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“Across the Wide Dark Sea” by Jean Van Leeuwen. Theme 5. Awards. New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Washington Irving Children’s Choice Book Award. Genre: Historical Fiction.
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Awards • New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing • Washington Irving Children’s Choice Book Award
Genre: Historical Fiction • A historical fiction story is about realistically (could happen in real life, but they aren’t real) recreates a past time and is based on a true story.
Summary A young boy tells of his voyage on the Mayflower and of the settlement of Plymouth once the ship arrives in the new land.
Background Information • Pilgrims are people who go on a long journey to find a new place to live. • The people we usually call “Pilgrims” left their homes in England-and then Holland-to come to America for religious freedom.
Key Concept the Pilgrims’ journey
Key Vocabulary • anchor • cramped • journey • seeping • settlement • survive • weary
anchor a heavy metal hook attached to a ship and dropped overboard to hold the ship in place
cramped Crowded; not enough room to move about
journey a trip from one place to another
seeping slowly leaking; oozing
settlement a small community in a new place
survive to stay alive; to hold up or withstand
weary tired; needing rest
Strategy Focus: Question • We question to help us understand what we see and/or read. • As you read about the Pilgrims, think of questions about: • the journey • the people • and the challenges they encountered
Strategy Focus: Question Let’s try it! What problems did the Pilgrims have on the ship? ~or~ How did the new settlement defend itself?
Comprehension Skill Focus: Making Inferences • When you make an inference, you are using storyclues and your own background knowledge to make a reasonable guess about the story. • Inferences are made after you read to help you understand parts of the story not specifically stated.
Graphic Organizer Fill in the organizer with details from the story. Was being a Pilgrim hard work? Story clues: I know: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ My inference is that being a Pilgrim was TONS of hard work!
Meet the Author As a child, Jean Van Leeuwen always had a book in her hands — when visiting, in the car, or even under her bed covers. She started to write her first book, a horse story, in the sixth grade. She didn't have a plan for the book, though, so she gave up on it after only a few chapters. It was a long time before she began to write children's stories again. Jean Van Leeuwen often makes a rough plot outline before she starts writing a book. Then she plans the action. She says, "Most people don't realize how long it takes to complete a manuscript; some days I write only one page. I spent two days one week trying to figure out just one paragraph." Jean Van Leeuwen works in her home in Chappaqua, New York. Her office used to be her children's playroom. Her hobbies are traveling, gardening, and reading. When her children were young, she sometimes used them as "advisers." Her son once told her that a scene she had written about a school food fight wasn't disgusting enough. He suggested that she have the kids throw spaghetti with meat sauce and chocolate pudding. (from www.eduplace.com)
Link to Houghton Mifflin If you enjoyed reading “Across the Wide Dark Sea” and would like to check out some more information and activities, click below to go to www.eduplace.com, Houghton Mifflin’s web site. Click Here!
