Road to Revolution

(Mack, S., & Champlin, S. (2009). Road to revolution!. London: Bloomsbury.)

 

Summary: Unlikely friends, Penny and Nick join forces as spies during the American Revolution on the side of the Colonists. From participating in fighting to eavesdropping on British captains to being chased by angry British, this book is narrated with engaging illustrations and text.

Reading Level: Ages 9-12, Lexile 430L

Key words/phrases:

1.      Graphic Novel

2.      American Revolution

3.      Boston 1775 -1783

4.      Friendship

5.      Teenage Adventure

Suggested Delivery:  Individual

Electronic Resources:

1.  Liberty! The American Revolution by PBS provides in depth information on the American Revolution for students as well a teacher's guide and additional resources for teachers.
2. Stan Mack’s Website provides information about the author and resources for teachers to use such as a teachers guide and Smart board activities.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary: Blockading, grooms, street urchin, flogging, riffraff, standoff, traitor, withdrawal

Reading strategies to increase comprehension:

         Before: Have the student read the Prologue and look at the ‘The Main Characters’ page and ‘The Town of Boston 1775’ map. Students should ask any questions that these pages make them think of such as “Who was Dr. Warren?” or “If Britain wasn’t wanted, why didn’t they just leave?” These questions can be written down and be answered while reading the book.

         During: Using the pictures and text, have students make inference, conclusions and answer questions such as:

            -Should Penny have stood up for herself or was her father right? (p. 10)

            -Why would Penny help Nick? (p.13)

            -What do Penny and Nick agree to do? (p. 33)

            -What are the British planning on doing? (p. 36)

            -What problems does the Committee of Safety have in relation to the volunteers? (p. 66)

            -Did Penny really get permission from her parents to leave with Mr. Revere? (p. 77)

            -Why do the soldiers have different accents? (p. 77)

-Do you think at the actual battle soldiers felt it was their destiny or were they more ‘in the moment’? (p. 102)

            -What decision does Penny make when her family moves to the Ohio Valley? (p. 113)

         After: Have the students create a timeline, adding important events from the story such as Penny meeting Nick, and Penny and Nick deciding to become spies. The students can decorate it with drawings or pictures and it will then be displayed in the classroom to encourage other students to read the book.

Dr. Warren

Writing activity demonstrating inferential comprehension:

Have students draw and write text for a comic strip which continues Penny and Nick’s adventures. Their comic should include about 100-250 words of text, including conversation, thoughts of their characters, and narrative. Can think of such questions as: Where do Penny and Nick go? Do they fight in battles? Do they encounter other key parts of the American Revolution? Do they meet new people (i.e. Characters)? Students can use a Comic Creator online (http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/) or they can draw the comic themselves in a blank comic strip (http://www.hooverwebdesign.com/free-printables/comics/blank-comic-book-pages.html).