Rochelle's+boy+of+the+painted+cave+assignments

go back to Rochelle's home page

Monday, October 8, 2007 Prewrite 1. What are you good at? 2. How do you feel when you're doing the thing you're good at? 3. How would you feel if people wouldn't let you do the thing you're good at?

1. I'm good at sports like gymnastics. 2. I feel good when I do this. 3. I would feel angry at them.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 Chapter 1 1. What problems or conflicts are presented in chapter one? Tao needing to find a rabbit is an obvious one; identify at least two more. 2. Predict the resolution of each conflict.

1. Some problems are that there was a young wolf that was following Tao. Another problem was that Tao had a bad right foot. 2. I think the resolution of the conflicts are that the wolf and Tao will befriend each other and Tao foot will get better.

Chapter 2 What two important events happen in this chapter?

Two important events that happened in this chapter are that Tao couldn't go back and he had to live in the forest or meadow. Another event was the wolf came back and he had a bone in his jaw so he couldn't eat.

Chapter 3 1. What do Tao and Ram learn to do together?

2. What decision does Tao tell Volt?

3. Look at Tao's decisions and actions from Volt's perspective. Pretend you are Volt. Write a first person paragraph explaining how you feel.

1. Tao and Ram learn to hunt together. 2. Tao tells Volt that he wants to hunt alone. 3. I'm Volt and I think that Tao is being a little stubborn and he needs to respect the elders. He also need to be a smart hunter and he could learn something from the other hunters. The last thing I'm going to say is that Tao needs to be careful or else he might get eaten.

Chapter 4 In a good paragraph, describe Tao's mother. Start with an interest grabber. Then write your topic sentence. Give three details or examples to support your thesis. Use a quotation from the chapter.

What would you do without a mother? Well in the story Tao's mother has died and now Tao is living with Kala. Tao's mother's name Vedra of the Mountain People. She had died. She was also made necklaces, beads, bracelets, and needles. When she was sixteen she was captured in one of the raids during a summer famine. That is about Tao's mother.

Chapter 5 1. Which two animals does Tao try to draw? 2. Which is easier for him and why?

1. The two animals Tao drew were horses and Ram, the wolf dog. 2. Ram because he was found Tao and then Tao started to draw him.

Chapter 6 1. Graybeard realizes that Tao has broken two taboos of his clan. What are they? 2. Which taboo doesn't he know about yet? 3. Graybeard describes Volt differently than we have. What aspects of Volt's character is Graybeard acknowledging?

1. They are that he has a wolf dog and he hunts in the Slough. 2. That he paints in the cave. 3. He says that Volt is a good man.

Chapter 7 Write your reaction to the last paragraph in the chapter. Do you agree or disagree with Graybeard? Is what he says true for those times, but not now? Or, is the reverse true: was it not true then, but true now?

I agree with Graybeard because Graybeard was right. If Tao keeps on doing this he could get killed and there might not be an end for the book. It was not true for those times and true now. If someone does graffiti the could get arrested and go to jail. Tao should keep drawing because if someone else finds this they might be amazed by it.

Chapter 8 An important theme in this novel is that people should follow their dreams and do what they believe is right, even if they don't follow their society's expected ways. The author examines this theme in a stone age setting. Imagine a similar situation today. What situation did you imagine?

In the situation you imagined, should the person follow his or her dreams or should they follow society's rules? Give your opinion.

Women shouldn't become famous because once they have kids they don't have time to take care of them. If they become a movie star or singer they have to travel and the kids would have to stay home.

Chapter 9 Why do you think Graybeard changed his mind? What does this tell you about his character?

I think Graybeard changed his mind because he wants everyone to follow their dreams. This tell me that he is flexible and nice.

Chapter 10 1. What are the "mountains-that-walk"? 2. What almost happened to Tao?

1. "Mountains-that-walk" are animals like woolly mammoths. 2. What happened to Tao was that he almost died.

Chapter 11 Do you think Graybeard is a good teacher? Why? Would you like to have been taught a skill by him? Why?

Yes, because then he would tell us more than we have to do. Yes, because then I would be great in that skill.

Chapter 12 1. Name some of the ingredients used to make paint. Which surprised you most? 2. Why is Tao afraid at the end of the chapter?

1. Some of the ingredients were fish oil, animal fat, blood, honey, and some charcoal. 2. Tao was afraid at the end of the chapter because he was worried about Graybeard.

Chapter 13 1. Even if Ram had succeeded in hunting the deer, do you think it was a good idea of Tao's to "show off" his dog's ability to hunt? Explain. 2. Predict what will happen next. If you've read ahead, invent an alternate scene.

1. No, because then if Tao showed the clan they would kill Ram. 2. Volt will think about what happened and he will befriend Tao and Ram.

Chapter 14 1. Why does Tao cross the river? 2. What decision does Graybeard reach?

1. Tao crosses the river because he wants to get Ram back. 2. Graybeard decides that Tao will do the drawings for the ceremony.

Chapter 15 What problem does Tao have by the end of the chapter?

The problem was that the lights turned off.

Chapter 16 Look at the website of the Laxcaux Caves: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/ Find a picture that resembles the one Tao is painting. Copy it as your answer to this question.



Chapter 17 Wow! What a chapter! What was your reaction? Tense? Surprised? You predicted it? Write a paragraph describing your reaction.

I'm surprised and I predicted that Volt was Tao's father. I'm surprised because the Volt is Tao's father. Volt is a mean and cruel person to the clan, but not to Tao. I knew that Volt was Tao's father because Volt kept on looking at him and he gave him a lot of things.

Chapter 18 Why does Tao feel he needs to go to the Mountain People?

Tao feels that he needs to go there because he feels that he needs to go and see and find out about his mother.

Extra Credit Write a narrative describing what happens next. Make sure your plot has a conflict, a climax, and a resolution. You can introduce new characters if you want.