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Box 1

The Call of the Wild Chapter One Scaffolded Activities to Deepen Comprehension
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Box 2

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1. Select one of the following items for research: Jack Londons life Klondike Gold Rush and/or the California Gold Rush (compare and contrast) Dog breeds: Scotch Shepherds and St. Bernards. What other breeds would fare well in the Artic Circle? Alaska: its people and climate The Iditarod and sled racing Geography: Create a map of the west coast, from the Yukon Territory to San Diego (1), and mark places along the path mentioned in the novel. Wolves and dogs: behaviors and pack mentality 2. Jack London writes about his main character Buck as if he were a person. This literary technique is called anthropomorphism, or giving human qualities to nonhumans. By using anthropomorphism, London helps readers identify with Buck. Write a journal entry about pets or animals you have known that behave almost as if they were people. Detail events and expressions that helped you discover what that animal was thinking. Photo journaling: Using pictures of dogs, write a journal entry about what each dog is thinking. What clues give you an indication of the dogs thoughts? 3. Create a running journal of Bucks character and the other dog characters. Note the degree of wildness throughout the novel. Document situations that change them and tell how the dog changes/adapts.

"Old longings nomadic leap, chafing at customs chain; again from its brumal sleep wakens the ferine strain. 1. 2. 3.
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The title of the first chapter is Into the Primitive. What does this title conjure up for the reader of The Call of the Wild? (Extended Response) What does the poem on page 1 create for the reader? (Extended Response) Why would Jack London present a poem at the beginning of his novella? (Extended Response) Define the following vocabulary words: page 1 (groping), page 2 (boughs, demesne), page 3 (imperiously, trifle, besetting, progeny), page 4 (unwonted, intimated, deft, mercilessly, lolling, futilely, vilely, ebbed), page 5 (conveyance, souless), page 6 (wrath, tallow, sullenly, imprisoned), page 6 (parched, gingerly), page 9 (slaver, soliloquized, consignment), page 10 (uncowed, latent, cunning, conciliated, fawned, wheedling, weazened), page 11 (uncouth, swarthy), page 12 (incurious, pervaded). Please write out the word and the definition as it is used in the novel. In other words, a word may have several definitions. You need to go back into the text, see the word in context, and determine its meaning.

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QUOTATIONS (NUMBERS IN PARENTHESES INDICATE PAGE NUMBERS.)
Interpret each quote: Extended Response formatting 1. He did not know why, but he felt oppressed by the vague sense of impending calamity. (5) 2. And Buck was truly a red-eyed devil, as he drew himself together for the spring, hair bristling, mouth foaming, a mad glitter in his bloodshot eyes. (6) 3. In midair, just as his jaws were about to close on the man, he received a shock that checked his body and brought his teeth together with an agonizing clip. (7) 4. That club was a revelation. It was his introduction to the reign of primitive law, and he met the introduction halfway. (8) 5. Perrault knew dogs, and when he looked at Buck he knew that he was one in a thousand. (9) 6. He was friendly, in a treacherous sort of way, smiling into ones face the while he meditated some underhanded trick, as, for instance, when he stole from Bucks food at the first meal. (9) 7. It bit like fire, and the next instant was gone. (10)

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You are stranded in the middle of a deep forest. The sun is about to set for the evening. It is windy. For supplies, you have the clothes on your body, the forest around you, and your brain. You also have a backpack. Inside your backpack is a 10 knife, one match, a 10 rope, and one can of tomato soup (no opener!). You do not know when you may be rescued. In the distance, you hear a fierce growl. You know that there are hungry animals in this forest and that you must be prepared to protect yourself. Explain (Extended Response) how you are going to survive one

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week with your limited supplies and your unwelcome predators. Describe the situation where Buck learns the Law of the Club. Write down the number of the page where you found this information. What lessons does Buck learn by the end of the chapter? Each lesson must be explained in Extended Response formatting.

Imagery in The Call of the Wild Jack London made excellent use of imagery in his novel The Call of the Wild. Think about the mental pictures created by the phrases in bold. Draw a picture of the visual image that has been created in your mind for each passage.
1. Buck lived at a big house in the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley.It stoodhalf hidden among the trees, through which glimpses could be caught of the wide, cool veranda that ran around its four sides. The house was approached by gravelled driveways which wound about through widespreading lawns and under the interlacing boughs of tall poplars.There wererows of vineclad servants' cottages, an endless and orderly array of outhouses, long grape arbors, green pastures, orchards, and berry patches. Then there was the pumping plant for the artesian well, and the big cement tank where Judge Miller's boys took their morning plunge and kept cool in the hot afternoon. 2. For two days and nights this express car was dragged along at the tail of shrieking locomotives; and for two days and nights Buck neither ate nor drank. In his anger he had met the first advances of the express messengers with growls, and they had retaliated by teasing him. When he flung himself against the bars, quivering and frothing, they laughed at him and taunted him. They growled and barked like detestable dogs, mewed, and flapped their arms and crowed.He did not mind the hunger so much, but the lack of water caused him severe suffering and fanned his wrath to fever-pitch.The ill treatment had flung him into a fever, which was fed by the inflammation of his parched and swollen throat and tongue.