The Trumpet of the Swan

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What are some of the different ways animals communicate with one another? In what ways might communication be important to animal survival?

Teaching Suggestion: Louis, the novel’s protagonist, is a trumpeter swan born with a disability that prevents him from making sounds. This disability isolates Louis from his peers and prompts him to embark on a journey in search of ways to communicate. After responding independently to the question, students might discuss in small groups the various ways animals interact, then categorize their examples in an anchor chart according to four common ways that animals communicate (visual, auditory, tactile, chemical). Students also can add specific examples of each type of communication through brief investigation of these or similar resources.

• This article describes the ways in which animals communicate with one another.
• This 5-minute video explains how animals communicate.

Short Activity

Using these guiding questions, conduct research to discover information about the life cycle of trumpeter swans. Create an infographic using the facts you learn to teach others about swans.

• What is the purpose of the swan’s trumpet?
• Where do trumpeter swans live?
• Where do trumpeter swans lay their eggs?
• How long does it take for the swan eggs to hatch?
• What is a cob, pen, and cygnet?
• What are the differences in appearance between an adult swan and a cygnet?
• What are some unique facts about the trumpeter swan?

Teaching Suggestion: The novel follows two swans and their cygnets as they migrate, reproduce, and teach their young. One cygnet, Louis, is unable to make sounds and therefore does not have the signature “trumpet” of a trumpeter swan. Sam is a human boy and, at first, a passive observer of the swans; he learns about them using a kind of scientific inquiry. Students may benefit from an introductory resource such as the video below followed by investigation time, perhaps in pairs or small groups. Another option for completion of this activity may be scientific inquiry stations that offer focused facts or learning modalities (e.g., migration maps, vocabulary, research center, trumpeter swan photos and images, habitat details or model, and cygnet development). Consider revisiting the infographics as students read the novel to assess the author’s accuracy when describing the behaviors of swans.

• This 2-minute video explains the habits of trumpeter swans.
• This article describes the habitat, distribution, and lifestyle of the trumpeter swan.
• This site includes facts, physical details, and information on the health of the species, once almost extinct.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Can you think of a time when you felt misunderstood or had difficulty communicating your thoughts or feelings to others? How did you handle this situation? What emotions might be associated with difficulties in communication?

Teaching Suggestion: Louis’s central conflict in the novel is his inability to communicate with his swan family or others. To draw connections to the text and to practice cause-and-effect thinking, students might discuss potential conflicts that arise when communication is limited or unclear. Depending on the group, students also might brainstorm a list of situations in which clear communication is key or a list of careers that rely on one’s ability to communicate clearly (e.g., translator, teacher, mediator).