Medicine Wheels

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After reading Medicine Wheels, invite students to think about their own pursuits that give them the same sense of focus, freedom, connection, or time to process that Bryce finds on his board. Have students reflect on a source of balance and renewal—an activity that gives them energy and perspective, whether it is drawing, listening to music, cooking, playing games, spending time outdoors, building something, reading, dancing, helping others, or something else that matters to them.

To share their reflections, ask students to create an “unboxing” video. Unlike a traditional unboxing video, where the focus is on revealing a new product, this unboxing reveals something more personal: the role this pursuit plays in who they are or shaping themselves to be. Students should introduce their pursuit, show what it involves, and help viewers understand how it makes a difference in their life. What first drew them to it? What experiences or feelings are connected to it? How does it help them process challenges, recharge, or feel more like themselves? What does it give them that others may not see?

Give students the option to share their videos with the class and provide an opportunity to reflect on and discuss how looking beyond the surface of people’s interests and activities can help us better understand their experiences, strengths, and sources of support.

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

• Why do you think Bryce is drawn to skateboarding after returning to Wolf Creek? What does skateboarding give him that he struggles to find in other parts of his life? How does learning to skateboard affect the way Bryce handles challenges in his life?
• What is the medicine wheel? How does Bryce’s journey reflect the different parts of the medicine wheel? What people, places, or activities help you find balance and well-being?
• Why do you think Bryce has a hard time believing he belongs when he returns to Wolf Creek? What role do relationships play in making us feel seen, valued, and secure in our sense of belonging? How do Bryce’s family, friends, and community support him? How does being seen and supported by others change the way Bryce sees himself?
• How would you describe Bryce’s relationship with his mother? How can someone love a person while also being hurt or disappointed by their choices? Describe a time when you got or gave someone else a second chance.
• Why does Bryce spend so much time focusing on what he does not have at the beginning of the novel? What does he begin to recognize about the things he already has? How can comparing ourselves to others affect the way we see our own strengths?

Related Resources

Teen Book Club Guide from HarperStacks

What Is the Medicine Wheel from the Preservation Project

Four Directions Learning Activities from Found Directions Teachings