily water of Vancouver’s False Creek and the oil is floating on top of the water. Why does this happen? What often-used saying describing two people who do not get along is based on this scientific principle?

3. Many companies specialize in ‘eco-tourism’. What is ‘eco-tourism’ and how might it be a little different from ‘adventure-tourism’? Do you think you would be interested in a job in the eco-tourism or adventure-tourism industry? Can you think of any classmates who would make a good guide in the industry when he or she is an adult and what makes you believe they would like it and be good at it?


1. ‘Adventures Away’ is a poorly run business. A business is an activity is which a person or group of people provide or sell a service or make an object and sell it. Virtually all businesses attempt to make money and some do very well at it such as Apple computers, while others lose money and close down. Why do you think some businesses do well and others don’t?


1. Why do you believe we will likely see Biff at a later point in the story?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 3- THE WEIRD AND WACKY DOUBLE SEARCH



1. If you were in the same situation as Ben with the lock slowly being turned on your front door and nobody was answering your questions from the other side, what would action would you take?

2. What are your impressions of Booling? In what ways do you find him likeable and in what ways could young people find him annoying?

3. Booling is impressed by Ben’s “high tolerance of others”. What does having a high tolerance level mean and why do you think some people are more tolerant of those that are different from them than others?


1. Harrison Lake is a long narrow lake running north-south in British Columbia like Pitt Lake and Alouette Lake in the Lower Mainland close to Vancouver, or, other lakes in southern British Columbia such as Okanagan Lake, and Kootenay Lake. What caused the lakes to have such a similar shape? (There is much of the same geography in Washington State).


1. Answer one of the following… 1a Ben tries many channels on the TV and does not find anything he likes. Many TV shows

become popular and stay on the air for many years while others do not have many people watch and go off the air. Why are unpopular shows cancelled (go off the air) while popular ones stay on TV? – (hint – the number of people watching connects to something else!)

or 1b Harry and the Hendersons was a movie involving a sasquatch that did not portray the

creature as a monster and was fairly popular, even spawning a TV show by the same name from 1991-93. Research the movie and explain why it was different in the portrayal of a sasquatch.


1. Who do you think is the figure hiding in the shadows near Ben’s apartment? 2. Booling has to travel quickly to Harrison to complete some mysterious work. What do you think

that task is?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 4 - POOLSIDE CHAOS



1. Ally clearly is not a fan of spas. What is a spa and from what we know of her why is this attitude in line with her character? Give specific examples to support your view.

2. Why are the actions in the poolside tussle between Biff and Ben consistent with what you know about each of them? Give specific examples to support your view.


1. What causes Hot Springs? Research your province, territory, (or state) to find sites where hot springs are located, whether they are in a wilderness setting and have hotels and spas beside them.

2. Ally claims that camping is becoming less popular and that the number of visitors to National Parks is dropping year after year. Research to find out if she is correct in your province, (or state). If she is, why do you believe it is occurring?

3. Harrison is described as a town that has a great deal of tourists and Ally states that she hopes her home village of Bamfield never gets as busy. When a town or area becomes a favourite place for tourists to visit, how does the town or area change? What would be some good changes and what would be some negative ones?


1. Many non-aboriginal gold seekers used the route through Harrison Lake as one way to the gold fields during the Cariboo Gold Rush. When was the Gold Rush? What B.C. community was one of the major towns where gold was found and now is a tourist destination since has been designed and built as it was in the Gold Rush days? Where is the town located?


1. Ben has not had a minute to talk to Ally privately about the search for a missing teenage sasquatch. If you were Ben or Ally, where and how would you start your search and why?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 5 - THE BRIDGE BETWEEN FACT AND FANTASY



1. Ally claims she lives in ‘the real world’ and does not believe in fantasy. What is fantasy and why do you think some people like those stories and for those that do, often like it with high intensity? Do you like fantasy stories? Why or why not?

2. Ben says he hates bullies because others his age pick on him even though he is smart and brave. Why do you think he gets bullied and why does that seem unfair? Is there anything Ben could do so he would not get bullied as much, and if so is it fair that he should have to change so he would not get picked on as much by people his own age?

Leaning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness:

1. Answer one of the following…

1a There is a Sasquatch Provincial Park near Harrison. How many provincial (state) parks are in your province, (or state) and rank them on a chart from the smallest in size to the largest. Can you think of any other ways to rank the parks? or… 1b What is the difference between provincial, (or state), and national parks? List on a chart the national parks with the most visitors and their location. What is a major reason for their popularity?


1. Research the smallpox disease and why it was so deadly for Aboriginal people. What was the estimated impact of the disease on Aboriginal people?


1. Who do you think will find Yurek first, Professor Fenton or Ben, Booling and Ally? 2. Who do you believe is the person or creature hiding in the shadows and appearing to be

observing Ben, Booling and Ally?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 6 - A GREAT MOMENT GOES WRONG



1. How would you describe the relationship between Professor Fenton and Watkins? Support your view with evidence from the story.

2. From what you know of Yurek from chapter 1 and 6, how would you describe his character? You may also choose to draw a picture of how you visualize the teenage sasquatch.

Learning About the Environment and/or Wilderness:

1. Yurek is surprised to see the Harrison Hotel from such a distance, meaning the structure is, to him, huge. A major piece of the city environment in Canada has been the grand Railways Hotels. The Empress in Victoria, The Hotel Vancouver, the Lake Louise Chateau, the Banff Springs Hotel, the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and the Royal York in Toronto were all originally Railway Hotels and most large Canadian cities have one. Pick two of your favourite hotels and research to find out how much it costs to spend a night in a luxury suite.

2. Yeti are described as nocturnal mammals. What is a nocturnal mammal and what is one other nocturnal animal that has been asked about a previous Chapter’s questions?

3. Old cabins in the coastal areas of British Columbia as well in other provinces and the Pacific Northwest in the United States, were built from the material close at hand, usually without power tools and specific written design and drawings. Why would math skills be so important in building these cabins?

Extending Your Knowledge and/or Understanding:

1. When two species meet there is likely to be a great deal of misunderstanding and problems communicating. This has also happened in the past when two races of human beings have met for the first few times. One of the more famous incidents involves the Hawaiians and British explorer James Cook in 1779. What happened?

2. Two old but popular movies about alien visitors to earth (‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and ‘Contact’), involved the aliens using either musical patterns or math to communicate with humans, amore universal code than a specific word-based language. How do you think humans would react to contact such as this and who should speak for the planet earth?

Predicting the Future Plot: 1. Initially Fenton gives the rifle to Biff. Then he changes his mind and gives it to Sam. This may be

important later. Why?

CHAPTER-BY CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 7: ONE EVENT – MANY EXPLANATIONS



1. Given how the bear reacts to the encounter with Ben, if you were to describe the bear’s character as you would a person, what words would you use? Do you believe domestic animals such as dogs and cats have human characteristics? Why or why not?

2. Is Booling correct in becoming annoyed at Ben for the boy’s refusal to accept the silver band? Is Ben correct in becoming frustrated with Booling since the old man does not reveal all the information he has?


1. Ben spies deep cuts in the glacier from a distance. What is a crevasse and how is one formed? 2. Research to find out the best way of saving yourself from a bear if you encounter an angry one

in the wilderness. Did Ben take the right action? Interview ten younger students and ask what they would do if they encountered a bear in the wilderness without a man-made weapon.


1. An old cistern stands near the cabin. Cisterns can be used to gather water for one household or for an entire city. Research the ancient cistern of Istanbul Turkey to find out how an ancient cistern helped provide water for the city. The cistern, (the ‘Sunken Palace’) exists today!

2. The title of the chapter is ‘One Event – Many Explanations’. Can you think of a situation where a classmate has become angry at another classmate, (one event), but the reason for the event may have had many explanations, some which may not have been clear at the time? In the event that you chose, what other explanations could be possible?


1. Ben believes Booling was once a Taljeet. Do you think Ben is correct? What hints are there in the story that Booling was (or is!) a Taljeet and what other incidents or events make you believe that he isn’t?

2. Booling keeps hinting that he is going to be captured. Will the old man be taken prisoner and by whom? Will whoever captures him get control of the silver band? Support your predictions with hints from the story.

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 8 - WHAT TO DO WITH A MISSING SASQUATCH?



1. In this chapter Ally finally accepts the silver band which she has previously refused. Why do you think she has changed her mind?

2. Biff and Sam have been together in the story in chapters 2, 6 and 8. How would you describe the relationship prior to Biff double-crossing Sam, and why do you think Biff betrayed his friend?


1. Most cabins in the wilderness are small, just as many new apartments in large cities like Toronto Vancouver or Seattle can be small, often at around 600 sq. ft. You get the square feet of a building by taking the width of the room in feet and then the length of the room in feet and then measuring it. Your designed lakefront cabin will be 16 ft. wide by 26 ft. deep for a total of 476 sq. ft. (16x26). Draw a rectangle to scale on a 8x14 or similar size piece of paper and use one centimeter, (or one half-inch) for every foot, (the width will be 8 centimeters (4 inches) and the length (or depth of the building) will be 13 centimeters, (6 ½ inches). Now you are the architect. Inside the walls of your cabin, design and draw in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living room (you can put a closet in if you want but you’ll have to find the space!) Make sure you indicate where the front and side doors are to the outside (buildings should have two escapes for fire safety) and any inside doors.


1. Answer one of the following… 1a Would you be as accurate a thrower as Ally? On the school field what is your accuracy throwing a softball directly to a person from 5 meters away, then 10, next 20 and finally 30, (in the United States use yards instead of meters). Take ten throws each and record your percentage,

or… 1b Quarterbacks can throw accurate passes to receivers running at full speed up to 50 meters (55 yards) away. Try the above experiment of ten throws with your partner walking as you try to get a direct throw, and then another round from the four distances with your partner jogging. Your partner cannot stop to try to catch the ball! You must put the ball where your partner can keep walking or jogging. Record your scores. They will likely be getting worse between your partner standing still, walking and jogging.


1. Before firing the rocks at the cabin Ally found the silver band to be of no help. What is Ally going

to have to do so she can use the power of the silver band?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 9 - SECRETS



1. There is a hint of a slight change in Biff’s character in this chapter and it will take a reading detective to find it. What is it?

2. To this point in the story how would you describe Professor Fenton’s character? 3. Professor Fenton would likely not be a very good teacher at his university. What are the

characteristics you think make a good teacher? List at least seven of these. Of your classmates, which one, or ones, do you think would be a good teacher when he or she is an adult and explain why.


1. Why did Ally’s thoughts of her home on the west coast beside the Pacific Ocean prevent her from using the power of the silver band effectively?

2. In pairs or a group, draw up a list of 15 first aid supplies you would bring in a pouch or bag as a first aid kit when you are going on a hiking trip in dangerous territory, draw up a list of what you would bring.


1 Sometimes seemingly strange events can be explained away as a hoax. What is a hoax? One of the more famous hoaxes of modern times were crop circles. What were crop circles and how was the hoax accomplished?

3. Booling claims he hid the silver band in a secret place and almost everyone has secrets. Of course, if you tell someone about your secret, it no longer is one! Why do you think people like to tell secrets to one another? Are there any times when it may be a good idea to keep a secret from a close friend, or even a best friend? Why or why not?


1. What do you believe will happen to the relationship between Biff and Professor Fenton? 2. What impact would Fenton’s love of acting and theatre have on his ability to use the silver band.

Support your answer from information in the story.

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 10 - BASIC INSTINCT AND INITIAL TRUST



1. What are at least two hints in this chapter that Ally’s character has changed slightly? This is a difficult question and will take a reading detective to uncover the answer!

2. If you were alone on a camping trip and you met a sasquatch who behaved in much the same way as Yurek, how would you react?

3. If you were Yurek, after what you had seen from your first meeting with humans (Professor Fenton) and you were injured, how would you react to the surprise meeting with Ben?

4. Why is Ben’s trust in the strange looking and smelling Yurek in keeping with what you know of his character?


1. Define each of the five interesting terms, massif, escarpment, moraine, cirque and drumlin. Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding:

1. Ben does not like Yurek’s sasquatch smell and Yurek cringes at Ben’s human scent. Smell is one of the five human senses and not used as often or as effectively as some of the other senses, though millions of dollars are spent on perfumes to provide a pleasant scent. Most perfumes came from plants and animals though now many are synthesized, (not found in nature). Some workplaces are becoming ‘scent-free’ and banning perfumes because the scents can bother some people. Set up a debate with one side arguing to allow perfumes in the workplace and the other opposed.

2. Throwing rocks has been a form of weapon since ancient times and unlike a previous question that tested movement, this one tests weight and throwing accuracy. In the field or in the gym, use a light-weight ball and take five throws at a pylon or similar object from 3 meters (yards) away, then repeat at 6 meters (yards) and at 9 meters (yards), thus twice and three times the distance. Use a chart and percentages to record your scores. Then use a heavier ball like a softball, and see what the difference in accuracy is, if any. After several classmates have completed the experiment and charted the scores, are there any noticeable trends?


1. What explanation could there be for Yurek’s ability to speak English? 2. How do you think Ally would react if she meets Yurek?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 11: A FRIEND HEALS - A FRIEND HURTS



1. Did Ally react in the way you thought she would when she first meets Yurek? Did Yurek act in the way you thought he would? Support your answers with evidence from the story?

2. When Yurek is angry or upset his hair spikes out. This mimics some natural human behaviour when people are afraid or angry. What are two of these natural, instinctive responses?


1. The mountain cliffs had fir trees growing between the rocks and the trees were clinging to the mountainside. Research the difference between the root systems of fir trees and cedar trees to see how one type is better suited to an alpine, (mountain) environment.


1. Yurek believes Aboriginal people taught the Taljeets English. On a map show the route scientists think the Aboriginal people took to arrive in what is now Canada and the United States and the extent of the Mayan, Aztec and Inca empires it is thought they eventually formed

2. While Yurek seems to like raw meat, it is best for humans to cook their meat to prevent disease. How do you like the red meat that you eat cooked – rare, medium rare, medium or well done? Interview 10 to 12 classmates and find the most popular choice. Convert the most popular choice into a percentage. If you or classmates do not eat red meat do the same exercise with what apple they most prefer, Macintosh, Gala, Granny Smith or Delicious?


1. Ben experiences strange visions when he uses the silver band to heal Yurek. What do you think he was seeing and why is it seem to unnerve Yurek so much?

2. Yurek seems to have some sort of connection to the silver band. What could that link be and do you believe Yurek will try to claim the band is his? Why or why not?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 12 - TRAPPED



1. Biff and Booling debate about the direction they should take and Biff believes he has outsmarted Booling since the old man was trying to double-bluff him. Why is this incident, and its outcome, in keeping with what we know of Biff and Booling’s characters?

2. The cougar makes a decision to wait for Biff to come out of the pool while passing up an easy meal in Booling. Give two reasons why the cougar made that choice?


1. Unlike Biff, you probably know that the sun rises in the east moves through the sky in the south and sets in the west. You might want to check to see which way your home, school or classroom is facing by noticing the location of the sun at various times in the day. Why does the sun seem to rise in the east and set in the west – be specific. Hint – you may wish to use a ball to mimic the earth’s rotation.

2. Cougars are different from bobcats. Draw a picture of each that shows the differences.


1. A Mountain Lion is another name for Cougar and is most often used in the United States. Two nationalities speaking the same language can use different words such as Canadian or American English compared to that used in England. What are the words used in England for the following Canadian/American words?….1 truck, 2. candy, 3. gas, 4.trunk of a car, 5. freeway; 6. drug store.

2. Biff is a good swimmer and if someone is very good he or she might compete in the Olympic Summer Games which occur once every four years. What are the four Olympic swimming events and the swimming strokes they use? Rank the four in order of difficulty, (and how can you know which is more difficult without trying each one?) and what is the event that includes all four strokes?


1. The two partners, Professor Fenton and the Taljeet, Tenzig, have an argument in this chapter. How would you describe their relationship and what is the likely outcome of their partnership?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 13 - THE GIANT SLIDE



1. Ben gets ready to defend himself as he thinks Yurek might attack him, though there is not much his puny body could do against the sasquatch. What does this say about Ben’s character and how is this possible scuffle different from when he defeated the much bigger Biff in chapter 4.

2. Ben sees Yurek as having human qualities and characteristics. If you were to describe Yurek, what are some words you would use and support your view with examples from the story?

3. Describe Yurek’s feelings about his Taljeet from chapter 1 and chapter 13? How are these impressions similar and how are they different from one chapter to another?


1 On a sunny day it is very bright if you were standing on a glacier but much less so if you were in a field of grass. Snowboarders and skiers can get a suntan on a sunny day even in winter. What causes this and how can you use this knowledge when choosing what to wear on a very hot summer day?

2. Research what ‘low impact camping’ means.


1. Dancing is a common form of human expression in all societies, both today and in the past. Sasquatch may not be good dancers, as Yurek gives it a try with Ally and has limited success. With a partner create a new dance routine, and, if you have enough courage, display it for the class, or at least a group of friends.

2. Yurek is described as “striding like a linebacker”. The linebacker is a position on a football team. Where is this position, what is the linebacker’s responsibility and what are the physical characteristics coaches like to see in a linebacker?


1. The discussion about power and decision-making has made Yurek think about these topics where he had never done so in the past. What do you think will happen?

2. At the end of the chapter Ben falls into a deep, narrow crevasse. How will he escape? If Yurek is to help him and does not have any rope, how will the teenage sasquatch help get Ben out?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 14 - RISKY RESCUES



1. Yurek shows a high level of creativity in using the log to help Ben escape the crevasse. What is creativity and why is it important in music and art and even business? Often creativity comes from solving a problem or trying to make things easier. What items in your classroom were created in your lifetime, in your teacher’s lifetime and before your teacher’s lifetime?

2. Why does Ally accept Biff’s help so quickly when she has not liked him in the past?


1. Yurek has a great deal of strength and energy from living at high altitudes. Many humans start to notice some effects of altitude, even as low as 1,500 meters, (about 5,000 ft.) Mountain medicine recognizes three categories, what are they? Has anyone ever reached the top of Mt. Everest without an oxygen mask?


1. As strong as Yurek is, he could not hold the log as he tipped it downward due to the powerful effect of gravity. What is gravity and why is it important for our survival on earth? If Yurek was working on the same task on the moon would he be able to hold the log longer or for a shorter time? Why? If you can jump one meter high (one yard) on earth how high could you jump on the moon?

2. The icy cavern seemed to be pulling Ben downwards. This is a fairly common feeling called vertigo which, simply explained, is a form of dizziness and being pulled downwards when a person is staring over a steep cliff. A related anxiety, (though not the same), is acrophobia, the fear of heights. Many people have certain anxieties, one of them being a fear of closed spaces. What is this anxiety called and how could it affect a person’s life?

3. Moving about on ice, especially skating, causes the ice to become chipped and uneven. Ice resurfacers are used in hockey arenas between periods to clean the ice. They are often called a Zamboni which is actually a company named after the man who invented the first ice resurfacer in 1949. Research how a Zamboni works.


1. Biff has said he wants to help Ally. Do you believe him and do you think he will eventually help or hurt Ally’s chances of finishing what she wishes to do?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 15 - DEALING WITH DEATH



1. Who do you believe is the more evil character – Professor Fenton or the Taljeet Tenzig? Support your view with evidence of their behaviour in the story.

2. Why is Ben’s willingness to support his friend Yurek by risking death in fighting back and dealing with the Taljeet in keeping with what we know of Ben’s character?

3. Tenzig claims that the silver band is much like money, “The more it is used the more it is wanted and the more control it brings”. Do you agree with the Taljeet? Why or why not?


1. Ben claims it would take forever to find the silver band in the rocky landscape. Why would there usually be very few trees in a moraine-filled area? (this is a difficult question).


1a Yurek claims that a datka is similar to the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on Ben’s sweatshirt. What is a logo and why do sports teams and other businesses have them? Of the Canadian teams in the National Hockey League, the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, rank the logos from your favourite to your least favourite, (this is not necessarily a ranking of your favourite teams but how appealing their logo is to you). Of the teams in the Canadian Football League, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger Cats and Montreal Alouettes, (Ottawa will once again have a team in 2014 or 2015), rank the logos from your favourite to the one least appealing to you. Why do you like the favourite logo when compared to those that are least favourite ones?

or, 1b Pick five major league baseball teams and five National Football League teams located in the

western half of the United States, and research and then rank their logos from your favourite to the one least appealing to you. Why do you like the favourite logo when compared to those that are your least favourite ones?

2. Design a logo for your school (if your school has one design a different one), or you class,

remembering some of the key elements that make up a good logo.


1. Both Professor Fenton and the Taljeet Tenzig covet, (badly want) the silver band. Who do you believe will eventually succeed in getting it and how will they defeat the other?

2. How do you believe Yurek might recover from his injuries and who will help him?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER 16 - AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE



1 Who would make the better leader, Fenton or Yurek? Support your answer with descriptions and evidence of each one’s character from the story.

2 Ben is faced with an impossible choice of saving either Booling or Yurek, each of whom insists on him saving the other. If you were Ben, which one would you choose to save and why?

TEACHER GUIDE TO ‘YUREK: EDGE OF EXTINCTION – A BEN...

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