Walk Two Moons

by Sharon Creech, HarperCollins. 1995 Activities
©2002 Nancy Polette
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ABOUT THE BOOK
Gramps says that I am a country girl at heart, and that is true. Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle, proud of her country roots and the "Indian-ness in her blood," travels from Ohio to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents. Along the way, she tells them of the story of Phoebe Winterbottom, who received mysterious messages, who met a "potential lunatic," and whose mother disappeared.

Beneath Phoebe's story is Salamanca's own story and that of her mother, who left one April morning for Idaho, promising to return before the tulips bloomed. Sal's mother has not, however, returned, and the trip to Idaho takes on a growing urgency as Salamanca hopes to get to Idaho in time for her mother's birthday and bring her back, despite her father's warning that she is fishing in the air.

Part of the trip winds through the Black Hills to Mount Rushmore and on through Wyoming to Yellowstone National Park. Sal continues Phoebe's story, telling how the two girls report Mrs. Winterbottom's disappearance to the police.

ACTIVITY:
Read about Mount Rushmore. Give a poetic description of it using the outline below. (Lines do not have to rhyme.)
I am a mountain rocky and __________________________________________
A tall spire, a sentinel seeing ________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Within the shade of my rocky cliffs I shelter ____________________________ _______________________________________________________________ and ___________________________________________________________ I
am strong, stronger than ___________________________________________ __________________________________________ that try to wear me down.
I am a mountain looking on as man approaches with ______________________ _______________________________________________________________ v Feeling fear as man ______________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ vYet, harboring hope as others _______________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
My name is Mount Rushmore.
BOOKS:
The Mount Rushmore Story by Judith St. George. Putnam, 1985 The Sierra Club Book of Our National Parks by Donald Young, Little Brown, 1990
Facts About the Fifty States by Sue Brandt. Watts, 1988
America the Beautiful Children's Press, 1987-1991
ACTIVITY: RESEARCH A STATE

Sal and her grandparents travel through many states on their journey from Ohio to Idaho. Choose one of these states to find out more about. Share your research by answering the questions below.

PEOPLE
1. What generalization is made about people from this state? Find evidence to prove or disprove it!
2. The President is coming to dinner! Plan a menu using only food and ingredients grown or produced in this state.


LANDFORMS
3. What is the most important landform in the state? What effects would be felt in this state if this landform disappeared?


INDUSTRY
4. What (and where) are the two largest industries in this state? What might cause these industries to move to another state? What would be the effect if these industries left this state? How can more industry be attracted to the state?


TOURISM
5. Where in this state did a famous historical event take place? How could this place be made a historical site that tourists would like to visit?


CAPITOL
6. If the capitol building were moved to another part of the state who would be affected and how?