One of my favorite parts about teaching middle school ELA is providing students with opportunities to explore “big” concepts, like justice and fairness, that are important to them. This is why I love teaching Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. With its exploration of powerful themes and emotional depth, this thought-provoking novel always inspires lively discussion and debate in middle school ELA.

Touching Spirit Bear centers on Cole Mathews, a teenage boy with a history of violence and trouble with the law. After severely assaulting his classmate, Peter Driscal, Cole is faced with a choice – being sent to trial as an adult, possibly resulting in jail time, or following the recommendation of his parole officer, Garvey, to participate in a Circle Justice program. Looking to avoid prison, Cole chooses Circle Justice and is sentenced to spend a year in isolation on a remote Alaskan island.

If you’re wondering where to begin when teaching Touching Spirit Bear, I’m here to help! Here are nine of my favorite creative activities to help you make the most of Ben Mikaelsen’s moving novel.

Cole’s “I Am” Poem

In the early chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, Cole is angry at the world. While he has narrowly avoided a possible jail sentence by choosing Circle Justice and “banishment” to a remote Alaskan island, he is arrogant and doesn’t take his punishment seriously.

The “I Am” Poem is actually the first part of a two-part activity that you can circle back to later in the unit. For this creative task, I like to invite students to put themselves in Cole’s shoes – alone, full of rage, and convinced that no one cares about him. As they consider Cole’s perspective, students can compose an “I Am” poem, written in Cole’s voice. Using a graphic organizer that contains a series of sentence starters, students can consider Cole’s state of mind at this point in the book. 

Students may find it useful to refer to an example to ensure they are including enough depth and detail. I like to demonstrate one interpretation of the first line of the poem:

• “I am… angry that no one ever stood up for me—not even the people who were supposed to.”

TIP: It can be helpful to keep students’ completed poems at the end of this task to refer to again after they complete the novel (see the bonus activity below!). 

Touching Spirit Bear Survival Pack

The Survival Pack activity is intended to be used once students have completed Chapter 5 of Touching Spirit Bear. To build anticipation, I like to print a “What’s in the Survival Pack?” poster and hang it on the classroom door.

Once students arrive and settle in, I remind them that in these chapters, Cole arrives on the Alaskan island with the limited supplies that Garvey and Edwin, a Tlingit elder, provide. These supplies include: “canned foods, clothes, bedroll, ax, cooking gear, heavy rain gear, rubber boots, and even schoolwork.” However, Cole burns it all – along with his cabin – in a misguided act of rage and revenge. 

Next, I like to divide students into groups of three or four, and provide each group with a brainstorming sheet. Using this sheet, each group can create a list of survival items that they think Cole should have with him during his time on the island. Students should also provide an explanation of why they think each item would be useful, based on their interpretation of Cole’s early experience.

Once the brainstorming process is complete, I like to have a representative from each group share their responses with the class. From here, you might like to facilitate a class conversation about which items are essential for survival, and whether “bringing” an appropriate mindset is just as important as the gear itself.

Touching Spirit Bear Symbolism

Teaching Touching Spirit Bear allows students to explore many elements of writers’ craft, including the literary device of symbolism. Once students have read the first five chapters of the novel, I like to spend some time drawing their attention to Ben Mikaelsen’s use of symbolism throughout the remaining chapters of the book.

I like to begin by defining symbolism as the use of words, people, actions, objects, or locations to represent an abstract idea outside of its literal meaning. From here, I explain that while reading Touching Spirit Bear, students will encounter many symbols that represent important themes from the novel. 

In this ongoing task, students will learn how to notice various examples of symbolism in Touching Spirit Bear, and record their observations on a graphic organizer as they read. To keep the class on track, it can be useful to group the various symbols in the novel by category – for example, Animals, Fire, Circles, Blood, and the Spirit Bear itself.

If you keep your students’ novel study folders or materials in your classroom, quickly checking this organizer at regular intervals can help you see if your students are on the right track or if they need more support identifying the various symbols in the novel.

Restorative Justice Communication Circles

As students continue reading Touching Spirit Bear, you might like to spend some time teaching about the concept of “restorative justice” as an alternative to a more punitive approach. This is also an ideal opportunity for you to make connections between Touching Spirit Bear and related civics or social studies units that focus on justice, safety, or human rights.

I like to begin by clearly explaining, using definitions and slides, the difference between restorative and punitive justice. Once students understand the difference, it can be useful to provide some cultural context about the Circle Justice practice that students read about in the novel. I explain that long before formal court systems, many Indigenous communities used community-based practices to solve conflicts, restore harmony, and support both the person harmed and the person who caused harm. The symbol of a circle represents equality – all participants have a chance to participate, to speak, and to be heard by the others who are present.

Finally, I explain that in the present day, restorative justice systems involving some element of Circle Justice can be found in many environments, including schools, communities, and even in some police departments and court systems, especially when youth are involved. This leads to an activity where students get to participate in a classroom communication circle of their own! 

I like to lead four different communication circles as students progress through the novel, each focusing on a different topic related to Touching Spirit Bear:

• Anger and emotional regulation
• Trust
• Mind-body connection
• Forgiveness of self and others

To support each circle, it can be helpful to display rules and expectations for circle discussions. For example, I expect that students will refrain from talking during another student’s turn, and that their language, tone, and body language will be respectful.

Imagery Activity

One of the things I enjoy most about teaching Touching Spirit Bear is exploring the novel’s detailed use of imagery with students. I explain that the author, Ben Mikaelsen, uses imagery throughout Touching Spirit Bear to create vivid, descriptive scenes that help the reader visualize and feel what is happening. 

To support this learning, I like to share more information about, and examples of, the various types of imagery that authors can use to appeal to the reader’s five senses. These include imagery that is visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, or gustatory. 

When students have a solid understanding of imagery, it’s time for them to put their learning into practice! I provide each student with a handout containing a selection of quotes from Touching Spirit Bear. For each quote, the student must identify the type of imagery that is being used. In addition, they can explain the impact of each passage on the reader – in other words, how the use of imagery enhances the reader’s understanding of experiences, feelings, and emotions.

At.óow Blanket

One important symbol in this section of the novel is the at.óow, a blanket that holds deep cultural and spiritual significance among the Tlingit people of the coastal Pacific Northwest. As students read about Cole’s changing relationship to the at.óow that Garvey gave him in Chapter 2, they may wish to learn more about the cultural context of this sacred item.

I like to begin by providing students with a short nonfiction passage to read about the at.óow. This reading explains that while it often takes the form of a blanket, the at.óow (pronounced ‘a towel’ without the ‘L’) is much more than a physical object. It is a sacred item that represents ancestry, identity, protection, and responsibility.

Once students have completed the reading, they can answer a brief series of comprehension questions about the significance of the at.óow – both in Tlingit culture, and to the characters in Touching Spirit Bear, particularly Cole and Garvey. If time permits, you can also extend this activity by providing a template of an at.óow blanket that students can color in their own style. You may like to have students explain their design choices in writing, or by sharing their creation with a partner or small group.

Totem Poles

Animal symbolism can be found throughout Touching Spirit Bear, especially in the scene where Cole begins to carve his own totem out of a piece of driftwood, even though he is not Tlingit. Edwin, a Tlingit elder, reassures Cole that no one “owns trees or the right to carve.” He encourages Cole to explore his story and his past by designing a totem of his own.

When teaching Touching Spirit Bear, I like to share some information about totem poles, which originate from the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coastal areas of British Columbia, Canada, and southeastern Alaska. First, I provide some historical and cultural context about the origins of totem poles. Each pole is carved and painted with symbols, animals, and figures, which can represent stories, family heritage, or significant events.

From here, I find it useful to incorporate some real-life examples of how various Indigenous cultures incorporate animal symbolism into their totem poles. For instance, the Tlingit nation, which features heavily in Touching Spirit Bear, often carves the figure of a Raven to represent a powerful trickster and creator, responsible for bringing light to the world. 

Once students have a solid understanding of the history and cultural significance of totem poles, I invite them to consider animal symbols that might form part of their own personal “identity pole.” Once they create their designs, they may wish to share them with their peers, or you may prefer to display their artwork in your classroom or another location in your school.

NOTE: Out of respect, to avoid appropriating the sacred meanings of animals that are deeply significant to the First Nations peoples of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, I advise students to focus their designs on widely recognized symbolic meanings of animals from cultures around the world.

Meditation Reflection

A key aspect of Cole’s healing in Touching Spirit Bear revolves around his discovery of the power of meditation. After sitting in the cold pond one day, he reflects: 

“He felt he had discovered something, but wasn’t sure what. All he had done was sit in cold water and try not to think, and yet the simple act had made him so calm.”

When teaching Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, I try to make time for students to explore meditation by practicing mindfulness. To start, I like to ask students about their own personal techniques for managing stress or focusing their energy and attention. From here, I like to explain that meditation is a practice where a person focuses their mind – often by paying attention to their breathing or repeating a word or phrase (called a mantra) – to become calmer, clearer, and more aware.

 I make sure to also explain what meditation is not:

• Meditation is not a religious practice on its own (although it can be part of one)
• Meditation is not something you can “achieve” or acquire
• Meditation is not about “escaping” reality, or “forcing” your body to stop thinking

Next, I like to ask students how Cole benefits from meditation, using evidence from the novel to support their thinking. With these benefits in mind, I invite the class to join me in a guided meditation as a group. I remind them that as the video plays, it might be normal for their mind to wander. When this happens, just ask them to simply return their attention to their breath.

Once students have completed the guided meditation, they can use a series of discussion card prompts to reflect on their experience in small groups.

Cole’s Scrapbook Project 

As students read the final chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, it’s time for them to engage in a culminating project! Scrapbooking is a creative way to tell a story using pictures, writing, and meaningful objects. People often use scrapbooks to capture memories, express feelings, and reflect on important moments in their lives.

When teaching Touching Spirit Bear, I explain to students that creating a scrapbook can be a powerful tool for self-expression and to promote healing during challenging times. In the novel, as Cole works through his anger and pain, he begins to reflect more deeply on who he is, and how he wants to change. I like to suggest to students that if Cole had created a scrapbook, it could have helped him track his growth and recognize how far he had come.

In this creative and thoughtful final task, students must create a scrapbook based on five pivotal moments in Cole’s journey. I emphasize that each page should feel personal, like something Cole might have created to remember and reflect on these turning points in his life. 

Each of the five pages of the scrapbook must contain the following elements:

• A journal entry, written in Cole’s “voice” at the time of the significant event
• An important quote
• A visual element (photo, hand-drawn sketch, symbol, etc.) to represent the event or its impact
• A small object from nature to provide context or further explanation of the event
• A one-word theme and color that captures the mood of the page (e.g., “Fear,” “Control,” “Hope”) and can be included as a stylized title or decoration.

Graphic organizers can help students organize their thoughts and ideas, and the scrapbooks can take any form that students wish. Encourage them to let their creativity shine!

End of Novel: BONUS ACTIVITY

As a bonus activity for teaching Touching Spirit Bear, consider revisiting the  “I Am” poem that students wrote from Cole’s perspective at the beginning of the novel. For this bonus end-of-novel task, provide students with a new set of “I Am” sentence starters and ask them to compose the poem in Cole’s voice after his return from Alaska. 

For a fun twist, you can hand back students’ initial “I Am” poems and have them reflect on how Cole has changed as a character from the beginning of the novel to the end.

There you go! I hope this post inspired you to give teaching Touching Spirit Bear a try in your middle school ELA class!

Looking for more great novel studies for middle and high school ELA? Check out my post on 5 Awesome Books for Your Next Middle School Novel Study!