1. Citation: Bruchac, Joseph. Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving. San Diego, CA: Silver Whistle, 2000.
2. Summary: This the story of Squanto (told from the first-person view) and his journey from prisoner of the Spanish, prisoner of his own people, and the person who helped broker piece between the English colonists at Plymouth and the Wampanoag tribe. Squanto talks about how his people were betrayed by Thomas Hunt and sold into slavery. After being freed by Spanish Friars, he learned the English language and customs and sailed for home in 1620 with his friend, Thomas Dermer, only to lose his friend when his people attacked the ship and took him prisoner. …show more content…
Classroom Use: The students learned about Tisquantum (Squanto) and how helpful he was to the English colonists in the previous books section. This book serves to show the students Squanto’s life and how he was able to use the bad and good experiences to do the right thing for his people and the English colonists.
4. Activities:
a. Activity One: Have the class read the books on their own, paying attention to the illustrations that accompany the story. Ask the following questions at the end of the reading for comprehension.
i. What plague struck Squanto’s people while he was gone, and how did it affect his homeland? ii. What did the two arrows in Massasoit’s hand mean? iii. What three foods did the Native Americans give the colonists? iv. Given his time as a slave, how did Squanto treat the colonists?
b. Activity Two: Provide a blank timeline to the students starting at 1590 (Squanto’s birth) and ending at 1621 (the first Thanksgiving). Have the students fill in the events they believe to be most important. After they are done, reveal your filled-in timeline and compare the differences with the class.
c. Activity Three: Add a new list of words to the vocabulary list begun with the first book. Discuss the meanings of the words and have the class study them for the vocabulary quiz at the end of the unit. ix. Sachem Chief of the Pokanoket tribe,