Thursday, April 4, 2013

America's First Real Thanksgiving


America's First Real Thanksgiving by Robyn Gioia



This book discusses the settling of St. Augustine, Florida.  It shows the reader what life was like in Spain in the 1560s and their interest in conquest.  The book focuses on the lives of the native Timuca people and the Spanish settlers.  The Spanish and the Timuca took part in a feast in 1565 and the author contends that this is the real first Thanksgiving.  

I would use this informational picture book in my classroom.  It would be a great asset to a thematic unit study on discovering America.  It is very well illustrated and has good text structure.  It gives students an interesting point of view because it discusses the lives of the Spanish and the Timuca people who lived in the 1560s.

South Carolina State Standard

Standard 4-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of political, economic, and geographic reasons for the exploration of the new America.

Indicator 4-1.4 Summarize the accomplishments of the Vikings, and the Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French explorers; Leif Eriksson, Columbus, Hernando de Soto, Magellan, Henry Hudson, John Cabot, and La Salle.

I would use this book as an interactive read aloud for the unit on Spanish settlers.  I would read the book aloud to the students, then allow them to ask questions, look for word wall words, as well as include a venn diagram comparing the Pilgrim and Indian Thanksgiving to the St. Augustine Thanksgiving. 




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