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WHITE FANG Test (PDF) and Comprehension Quizzes

    Wolf howling

    This White Fang Test gives credit to students who actually read the book.  I also have 5 White Fang reading quizzes to use as students move through the novel.  It is easy to have engaging lessons when everyone completes the reading.

    White Fang Test (comprehension):

    White Fang Reading Test (paper saver)

    White Fang Test Resource

    Resource contents:

      • White Fang comprehension questions and answers only (no Language Arts elements questions)
      • 25 multiple-choice questions (quick to administer and score)
      • 2 short answer prompts
      • 1 extended response prompt
      • 2 Formats (both delivered in PDF and MS Word files)
        • Single-column test (6 pages total)
        • Two column test (4 pages total)
      • If you only want the multiple-choice, leave out the last two pages.
      • Answer key

    White Fang Reading Quiz #1:

    White Fang Reading Quizzes (print format) Preview

    White Fang reading quiz #1 (PDF)

    White Fang reading quizzes schedule:

    I divide this novel into 5 readings (around 40-50 pages each).

    • Chs. 1-4 (The she-wolf and One Eye form a pair.)
    • Chs. 5-9 (White Fang discovers the wide world.)
    • Chs. 10-15 (White Fang is caught between two worlds.)
    • Chs. 16-20 (White Fang lives under two very different masters.)
    • Chs. 21-25 (White Fang moves to California and demonstrates his worth.)

    White Fang reading quizzes (all five)

    Each quiz has 10 multiple-choice questions, so they are quick to administer, quick to score, and objective.

    I like to use tricky distractors.  Students who are basing answers on the movie or trying to cross-reference questions will often guess incorrectly.

    It is easy to make accommodations for diverse learners.  You can print it larger, adjust the scoring, change the venue, cross off some incorrect choices, etc.

    These quizzes use minimal paper.  The two-column format allows you to print two quizzes on a single sheet of paper.  The small font also increases quiz security.

    Works as a homework grade.  Since we are avoiding copious mounds of packets, you can use the quiz score as a homework grade.  If reading was the homework, this is a fair way to give credit.

    Quizzes are one-sided.  I like to pass out the quiz face down and have the students start at once.  This allows me to observe students carefully.  I do not collect them again until all quizzes are face down again.

    wolf in the snow

    White Fang Comprehension Questions and Answers

    It would be wonderful if all students completed assigned readings through intrinsic motivation.  However, this has not been my experience.  You can lecture on the value of habitual reading until you are blue in the face, but students need to know that they are being held accountable in a consistent, fair way.

    I have tried other methods in the past.  I have tried reading journals, reading questions, lit. circle roles, and the rest.  Unfortunately, packets and handouts generally result in minimal effort and/or academic dishonesty.  Any homeroom teacher has witnessed the pitiful spectacle of students frantically copying answers before the bell rings.

    Not only do packets and handouts result in poor work from the students, they  also make your teaching harder.  You have more important things to do than processing massive copy jobs and wading through piles of dubious student work.

    I find that reading quizzes for White Fang and other novels are the best solution.  Students know that they are being held accountable in a predictable and fair way.  They appreciate that their efforts are rewarded with a high score.  In addition, they make assessing, scoring, and providing learning support easy.

    I design my White Fang reading checks to be easy to pass and easy to fail.  I want the students who actually read with fidelity to get a perfect score.  Sometimes I will score the test out of nine so that students who read get a great score.

    Using White Fang in the classroom

    You might decide to study White Fang as a class or in small reading groups.  You might assign the novel as summer reading or as an extra credit assignment.

    If you are teaching White Fang to a whole class, check out my post White Fang Unit Plan.

    If you will be assigning the novel as an independent reading, how will you know if a student actually read?  My White Fang whole-book reading test makes it easy.  I love assigning a book as an extra credit assignment, but who wants to see another lame project board?

    Case study:  I had a student who wanted to read White Fang for extra credit.  Even though I explained that there would be a test, he showed up a few days later with a poster-board presentation.  I admired his work and asked him if he was ready for the test.  He declined to take the test and stated that he would come back to take the test after he had read the book.

    Investigating Jack London’s White Fang: Nature and Culture Detectives from Edsitement

    White Fang activity book by Tom Gatehouse

    Guided Reading Lesson Plan (Warsaw School District)

    White Fang reading questions (PDF) by Dr. Betty Powers Francis

    White Fang course plan (PDF) from Kolbe Academy (includes some interesting writing prompts)

    White Fang quiz #1 (to cut and paste questions)

    Reading 1: Chapters 1-4

    1. At the start of the novel, what are the two men trying to transport on a dogsled?
      • A wood stove
      • A shipment of tools
      • A dead body
      • Frozen beef
      • Medicine
    2. Bill and Henry are concerned because they do not have enough…
      • Bullets.
      • Firewood.
      • Medicine.
      • Food.
      • Blankets / clothing.
    3. The first dog to die on the trip dies when…
      • It freezes to death.
      • It is crushed by a horse.
      • It is eaten by wolves.
      • It dies of old age.
    4. Which choice best describes the names of the dogs?
      • They are all different colors.
      • They are named after U.S. presidents.
      • They have funny, unique names.
      • Trick question! They have numbers instead of names.
    5. How does Bill (the first man to die) die?
      • He shoots himself on purpose.
      • He shoots himself by accident.
      • He falls into a freezing river.
      • He is eaten by wolves.
    6. By the end of Chapter III, Henry is suffering from…
      • Sleep deprivation (no sleep).
      • Hunger.
      • Sickness.
      • Guilt.
    7. Henry (the one who lives longer) dies when…
      • He sets himself on fire.
      • He is eaten by wolves.
      • The doctor refuses to treat him.
      • Trick question! Henry lives.
    8. Who is narrating (telling) the story?
      • A wolf.
      • An unknown, all-knowing being.
      • A newspaper reporter.
      • A Native American wilderness guide.
    9. Which contender wins the contest to mate with the she-wolf?
      • The wise, one-eyed wolf
      • The strongest and largest wolf
      • The ambitious, fearless young wolf
      • A dog from the Native American village
    10.  The she-wolf and her mate are able to find food by…
      • Catching fish in the river.
      • Scaring mice out of their hiding places.
      • Eating out of the garbage.
      • Stealing rabbits from traps.

    Thanks for checking out White Fang Test PDF and Comprehension Quizzes.

    It’s not rocket science. Using White Fang comprehension questions and answers holds student accountable and fosters engagement. If you have found the first quiz helpful, consider using all five White Fang reading quizzes.