Atheneum, 1991

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Summary: Marty (age 11) hides a beagle from its mean-spirited owner to protect it.

Level: IL: 4 - 8

Activities:

Note: Shiloh and these accompanying activities would make an exemplary language arts and investigative component of The National Geographic Telecommunications Introduction, Hello, suitable for grades 3-5. The unit's subject area is pets.

1. One secret remains at the end of Shiloh. What is it? Why would the author leave that part of the story unfinished? List a number of things that could happen as a result of that secret. Choose one of them and write an epilogue or one additional chapter to conclude the story. Add this chapter to those in the vertical file of Shiloh. Read the other chapters in the file, and discuss them in a teacher or librarian conference. (The file could be a computer word processor file.) [Information Skills: Location, Selection, Interpretation, Communication/Thinking Skills: knowledge, evaluation, synthesis, application, analysis]

2. Write down your understanding of trust and lies. Look back through Shiloh and copy passages where Marty shows the reader his understanding of these two ideas, either by his words or by his actions. How does his understanding compare with yours? Now look up these two words in a dictionary and write down definitions. Write a paragraph or have a conference with your teacher or librarian comparing the dictionary definitions with yours and Marty's. Also discuss: if trust is broken, can it ever be rebuilt? Why or why not? [Information Skills: prior experience, interpretation, location/Thinking Skills: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis]

3. Marty's father tells him he must go to the county courthouse if he wishes to accuse Judd Travers of mistreatment of animals. Marty doesn't do this. Explain. Find out what your local or Maine state laws are about this topic, and when they were enacted. How do people report animal abuse in your community? What organizations exist in your town or in Maine that help deal with animal abuse? Describe them in writing with enough information to help people decide if they should contact them, and how to contact them. What is the first thing YOU would do if you thought someone was abusing animals in your community? [Information Skills: making information,/Thinking Skills: knowledge, application, synthesis, evaluation]

4. Marty's Ma says if you can't afford to feed a pet and take them to a vet when they're sick, you have no right to have a pet. (p.16) Choose an animal you like but never had as a pet. Find out what and how much it would eat. Figure out the cost to feed it for a year. Find two other costs: one should be a preventive care cost, rabies shots or heart worm pills to prevent heart worms or some such thing - the other should be veterinary costs for an illness common to your chosen pet. Add the food and health costs together. Do you think you could afford this pet if you had to pay these costs yourself? If so, how? Optional: Add the pet information to the vertical file folder on this topic in your library. Look over the other pet costs in the file, noting which pets cost more than yours to keep, and which cost less. Make two lists with amounts of yearly costs - one for pets that cost less than your choice, and one for pets that cost more. [Information Skills: making information, location and selection and application/Thinking Skills: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation]

5. Why did Marty call the dog Shiloh? Interview 10 people with pets. (This kind of interview lends itself well to videotaping.) List the pets' names and the reasons why they were named that way. When you have completed the list, analyze all the names and their origins. What patterns do you see? Which pattern is the most common? Optional: Now look in the vertical file and compare your patterns with those in the file. Of all the patterns in the file, which do you think is the most common?

Optional:A group may design a computer survey/database about pet names and compile a resource for pet names similar to books about babies names. It can be used as a database reference or published as a pet name book. Decide which Dewey number is appropriate. Process, catalog, and shelve the material. Advertise it! [Information Skills: making information, selection, communication/Thinking Skills: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis]

Resources

Related Pet Books Blades, Ann. Mary of Mile 18 . Tundra (University of Toronto Press) Marty's family barely ekes out a living in the Canadian wilderness. She may have a pet only if it earns its own keep. Grade 2 up.

Hazen, Barbara Shook. Tight Times. Viking/Penguin Inc. A little boy wants a pet at a time when his family is having financial trouble and must hold the line on expenses. Grades 1-4.

Little, Jean. Lost and Found. Viking Kestrel, 1985. Lucy finds a dog that may be a stray, and resists efforts to search for Trouble 's owners. Grades 3-6.

London, Jack. The Call of the Wild. (various) originally published 1903. Buck is stolen and used and abused as a sledge dog in the Klondike. He gets a kind owner who is eventually murdered, whereupon Buck breaks away to the wilds. Grades 5-adult.

_________. White Fang. (various) originally published 1906. A half-wolf dog is tortured to increase his ferocity and value as a fighter. Scott, a new owner, is kinder and gentler, and White Fang eventually sacrifices his life to save Scott. Grades 5-Adult.

Sherlock, Patti. Some Fine Dog. Holiday House, 1992. Twelve-year-old Terry finds a stray dog and persuades his mother that although the mine is closed and the town is having hard times, he'll be totally responsible for Duffy.

Thomas, Jane Resh. The Comeback Dog. Clarion, 1981. Daniel finds an all most-dead setter shortly after his own dog Captain has died. Daniel resents her, grudgingly cares for her, becomes attached, only to discover that Lady fears him and wants to escape. Grades 3-6.

Pet Video Great Plains National/Nebraska ETV Network. Reading Rainbow - Tight Times. Creative responses to financial restriction on recreation - games, toys, pets, library. Includes an informal and unusual pet show.

Prepared by Audrey Conant, Wayne School with Maire Benner, Waterville Public Library

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