1a. What do Martin and Cheryl tell their friends about their visits to Rosebud Reservation? What do they leave out of their descriptions? Why?
2a. Why does Grandpa come to visit Martin's family?
3a. What surprises Martin about his friends' behavior when they meet Grandpa?
4a. What does the medicine bag contain? Who gave the medicine bag to Grandpa? What does Grandpa ask Martin to do with the medicine bag?
1b. Why is it important for Martin to impress his friends?
2b. How does Martin's family react to Grandpa's arrival? What do they think about his trip?
3b. Why does his friends' behavior surprise him?
4b. Why does Grandpa say that Martin need not wear the bag? What might Martin think about that?
5a. In what different ways does Martin act or respond to Grandpa throughout the story? How does Martin change, if at all?
5b. What do you think Martin will do with the medicine bag? What might he tell his own son about Grandpa?
6a. How is the ending of this story effective or ineffective? What does the ending imply about Grandpa? about Martin? What is the author's message?
6b. In what ways are family traditions important in your family? How do family traditions contribute to our individual identities? to our national culture?
Plot. As you read, you identified the inciting incident, climax, and resolution in "The Medicine Bag." Consider the following questions: How does the inciting incident signal the central conflict in the story? Who introduces the central conflict, and which characters are involved in it? How did you feel as you read the climax of the story? Do you think the author's resolution of the central conflict makes for a strong ending? Why, or why not?
Dialogue and Narration. Look back to your graphic organizer where you recorded examples of dialogue and narration from the story. Identify what each example of dialogue reveals about either the character who spoke or about another character in the story. What does each of your examples of narration reveal about a character in the story? Does the author rely more on narration or dialogue to develop the character of Grandpa? of Martin? Explain your answer.
1. Using your own paper, make a family tree that shows the relationships among your relatives, including as many as you know.
2. Write a dream report describing your most recent or most vivid dream.
3. An elegy is a song or poem expressing sadness over someone's death. Develop an elegy that Martin might write for his great-grandfather.
To begin your research, you may want to look up these words in an encyclopedia or use them as keywords in an Internet search.
Use this log to keep track of the sources you use and the information you find.
Internet sources.
Books and print sources.
Example subject: Cheryl verb: had
1. Martin told stories about his Grandpa.
2. Martin's friends were impressed by his stories.
3. Grandfather had taught me a real Sioux chant.
4. His hair hung in stringy gray strands on his neck.
5. Grandpa told us of his journey.
6. Our grandfather had traveled on the bus for three days.
7. Every single thing would be done at the right time.
8. Mother and father worried about grandfather.
9. Martin's friends listened to Grandpa with respect.
10. The medicine bag should belong to the oldest son in the family.
11. Grandfather could not pass the bag to his daughter.
12. Martin has learned about his Sioux heritage.
13. Martin's parents take Grandpa to the hospital.
14. Martin put sacred sage in the medicine bag.
15. Martin might be passing the bag to his son in the future.
Writing Instructions. Choose an activity that you do well and try to explain it to others.
1. Our principal, Mrs. Simms, commands a lot of respect because of her dignified and ________ appearance.
2. As summer approaches, I find it difficult to remain in the ________ of the classroom when I would rather be outside.
3. When he broke the lamp after his mom told him not to throw the ball indoors, Carlos ________ took his ball and glove and went outside to play.
4. The political candidate tried to ________ the crowd to excitement so they would vote for her.
5. After a five-mile run, the entire soccer team collapsed in a heap on the field from ________.
6. My grandmother told me that it is ________ to put my elbows on the table when I am eating.
7. One of my most treasured possessions is a medallion my father gave me that I wear on a(n) ________ around my neck.
8. During the ceremony, the religious leader murmured an incantation to ________ the holy objects.
9. When my brother took my bike for the hundredth time, I gave him a lecture to ________ the idea that he should stay away from my stuff.
