Yurek: Edge Of Extinction - Clyde Woolman

TEACHER GUIDE TO ‘YUREK: EDGE OF EXTINCTION – A BEN TAVERS ADVENTURE’ 

This free Guide was written by a recently retired educator of over 30 years of experience and can be downloaded from the 

author’s website at www.clydewoolman.com 

Dear Teacher – About the Guide: With the diversity of learning needs in classrooms placing substantive 

demands on preparation and resources, reasonably priced, quality student material that can be used 

year after year is a valuable addition to your ‘tool kit’. The guide includes questions and activities using 

several teaching approaches to novel study, thus providing the flexibility and support you need. The 40+ 

page guide has four distinct components; 

Part 1: For time-strapped teachers, who may not have the time to read all the novels read by their 

students there is a 10 page chapter-by-chapter synopsis of the novel. 

Part 2: For teachers wishing to stimulate student discussion on the novel’s theme without a great deal 

of detailed follow-up questions/activities, there is a one-page student question sheet on the novel’s 

theme of Decision-Making, Leadership and Power, highlighted by the villain’s lust for power and the 

Ben and Yurek developing the traits associated with good decision-making and positive leadership. 

Part 3: For teachers wishing to use the novel for students to make Broad Extensions and Connections 

there are three one-page question/activities sheets in each of the following topics; 

3.1 The Mythical Creature Extension, (with teacher background), particularly in the 

first part of the novel when Yurek starts the search for human help, 

3.2 The Mountain Environment Connection, (with teacher background), especially 

in the novel’s middle part with the alpine/glacial setting prominent, 

3.3 The Friends and Trust Connection, emphasized in the final portion of the novel 

as human Ben and sasquatch Yurek develop a strong friendship. 

Part 4: For teachers wishing a more detailed approach there are chapter-by-chapter questions and 

activities, (including alterations for students in the United States),with one easily photocopied page for 

each of the 17 chapters as well as a 10 page teacher answer key at the end. The student activities have 

a range of difficulty and variety of tasks emphasizing both specifics and broad extensions; 

4.1 A section on Checking Out the Characters, for detailed student work on the 

main characters in the novel, 

4.2 Promoting Learning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness, using 

the novel to enhance student knowledge from material directly in, or related to, 

the storyline, 

4.3 Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding, by using the novel as a launch 

for students to explore broader issues and topics, 

4.4 Letting students ‘get in the novelists head’ by Predicting the Future Plot. 

If you have any comments please feel free to contact the author at clyde@clydewoolman.com I hope 

your students enjoy Yurek: Edge of Extinction. They may be interested in the first novel of the Ben 

Tavers series, Smugglers at the Lighthouse, also published by Moosehide Books of Ontario. 

Thank you – Clyde Woolman - Author

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER SYNOPSIS 

‘YUREK : EDGE OF EXTINCTION – A BEN TAVERS ADVENTURE’ 

There are no ‘strong words’ in this novel. 

For teachers in the United States - the synopsis and Teacher Guide uses Canadian spelling so a few words may be slightly 

different (travelling & traveling – honour & honor etc.) Kilometers have been converted to miles and meters to feet for 

student activities. The term ‘sasquatch’ is more common in Canada, originating from an aboriginal name and was reportedly 

first used in English in 1929 by a teacher in Agassiz, a small community in the upper Fraser Valley about 70 miles east of 

Vancouver. The term ‘Bigfoot’ is more common in the United States and was reportedly first used in California in 1958. 

Chapter 1: Angry at Authority: 

The chapter opens with Yurek being swept downstream by rapids. Though weakened by illness, he 

manages to clamber to shore and retrieves the fish he had caught in the lake, surprised that the bears 

had missed an easy meal. Returning to his clan who are camped in the mountains, he argues with 

Tenzig who is the the Taljeet, or leader. Yurek believes that humans, who he has seen only from a 

distance and been surprised by their multi-coloured skin (clothing) and one eyed birds (small aircraft), 

may have medicines that could help the ailing young yeti who are falling ill and dying at an alarming 

rate. 

Yurek’s father Kitar, well-respected though low in social status, supports his son against the Taljeet and 

Yurek decides to leave the safety of his clan and travel to find and enlist human help. The Taljeet offers 

a different solution, arguing that a mysterious human (Booling), who holds an ancient silver band may 

secretly help the yeti, and the leader will solicit his aide. While this proposal calms the members of the 

clan, including Kitar, (who remains suspicious of Taljeet motives), the frustrated and angry Yurek has 

already left the cave and made his decision to search for human help at chapter’s end. 

Chapter 2: A Sinking Feeling in a Crappy Kayak: 

The setting shifts to Vancouver’s False Creek where 13 year old Ben Tavers, and his cousin, 16 year old 

Ally are renting kayaks. Ben was raised in Toronto and now lives with his mother in Vancouver, while 

Ally lives in the tiny village of Bamfield on the west-coast of Vancouver Island. Ben needs practice since 

they are going to Harrison and will be kayaking and camping while their mothers visit the Hot Springs 

spa. Ally is experienced in outdoors activity, does not use make-up and wears unfashionable ‘comfort’ 

clothes. Her natural attractiveness interests Biff, the big, dumb beach boy running the shop. As Ally 

argues with Biff about the cheap unseaworthy kayaks, Ben goes solo and takes the kayak into the water, 

drifting helplessly away from the dock with no rope when Ally spies him and leaps onto the craft to help. 

Biff’s cheap kayak starts sinking and Ally is forced to dive into the water to save Ben who has leaped for 

the dock, missed, and plunged into the oily liquid. Eventually she pulls Ben to safety and stomps into 

the shop for a showdown with Biff. Ben intervenes and a settlement is made, pleasing Biff, who, as he 

tells his friend Sam, has a big plan to guide a famous professor around Harrison Lake, even though he 

and Sam no nothing about guiding in the outdoors.

Chapter 3: The Weird and Wacky Double Search: 

synopsis cont. 

Returning alone to his apartment, Ben spies a dark shape in the shadows of a nearby building. 

Somewhat anxious, he goes upstairs and tries to watch TV. A knock at the door surprises him since no 

one has buzzed up. The lock slowly begins to turn. Scared, Ben pulls out his hockey stick and puck to 

smack the intruder, only to find that it is his mysterious old friend Booling, with whom he had an 

adventure on the West Coast Trail during the Spring Break, outlined in the novel, Smugglers at the 

Lighthouse’. Now early summer, Ben has not seen Booling since. 

The small Ben is regarded as ‘strange’ by his peers since he likes to daydream and has a high tolerance 

for others who are ‘different’ such as Booling. For that reason, Ben is teased and occasionally bullied 

and finds elderly people less judgemental than those his own age. 

Mystical and wizard-like, Booling had a mysterious connection with an eagle in the last adventure, an 

eagle which had its wing broken by Ben’s Maple Leafs hockey puck. Booling still has a lame arm. The 

old man has come to enlist Ben’s help in searching for a missing teenage sasquatch, (Yurek). Booling 

believes he is too old to use the power of the band effectively and Ben had successfully used the 

bracelet in the previous adventure. 

When Ben finds out that the missing young sasquatch is likely to be travelling near Harrison, he marvels 

at either the coincidence or fate that Booling seems to be able to arrange, since he and Ally were going 

to Harrison with their mothers, Sarah, (Ben’s mom) and Judy, (Ally’s). Unstated in this chapter but 

referred to in Chapter 2 is that Biff is going as well, guiding a famous professor. Ben is further 

astounded when he finds the sasquatch is searching for humans. Hence the ‘weird and wacky doublesearch’, 

as the humans (with Ally) will search for Yurek while Yurek is searching for humans. 

Chapter 4: Poolside Chaos: 

A beginning driver, Ally struggles with the traffic as she, Ben and their mothers travel to Harrison, 

(Booling had previously left for Harrison on some mysterious business and Ben has not yet had a chance 

to tell Ally about the upcoming search). Arriving in the small town of Harrison, nestled near the tip of 

the Fraser Valley about 120km (70 miles) east of Vancouver, Ally is unimpressed by the touristy nature 

of the community and the early summer crowds with their big R.V.’s. Ben is fascinated by the long aquamarine 

lake and the majestic glacier-tipped mountains to the north, the home of the sasquatch . 

A luxury hotel sits near the town’s famous hot springs and the foursome visit the hotel’s spa, (unable to 

afford the hotel the group is staying at a more modest motel). Neither Ally or Ben are interested in spas 

with their mud baths, hydro massages and aroma therapy, so Ben takes a look at the pool, only to 

encounter a surprise attack by Biff who is poolside. 

A scuffle occurs between Ben and Biff, with the considerably smaller, but much brighter, Ben swacking 

the big beach bum with towel flicks, firing sun-tan lotion into his sunglasses and dumping the big lug into 

the hot tub before escaping.

Chapter 5: The Bridge Between Fact and Fantasy: 


Ben is finally able to meet with Ally alone and he explains the upcoming quest to the skeptical teenage 

girl. They meet Booling in a coffee shop and the old man informs them that sasquatch leaders have 

been meeting with a human hermit and trading for materials such as aspirin, rope etc. In doing so, the 

Taljeets may have inadvertently picked up human diseases which the immune systems of the young yeti 

cannot fight. Booling fears that this may be similar to the smallpox virus brought by Europeans to North 

America from which the Aboriginal people died in alarming numbers. 

Booling also explains that an evil anthropology professor, Fenton, who uses washed up actors dressed in 

sasquatch costumes as a hoax to stoke his research grants, may be on the track of the real missing yeti 

and had enlisted the aid of Biff and Biff’s friend Sam. 

It becomes imperative to find Yurek before he is captured by Fenton and made into a media circus, and 

critical to find an antidote for the ill young yeti. Booling attempts to give the silver band to Ben since the 

boy’s energy could make better use of its magic. Ben refuses, and at the end of the chapter a strange 

shadowy figure appears to be watching them. 

Chapter 6: A Great Moment Goes Wrong: 

Lonely and somewhat worried, Yurek ponders a return to the clan but decides to proceed downwards. 

He travels largely by night as sasquatch are nocturnal animals, the described large yellow eyes having 

tremendous sight. Yurek eats plants, shakes trees to bring down squirrels and uses his long arms to 

reach into dens. From a great distance he spies Harrison Lake and even the large Hotel structure, 

marvelling at the size of the building. 

Eventually arriving at Harrison Lake, Yurek skirts the shoreline and arrives at a cabin where he hears two 

humans arguing. Inside are Professor Fenton and Watkins, the washed-up actor he dresses in sasquatch 

costumes. Yurek finds the human voices and smell annoying and his language skills are not good, so he 

fails to understand much of the conversation where Fenton and Watkins, dressed in a sasquatch 

costume, are arguing about money. Fenton has no further need of Watkins since he is now hunting for a 

real sasquatch. Yurek cannot understand the concept of money and since he hears the word costume 

continually, he reasonably assumes it to be a human greeting. 

Fenton drugs Watkins and heads to his dinghy as Yurek gathers courage and approaches the renowned 

sasquatch expert with a ‘costume’, greeting. Initially Fenton thinks Yurek is Watkins and then realizes it 

is a real sasquatch and faints. Thinking he has hurt the professor somehow, Yurek runs away, pausing to 

glimpse at the prone Watkins lying in the cabin wearing a sasquatch costume. Scared and confused, 

Yurek runs away. Fenton recovers, gets to the boat, tells Biff and Sam to guard Watkins and to watch 

out for a hunched old man (Booling). The professor then grabs a rifle and heads out after Yurek.

Chapter 7: One Event – Many Explanations: 


Ben, Booling and Ally explore a deserted cabin where Booling plays a joke on Ben, scaring the boy and 

receiving a ‘high-five’ and ‘thumbs-up’ gesture from the boy, small steps to Booling re-connecting with 

humans. 

At the next cabin the group splits up and Ben runs into a bear with her cub. The bear chases Ben down a 

trail, and unable to outrun it, Ben ‘plays dead’. The bear, realizing what’s happening is annoyed that the 

little human could think it to be so stupid and leaves Ben alone in disgust. Ben can’t believe the bear is 

so dumb, so the one event of the bear leaving Ben alone has more than one explanation. 

At the chapter’s conclusion Booling asks Ben once more to take the silver band as the old man fears he 

will be captured. Ben wants one answer to the connection between the silver band, Booling and the 

yeti, to which the old man replies that there are many explanations. Frustrated, Ben declines the offer 

of the band. 

Chapter 8: What to do With a Missing Sasquatch?: 

Booling asks Ally to take the silver band and Ally reluctantly accepts. Even though she is grounded in 

reality and not a daydreamer like Ben, Booling believes there is a hidden side to her that will allow her to 

use the magic. The old man states that if he is captured, he will purposely lead the professor to a cabin 

near the mountain glacier. 

As Ben, Ally and Booling paddle their kayaks northwards on Harrison Lake, Booling explains the origin of 

the yeti in an area in Asia in what is now northern India. The human rulers had possession of the 

original silver bands but were corrupted by their magic and overthrown in a rebellion. The leaders and 

their followers travelled to the Himalayas and, having learned their lesson, used the bands to help 

survive in the harsh high mountain environment. They grew long hair for warmth, became taller for 

strength and to walk in deep snow, grew a sixth toe for support on ice, and developed excellent sight 

through their yellow eyes catching and holding the sun. During the Ice Ages many yeti clans travelled 

across a land bridge between what is now Russia and Alaska and came to what is now Canada. Given 

Booling’s knowledge and his tie to the silver band, Ben continues to believe that Booling was once a 

Taljeet, a yeti leader. 

Spying Biff’s company boat moored on the lake near a cabin and afraid that Yurek has been captured, 

the trio devise a plan. Ally fires rocks at the cabin, smashing the walls and front deck, causing disruption 

to Sam and panic in Biff. Ben and Booling attempt to sneak in by a side door but Sam catches them and 

slams the rifle butt into Ben, knocking him unconscious. Inside the cabin, Booling tries to convince Sam 

and Biff that he is Ben’s grandfather and that they should take the sasquatch lying on the floor, (the 

drugged Watkins in a sasquatch costume), back to Harrison and sell him, though only Booling knows the 

figure is a fake sasquatch. 

Booling has convinced Sam, who is ready to double-cross the professor but Sam leaves his rifle against 

the wall where Biff grabs it and points it at his former friend, thus double crossing him. With flourish, 

professor Fenton roars into the cabin at chapter’s end.

Chapter 9: Secrets: 


With Biff now firmly allied with Fenton, the professor displays a theatrical flourish as he pulls and rips 

the sasquatch mask of Watkins, much to the horror of Biff and Sam. Fenton’s love of drama with the 

trained ability to move into a new character, would serve him well if he ever managed to obtain the 

silver band. 

The professor had received a secret message from a yeti one week earlier, warning about a hunched old 

man named Booling who possessed a magic silver band. The yeti ‘partner’ had wanted the band and the 

return of the missing teen sasquatch, and if Fenton were to provide these, the yeti would provide the 

professor with three living sasquatch ‘specimens’ for him to take back to the human world which would 

make Fenton rich and famous. 

Booling claims he has hidden the silver band and promises to take Fenton to it if the professor does not 

further harm the badly-hurt Ben. Fenton orders Biff to pour poison down Sam and Ben, thus breaking 

his word and takes Booling prisoner, though he leaves a packet of strange herbs on the counter. 

After watching Fenton and Biff lead Booling away, Ally approaches the cabin and finds the injured Ben. 

Curious about the unconscious Sam and the prone man with a human face and a sasquatch costume on 

his torso, she is more concerned with Ben and attempts to use the silver band to heal him. 

Initially frustrated by her inability to break from her natural realistic ways and become somebody or 

something she isn’t, Ally finally manages to force herself into the necessary dreamlike state, finding her 

secret side Booling thought might be there. She heals Ben, but finding the magic of the silver band “too 

weird”, gives the bracelet back to him. 

Chapter 10: Basic Instinct and Initial Trust: 

Ben and Ally debate whether to travel to the mountain glacier cabin where Booling had said he would 

trick the professor into taking him, or return to Harrison for help, finally deciding on the former. They 

leave the cabin and Ben takes the Booling’s packet of dried leaves which has been ignored by the 

professor. 

While the plan is to skirt the shoreline in their kayaks , (they need two if they are to rescue Booling and 

the missing teen sasquatch), and then cross at the end of the lake into which a river flows, Ally knows 

the distance is shorter but the crossing difficult. Ben is unable to cross due to the river current flowing 

into the lake and while Ally succeeds, he has to paddle back to the cabin and then go straight across the 

lake from there. 

After paddling across he awkwardly beaches his kayak for a rest. Noticing movement he finally comes 

face to face with the missing sasquatch, Yurek, who has hurt his ankle. Both the teenage sasquatch and 

human cringe at what they believe to be the awful smell of the other. Both raise rocks in preparation 

for battle and Ben is surprised when Yurek can speak English and puzzled by the sasquatch’s ‘costume’ 

greeting.


Given that Ben is a tolerant teen willing to accept people and things as they are, and Yurek is open to 

new ideas, (he was the one who made the drastic move of leaving his clan in search of human 

medicine), the two rely on their trusting instincts and put down their potential weapons. 

Chapter 11: A Friend Heals – A Friend Hurts: 

Yurek initially refuses to travel in the kayak, the “floating log” as he calls it, until Ben teases him, calling 

him chicken. The two awkwardly clamber onto and into the vessel and Yurek decides to play a joke back 

at Ben, asking how he can “relieve his waste”. Yurek is even less proficient than Ben at paddling and he 

explains how the Taljeets learned English from the Aboriginal people. 

The duo finally reach the spot near the river mouth where Ally has hidden her kayak. Initially she thinks 

Ben’s “fur-ball” partner is Watkins, the fake sasquatch, who has somehow escaped from the cabin. Ben 

convinces her that Yurek is “certified grade A sasquatch” and Ally is shocked that Yurek can speak 

English when the sasquatch uses the ‘costume’ greeting. Yurek thinks Ally may be Ben’s mother and 

then is more confused when Ben informs her that some people think she is a “wildcat”. 

While using the silver band to heal Yurek’s ankle, Ben falls into a vision of ancient people sitting around 

a campfire chanting in a strange language, with Ben joining in. Though successful at healing Yurek, Ben 

is exhausted by the ordeal and Yurek is bothered by what Ben has chanted. The teen yeti bounds away, 

telling Ally that she and Ben should meet him in a cave high above after Ben wakes. 

Ben and Ally eventually find the cave after hiking up a steep path and find Yurek in the cave. The 

sasquatch has been hunting and killed three rabbits and he quickly chomps down one without cooking 

and displays appalling table manners. ‘Grossed out’, the human teens give their rabbits to Yurek. 

Ben pulls out the packet of dried leaves, admitting to Yurek that Booling made the concoction and he 

does not know what is in it. Yurek gobbles the packet and soon collapses, worrying both Ben and Ally. 

Chapter 12: Trapped: 

This chapter shifts to Booling’s predicament with Fenton and Biff. The professor has gone ahead to 

meet his mysterious partner and Biff cannot fathom why Fenton is so interested in a silver band when 

they were supposedly trying to find a missing teenage sasquatch. But as an anthropology professor, 

Fenton has a reasonable understanding of the legends of the magic contained in the silver band. 

Booling manages to trick Biff to go the wrong direction and soon the beach-bum is lost. The duo arrive 

at a pool fed by a waterfall and the rifle-toting Biff orders Booling to the far side from which there is no 

quick escape while he dives into the water for a refreshing swim to clear the small mind that he has. 

Attracted by the noise, a cougar arrives and debates whether to kill and eat Booling, or wait for Biff to 

exit the pool. Booling is old and withered, and thus likely tough and tasteless meat, while Biff is young 

and muscled. The cougar has recently eaten, so it decides to plop itself down by Biff’s rifle and wait,


allowing the old man to slowly leave the area. Booling considers trying to help Biff but the young man’s 

pleas to the cougar to “kill the old man, not me”, convince him to leave Biff to his own devices. 

Heading to the mountain-glacier cabin, the crippled old man is later startled by two voices. One he 

recognizes as Fenton and the other is vaguely familiar from a time long ago. Fenton is arguing with his 

partner who is claiming that the professor should never have left the stupid Biff to guard the tricky 

Booling. The partner covets the silver band and only Booling supposedly knows where it is. Fenton is 

becoming as interested in the silver band as in capturing Yurek and receiving three young yeti as a 

reward. The partner realizes Fenton’s growing interest in the silver band and warns the professor away 

from that desire, demonstrating the partnership to be based on the greedy self-interest of each party. 

Booling is seen near the trail to the cabin and captured and the old man realizes the person with the 

vaguely recognized voice from long ago – the Taljeet, Tenzig. 

Chapter 13: The Giant Slide: 

A refreshed and apparently fully healed Yurek awakes and joyously leads Ally in an awkward dance 

before she rebuffs his advances. He then begins to throw giant boulders off the cliff until Ben warns him 

to stop making so much noise which prompts a fake anger in the now-energized sasquatch. 

The trio follow a high altitude valley from where Yurek insists there will be a break in the valley walls and 

they will be able to see the glacier cabin far below. When Ben asks how they will descend, Yurek fails to 

provide specifics. 

On the journey the three discuss the concept of power and decision-making. Yurek cannot grasp the 

concept of money and how it relates to power and control with humans. Ben cannot believe that the 

yeti allow the Taljeet to make the decisions and have little or no individual decision-making and control 

over their own lives. Despite this, and the obvious physical differences, Ben realizes there is very little 

substantive difference between humans and sasquatch. 

After passing through the promised break in the valley walls, the trio can see the cabin far below. Rocks 

shaped like an arrow to be seen from above point to the cabin which all assume had been purposely 

arranged by Booling to confirm that is his destination. 

Yurek explains that they will slide down the glacier, he on his rear end and Ben and Ally on their packs. 

Before he can explain further, the suddenly impulsive Ally hops on and flies down the icy hill, travelling 

the wrong way which will mean she will stop further from the cabin. A reluctant Ben goes next and 

initially enjoys the ride until he steals a glance back at the following Yurek, veers off course, and goes 

too close to the less-firm ice near the rocky edges of the glacier. Yurek has warned him to stay away 

from the blue ice where a crevasse may be but Ben cannot pilot his pack well enough and flies into a 

deep, icy fissure.

Chapter 14: Risky Rescues: 


The chapter opens with Ben having fallen into a deep crevasse, landing on a ledge. He is shaken and 

disoriented but not hurt badly. Yurek checks on him from above and then has a rescue idea and 

departs, leaving Ben to shiver and eventually doze in the icy cavern. 

Ben is awakened by the regularity of thunderous thuds on the glacier’s surface, as Yurek plans to drop a 

large log into the cavern, land it on the ledge where Ben is lying, thus allowing Ben to crawl up the log to 

the top. The only problems are ‘minor’ – the descending log could shatter the ledge or could strike Ben 

and knock him downwards into the seemingly bottomless ice fissure. 

After the log-drop, Yurek warns Ben to avoid looking down as the boy wiggles upwards. Ignoring Yurek’s 

advice, Ben slips and almost falls off the log, and only Yurek’s quick thinking of turning the snag allows 

Ben to regain his grip and crawl upwards, exchanging banter with Yurek as he goes. 

In the meantime, Ally has landed at the end of the glacier but in the wrong place. Disoriented from 

spinning on the make-shift sled, she is surprised by Biff. The young man is wearing only boxer shorts 

(with tiny turtles on them), and shredded shoes. Biff explains that Booling left him with the cougar and 

the big cat had torn up his clothes and dragged his rifle away. Mistaking Biff’s hand on her shoulder as 

an attack, Ally whirls and sends the now-pathetic beach boy to the ground. 

Two distant rifle shots from the professor just miss Biff and he realizes his error in siding with the 

professor and double-crossing his friend Sam. He offers to help Ally rescue Booling and she accepts, 

partially out of pity, partly from secretly liking him and also because Biff could never find his way back to 

the boat by the lakeside cabin on his own. 

Chapter 15: Dealing with Death: 

Ben and Yurek notice the marks in the snow where Ally would have landed, indicating a scuffle between 

two people. Worried by this, and Yurek’s report of hearing loud cracks when he was rescuing Ben, (rifle 

shots) they head for the cabin via a shortcut Yurek knows, and the sasquatch is aghast at the use of guns 

and how easily humans can obtain them. 

Near the cabin they are surprised by Tenzig holding a rifle. Angered, Yurek charges his Taljeet who 

shoots the young sasquatch twice, bragging that he could have killed Yurek since he has become, “good 

at using this firestick”. Badly injured, Yurek blurts out that he knows where the silver band is, worrying 

Ben, (who has the band in his pocket) and surprising Tenzig. The old yeti has been frustrated by the 

professor hitting Booling so hard to get the information that the old man has been unable to speak and 

thus reveal the location of the hidden band. 

Ben begins bargaining and dealing with Tenzig, claiming he knows where the band is hidden in the 

wilderness and only requests a short time alone in the cabin to say goodbye to his friends. The Taljeet 

tests Ben’s bravery by threatening to shoot the boy and Yurek, but Ben, outwardly calm but shaking


inside, holds his ground and the deal is done. Of course once he has the silver band, Tenzig plans to 

renege on the deal and kill Ben and Yurek as well as his ‘partner’, professor Fenton. 

Chapter 16: An Impossible Choice: 

Ben, the injured Yurek, the Taljeet and the returning Fenton (who has been busy taking rifle shots at 

Biff), enter the cabin. Ben finds an injured and unconscious Booling, but Ally is not in the cabin and must 

still be ‘free’. Professor Fenton chides Tenzig for shooting Yurek and “ruining a perfectly good 

specimen”, while the Taljeet reminds Fenton that they would already know the location of the silver 

band if the professor had not beaten Booling so badly. Both plan to obtain the silver band and doublecross 

the other and the Taljeet convinces Fenton to let Ben have 15 minutes with his friends in a trade 

for Ben revealing the location of the silver band. 

Alone, Ben attempts to heal Booling first and the old man wakes and tells the boy there is not enough 

time to heal both he and Yurek. The old man insists that the teen yeti be healed first since he is young 

and descended from kings. Yurek though, refuses to be helped, insisting that Booling be saved first 

since the old man is the only one who can make the medicine to heal the sick young sasquatch. 

Torn between deciding who to heal, Ben finds he cannot use the silver band at all since he needs to be 

of ‘one mind’ so he can focus. Forlorn, he also realizes that not deciding who to save is actually a 

decision in itself, and in doing so he has doomed he and his friends to death. Stricken with grief and 

anger, Ben hurls the silver band into a corner of the cabin and slumps down, dejected. 

Fenton and Tenzig return and when the depressed Ben does not reveal the band’s location, Fenton slugs 

him and knocks the boy semi-conscious. The Taljeet spies the band on the floor and lunges for it at 

roughly the same time as the professor. A brawl ensues, the sasquatch bigger and stronger but the 

human younger and quicker. Fenton wins the fight, knocks the Taljeet out with a rifle butt and gazes at 

the silver band. 

An awakening Booling senses Fenton’s dreams of leadership and his fascination with the yeti. As the 

professor rubs the band against the Taljeet’s body, the connection becomes stronger. Booling 

encourages the lust for yeti power in the professor, hinting that the professor could be a great Taljeet. 

Booling knows Fenton’s love of theatrics and his ability to focus and become another character will help 

the professor draw on the silver band’s magic. 

Chapter 17: The Limits of Magic: 

As Ally and Biff sit against the outside cabin wall they hear horrible howls of pain and anguish. Biff looks 

in a window and turns deathly white at what he has seen, unable to speak or move. Ally is forced to 

enter the cabin alone, seeing professor Fenton’s horribly contorted face, his painfully twitching torso 

and his clothes ripped and shredded by his own hands.


Ben lies dazed in a corner and tells Ally to use the silver band to heal Yurek, the magic bracelet having 

been used and dropped, by Fenton. Ally takes the rifles outside to Biff and begins to use the band to 

heal Yurek. She is surprised by the ease in which the young sasquatch recovers. 

As the tired Ally is recovering, Biff drags Tenzig inside as the Taljeet was trying to escape while Ally had 

been busy healing Yurek. A fight had ensued with Biff besting the already hurt Taljeet. Using the silver 

band, Yurek heals Booling while Ben recovers. 

Booling explains that Fenton wanted to be a leader and had been obsessed with the sasquatch, to the 

point where he wanted to be a leader of the yeti – a Taljeet. Booling had encouraged him in this 

thinking but the professor went mad as the band made him realize the considerable gap between his 

lust for leadership and his poor skills and abilities. The band made him see himself for what he was and 

he was unable to see the truth. 

The Taljeets believed that the magic of the silver bands could make them human again so they had more 

contact with humans to find the bracelets, even though they knew they were bringing a disease back to 

the young yeti. Booling explains that the Taljeet belief that the original humans had used the bands to 

morph into yeti to survive in the high mountains was wrong and based on a myth. The human 

adaptation to the yeti of the high-mountain environment was a slow, natural one. 

With the Taljeets disgraced, Kitar, Yurek’s father, and then Yurek himself will be the new leader and 

Yurek promises that all yeti will be more involved in decision-making. Once he realizes that Booling’s 

medicine is easily made and available, Yurek refuses the silver band stating that the yeti will “make new 

legends without magic.” He also states that Tenzig, and Fenton would be tried by a council of elders and 

laughs at Ben’s teasing about playing defence or goalie for the Maple Leafs. 

Ben had always wanted to know if Booling was a Taljeet and insists on one answer which Booling replies 

that ‘he knew Tenzig from earlier contact”, and states that to be his ‘one answer’ and refuses to 

elaborate.

THE THEME OF ‘YUREK : EDGE OF EXTINCTION’ 

DECISION-MAKING, LEADERSHIP AND POWER 

(the nature of the questions are such that background information is not provided for this segment) 

A theme is a broad and general thread throughout a novel and the theme that runs through ‘Yurek: Edge 

of Extinction’ involves Decision-Making , Leadership and Power. The teenage Ben and Ally chafe at 

their lack of decision making and control over their lives early in the novel as they are ‘forced’ to go to 

the spa and to ask permission to go on an overnight camping trip. They display the leadership qualities 

of caring, cleverness and courage throughout the novel, supporting their claims for more control. 

Yurek slowly displays more and more leadership qualities as the story progresses and in the end we find 

he is descended from a line of Kings. By leaving the clan in chapter one Yurek displays a high degree of 

decision-making to control his own life. Yet he remains puzzled about individual control over lives until 

Ben and Ally’s prompting questions about the Taljeet’s exclusive power makes the young sasquatch 

question the lack of participatory decision-making. In the end, both Ben and Yurek are faced with 

decisions involving almost impossible choices in order to defeat their adversaries whose lust for power 

eventually destroys them. 

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each section) 

Decision-Making: 

1. Ben claims that humans like to make decisions on their own so they have control over their 

lives. Some people clearly make a lot of good decisions and some seem to make many bad 

ones. While everyone makes poor decisions once in a while, what makes some people good 

decision-makers more often and more regularly than other people? 

2. At the end of the story a point is made that if you are silent or fail to make a decision to act you 

have, by doing nothing, in a strange way , made a decision. Do you agree with this? Why or 

why not, (this is a difficult question and it may help to think of examples of inaction). 

Leadership: 

1. Fenton desperately wants to be a leader and Yurek is descended from a line of leaders though 

he has no formal training for the role. What are the characteristics of a good leader and can 

they be taught? 

Power: 

1. Power is the ability and/or authority to control other people. Some people claim that once a 

person has power he or she will want to keep it and rarely give it away. Do you think that is 

true? Do you think there are students who like to have ‘power’ over others? What is it about 

their behaviour that makes you believe this? 

2. In the story the Taljeets have been acting in secret with a plan to return to human form. In 

World War II the atomic bomb development was kept secret. Are there any examples in today’s 

world where it would be acceptable for the Canadian or American government to keep secrets 

from the population? You may wish to set up a debate on this topic.

BROAD EXTENSIONS AND CONNECTIONS 

THE EARLY PORTION OF THE NOVEL 

THE MYTHICAL CREATURE EXTENSION 

Usually a story has broad links to ideas, places or events and sometimes an author can use a story as a 

connection to tell more, either directly or through hints, about an idea, place or event. The author uses 

the connection to add and extend meaning, understanding and viewpoint to encourage the reader 

become more involved with the story. 

One example in Yurek - Edge of Extinction is a Mythical Creature Extension since most people would 

regard the sasquatch as a mythical creature, though in the story they have a wide range of human 

qualities and emotions. This connection is strong throughout the novel but particularly in the early 

portion as Yurek is introduced, has a failed first contact with humans and then meets and becomes 

friends with Ben. Possible activities to build understanding and learn more about mythical creatures are 

below and your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each. 

Mythical Creatures: 

1. Most people believe the the yeti/sasquatch are mythical creatures and the story is unclear 

whether Booling was once one. What is a mythical creature? Choose four mythical creatures or 

figures from the following list, research the creature and either draw or write a brief explanation 

of each: 1. Vampires, (Eastern Europe), 2.Hercules, (Greek) 3. Ananta, (India), 4. Bo, (China), 5. 

Sampati, (India) 6. Genie, (Arabia), 7. Ao Chin, (China). 

2. Create a mythical creature of your own. Give him or her a name, explain where it lives and 

describe what the creature looks like using a drawing or a written report. Many ancient 

mythical creatures had special powers and weaknesses so give yours both. 

3. Hobbits are famous creation of a similar-to-human creature. One of the most famous and 

popular fantasy stories written for young people was ‘The Hobbit’ which was then followed by a 

trilogy (three books) called Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings became three very 

successful movies and the Hobbit movie was released in December 2012. Give a basic 

description of the book or movie, The Hobbit. 

Wizards: 

1. Ben likes reading stories about wizards and warlocks which are popular magical characters in 

European cultures, and his ability to drift into other worlds helps him use the silver band. What 

are wizards and what are their mythical powers? 

2. Ben believes Booling is somewhat ‘wizard-like’. Two famous wizards in literature have been 

Merlin and Gandalf. Find information about these two famous wizards and the stories in which 

they played a major role. 

3. The famous 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was based on a book written in the late 1800’s. 

There are a number of differences between the book and movie. Why do you think these 

differences between a book and the movie occur, especially in movies with or about mythical 

creatures?

BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS 

THE MYTHICAL CREATURE EXTENSION 

Mythical Creatures: 

Question #1: A mythical creature is one designed to explain the way the world is, such as 

good and evil, or a natural event, such as lightning, tides, fire, rainfall etc. Some purely mythical 

creatures students were asked to research were…1. Vampires – most cultures have similar myths of 

immortal-like beings existing on the blood of the living – Dracula, a famous fictional vampire, was 

supposedly modelled after a real Transylvanian leader, (a region in what is now Romania), Vlad the 

Impaler. 2. Hercules – in Greek mythology Hercules was half-man, half-God in a human body. He 

possessed enormous strength. 3. Annanta – in Hindu mythology this is a 1,000 headed serpent having 

the ability to spit fire. 4. Bo – in Chinese mythology a type of unicorn with the body of a black horse 

with a horn protruding from its forehead. It eats large animals such as tigers and leopards. 5 - Sampati 

– an Indian mythical beast with an eagle body and a man’s head that began life as a ball of pure energy. 

6. Genie – Arabian myth of a demon/spirit that is human in appearance, some of which are friendly and 

can grant wishes though sometimes these carry a curse. 7 – Ao Chin – one of the four great Dragon 

Kings in Chinese Mythology. The four rule the sea, live at the bottom of the ocean and help during 

droughts. 

Question #3 The Hobbit novel was written in 1937 by J.R. Tolkein, and tells of hobbit Bilbo 

Baggins winning the master ring from Smeagol (also Gollum) in a riddle game while searching for 

treasure. The novel was followed by the trilogy Lord of the Rings where Bilbo’s nephew Frodo seeks to 

destroy the ring to prevent ownership by the evil warlord Sauron. The Hobbit is a major motion picture 

released in December of 2012 following the success of the Lord of the Rings movies. 

Wizards: 

Question #1: The term wizard likely comes from the middle English word wysard with the 

root word being ‘wise’. Wizards can bend the natural forces around them to suit their purposes. Often 

the term ‘sorcerers’ is synonymous with wizard, but when distinctions are made sorcerers tend to 

engage in black magic and have more innate power where wizards often have to learn their craft. 

Question #2: Merlin was a fictional wizard in the legends of King Arthur. The historical 

existence of Arthur is disputed and debated, though folklore has it that he was an English King who 

defeated the invading Saxons in the 5 th and 6 th centuries and set up a kingdom that included Britain, 

Ireland, Iceland and Gaul, (much of what is now France). Merlin was his advisor who could wield magic 

and shapeshift. Merlin was bewitched by the Lady of the Lake who was his student and she eventually 

imprisoned him. Gandalf was one of the wizards in J.R. Tolkein’s trilogy, ‘The Lord of the Rings’, who 

helps the hobbit Frodo on his quest to destroy the ring. Gandalf begins the journey as Gandalf the Grey 

but then is presumably killed in a battle, only to return as Gandalf the White after the fall of the White 

Wizard who has been secretly helping the evil Lord Sauron. 

Question #3 Movies usually require action and it is also difficult to take a novel and make it 

into a movie, usually less than two hours long. In a novel readers form a vision of a character, in a sense 

creating the character in his or her mind. In a movie, the viewer is watching the director or actor’s view 

of the character. Novels with mythical creatures make the reader utilize even more intense personal 

imagination and thus can more easily disappointed when the ‘movie version’ is on screen.


THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE NOVEL 

THE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT CONNECTION 



the connection to extend meaning and understanding and encourage more involvement with the story. 

One example in Yurek - Edge of Extinction is a Mountain Environment Connection since the story is 

largely set in and around Harrison Lake and the surrounding mountains and Yurek is a high-mountain 

dweller. This connection is strong throughout the novel but particularly in the middle portion as Booling 

is captured and taken to a cabin beside a glacier high in the mountains. Possible activities to build 

understanding and learn more about the mountain environment are below and your teacher may ask 

you to complete selected sections and/or certain questions in each. 

Glaciers: 

1. Harrison Lake has a slight emerald green hue that fascinates Ben. Some glacial lakes have an 

almost green colour to them. What causes this emerald-like colour in glacial lakes? 

2. Ben, Yurek and Ally spend time scrambling over moraines which are often piled high with very 

large boulders rather than small pebbles. Often they appear as a jumbled mass of huge 

boulders making a straight wall. What are moraines and why would frontal ones often look like 

a wall across a valley with very large boulders? (this is a difficult question!) 

The Himalayas and Mount Everest: 

1. Booling explains that the humans who eventually became yeti had fled to the Himalayan 

Mountains. On a map of eastern Asia that outlines the countries of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, India, 

China and Tibet label the countries and show the territory covered by the Himalayan Mountain 

range, (note that Tibet is not technically an official country and is part of China and though this 

has been a controversy for many years.) 

2. Booling explains that the humans who became yeti had fled to the Himalayas, the highest 

mountain range on the earth’s surface and Mount Everest is the highest mountain from sea 

level. In 1953 the first people reached the summit (top) of Mt. Everest, succeeding where 

others before them had failed. 

2a. Research the expedition and find out the difficulties they had reaching the top, 

or… 

2b. On a map/diagram of Mt. Everest show the route the expedition took as they moved 

up the mountain. 

3. So many expeditions now attempt to climb Mt. Everest some have argued for tough rules to 

control the number of climbers for safety and environmental protection. With a partner set up 

a debate, one person supporting the need for tough rules, the other opposing any regulations. 

4. Mt. Everest is 8,848 meters (29,028 ft.) in elevation and is the regarded as the highest mountain. 

But Mauna Kea in Hawaii is 10,200 meters (33,464 ft.) Explain this strange ‘twist’ of facts.

BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS 

THE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT CONNECTION 

Glaciers: 

Question #1 Glacial flour or rock flour is fine-grained salt-sized material from a 

glacier grinding bedrock and can cause the turquoise colour that can be seen in glacial lakes. 

Two such lakes are Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies in Banff National Park (Alberta) and 

Emerald Lake in the same mountain range but in Yoho National Park in B.C. Both Lake Louise 

and Emerald Lake have up-scale lakeside hotels, the Lake Louise Chateau and the Emerald Lake 

Lodge. Being close to the Trans-Canada highway, the lakes have a tremendous number of 

visitors, especially Lake Louise. 

Question #2 Moraines are the piles of debris pushed forwards or sideways by a 

glacier as it moves, then becoming much more visible as the glacier retreats and the ice melts, 

leaving the debris. Frontal moraines are made up of debris pushed ahead as the glacier moves 

forward. When the glacier retreats, especially if it does so suddenly and rapidly, it will quickly 

‘dump’ this debris, leaving a pile of rocks often in a line, thus resembling a giant wall. 

The Himalayas and Mount Everest: 

Question #2a In 1952 a Swiss team accompanied by a Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay 

(sherpas are an ethnic group in Nepal) came within 800 meters (874 yards) of the summit. The 

eventually successful 1953 British expedition under Hunt was split into two teams. At the last 

camp, about 1,000 meters (1,093 yards) below the top, one team tried and came within 91 

metres (99 yards) when a person’s oxygen system failed and they had to return to camp. 

Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay (on this climb as well), then went for the 

top, reaching it and spending 15 minutes there before descending. Hillary took a picture of 

Norgay at the summit but strangely did not want his photo taken. It is of note that the clothing 

and equipment in 1953 was much more rudimentary than that available today. In 1978 two 

climbers were the first to reach the summit of Mt. Everest without oxygen masks! 

Question #3 Besides the negative impact on the sensitive environment through the 

lack of comprehensive and consistently enforced rules, (Everest lies on the border between 

Nepal and China), there has also been recent discussion about the quality and experience of the 

climbers who are not adequately prepared and are injured or die on the ascent. 

Question #3 Mount Everest is regarded as the tallest in elevation based on its height 

from sea level and is probably best described as the highest point on the surface of the earth. 

The entire planet’s highest mountain, as measured from the base, is Mauna Kea which is 10,200 

meters (33,464 ft.) rising from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. However, only 4,205 meters 

(13,795 ft.), or about 41% of Mauna Kea is above sea level.


THE LATER PORTION OF THE NOVEL 

THE FRIENDS AND TRUST CONNECTION 

(the nature of the questions are such that background information is not provided for this segment) 



the connection to add and extend meaning, understanding and viewpoint to encourage the reader 

become more involved with the story. 

One example in Yurek ; Edge of Extinction is a Friends and Trust Connection since the story is largely 

revolves around the relationship between the main characters, particularly in the later portion of the 

story. This is when the friendship develops between Ben and Yurek, the ‘partnerships’ between Biff and 

Sam and professor Fenton and the Taljeet Tenzig, break down, and a concluding hint that there had 

been a prior relationship between Booling and Tenzig. Possible activities to build understanding and 

learn more about this connection are below and your teacher may ask you to complete selected 

sections and/or certain questions in each section. 

Making Friends: 

1. Positive communication helps people get along with others and can help them become friends. 

Most people agree that these skills can be taught. What are these skills and if you were the 

teacher, how would you go about teaching positive communication skills? 

2. Ben and Yurek slowly become close friends. What do you think were three or four of the main 

reasons they developed a friendship? 

3. A great deal of communication is done without words. Some people are not very good at 

noticing the signs people send and some can sense the signals right away. Make a chart with 

the titles, 1. eyes, 2. eyebrows, 3. face, 4. arms, and 5. mouth. Over the next two days try to 

notice and record all the non-verbal signals sent to you by friends, teachers and parents, (don’t 

tell anyone you are looking!) You do not need to explain the meaning, just note the total 

number. You may be surprised at how many times this communication occurs! 

Keeping Friends and Building Trust: 

1 On a few occasions, Ben and Yurek have disagreements. (such as when Ben thinks Yurek wants 

to take the silver band) that are solved before a fight. Taking action when you are angry can 

lead to saying or doing something that will hurt a friend’s feelings or make someone mad at you. 

What strategies do you use to calm yourself down, (sometimes called ‘coming down from anger 

mountain’) before making a decision to say or do something rash? 

2 Ben and Yurek trust each other. When someone says, “I can really trust that person,” what does 

that mean to you and how does that help in keeping friends? 

3 In one chapter Ally finds she has a hidden or secret side like many people have. Would you tell 

your close friends about any secret side you have? (of course it would no longer be a secret if 

you told!) What are the benefits and dangers of telling close friends this type of information?

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES 

CHAPTER 1 - ANGRY AT AUTHORITY 

(Your teacher may ask you to complete selected sections and/or only certain questions in each section) 

Checking Out the Characters: 

1. The Taljeet claims that “Being smart is not the same as being wise”. What does that mean and 

do you agree? Why or why not? 

2. What are some hints that Yurek’s father, Kitar, and Yurek himself, may have more leadership 

ability and importance than they seem? 

Learning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness: 

1. If the young yeti continue to die from disease, the species may become extinct. An endangered 

species is one that has a high risk of becoming extinct. Many mammals have become extinct in 

the past and there are many on the endangered list today. Three of those today are the 

Humpback Whale, the Gorilla and the Tiger. 

1a Explain the main reasons these mammals have become endangered and thus at 

high risk of becoming extinct? 

or… 

1b Using two maps of the continent of Africa, show the change in wilderness areas 

where the Gorilla (Africa) lived, the first map from a year of your choice from 1945-1960 

and the second map showing the area today. Do the same with two maps of the Indian 

subcontinent and South East Asia and show the changes in territory for the tiger 

between the two dates. 

2. The yeti clan is gathered about a large cave and very large caves are often called caverns. Caves 

and caverns are often populated with bats (probably the origin of the idea of the Batcave in 

Batman movies) since bats like dark places. Draw a chart (3x4) with three types of bats written 

down the left side – Little Brown Bat, Vampire Bat and Golden Crowned Flying Fox (it is a bat!) 

and four categories written across the top – Where They Live, Wingspan, Weight and What They 

Eat. Check out the details of each bat and fill in the boxes in your chart. How does the Little 

Brown Bat help the agricultural, (food) industry? 

Extending Your Knowledge and Understanding: 

1. The Taljeet claims that if a yeti was captured he or she would be locked in a cage and/ or put on 

show to make money. What do you think humans would do if a yeti/sasquatch was captured? 

Predicting the Future Plot: 

1. Yurek describes an airplane and human clothing in this chapter. How do you think he would 

describe a boat?



CHAPTER 2 - A SINKING FEELING IN A CRAPPY KAYAK 



1. How would you describe Biff’s character? Is he someone you would want as an older brother? 

Why or why not? 

2. Ben tells Ally to stop being so picky about safety and eventually takes the kayak out on his own 

without permission. Later he uses a good argument to convince Biff to pay money for the 

damaged clothes. These events seem to say that Ben’s character is a combination of impulsive, 

stubborn and clever. Which classmates, boy or girl come closest to this combination of 

character traits and give examples of their behaviour to support your view. 


1. Kayaks and canoes are used to explore the outdoors. What are the differences between the two 

vessels? 

2. Ben falls in the oily water of Vancouver’s False Creek and the oil is floating on top of the water. 

Why does this happen? What often-used saying describing two people who do not get along is 

based on this scientific principle? 

3. Many companies specialize in ‘eco-tourism’. What is ‘eco-tourism’ and how might it be a little 

different from ‘adventure-tourism’? Do you think you would be interested in a job in the ecotourism 

or adventure-tourism industry? Can you think of any classmates who would make a 

good guide in the industry when he or she is an adult and what makes you believe they would 

like it and be good at it? 


1. ‘Adventures Away’ is a poorly run business. A business is an activity is which a person or group 

of people provide or sell a service or make an object and sell it. Virtually all businesses attempt 

to make money and some do very well at it such as Apple computers, while others lose money 

and close down. Why do you think some businesses do well and others don’t? 


1. Why do you believe we will likely see Biff at a later point in the story?



CHAPTER 3- THE WEIRD AND WACKY DOUBLE SEARCH 



1. If you were in the same situation as Ben with the lock slowly being turned on your front door 

and nobody was answering your questions from the other side, what would action would you 

take? 

2. What are your impressions of Booling? In what ways do you find him likeable and in what ways 

could young people find him annoying? 

3. Booling is impressed by Ben’s “high tolerance of others”. What does having a high tolerance 

level mean and why do you think some people are more tolerant of those that are different 

from them than others? 


1. Harrison Lake is a long narrow lake running north-south in British Columbia like Pitt Lake and 

Alouette Lake in the Lower Mainland close to Vancouver, or, other lakes in southern British 

Columbia such as Okanagan Lake, and Kootenay Lake. What caused the lakes to have such a 

similar shape? (There is much of the same geography in Washington State). 


1. Answer one of the following… 

1a Ben tries many channels on the TV and does not find anything he likes. Many TV shows 

become popular and stay on the air for many years while others do not have many 

people watch and go off the air. Why are unpopular shows cancelled (go off the air) 

while popular ones stay on TV? – (hint – the number of people watching connects to 

something else!) 

or 

1b Harry and the Hendersons was a movie involving a sasquatch that did not portray the 

creature as a monster and was fairly popular, even spawning a TV show by the same 

name from 1991-93. Research the movie and explain why it was different in the 

portrayal of a sasquatch. 


1. Who do you think is the figure hiding in the shadows near Ben’s apartment? 

2. Booling has to travel quickly to Harrison to complete some mysterious work. What do you think 

that task is?



CHAPTER 4 - POOLSIDE CHAOS 



1. Ally clearly is not a fan of spas. What is a spa and from what we know of her why is this attitude 

in line with her character? Give specific examples to support your view. 

2. Why are the actions in the poolside tussle between Biff and Ben consistent with what you know 

about each of them? Give specific examples to support your view. 


1. What causes Hot Springs? Research your province, territory, (or state) to find sites where hot 

springs are located, whether they are in a wilderness setting and have hotels and spas beside 

them. 

2. Ally claims that camping is becoming less popular and that the number of visitors to National 

Parks is dropping year after year. Research to find out if she is correct in your province, (or 

state). If she is, why do you believe it is occurring? 

3. Harrison is described as a town that has a great deal of tourists and Ally states that she hopes 

her home village of Bamfield never gets as busy. When a town or area becomes a favourite 

place for tourists to visit, how does the town or area change? What would be some good 

changes and what would be some negative ones? 


1. Many non-aboriginal gold seekers used the route through Harrison Lake as one way to the gold 

fields during the Cariboo Gold Rush. When was the Gold Rush? What B.C. community was one 

of the major towns where gold was found and now is a tourist destination since has been 

designed and built as it was in the Gold Rush days? Where is the town located? 


1. Ben has not had a minute to talk to Ally privately about the search for a missing teenage 

sasquatch. If you were Ben or Ally, where and how would you start your search and why?



CHAPTER 5 - THE BRIDGE BETWEEN FACT AND FANTASY 



1. Ally claims she lives in ‘the real world’ and does not believe in fantasy. What is fantasy and why 

do you think some people like those stories and for those that do, often like it with high 

intensity? Do you like fantasy stories? Why or why not? 

2. Ben says he hates bullies because others his age pick on him even though he is smart and brave. 

Why do you think he gets bullied and why does that seem unfair? Is there anything Ben could 

do so he would not get bullied as much, and if so is it fair that he should have to change so he 

would not get picked on as much by people his own age? 

Leaning More About the Environment and/or Wilderness: 


1a There is a Sasquatch Provincial Park near Harrison. How many provincial (state) parks are in 

your province, (or state) and rank them on a chart from the smallest in size to the largest. Can 

you think of any other ways to rank the parks? 

or… 

1b What is the difference between provincial, (or state), and national parks? List on a chart the 

national parks with the most visitors and their location. What is a major reason for their 

popularity? 


1. Research the smallpox disease and why it was so deadly for Aboriginal people. What was the 

estimated impact of the disease on Aboriginal people? 


1. Who do you think will find Yurek first, Professor Fenton or Ben, Booling and Ally? 

2. Who do you believe is the person or creature hiding in the shadows and appearing to be 

observing Ben, Booling and Ally?



CHAPTER 6 - A GREAT MOMENT GOES WRONG 



1. How would you describe the relationship between Professor Fenton and Watkins? Support your 

view with evidence from the story. 

2. From what you know of Yurek from chapter 1 and 6, how would you describe his character? 

You may also choose to draw a picture of how you visualize the teenage sasquatch. 

Learning About the Environment and/or Wilderness: 

1. Yurek is surprised to see the Harrison Hotel from such a distance, meaning the structure is, to 

him, huge. A major piece of the city environment in Canada has been the grand Railways Hotels. 

The Empress in Victoria, The Hotel Vancouver, the Lake Louise Chateau, the Banff Springs Hotel, 

the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and the Royal York in Toronto were all originally Railway Hotels 

and most large Canadian cities have one. Pick two of your favourite hotels and research to find 

out how much it costs to spend a night in a luxury suite. 

2. Yeti are described as nocturnal mammals. What is a nocturnal mammal and what is one other 

nocturnal animal that has been asked about a previous Chapter’s questions? 

3. Old cabins in the coastal areas of British Columbia as well in other provinces and the Pacific 

Northwest in the United States, were built from the material close at hand, usually without 

power tools and specific written design and drawings. Why would math skills be so important in 

building these cabins? 

Extending Your Knowledge and/or Understanding: 

1. When two species meet there is likely to be a great deal of misunderstanding and problems 

communicating. This has also happened in the past when two races of human beings have met 

for the first few times. One of the more famous incidents involves the Hawaiians and British 

explorer James Cook in 1779. What happened? 

2. Two old but popular movies about alien visitors to earth (‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ 

and ‘Contact’), involved the aliens using either musical patterns or math to communicate with 

humans, amore universal code than a specific word-based language. How do you think humans 

would react to contact such as this and who should speak for the planet earth? 


1. Initially Fenton gives the rifle to Biff. Then he changes his mind and gives it to Sam. This may be 

important later. Why?

CHAPTER-BY CHAPTER 


CHAPTER 7: ONE EVENT – MANY EXPLANATIONS 



1. Given how the bear reacts to the encounter with Ben, if you were to describe the bear’s 

character as you would a person, what words would you use? Do you believe domestic animals 

such as dogs and cats have human characteristics? Why or why not? 

2. Is Booling correct in becoming annoyed at Ben for the boy’s refusal to accept the silver band? Is 

Ben correct in becoming frustrated with Booling since the old man does not reveal all the 

information he has? 


1. Ben spies deep cuts in the glacier from a distance. What is a crevasse and how is one formed? 

2. Research to find out the best way of saving yourself from a bear if you encounter an angry one 

in the wilderness. Did Ben take the right action? Interview ten younger students and ask what 

they would do if they encountered a bear in the wilderness without a man-made weapon. 


1. An old cistern stands near the cabin. Cisterns can be used to gather water for one household or 

for an entire city. Research the ancient cistern of Istanbul Turkey to find out how an ancient 

cistern helped provide water for the city. The cistern, (the ‘Sunken Palace’) exists today! 

2. The title of the chapter is ‘One Event – Many Explanations’. Can you think of a situation where a 

classmate has become angry at another classmate, (one event), but the reason for the event 

may have had many explanations, some which may not have been clear at the time? In the 

event that you chose, what other explanations could be possible? 


1. Ben believes Booling was once a Taljeet. Do you think Ben is correct? What hints are there in 

the story that Booling was (or is!) a Taljeet and what other incidents or events make you believe 

that he isn’t? 

2. Booling keeps hinting that he is going to be captured. Will the old man be taken prisoner and by 

whom? Will whoever captures him get control of the silver band? Support your predictions 

with hints from the story.



CHAPTER 8 - WHAT TO DO WITH A MISSING SASQUATCH? 



1. In this chapter Ally finally accepts the silver band which she has previously refused. Why do you 

think she has changed her mind? 

2. Biff and Sam have been together in the story in chapters 2, 6 and 8. How would you describe 

the relationship prior to Biff double-crossing Sam, and why do you think Biff betrayed his friend? 


1. Most cabins in the wilderness are small, just as many new apartments in large cities like Toronto 

Vancouver or Seattle can be small, often at around 600 sq. ft. You get the square feet of a 

building by taking the width of the room in feet and then the length of the room in feet and 

then measuring it. Your designed lakefront cabin will be 16 ft. wide by 26 ft. deep for a total of 

476 sq. ft. (16x26). Draw a rectangle to scale on a 8x14 or similar size piece of paper and use 

one centimeter, (or one half-inch) for every foot, (the width will be 8 centimeters (4 inches) and 

the length (or depth of the building) will be 13 centimeters, (6 ½ inches). Now you are the 

architect. Inside the walls of your cabin, design and draw in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom 

and living room (you can put a closet in if you want but you’ll have to find the space!) Make 

sure you indicate where the front and side doors are to the outside (buildings should have two 

escapes for fire safety) and any inside doors. 



1a Would you be as accurate a thrower as Ally? On the school field what is your 

accuracy throwing a softball directly to a person from 5 meters away, then 10, next 20 

and finally 30, (in the United States use yards instead of meters). Take ten throws each 

and record your percentage, 

or… 

1b Quarterbacks can throw accurate passes to receivers running at full speed up to 50 

meters (55 yards) away. Try the above experiment of ten throws with your partner 

walking as you try to get a direct throw, and then another round from the four distances 

with your partner jogging. Your partner cannot stop to try to catch the ball! You must 

put the ball where your partner can keep walking or jogging. Record your scores. They 

will likely be getting worse between your partner standing still, walking and jogging. 


1. Before firing the rocks at the cabin Ally found the silver band to be of no help. What is Ally going 

to have to do so she can use the power of the silver band?



CHAPTER 9 - SECRETS 



1. There is a hint of a slight change in Biff’s character in this chapter and it will take a reading 

detective to find it. What is it? 

2. To this point in the story how would you describe Professor Fenton’s character? 

3. Professor Fenton would likely not be a very good teacher at his university. What are the 

characteristics you think make a good teacher? List at least seven of these. Of your classmates, 

which one, or ones, do you think would be a good teacher when he or she is an adult and 

explain why. 


1. Why did Ally’s thoughts of her home on the west coast beside the Pacific Ocean prevent her 

from using the power of the silver band effectively? 

2. In pairs or a group, draw up a list of 15 first aid supplies you would bring in a pouch or bag as a 

first aid kit when you are going on a hiking trip in dangerous territory, draw up a list of what you 

would bring. 


1 Sometimes seemingly strange events can be explained away as a hoax. What is a hoax? One of 

the more famous hoaxes of modern times were crop circles. What were crop circles and how 

was the hoax accomplished? 

3. Booling claims he hid the silver band in a secret place and almost everyone has secrets. Of 

course, if you tell someone about your secret, it no longer is one! Why do you think people like 

to tell secrets to one another? Are there any times when it may be a good idea to keep a secret 

from a close friend, or even a best friend? Why or why not? 


1. What do you believe will happen to the relationship between Biff and Professor Fenton? 

2. What impact would Fenton’s love of acting and theatre have on his ability to use the silver band. 

Support your answer from information in the story.



CHAPTER 10 - BASIC INSTINCT AND INITIAL TRUST 



1. What are at least two hints in this chapter that Ally’s character has changed slightly? This is a 

difficult question and will take a reading detective to uncover the answer! 

2. If you were alone on a camping trip and you met a sasquatch who behaved in much the same 

way as Yurek, how would you react? 

3. If you were Yurek, after what you had seen from your first meeting with humans (Professor 

Fenton) and you were injured, how would you react to the surprise meeting with Ben? 

4. Why is Ben’s trust in the strange looking and smelling Yurek in keeping with what you know of 

his character? 


1. Define each of the five interesting terms, massif, escarpment, moraine, cirque and drumlin. 


1. Ben does not like Yurek’s sasquatch smell and Yurek cringes at Ben’s human scent. Smell is one 

of the five human senses and not used as often or as effectively as some of the other senses, 

though millions of dollars are spent on perfumes to provide a pleasant scent. Most perfumes 

came from plants and animals though now many are synthesized, (not found in nature). Some 

workplaces are becoming ‘scent-free’ and banning perfumes because the scents can bother 

some people. Set up a debate with one side arguing to allow perfumes in the workplace and the 

other opposed. 

2. Throwing rocks has been a form of weapon since ancient times and unlike a previous question 

that tested movement, this one tests weight and throwing accuracy. In the field or in the gym, 

use a light-weight ball and take five throws at a pylon or similar object from 3 meters (yards) 

away, then repeat at 6 meters (yards) and at 9 meters (yards), thus twice and three times the 

distance. Use a chart and percentages to record your scores. Then use a heavier ball like a 

softball, and see what the difference in accuracy is, if any. After several classmates have 

completed the experiment and charted the scores, are there any noticeable trends? 


1. What explanation could there be for Yurek’s ability to speak English? 

2. How do you think Ally would react if she meets Yurek?



CHAPTER 11: A FRIEND HEALS - A FRIEND HURTS 



1. Did Ally react in the way you thought she would when she first meets Yurek? Did Yurek act in 

the way you thought he would? Support your answers with evidence from the story? 

2. When Yurek is angry or upset his hair spikes out. This mimics some natural human behaviour 

when people are afraid or angry. What are two of these natural, instinctive responses? 


1. The mountain cliffs had fir trees growing between the rocks and the trees were clinging to the 

mountainside. Research the difference between the root systems of fir trees and cedar trees to 

see how one type is better suited to an alpine, (mountain) environment. 


1. Yurek believes Aboriginal people taught the Taljeets English. On a map show the route scientists 

think the Aboriginal people took to arrive in what is now Canada and the United States and the 

extent of the Mayan, Aztec and Inca empires it is thought they eventually formed 

2. While Yurek seems to like raw meat, it is best for humans to cook their meat to prevent disease. 

How do you like the red meat that you eat cooked – rare, medium rare, medium or well done? 

Interview 10 to 12 classmates and find the most popular choice. Convert the most popular 

choice into a percentage. If you or classmates do not eat red meat do the same exercise with 

what apple they most prefer, Macintosh, Gala, Granny Smith or Delicious? 


1. Ben experiences strange visions when he uses the silver band to heal Yurek. What do you think 

he was seeing and why is it seem to unnerve Yurek so much? 

2. Yurek seems to have some sort of connection to the silver band. What could that link be and do 

you believe Yurek will try to claim the band is his? Why or why not?



CHAPTER 12 - TRAPPED 



1. Biff and Booling debate about the direction they should take and Biff believes he has 

outsmarted Booling since the old man was trying to double-bluff him. Why is this incident, and 

its outcome, in keeping with what we know of Biff and Booling’s characters? 

2. The cougar makes a decision to wait for Biff to come out of the pool while passing up an easy 

meal in Booling. Give two reasons why the cougar made that choice? 


1. Unlike Biff, you probably know that the sun rises in the east moves through the sky in the south 

and sets in the west. You might want to check to see which way your home, school or classroom 

is facing by noticing the location of the sun at various times in the day. Why does the sun seem 

to rise in the east and set in the west – be specific. Hint – you may wish to use a ball to mimic 

the earth’s rotation. 

2. Cougars are different from bobcats. Draw a picture of each that shows the differences. 


1. A Mountain Lion is another name for Cougar and is most often used in the United States. Two 

nationalities speaking the same language can use different words such as Canadian or American 

English compared to that used in England. What are the words used in England for the following 

Canadian/American words?….1 truck, 2. candy, 3. gas, 4.trunk of a car, 5. freeway; 6. drug 

store. 

2. Biff is a good swimmer and if someone is very good he or she might compete in the Olympic 

Summer Games which occur once every four years. What are the four Olympic swimming 

events and the swimming strokes they use? Rank the four in order of difficulty, (and how can 

you know which is more difficult without trying each one?) and what is the event that includes 

all four strokes? 


1. The two partners, Professor Fenton and the Taljeet, Tenzig, have an argument in this chapter. 

How would you describe their relationship and what is the likely outcome of their partnership?



CHAPTER 13 - THE GIANT SLIDE 



1. Ben gets ready to defend himself as he thinks Yurek might attack him, though there is not much 

his puny body could do against the sasquatch. What does this say about Ben’s character and 

how is this possible scuffle different from when he defeated the much bigger Biff in chapter 4. 

2. Ben sees Yurek as having human qualities and characteristics. If you were to describe Yurek, 

what are some words you would use and support your view with examples from the story? 

3. Describe Yurek’s feelings about his Taljeet from chapter 1 and chapter 13? How are these 

impressions similar and how are they different from one chapter to another? 


1 On a sunny day it is very bright if you were standing on a glacier but much less so if you were in 

a field of grass. Snowboarders and skiers can get a suntan on a sunny day even in winter. What 

causes this and how can you use this knowledge when choosing what to wear on a very hot 

summer day? 

2. Research what ‘low impact camping’ means. 


1. Dancing is a common form of human expression in all societies, both today and in the past. 

Sasquatch may not be good dancers, as Yurek gives it a try with Ally and has limited success. 

With a partner create a new dance routine, and, if you have enough courage, display it for the 

class, or at least a group of friends. 

2. Yurek is described as “striding like a linebacker”. The linebacker is a position on a football team. 

Where is this position, what is the linebacker’s responsibility and what are the physical 

characteristics coaches like to see in a linebacker? 


1. The discussion about power and decision-making has made Yurek think about these topics 

where he had never done so in the past. What do you think will happen? 

2. At the end of the chapter Ben falls into a deep, narrow crevasse. How will he escape? If Yurek is 

to help him and does not have any rope, how will the teenage sasquatch help get Ben out?



CHAPTER 14 - RISKY RESCUES 



1. Yurek shows a high level of creativity in using the log to help Ben escape the crevasse. What is 

creativity and why is it important in music and art and even business? Often creativity comes 

from solving a problem or trying to make things easier. What items in your classroom were 

created in your lifetime, in your teacher’s lifetime and before your teacher’s lifetime? 

2. Why does Ally accept Biff’s help so quickly when she has not liked him in the past? 


1. Yurek has a great deal of strength and energy from living at high altitudes. Many humans start 

to notice some effects of altitude, even as low as 1,500 meters, (about 5,000 ft.) Mountain 

medicine recognizes three categories, what are they? Has anyone ever reached the top of Mt. 

Everest without an oxygen mask? 


1. As strong as Yurek is, he could not hold the log as he tipped it downward due to the powerful 

effect of gravity. What is gravity and why is it important for our survival on earth? If Yurek was 

working on the same task on the moon would he be able to hold the log longer or for a shorter 

time? Why? If you can jump one meter high (one yard) on earth how high could you jump on 

the moon? 

2. The icy cavern seemed to be pulling Ben downwards. This is a fairly common feeling called 

vertigo which, simply explained, is a form of dizziness and being pulled downwards when a 

person is staring over a steep cliff. A related anxiety, (though not the same), is acrophobia, the 

fear of heights. Many people have certain anxieties, one of them being a fear of closed spaces. 

What is this anxiety called and how could it affect a person’s life? 

3. Moving about on ice, especially skating, causes the ice to become chipped and uneven. Ice 

resurfacers are used in hockey arenas between periods to clean the ice. They are often called a 

Zamboni which is actually a company named after the man who invented the first ice resurfacer 

in 1949. Research how a Zamboni works. 


1. Biff has said he wants to help Ally. Do you believe him and do you think he will eventually help 

or hurt Ally’s chances of finishing what she wishes to do?



CHAPTER 15 - DEALING WITH DEATH 



1. Who do you believe is the more evil character – Professor Fenton or the Taljeet Tenzig? Support 

your view with evidence of their behaviour in the story. 

2. Why is Ben’s willingness to support his friend Yurek by risking death in fighting back and dealing 

with the Taljeet in keeping with what we know of Ben’s character? 

3. Tenzig claims that the silver band is much like money, “The more it is used the more it is wanted 

and the more control it brings”. Do you agree with the Taljeet? Why or why not? 


1. Ben claims it would take forever to find the silver band in the rocky landscape. Why would there 

usually be very few trees in a moraine-filled area? (this is a difficult question). 


1a Yurek claims that a datka is similar to the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on Ben’s sweatshirt. What is 

a logo and why do sports teams and other businesses have them? Of the Canadian teams in the 

National Hockey League, the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg 

Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, rank the logos from your 

favourite to your least favourite, (this is not necessarily a ranking of your favourite teams but 

how appealing their logo is to you). Of the teams in the Canadian Football League, BC Lions, 

Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 

Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger Cats and Montreal Alouettes, (Ottawa will once again have a 

team in 2014 or 2015), rank the logos from your favourite to the one least appealing to you. 

Why do you like the favourite logo when compared to those that are least favourite ones? 

or, 

1b Pick five major league baseball teams and five National Football League teams located in the 

western half of the United States, and research and then rank their logos from your favourite to 

the one least appealing to you. Why do you like the favourite logo when compared to those 

that are your least favourite ones? 

2. Design a logo for your school (if your school has one design a different one), or you class, 

remembering some of the key elements that make up a good logo. 


1. Both Professor Fenton and the Taljeet Tenzig covet, (badly want) the silver band. Who do you 

believe will eventually succeed in getting it and how will they defeat the other? 

2. How do you believe Yurek might recover from his injuries and who will help him?



CHAPTER 16 - AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE 



1 Who would make the better leader, Fenton or Yurek? Support your answer with descriptions 

and evidence of each one’s character from the story. 

2 Ben is faced with an impossible choice of saving either Booling or Yurek, each of whom insists on 

him saving the other. If you were Ben, which one would you choose to save and why? 


1. The cabin in this chapter is mostly used by bear and cougar hunters. Hunting has been so 

pronounced for some large animals that hunting and killing them has become against the law. 

One such animal is the elephant. In what countries and/or continents do elephants live and why 

were they killed in such large numbers. How effective has the ban on elephant hunting been? 

2. It is mentioned that with many wilderness cabins the bathroom is an outdoor outhouse. In most 

Canadian (or American), towns or cities, human waste is sent to a septic tank or a sewer system. 

What is the difference between these two systems and where is one more common than the 

other. Is your neighbourhood on a septic or sewer system? 


1. Fenton is an anthropology professor. Name the field of study for each of the following… 1. 

anthropology, 2.biology 3. psychology, 4. archeology and 5. zoology . Of these five which one 

appeals to you the most and which one the least? 

Predicting the Plot: 

1. How do you think Ben will be saved? (assuming he is saved!) 

2. Why do you think Booling is talking to Fenton about the professor’s connection to the 

yeti/sasquatch and highlighting Fenton’s desire to be a leader?



CHAPTER 17 - THE LIMITS OF MAGIC 



1 The Taljeet claims that Booling has always been a “loner and a misfit”. What other two 

characters in the story could be seen as “loners?” and support your answer with evidence. 


1. It is mentioned in this chapter that the original humans adapted to becoming yeti to survive in 

their harsh mountain environment. There are many examples of animals adapting to their 

environment, for example giraffes growing long necks so they may eat the leaves on tall trees, 

or camels who can survive for long periods in the desert by storing water in their humps. Pick 

five animals and choose to… 

a) Explain in writing how, over time, they have adapted to their environment, 

or… 

b) Provide a drawing of the animal with a brief explanation of the adaptation. 


1. Chapter titles are often more than they seem as they can provide a hint of the main topic in a 

chapter. Give two reasons why the chapter is called, ‘The Limits of Magic’. 

2. Professor Fenton and the Taljeet will be taken to be judged by a council of elders who would 

discuss the issue. Many Aboriginal societies used a similar form of justice in the past. The 

modern Canadian and American version is quite different in that there are two sides who 

oppose each other, one trying to prove guilt and the other trying to have the person acquitted, 

(found not guilty). Usually the result is one side winning totally and the other side losing totally, 

(called an adversarial system). What would be some of the difficulties with this system we use 

today? (this is a very difficult question). 


1. Why do you think the author wrote in a mysterious figure in the shadows in chapter 3 when Ben 

goes upstairs in his apartment and again in chapter 5 when Ben, Booling and Ally are in the park 

and then not explain who these were later in the novel? 

2. Were you surprised that Yurek gave the silver band back? Why or why not? If it was stated that 

Yurek would return and use the silver band, can you think of a story plot that would involve he, 

Ben, Booling and Ally? 

3. Looking back at some of the ‘future plot’ questions from other chapters– how accurate were 

you in your predictions.

Chapter 1 Answer Key: 

TEACHER ANSWER KEY 

CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDENT ACTIVITIES 

Characters: Question #2 – Some hints at Kitar’s leadership potential include his willingness 

to speak up against the Taljeet even though Taljeets have historically placed his family low in social 

status. Despite the low rank he is well respected by others in the clan. Yurek is one of the few 

younglings who is willing to argue with, and eventually defy, the Taljeet. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1a – The Humpback population had been hunted to almost extinction 

until a moratorium in 1966. Due to habitat destruction and being killed for bushmeat, gorillas are an 

endangered species and tigers are as well, largely due to hunting and especially habitat destruction. 

Enviro./Wild. Question #1b – The insect-eating Little Brown Bat -wingspan 27cm and length 

10cm, (10.6 in. by 4 in.) is in Canada/U.S.; the Vampire Bat eats the blood of dead animals - wingspan 18 

cm and length 9cm, (7 in. by 3.5in.) in Central/ South America; and the world’s largest bat, the fig-eating 

Golden Crown Flying Fox - wingspan 1.5 metres and length 50cm, (5ft. by 1.7ft.), lives in the Phillipines. 

The Little Brown Bat, the most common bat in Canada/US, is particularly helpful at reducing insect 

populations that harm crops. Bats are nocturnal mammals with many types hanging upside down in 

caves or attics during the day and hunting at night. 


Character: Question #1 – Most people would regard Biff as egotistical and spoiled who 

shows bad manners and outdated methods of impressing young women, as he does more to disgust Ally 

than impress her. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – Kayaks have a covered deck while canoes are open. The covered 

deck makes it easier to upright an overturned kayak than a canoe. Kayaks have double bladed paddles 

where canoes use a single paddle. Kayaks tend to be less wide and generally have less storage capacity. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – Oil has less density than water and thus floats on the top. Since it 

acts in this manner the old sayings describing antagonists as “oil and water don’t mix”, or, “it’s like 

mixing oil and water”, are good descriptions. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #3 – Eco-tourism is visiting relatively undisturbed natural areas in a 

low-impact, small-scale manner usually with a focus on flora and fauna. Similarly, Adventure-tourism is 

travel to remote or exotic locales but may involve tourism on a larger scale and have correspondingly 

larger impacts on the environment. The purpose of Adventure-tourism may also not be as closing linked 

to the environment as Eco-Tourism. A cruise up the Amazon River may be an example of Adventure- 

tourism but not Eco-tourism. 

Pg. 1



CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDENT ACTIVITIES cont. 

Characters: Question #3 – Ben ‘takes people as they are’ and is not nearly as judgemental as 

his peers. This quality led his friendship with an elderly Asian grocer in the area, Mr. Sung, who had 

given Ben the silver band initially and his ability to accept, and later form a bond, with the strange old 

man Booling. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – During the Ice Ages giant sheets of ice covered most of what is 

now B.C. and Washington State, scouring deep valleys as it moved from north to south. When the ice 

retreated northwards the melting water ran into the deep valleys the glaciers had originally cut, thus 

forming the long, narrow lakes that lie in a north-south siting. 

Extending: Question #2 – Most T.V. shows are funded by advertisers. A show with high 

numbers of viewers means the producers or network can charge a higher fee to advertise on the show. 

The bar of one million dollars for a one minute ad during the Super Bowl was passed years ago. Without 

ads, public television in the U.S. relies on donations. In Canada, the public broadcaster, the CBC, accepts 

private advertising to make up part of its budget. 

Extending: Question #3 – Harry and the Hendersons was made in 1987, and, silly as many 

find it to be, won an Oscar for Best Make-up. The Henderson family takes in a sasquatch as a kind of pet 

after hitting him with their car and name him Harry. Through wacky misadventures they protect him 

from the authorities, eventually releasing him into the wild. The movie is rated PG but does have some 

adults swearing, (and one child) and grandpa Henderson owns a gun store and there is some gun 

violence. 


Characters: Question #1 – There is no universal definition of spas, and they can 

range from luxurious retreats to adjuncts of hair salons in strip malls. Originally spas had more of a 

health emphasis and today there is attention to beauty treatment and the link between health and 

beauty. 

Characters: Question #2 - In the poolside tussle Ben displays creativity and quick thinking in 

his attack (flipping a lounge chair, flicking towels and spraying suntan lotion into Biff’s sunglasses), while 

Biff relies on brawn alone, thus dooming himself. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – Hot springs are formed by molten rock deep in the earth’s surface 

heating water that has penetrated downwards to that depth. The very hot water can carry a high 

mineral content and moves up through fissures, eventually bubbling or shooting to the surface. 

Pg. 2

Chapter 4 cont. 



Enviro./Wild.: Question #2- Attendance at Canadian National Parks (excluding Historic sites) 

shows a pattern of ‘stagnation’ so while attendance is not declining in numbers it is relative to 

population. National Parks in the United States have seen a decline in attendance in 2011-12, attributed 

in part to fewer European visitors. 

Extending: Question #1 – The Cariboo Rush (1861 to 1865), was the 2nd rush, following the 

1858 Fraser strike which had prompted the 1858 creation of the colony of British Columbia (though not 

including Vancouver Island which was a separate colony). This was due to the worry about the number 

of American prospectors. The capital was New Westminster. Largely due to the debt of building the 

Cariboo Wagon Road as well as the decline in the gold fields, the mainland colony merged with 

Vancouver Island in 1866 with Victoria becoming the capital. Barkerville, in the B.C. interior is now a 

popular gold rush era replica. 


Characters: Question #1 – Fantasy stories involve magical people and world where good 

triumphs over evil and are likely popular as readers wish to escape to a world so different from our own. 

Characters: Question #2 – Ben is bullied because he is ‘different’. One potential route is for 

Ben to adapt his behaviour to appear more ‘normal’ though that would be unfair. Those people with 

little tolerance would be in ‘control’, forcing Ben to change into being someone who is not his ‘natural’ 

person. Tolerance comes from accepting people as who they are, something Ben is good at. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1a – other ways to rank National Parks could be by size, the year they 

were established or the range of plant and/or animal life they contain. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1b – The most visited Canadian National Parks are…#5 Kootenay Park 

in B.C. - #4 Mt. Revelstoke and Glacier in B.C. - #3 Pacific Rim in B.C. - #2 Jasper in Alberta and # 1 Banff 

in Alberta. Banff became a park in 1885. All the above have easy highway access and are relatively 

close to large population centers. Two of the above, Banff and Kootenay have famous hot springs. In 

the United States the five most visited parks are…#5 Yellowstone (with famous hot springs), #4 Olympic, 

#3 Yosemite, #2 Grand Canyon and #1 Great Smoky Mountains with 9.2 million visitors in 2011. 

Extending: Question #2 – The virus smallpox is very contagious. For centuries Europeans 

had raised livestock (the origin of variants of the virus) and lived in relatively densely populated 

settlements, eventually developing natural anti-bodies. The Aboriginal people had not been exposed 

since livestock domestication was minimal in comparison and settlements relatively less dense. With no 

natural anti-bodies, the Aboriginal people contracted smallpox and died at an alarming rate, with some 

estimates putting the number as high as 20 million which would be about 90% of the population. 

Pg. 3




Characters: Question #1 – Since Fenton and Watkins have no scruples, there is no 

relationship beyond a common bond of the hoax, the money paid and received and threats of exposure. 

Characters: Question #2 – To this point Yurek has displayed courage (in leaving his clan and 

travelling to Harrison Lake), caution (in approaching the cabin), patience (in waiting at the cabin), 

thoughtfulness (in deciding how best to approach Fenton) and caring (worried that he has hurt Fenton). 

Enviro.:/Wild.: Question #1- Nocturnal animals are active primarily at night and rely on smell 

and sound or have specialized eyesight. Bats are classically nocturnal with most common Canadian and 

American ones hanging upside down in caves and attics during the day and hunt at night. 

Extending: Question #1- Cook arrived in Hawaii at the time of worshipping (a festival of 

harvest) and the ship’s rigging and mast resembled important artifacts in that worship leading to believe 

that the Hawaiians thought him to be some form of deity. However, upon leaving, the ship’s mast broke 

and when Cook returned the festival had concluded, surprising, and perhaps annoying, the Hawaiians 

Quarrels and skirmishes ensued, the Hawaiians tiring of the British demands for supplies and the British 

upset over the theft of small vessels. In one relatively minor skirmish, Cook was killed. 


Characters: Question #1 – The bear is protective of her cub, cautious, intelligent, (knowing 

Ben is playing dead) and compassionate, (feeling sorry for the stupid little human). 

Characters: Question #2 – Both Ben and Booling are being stubborn. Ben refuses the silver 

band even though he knows Booling would not want him to have it unless it was important. Booling 

stubbornly refuses to provide a full explanation in order to protect Ben but only ends up frustrating the 

boy. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – A crevasse is a deep fissure in a glacier (a crevice is a deep fissure 

in rock) and are formed as two levels of a glacier have differing movement. The walls of a crevasse are 

usually very steep and the fissure narrows as it gets deeper. 

Enviro./Wild: Question #2 – Some of Ben’s actions were wrong and some right. Humans 

should never run from a bear since it will chase you and can run much faster. The best strategy is to 

stand tall with your arms raised to make you look bigger, then back away slowly and calmly avoiding any 

sudden movements. If the bear charges and keeps charging, your last tactic is to’ hit the dirt’ and fake 

death. 

Pg. 4




Extending: Question #1 – Istanbul’s main cistern, ‘The Sunken Palace’ was built in the 6 th 

century (500’s) and took water, via aquaducts from the Belgrade forest 19km, (about 12 miles) north. 

The cistern has a capacity of 100,000 tons of water. 

Predicting: Question #1- one fact that can lead to thinking of Booling as an ex-Taljeet is in 

chapter 5 where he states that he belonged to a group and did not like what they were doing and left. 

In addition, he is a somewhat mystical being that has ownership of a magic silver band. However, 

Booling seems unsure as to why the young yeti are sick and does not know for sure that the medicine he 

has brought will heal them and is in human form. 


Characters: Question #1 – Ally changes her mind and accepts the silver band because Ben 

clearly will not take it unless he is told whether Booling is a Taljeet or not. Booling is not prepared to 

clearly answer that and has also told Ally that he should relinquish the band because there is a strong 

likelihood that he will be captured. 

Characters: Questions #2 & 3 – In chapter 2 in the False Creek shop, and again ever so 

slightly in chapter 6 when the professor runs in and almost gives the rifle to Biff, Sam shows signs that 

he regards himself as smarter than Biff and therefore the leader. In this chapter he does show some 

remorse and worry about Ben’s health so at least there is some positives to his character, though small. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – It may be handy to know that many bedrooms for students in 

grades 5-7 would be about 70 to 100 sq. ft. (8x9 - 8x10 – 9x9 – 10x10) though there will much variation. 


Characters: Question #1 – Biff hesitates pouring the poison down Ben’s throat indicating he 

is having some doubts about the entire escapade. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1- When Ally begins thinking of the reality of her home west-coast 

environment she is no longer in the dream-like state she needs to be. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question # 2 – While hikers will differ, the following 15 items would be seen to 

be standard . . .assorted sizes of bandages; butterfly bandages; forceps or tweezers; a multi-facet knife; 

scissors; thermometer; safety pins; re-sealable plastic bags; ointment; iodine (to prevent infection); 

Immodium tablets (to prevent diarrhea); after-bite; pain relievers such as aspirin; a space-blanket; and 

paper and pencil. 

Pg. 5




Extending: Question #1 – A hoax is a deliberately made falsehood. In 1991 two people 

confessed to making some crop circles of which there were several ‘copycats’. The circles were made 

with a rope tied to an anchor at one end and the other end of the rope tied to a board which pushed the 

crops downward. 

Predicting: Question #2 – The magic of the silver band works best with people who can 

move into dream-worlds or become other characters through concentration, something actors can 

accomplish more readily than most people. 


Characters: Questions #1 & 2 - Ally declares to “have some faith” while making an impulsive 

decision, while Ben has a high tolerance for others, particularly those who are ‘different’. Yurek is open 

to new ideas since he originally sought to seek out humans for help with medicine. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – A massif in mountaineering terms refers to the main and large 

mass of a mountain as opposed to a narrow peak; an escarpment is a long steep cliff, usually caused by 

faulting and a moraine is an accumulation of glacial debris left when the glacier has retreated. Cirques 

are bowl-shaped hollows, where glaciers have started with a rocking motion before the ice moves over 

the side and down the mountain. A drumlin is a hill, shaped like an upside-down spoon, long and 

narrow on one end and steep on the other, formed by differing speeds of a retreating glacier. 

Predicting: Question #1 – As will be explained in a future chapter, the yeti learned their 

basic English from their Taljeets who had learned the language from their contact with Aboriginal 

people. 


Characters: Question #2 – In times of fear and danger, humans have a natural instinct to 

make themselves look bigger. Four examples are hair standing on end, goose pimples on the arms and 

legs, air pumped into the lungs to make the chest puff out and the flexing of muscles to appear larger. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – Firs are anchored largely by a single large and deep tap root with 

supporting roots. The tap root can lodge between rocks in relatively narrow areas. Cedar trees are 

anchored by wide ranging root systems which have difficulty spreading out in rocky, hilly terrain. 

Pg. 6




Extending: Question #1 - Scientists believe that around 17,000 years ago falling sea levels 

meant there was a land bridge in what is now known as the Bering Strait separating Russia from Alaska. 

It is believed that Asiatic people moved across, fanning out across North, Central and South America. 

When the Ice-Age glaciers melted, sea levels rose, covering the ‘bridge’. If this widely held theory is 

correct, Aboriginal peoples share a common ancestry with those that built the Aztec, Mayan and Inca 

empires much later. 


Enviro./Wild.: Question # 2 – The earth’s rotation form left to right causes what appears to be 

the movement of the sun (though we know it is stationary). As the earth rotates the east will turn away 

from the sun earlier than in the west. Thus, as humans have invented the concept of time, Toronto and 

New York locations (further east) turn away from the sun about three hours before the earth’s surface 

of Vancouver and Seattle (further west) are located. We usually refer to this as Toronto and New York 

being three hours ‘ahead’ so it will be 9:00 pm and dark there and 6:00 pm and light or dusk in 

Vancouver or Seattle. 

Extending: Question #1 – Words in England for the following are…1. lorry for truck; 2. 

sweets for candy; 3. petrol for gas; 4. boot for the trunk of a car; 5. motorway for freeway and, 6. 

chemist for drug store. 

Extending: Question #2 – The four strokes in the Olympic swimming competition are, in 

order of difficulty, butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle, the ranking assuming that the 

slowest times would be the result of the more difficult stroke. The Individual medley (IM) involves all 

four strokes. 


Characters: Question #1 – Ben’s willingness to ‘stand up’ to Yurek physically even when he 

knows he’ll be ‘stomped’ says a great deal about his courage and conviction. Unlike the victory over Biff 

in chapter 4 where Ben used the lounge chair, towels and sun-tan lotion, he does not have implements 

to ward off the possible attack form Yurek in this chapter. It is also logical to assume that Yurek is not 

nearly as dumb as Biff and not so easily out-witted. 

Characters: Question #2 – Yurek is courageous (he left his clan on a solo journey), polite, (he 

has used his ‘costume’ greeting when meeting humans), intelligent, (he begins to question Taljeet 

authority), creative, (he thinks of using the giant log to get Ben out of the crevasse) and he has a sense 

of humour, (he jokes about his ‘waste’ in the kayak and regularly banters with Ben). 

Pg. 7




Characters: Question #3 – A difference is that in chapter 1 Yurek accepts the Taljeet as the 

leader who, while secretive, still has the interests of all yeti at heart. In chapter 13 Yurek is beginning to 

wonder about Taljeet motives for, as Ben says, “hogging all the power”. A similarity is that in both 

chapters Yurek is convinced the Taljeet has a hidden agenda and is too secretive. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – White is actually a blend of all colours and black is the absence of 

colour. White and lighter colours tend to reflect light while darker colours absorb it. It is mostly the 

reflection from the white snow that gives snowboarders and skiers a suntan on a sunny winter day, not 

the direct light from the sun. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – Low impact camping refers to campers leaving the minimum 

impact to the natural environment. 

Extending: Question # 1 - A football linebacker plays on the defence between the larger 

lineman in front of him and the smaller defensive backs behind. Expected to be a bit of both of the 

above, the linebacker has to be large and strong enough to bull his way to the quarterback and tackle 

large-sized running backs, and nimble and fast enough to cover, (check or stay with), smaller, faster 

opposition receivers who catch passes thrown by the quarterback. 


Characters: Question #2 – In a previous chapter (5), Ally protested far too much when Ben 

teased her about liking Biff, indicating that she may be slightly attracted to him. Ally feels sorry for the 

forlorn Biff, notes that Biff regrets supporting the professor and double-crossing his friend Sam and she 

also realizes that Biff could not find his way back to the boat beside the lakeside cabin without help. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – Mountain medicine’s three categories are 1,500-3,500 meters 

(5,000-11,500 ft.), category 2, 3,500-5,500 meters, (11,500-18.000 ft.) and 5,500-8,000 meters (18,000 - 

26,000 ft.) where human life is extremely difficult without oxygen masks. Above 8,000 meters (26,000 

ft.) is considered to be a death zone. Much of thin air effect of altitude can be overcome with time, and 

some groups of people have adapted to high altitude day-to-day living in very high small villages. At 

lower elevation are large modern cities such as Denver, (1,610m or 5,280 ft.) and Mexico City, (2,240m 

or 7,350 ft.). In an example of the great variance of humans, Everest was climbed in 1978 by two men 

without oxygen masks. The highest permanent human settlement is believed to be La Rinconada, a 

mining town in Peru inhabited for 40 years with an altitude of 5,100 meters, (16,700 ft.). 

Pg. 8




Extending: Question #1 - The moon has one sixth the gravity of the earth, about 16.6%. 

You would be able to jump about 80-85% further on the moon (given identical clothing in both places!) 

Extending: Question #2 – Claustrophobia is an anxiety about closed-in spaces that can 

make riding elevators, travel in airplanes and sleeping in campers or small boats problematic. 

Extending: Question #3 – Zamboni is a company that makes ice resurfacing machines, 

named after the founder in 1949. As the vehicle travels, a blade scrapes the ice and augers pick up the 

snow and deposit it into a large hopper machine, similar to a large box, and the snow is dumped outside 

afterwards. The machine applies water as it moves, which freezes into newly smoothed ice. 


Characters: Question #1 – The reader should not be surprised with Ben risking death to save 

Yurek. Ben is resourceful, brave and loyal with more than a bit of a stubborn streak. 

Enviro./Wild.: Question # 1 – While there are some moraines with a great number of trees, 

they are often relatively treeless. Soil, dirt and smaller material is often washed away by water and the 

jumble of large rocks makes it difficult for the seeding process to find soil in which to grow, and when 

they do, obtain enough light and space in the narrow areas between boulders. 

Extending: Question #2 – Logos are commonly found in businesses and sports teams (a 

form of business) to make for instant recognition of the brand. The apple in Apple computing or the 

unusual Montreal Canadiens crest are classic examples. In a manner, a flag is a type of logo for a nation. 


Enviro./Wild.: Question #1 – Elephants have been killed for many years for their ivory tusks. In 

1975 there was a ban on the ivory trade for Asian elephants that has had little controversy and the 

decline of the elephant population there has had more to do with habitat destruction than poaching. In 

Africa it is a different story and estimates had the 1.3 million African elephant herds in 1979 dropping to 

less than half that number only 10 years later. By 1990 there was a ban imposed on the African 

elephant ivory trade although there are now some regulated exceptions. The ban has had some positive 

influence in eastern and southern Africa but does not appear to have had a positive impact in the 

central and western areas of the continent where much poaching continues, with the money often 

going to purchase arms. 

Pg. 9




Enviro./Wild.: Question #2 – About 25% of Canadians and 20% of Americans have a septic 

system which is a type of on-site sewage facility in which waste goes into a septic tank with a bacterial 

environment that decomposes the waste and distributes it into a drain field. The field should be much 

larger than an average city lot and regulations vary from one jurisdiction to another. Grass often grows 

greener, quicker and higher over a septic field. A sewer system takes household waste form the 

property by pipe to a sewage treatment plant, most often operated by the local government. Septic 

systems are usually only found in the outer suburbs of large centers, small towns and rural areas. 

Extending: Question #1 – Anthropology is the study of the origin and evolution of humanity 

and archeology is the study of human activity in the past, most often through the study of artifacts and 

materials and thus is related to anthropology. Biology is the study of life and living organisms while 

zoology is a branch of biology studying the animal kingdom. Psychology is the study of human 

behaviour, usually present day or recent history. 

Predicting: Question #2 – Booling is aware that Fenton’s love of theatrics and therefore 

ability to focus and change character makes him an ideal candidate to use the magic in the silver band. 

Booling believes that prompting Fenton to focus on his fascination with the sasquatch will combine with 

the professor’s lust for leadership. The old man hopes that this will make the eventual use of the silver 

band a disaster for Fenton since the band does not have the power to make Fenton a Taljeet, a 

transition from human to sasquatch that the professor begins to regard as possible. 


Characters: Question #1 – Booling is not the only loner. Ben is, to a certain extent, a loner 

since he has no human friends his own age. Yurek is a loner to some extent as well, being the only teen 

left in his clan. In some ways professor Fenton is also one, ostracized by his fellow professors. 

Extending: Question #1 – There are three connections between the chapter title ‘Limits to 

Magic’ and the events in the chapter. Firstly, the magic band is unable to transform professor Fenton 

into a sasquatch. Secondly, the Taljeets were in error when they assumed the ancient humans used the 

silver bands to transform them into yeti to survive in the mountains – that was accomplished slowly and 

naturally. Finally, Yurek declares that yeti in the ‘new’ era,“will make legends without magic”. 

Extending: Question #2– One of several problems with the adversarial system in criminal 

law is the lawyer’s singular role representing the state or the individual in a ‘winner-take-all’ contest. 

This can cause court personnel to focus almost exclusively on winning and losing rather than on justice. 

Pg. 10 

Predicting Question #1a – At times authors will throw in a hint about an upcoming event or 

surprise in the novel and then not have that happen to build suspense and keep the reader guessing. If 

every hint had a result the story may become too predictable.

Yurek: Edge Of Extinction - Clyde Woolman

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?