Lesson plan
Splintercat
The splintercat is a legendary fearsome critter in the folklore of the United States. The splintercat is a nocturnal feline of great ferocity. It flies through the air with terrific speed and when it hits a large tree, it knocks the branches off, withers the trunk, and leaves it standing like a silvery ghost. These dead snags can be seen in many parts of the Pacific Northwest. The splinter cat performs this feat that it is named after to expose raccoons and bees. However, the act of breaking open trees with its head leaves it with a constant headache, which causes it always to be in a foul mood. Accordingly, one is advised to never approach a splintercat. Splintercat Creek, found in the northern Cascade Range of Oregon, is named after this legendary animal. The splintercat appears in the 1974 children's book The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards. This particular splintercat answers to the Prime Minister of Whangdoodland and also enjoys playing cat's cradle. An alternate version of the splintercat legend comes from Nova Scotia. In this version they come out at night in winter. If you spend time in the woods during the winter you can hear the trees crack from frost expanding. In a quiet wood, this sound is eerie and loud and is said to be a splinter cat emerging from a tree after a long summer hibernation.…
Article summary
The splintercat is a legendary fearsome critter in the folklore of the United States. The splintercat is a nocturnal feline of great ferocity. It flies through the air with terrific speed and when it hits a large tree, it knocks the branches off, withers the trunk, and leaves it standing like a silvery ghost. These dead snags can be seen in many parts of the Pacific Northwest. The splinter cat performs this feat that it is named after to expose raccoons and bees. However, the act of breaking open trees with its head leaves it with a constant headache, which causes it always to be in a foul mood. Accordingly, one is advised to never approach a splintercat. Splintercat Creek, found in the northern Cascade Range of Oregon, is named after this legendary animal. The splintercat appears in the 1974 children's book The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards. This particular splintercat answers to the Prime Minister of Whangdoodland and also enjoys playing cat's cradle. An alternate version of the splintercat legend comes from Nova Scotia. In this version they come out at night in winter. If you spend time in the woods during the winter you can hear the trees crack from frost expanding. In a quiet wood, this sound is eerie and loud and is said to be a splinter cat emerging from a tree after a long summer hibernation.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.