The Trumpet of the Swan

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“A Career for Sam”

In this activity, students will analyze Sam’s interests and pose career options for him based on text details.

Throughout the novel, Sam poses a question to himself about what his occupation will be when he grows up. Eventually, Sam happily works at the Philadelphia Zoo where Louis and Serena bring one of their cygnets each year. Act as though you are a mentor to Sam before he selects a career by posing options for his future career using presentation media. Consider these points for your presentation.

• What are Sam’s interests, talents, and ambitions?
• What career opportunities, other than the Philadelphia Zoo, might Sam consider?
• What does the job you selected entail? Consider daily duties, challenges, salary or wage, and job outlook.
• Why might Sam be interested in this kind of work? How do you know?

Share your media presentation with peers. Explain the career options you chose for Sam, using evidence from the novel to support your selections.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it beneficial to analyze Sam’s interests, talents, and ambitions with a partner before researching careers that align with Sam’s personality. Consider providing students with excerpts from the novel that highlight some of Sam’s qualities unrelated to animals such as problem-solving, ingenuity, and research.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who would benefit from an additional challenge may find it beneficial to conduct an interview with someone who has experience in the field they are researching. This interview can be used in their presentation to reinforce the career’s alignment with Sam’s interests.