My Side of the Mountain + Wilderness Survival

In "My Side of the Mountain," Sam runs away to the wilderness to escape his family.  He is tested and discovers strength and self-confidence.  Today, the Boy Scouts teach survival skills in their Wilderness Survival badge.  A century ago, we all knew these things, but now they must be learned on purpose…

• Positive attitude:  You can live 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, and 3 minutes without air…but only 3 seconds without a clear mind.  Panic leads to bad decisions, and while fear is a natural reaction to emergencies, being able to relax and make a smart judgment will be the most essential skill of all.
• Water:   Remember that whole three thing?  Focus on water.  Find it, purify it, drink it, and store it for later.  Water naturally runs downhill, so that is where you will find it.  You can often follow animal tracks right to a water source as they need water just as much as you do to survive, and they will know of any available water sources.
• Fire:  Fires not only can be used for warmth, to cook food and boil water, but they can also be used as a signaling device.  Losing body heat can kill you just as quickly as lack of water.  The most important part of building a fire is the location.  The fire needs to be located in a place where the wind will not blow directly on it.  You will need tinder, such as dry grass or small twigs, to spark life into the fire.  You’ll also need kindling (pencil-sized pieces of wood) to build the flames.  Finally, you’ll need larger logs to maintain fuel for the fire.    See - How to Build a Fire
• First aid: Knowing how to both avoid and treat common health problems such as blisters, insect stings, hypothermia and dehydration, as well as larger issues such as broken bones and snake bites, is a critical wilderness survival skill.  You can download the Red Cross "Wilderness and Remote First Aid" reference guide for free.
• Shelter:  Whether from cold, rain, wind or heat, you must be able to protect yourself from the elements.  You should build your shelter with just enough room to lie down.  Your body heat will help keep your shelter warm, so the smaller the space the warmer it will be.  Usually it’s worth at least taking 30 minutes to make a thick layer of leaves into a bed so you don’t lose insane amounts of body heat from direct contact with the ground before considering a fire.
• Food:  Survival is hard work!  Keeping your energy up is important, as you will be burning a lot more calories than you are used to burning.  Contrary to popular belief, plants are not your best avenue in a survival situation.  If you do not know exactly what you are doing you can actually end up poisoning yourself.  A few food sources that are a safe bet are insects, worms, and furry mammals.   See - Wilderness Survival - Finding Food and Water

Our spine novel for this unit is My Side of the Mountain

Access the complete unit in the Fantasy & Fiction Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes eight novel studies covering the fantasy and fiction genre. Each novel addresses a new topic, primarily falling into social studies and language arts categories.

• Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including one featured novel – the spine of the unit.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.
• Some units also have cooking projects.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Sample:  Serafina and the Black Cloak & Appalachian Folklore