Chapter Four: Pete
Learning Activities
3 Handouts
Activity 1 - Vocabulary
| vagrant |
ridicule |
scourge |
prejudices |
| quandary |
cynical |
inundated |
|
Learners read the sentences from the chapter on Handout 1. They write their own definition for each word and then use a dictionary to check their definitions. Then, they write another sentence for each word.
Activity 2 – Chapter Questions
Learners answer questions about the chapter. The questions are listed on Handout 2. Below are the questions and answers for the instructor.
Questions: p.42-43
- What was Velma's dad's name? Peter “Pete”
- How did Velma learn about her dad's life? Through her Auntie Nina's stories and her mother after her father died.
- Why didn't he teach his kids Gwich'in? He learned to feel ashamed of being Native when he was in school. Instructors slapped his hand if he spoke his language.
- Why was he strict with his children? He was afraid that if they were exposed to other people they would be exposed to diseases like he witnessed in the epidemics and he was afraid of losing more loved ones. Give an example of an event that his kids weren't supposed to attend: Potlucks.
- Why did Native people have “no chance” against the sicknesses? There was new bacteria brought by white people and the Native people had a low resistance.
- Why were children left alone? Because parents were dying.
- How many children did Velma's grandmother lose? 3
