Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Prologue-Chapter 6

Reading Check

1. What crop does Nathan plant for his science project?

2. What piece of jewelry allows Nathan to communicate with the water monster?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Nathan decide to spend the summer with Nali?

2. Why is Nali angry with Uncle Jet when he arrives at her mobile home?

3. What deal does Nathan make with the water monster during their first meeting?

Paired Resource

“See What Canyon Life Is Like for a Navajo Pageant Winner”

• This 14-minute short film from National Geographic follows two young Navajo sisters, Tonisha and Tonielle Draper, as they celebrate their family’s history and culture.
• This resource relates to the themes of The Importance of Respecting Nature and Family as a Source of Both Love and Pain.
• How does the Draper family’s history compare to Nathan’s family history? How do the sisters’ annual trips to the canyon compare to Nathan’s visit to his grandmother? What advice do you think the Draper sisters would give Nathan at this point in the novel?