Touching Spirit Bear By: Ben Mikaelsen

Also called Kermode Bears White fur due to a genetic trait Very rare & most closely related to the black bear Found mostly in Canada, but have been seen in Minnesota It is illegal to hunt them

They are omnivores They can grow to be 4-6 feet tall Cubs are born in January and can stay with their mothers for up to a 1 ½ They can live more than 25 years and can hibernate for up to 7 months

Circle Justice People come together to find causes for misconduct An offender pleads guilty The sentence is handed down by the community The “circle” meets to discuss how the crime has impacted the community

Circle Justice continued… The offender may be checked on by the circle members during their sentence The sentence is meant to help the victims heal and help the offender better understand their reason for committing the crime in the first place.

Continued… If the sentence is not complete, the offender returns to court to face a judge for a different sentence The first state to attempt Circle Justice was Minnesota It’s a way for offenders to be rehabilitated and not just sit around a cell and watch T.V.

Tlingit Indians Found mostly in the Pacific Northwest Most still on reservations in Canada They are politically independent; however, the are considered Canadian and must follow Canadian laws

Pre-reading Assignment Use ALL of the following words to write a paragraph explaining what you think the book is about: Child abuse Bear Indians Totem poles Forgiveness