4
4. THIS IS A MUST SEE: At
students can view a live cam of New York Harbor.
Also students should view the 10 minute film
TUGS
which can be accessed from this home page. It is
excellent and will give kids an idea of what shipping is like on the Hudson River now with interesting
insights about loving the water, spending time on a boat as a kid, and the father/son tradition carried on by
sailors. This could be viewed before the story is read and after the story is read.
Questions:
Ask students what connections can be made between the sailors on
TUGS
and Thaddeus and
his father, Captain Bates. What do you see in this film that would not have been part of Thad's
experience on the Hudson River? What connections can you make between this move and our story,
between 1884 and today? How have things changed over that period of time?
SHIP VOCABULARY/HISTORY
Set on the water, the specialized vocabulary of the sea and boating is throughout this story. Chapter 1 includes
porthole, hatchway, galley, paddle freighter, pilot house, and speaking tube. Keep a list of these words and their
meanings throughout the eight chapters.
