Sudden Squall
Teacher's Guide by Jan McDonald | Rocky Mountain Readers
Copyright 2005
CONTENTS
I. BEFORE READING
Description of the Story
2
About the Author
3
About the Illustrator
3
The Setting
Standards 1,2,8,11,12
3-4
Ship Vocabulary/History
Standards 2, 8
4-5
Word Splash for Chapter 1
Standards 3, 4
5
II. DURING READING
CHAPTER BY CHAPTER
6-13
Vocabulary/Context/Definition
Standards 3, 4
Question/Predict/Evaluate
Standards 3, 6, 9, 11
The Newspaper Connection
Standards 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12
III. AFTER READING
Extending the Story Grid
Standards 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 14
Interview with Avi
Standards 1, 2
15
Interview with Lauren Castilo
Standards 1, 2
15-16
Answers to Question/Predict/Evaluate
16-18
National Standards
19
BEFORE READING
DESCRIPTION OF THE STORY
The daily voyage of the Neptune, a side paddle steam freighter that carries farm produce from New Port, New
Jersey to New York City, is normally routine. But one spring day in 1884, what's routine is thrown overboard.
In the narrow confines of the city's crowded harbor channels a sudden squall creates havoc. A ship collision
draws Captain Bates - the Neptune's pilot - off theNeptune so he can guide one of the stricken ships to safe
berth. Then his first mate becomes ill. That leaves the Neptune in the hands of his son, fourteen-year old
Thaddeus Bates, and his younger sister, Abigail. Sure, Thad and his sister live on the Neptune, and have had
some practice at the ship's wheel, but now Thad must steer the Neptune into one of the world's busiest ports.
The fact is it is very hard to stop a boat, much less one in tow. Besides, that squall is bearing down, hard. Based
on a contemporaneous report, this voyage is anything but a spring cruise, the fact is it's very hard to stop a
boat, much less one in tow. Besides, that squall is bearing down, hard. Based on a contemporaneous report, this
voyage is anything but a spring cruise.
2
