1. “Dirk the Protector” From Gary Paulsen’s memoir My Life in Dog Years He gives the readers a peek into his own life by sharing memories of his dogs.
Gary Paulsen was born to a family facing many problems: As a boy he had to work and take care of himself.

2. Conventional: adj. usual; traditional
All the conventional jobs like working in the markets or at the drugstore were gone and all I could find was setting pins in the small bowling alley over the Four Clover Bar.

3. Forerunner: n. Person or thing that came before
They were the forerunners of the gangs we have now, but with some singular differences. P. 272

4. Predatory: adj. given to stealing or hunting others for one’s own gain
These groups were predatory, and they hunted the streets at night. p. 272

5. Impasse: n. a situation in which no progress can be made; a deadlock
We were at impasse. P. 273

6. Decoy: n. a person or thing used to distract others, or lead them in a different direction
I could use it as a decoy and get away. P. 273

7. Puny: adj. weak and small
I hit Happy in the face with every ounce of strength in my puny body. P. 273

8. Hustle: v. to gain by energetic effort
I had tow boxes of Ritz crackers I’d hustled somewhere, a jar of peanut butter and one of grape, and a knife from the kitchen upstairs. P . 275

9. Cohort: n. a companion or associate
He had only two of his cohorts with him and I don’t think they intended to do me harm, but I surprised them and Happy took a swing at me. P. 275

10. Third Person Point of View
Third Person Limited • The narrator is not a character in the story. • Third person pronouns such as he, his, she, hers, it, its, they, and them are used in telling the story. • The narrator tells the story from the vantage point of one character. • The narrator can see into this character’s mind, but not any of the other characters. • We find out only what this character does, knows, thinks, and witnesses. Third Person Omniscient • The narrator is all-knowing, and can see into the minds of all of the characters. The narrator can also report what is said and done. • We find out what all of the characters do, feel, think, and witness.

11. ELACC7W1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
Vocabulary in Writing page 278
Were you surprised that Dirk stayed with Olaf? Using two or more vocabulary words, write a paragraph to explain how you thought the memoir ( a true account of experiences in the writer's life)might have ended. Here is an example of how you might begin.
I thought that Dirk would always want to remain the boy’s cohort.

12. 7RL2: Determine the theme of a text.
Complete vocabulary practice and vocabulary in writing on page Reread “Dirk the Protector” and be prepared for a vocabulary/comprehension test.

13. 7RL2: Determine the theme of a text.
Reread “Dirk the Protector” and study for a vocabulary/comprehension test.