1. Owl Moon
Small groups’ activity-practice using literary devices to elaborate Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.

2. “One night Pa and I went owling. There was no wind
“One night Pa and I went owling. There was no wind. The trees stood still. A train whistle blew.”
Describe the night. Describe the trees (as still as ____________________).
What did the train whistle sound like? 1

3. “I could hear it through the woolen cap
“I could hear it through the woolen cap. A farm dog answered the train – and then a second dog. When their voices faded away it was quiet. We walked on.”
How did the train and dog sounds sound together? Use a simile: How quiet was it? 2

4. “I had to run after him every now and then to keep up
“I had to run after him every now and then to keep up.” But I never called out. If you go owling, you have to be quiet.”
What would it sound like to walk on the snow?
Describe how their shadows and footprints look.
How did the child know to not call out? 3

5. “We reached the line of pine trees. I stopped. He looked up
“We reached the line of pine trees. I stopped. He looked up. Then he called, ‘Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooo.’”
Describe the pine trees. What did Pa see when he looked up? How did he look up? Why did he make this “whoooooo” sound? 4

6. “Again he called out. And then again. After each call we both listened
“Again he called out. And then again. After each call we both listened. But there was no answer. Sometimes there’s an owl, and sometimes there isn’t.”
What do you think they did when there was no answer.? How might the child have felt? 5

7. “We walked on. I could feel the cold. But I never said a word
“We walked on. I could feel the cold. But I never said a word. If you go owling you have to be quiet.”
Describe the cold with a simile or example.
as cold as __________
cold- as if __________
cold like ___________
How would the child’s nose and cheeks feel? 6

8. “We went into the woods. There were shadows
“We went into the woods. There were shadows. When you go owling you have to be brave.”
Describe the shadows. Begin this way: The shadows were _____.
Talk through the child’s mind and eyes. Tell about the shadows and the woods. 7

9. “Then we came to a clearing in the woods. The moon was high above us
“Then we came to a clearing in the woods. The moon was high above us. The snow below it was white.
What kind of woods was it? The moon was high above us; it seemed to _______________. Compare the show: The snow was whiter than ___________. 8

10. “And then Pa called: ‘who-whoo-who-who-who-whooo
“And then Pa called: ‘who-whoo-who-who-who-whooo.’ I listened and looked hard. Before Pa could open his mouth again, an echo came through the trees, ‘Whoo-who-who-who-whoooo.’”…
Finish; add to this: I listened so hard ______ Use a verb. The echo came ________ing through the trees. 9

11. “Pa almost smiled. Then he called back: ‘Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooo
“Pa almost smiled. Then he called back: ‘Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooo.’ I almost smiled, too.”
Personification: He called back as if he and the owl __________ (use a phrase). 10

12. “Then the owl pumped its great wings and lifted off the branch.
It flew back into the forest. ‘Time to go home,’ Pa said to me. I knew then I could talk; I could even laugh out loud.”
How did the owl lift off the branch? Like _________ But I was a __________ as we walked home. (metaphor) 11