Steamboat History:
See
for a history of the steamboat on the
Hudson River from the Hudson River Maritime Museum. An additional site is
.
Question: Where in the history of transportation does the steamboat fall? Create a transportation timeline.
WORD SPLASH for Chapter 1 (Standards 3, 4)
Objectives:
• Assess prior knowledge
• Provide motivation for reading
• Set a clear purpose for reading
• Decipher vocabulary
• Allow for a variety of modes of learning
Steps:
1. Select 7-10 meaningful words or phrases from the reading selection. Be sure to include not only similar words that will
indicate the subject of the selection but also some of the words and phrases that seem contradictory to the others.
2. Give each student a sheet and ask him/her to spend a little time thinking about what kind of story or article could include
all of these words or phrases.
3. Ask students to form small groups of 3-5 (or you can assign them to groups). In their groups, they should decide what the
story will be about.They should also create a narrative/explanation that will include all the words or phrases.
4. Ask each group to share their narrative or explanation.As they listen, students should look for
common elements.
5. Ask students to list the common elements they heard on the board (or you could list them if students have
trouble doing this.)
6. Individually, students now read the selection.
7. In small groups or as a whole class, discuss the similarities and differences between the narratives they constructed prior to
reading the story and the actual story. It is very important to discuss the reasons for the differences.This discussion can
highlight the number of possible approaches authors have available to them when deciding to write about a particular
subject. Students' constructions may be perfectly logical without being exactly the same as the story or explanation the
author constructed.
An advanced step: Once students have done a few of these word splashes, they could independently prepare them for
themselves or each other.They should skim an article or story, selecting seven to ten words and phrases. If working
independently, they could write those down in a log and then construct a story using them. If working in groups, they
could prepare a word splash sheet for someone else to use before reading a selection.
PORTHOLE SQUALL
THADDEUS AND HI S S I STER , ABIGAI L
HATCHWAY OPENED PA WON' T LET YOU
S IDE -PADDLE STEAM FRE IGHTER
STEER ING THI S TUB
FEEL ING POORLY NEPTUNE KI TCHEN GALLEY
1884 HOI ST YOUR ANCHORS RACE TO THE C I TY
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