Visit the Catskill Mountains
A Treasure Hunt for 5th grade
Created by Kay Snead

The setting for the novel, My Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead George, is the Catskill Mountains.

A.  First, select "Where and What are the Catskills?"

1.    What state are the Catskills found in? _________________________
       In what part of the state would you find them? __________________
2.    What are the Catskills? ___________________________________
       What nickname are they often given? ________________________
3.    Name the two most prominent features (most important) of the Catskill
       region today.
      a.__________________________________________________
      b.__________________________________________________

B.  Second, select "Catskill Fire Tower Project."

1.   What is a fire tower?______________________________________
2.   How many fire towers are still there? _________________________

C.  Third, select "Catskill Center's Online Store."

1.   What do they sell in the store? ______________________________ 
2.    Did you see My Side of the Mountain there?____________________

D.  Fourth, select "Catskill's Farmer's Market."

1.    List at least 5 of the products they grow in the Catskills.
      a. _________________ b.________________  c.____________
      d. __________________ e. _________________________

Panther Mountain

    1.  How long is this hike? ___________________________________
    2.  What time of the year are we taking this hike? _________________
    3.  Give me two reasons a winter hike is better.
            a. ________________________________________________
            b. ________________________________________________
    4.  Name five trees seen on this hike. ___________, ______________,
         ______________, ________________, and ________________.
    5.  What is a spring?______________________________________
    6.  Can you camp all year round on Giant Ledge? _________________
    7.  How high is Panther Mountain ? ___________________________
    8. What does the text say about how Panther Mountain was 
         made 375 million years ago? ______________________________
         ___________________________________________________
         ___________________________________________________
    

Balsam Lake Mountain

    1. How long is this hike?____________________________________

    2.  This hike starts out on a long ago abandoned _________________.
    3.  Name two of the birds described on this hike. _________________
         and _____________________________.
    4.  Mosses are a sign of a _________________________forest.
    5.  The forest begins to change as we ascend the mountain.      
          What does ascend mean?________________________________
    6.  What kind of noise does the oven bird make? _________________
    7.  Did you see the Bead Lily? ______________________________ 
         When does it bloom? ___________________________________
    8.  What is the name of the red wildflower spotted on this 
          hike? _______________________________________________
    9.  What is a natural spring? _________________________________
    10.  When was Balsam Lake fire tower put there? _________________

The Big Question

   Which hike took you to an area that was most like the part
   of the Catskills that Sam saw in the book? Tell why you 
   chose that particular hike. __________________________________
   ______________________________________________________
   ______________________________________________________
   ______________________________________________________
   ______________________________________________________