Old Yeller - Literature Kit Gr. 5-6

Discover the power behind the friendship of a boy and his dog. The easy-to-use format allows for lots of variety in activities to go along with the book. Enter the mind of Travis as he explains his feelings after shooting the deer. Identify statements about the novel as true or false. Describe how Travis' attitudes change towards certain characters from the story. Predict what will become of Old Yeller based on events from previous chapters. Conduct a study on women settlers and describe how you would feel if put in their position. Categorize the different dangers Travis faces throughout the novel on a graphic organizer. Aligned to your State Standards, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: Old Yeller tells the story of a boy, his dog, and the events that lead to their unlikely friendship. Travis Coates has no need for a dog, regardless of what his father tells him. Instead, he wants a horse. Travis’ father promises to bring one home for him if he is able to step up and take care of the farm while his father is away. The 14-year-old takes this newfound responsibility to heart and sets out to prove that he deserves the title of “man of the house”. A short time after Travis’ father leaves the farm, a stray dog wanders onto their property. The Coates family name him “Old Yeller” in part because of his filthy yellow fur. Travis wants no part of this nuisance dog. He comes to change his mind when Old Yeller saves Travis’ younger brother from a bear. From then on, Travis and Old Yeller become inseparable, leading to Old Yeller helping Travis keep up his duties on the farm. The story progresses in this manner until one task threatens the health of them both.