B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y Theme: The American Revolution • The American Revolution • Battles of the American Revolution: Saratoga • People of the American Revolution Battles of the American Revolution: Saratoga Level T/44 Social Studies Skills & Strategies Anchor Comprehension Strategies • Make Inferences • Summarize Information Comprehension • Ask questions • Identify cause and effect • Use graphic features to interpret information Vocabulary/Word Study Strategy • Use context clues to determine word meaning Social Studies Big Idea • Major military battles of the American Revolution were turning points of the war for America and Great Britain, as well as for France and other nations. TEACHER’S GUIDE
Transcript
B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y
Theme: The American Revolution• The American Revolution• Battles of the American
Revolution: Saratoga• People of the American
Revolution
Battles of the American Revolution: SaratogaLevel T/44
Social Studies
Skills & Strategies
Anchor Comprehension Strategies
• Make Inferences• Summarize Information
Comprehension • Askquestions
• Identifycauseandeffect
• Usegraphicfeaturestointerpretinformation
Vocabulary/Word Study Strategy • Usecontextcluestodetermine
wordmeaning
Social Studies Big Idea • MajormilitarybattlesoftheAmerican
Page 11: Synthesize Information • Administer Ongoing Comprehension Assessment
• Identify Cause-and-Effect Relationships
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Using Navigators Chapter Books
Explicit Strategy InstructionUse the complete guide to model, guide, and support students as they apply comprehension and word study strategies. Use por-tions of the guide to scaffold reading instruction for students who do not need modeled instruction.
Small-Group DiscussionsIntroduce the book and model strategies. Have the group set a purpose for reading based on the introduction. Students read the book, or parts of the book, independently. Then have them use the Small-Group Discussion Guide as they discuss the book together.
Independent ReadingHave students select titles at their independent reading levels. After reading, have students respond to the text in reader response journals or notebooks.
• Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning: Description
This five-day lesson plan shows one way to use the chapter book for explicit strategy instruction.
Build Content Background • Ask students to work in pairs. Have them discuss the
American Revolution and how the war was fought. Reconvene the group and ask pairs to share their best ideas. Write these on chart paper as they are mentioned.
• Write the words artillery and siege on the board. Ask students to define the words and explain how they relate to the American Revolution. Help students define the words by repeating any parts of students’ definitions that are correct. Have other students build on these definitions, adding any facts they know about the words. Finally, have students use pages 8 and 15 or the glossary to help them finish and check their definitions.
• Before students read, preview some key words that are not found in the glossary of Battles of the American Revolution: Saratoga. Make sure that students can use each word in a sentence. If they have difficulty, use a dictionary to define the word.
colonists rebels regiment ammunition• Tell students that most of the difficult words in the book will
be defined in a glossary at the back.
Introduce the Book• Give students a copy of the book.
• Ask them to read the title and skim the table of contents.
Say: The title of Chapter 1 is “The Stage Is Set.” What kinds of information do you think this chapter will include? (Possible answer: It may include background information about the American Revolution and how the Battle of Saratoga came to be fought.)
• Ask students to choose a chapter. Have them look at the pictures in the chapter, choose a picture they think is interesting, and explain to the group why they think that.
• To introduce key words and text/graphic features found in this book, use the book’s inside front cover.
Informal Assessment Tips
1. Assess students’ ability to skim for pictures.
2. Document informal observations in a folder or notebook.
3. Keep the folder or notebook at the small-group reading table for handy reference.
For students who struggle with skimming for pictures, model by skimming the pictures in one chapter, choosing one picture, and explaining why you chose it.
Ask students to define revolution in their own words. Help them understand that in this context it means “war.” Write some words related to fighting a war, such as weapon, soldier, rebel, battle, retreat, and surrender on the board. Have students define them in their own words.
Display pictures of the American Revolution and its soldiers, such as those on pages 6, 10, 12, 13, 17, and 22. Encourage students to discuss what they see and relate it to what they know about the war.
Point out the area discussed in the book on a large map of the United States. Ask students to share what they know about the region.
This five-day lesson plan shows one way to use the chapter book for explicit strategy instruction.
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Before ReadingMonitor-Reading Strategy: Ask questions
• Say: Good readers ask questions all the time. Asking questions keeps the mind focused and helps readers understand and remember what they read. You can ask questions about unfamiliar words and about who, what, why, and how as you read.
• Use a real-life example of asking questions while you read.
Say: When I come across an unfamiliar word, I stop and ask myself what the word means. Sometimes unfamiliar words are boldfaced, shown in dark print. Sometimes the author defines the word, but other times I have to look for clues that help me figure out the meaning of the word.
• Say: Yesterday we previewed the book Battles of the American Revolution: Saratoga. Today we are going to ask questions about unknown words in the Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2.
• Read page 2 aloud while students follow along. Then have students read pages 3–4 silently.
Say: On page 4 the text says that General Burgoyne’s plan would be hard to execute, but the word execute is not defined. From the context, I can tell that execute means “to put into action.” What other unknown words are on these pages?
• Have students provide examples of any other unknown words in the Introduction and page 4. Tell them to write the words on self-stick notes and put the notes in their book.
During Reading Set a Purpose For Reading
• Ask students to read pages 5–11 silently. Have them ask questions about the unknown words they find and write their questions on self-stick notes or in their journals. Remind them to look for context clues to help them understand the meaning of each unknown word.
What? Readers ask questions about unknown words, why something happens, how it happened, and what might happen next. Some questions have answers stated in the text, some answers are implied in the text, and some answers need further research. Still other questions have no answers.
Why? Asking questions keeps readers involved with the text and helps them understand and remember what they read.
When? Good readers ask questions before reading to help set a purpose. They ask questions during reading to monitor and clarify their understanding. They ask questions after reading to help them analyze and synthesize what they have read.
How? Good readers pause and wonder about the text. They keep track of their questions in a journal or on self-stick notes. They try to answer questions during and after reading.
Model Strategies: Introduction–Chapters 1, 2
After Reading Discuss The Reading
• Ask students to share their unknown words from the Introduction and Chapters 1–2. Remind them that some unknown words have definitions right in the text while the meanings of other words can be figured out using context clues.
Say: The word commission in the second paragraph on page 5 is an unknown word. I can use context clues to figure out that a commission is a military officer’s right to serve in the military. For a more precise definition I can look in the dictionary and find that a commission is “a certificate conferring military rank.”
• Have students explain how they determined the meanings of other unknown words.
Ask: Who wrote a question about the boldfaced word terrain in the first paragraph at the bottom of on page 6? How did you find the meaning of that word? (Terrain is defined in the text as “the land.”)
• Tell students to look for unfamiliar words as they read each chapter. Remind them to write their questions on self-stick notes or in their journals.
• For text-dependent comprehension practice, ask the questions for the Introduction and Chapters 1–2 found on the Comprehension Through Deductive Reasoning Card for this chapter book.
Comprehension Strategy: Summarize Information
• Say: Nonfiction texts generally contain many facts. To help me remember these facts, I summarize as I read. When I summarize, I pick out and write the key topics and most important details, keeping them short and to the point. Sometimes a key topic appears in the topic sentence of a paragraph. Other times I have to use what I read to figure out the key topic. If I can identify just the key topics in several pages of text, I can understand and remember what I’ve read more easily.
• Distribute copies of the graphic organizer “Summarize Information” (page 14). You may want to make a chart-size copy of the graphic organizer or use a transparency.
• Explain that, as students read, they will complete the first two rows together. They will complete the last row in pairs or independently.
Informal Assessment Tips
1. Watch students as they write questions on self-stick notes or in their journals.
2. In a folder or notebook, jot down what you see each student doing.
3. Students should be asking questions about unknown words as they read. Document students who are and who are not using this monitor-
For students who struggle with this activity, model the strategy again and remind them that asking questions about unknown words as they read will help them better understand the material.
Rapid readers can use context clues, the glossary, or a dictionary to find the meanings of words they don’t know. Have them write the words and their definitions in their journals.
Comprehension Strategy: Summarize Information (cont.)
• Have students return to Chapter 1 and follow along as you model how to summarize. Write the information on the graphic organizer as you find it. Read page 4 aloud and say: The author tells us that General Burgoyne planned to defeat the rebels in the North and to cut them off from the rest of the country. He decided to divide his army into three columns and march toward Albany. They would force the rebels to fight them on the banks of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. I think these are the key topics on this page. I’ll write them in the Key Topics section.
Write the ideas on the chart.
• Complete the section by skimming pages 5–9 of the book, using the information on the graphic organizer on this page to conduct a think-aloud.
• Say: Now I can put all the key topics together and write a summary.
Write the summary in the Summary section of the graphic organizer.
Say: My summary does not include all the facts and details from the chapter or from the Key Topics section. I combined the key topics into a few sentences. We’ll continue to summarize information as we read the rest of the book.
Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information: Maps
• Explain that maps can be used for many different purposes. Have students locate the map on page 4. Point out that it shows a specific area of North America: much of New York state, plus parts of other states and Canada that border it.
• Ask: What is the purpose of this map? (to show where each column of Burgoyne’s army would start and where it would end up)
• Ask: How does the map support the text on page 4? (It makes the explanation of Burgoyne’s plan clear.)
• Ask: How many columns were to move south from Canada? (two)
Ask: Where was the column that was to move north coming from? (New York City)
Reader Response
What skills and knowledge do you think were most important for American soldiers as they prepared to battle Burgoyne’s troops at Saratoga? Write a response in your journal and share your thoughts with a group member.
Chapters 1–2
Page 4: General Burgoyne planned to defeat the rebels in the North by dividing his army into three columns and marching toward Albany. They would force the rebels to fight them on the river banks. Pages 5–7: Burgoyne set off with 9,000 men. Burgoyne did not realize how rough the terrain was, and Americans burned crops and houses, blew up bridges, and blocked roads. Pages 8–9: Benedict Arnold tricked the British into retreating from their siege at Fort Stanwix. They were badly beaten at Bennington, Vermont, but continued.
General Burgoyne planned to win the war by defeating the rebels in the North. He sent three columns toward Albany. It was hard because the terrain was rough, and the Americans destroyed crops, roads, and bridges in their path. The British were beaten at Bennington, Vermont, but Burgoyne did not give up.S
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Before ReadingMonitor-Reading Strategy: Ask questions• Have students look at their journals to review questions
they wrote yesterday. Ask them if the Introduction and Chapters 1–2 answered any of their questions about unknown words, and discuss their responses. Remind students that asking questions is what good readers do to understand and remember what they have read.
• Say: Today we are going to ask the questions who, what, why, and how.
Read page 11 while students follow along. Ask the following questions as you read: Why would crossing below where the Mohawk and Hudson
Rivers joined be dangerous? How deep was the river below where the Mohawk and Hudson
Rivers joined?• Point out that the first question is answered in the book while
the second question is not. Ask: How can I answer my second question?
(Possible answers: Ask an expert. Research using reference books or the Internet.)
• Have students write who, what, why, and how questions on self-stick notes or in their journals as they read page 11.
During Reading Set a Purpose for Reading • Have students finish reading Chapter 3. As they read, they
should ask who, what, why, and how questions. For example, they might ask how General Gates got so many American soldiers to join his campaign.
After Reading Discuss the Reading • Have students share their questions and talk about why they
asked particular questions. Help them identify questions that are answered in the text and questions that need additional research. Spend a few minutes on questions that are not answered in the text.
• Ask: What have you learned about how the two armies prepared to battle at Saratoga?
• For text-dependent comprehension practice, ask the questions for Chapter 3 found on the Comprehension Through Deductive Reasoning Card for this chapter book.
Carefully watch ELL students as they complete the assignment. If they are not writing questions, it may be because they do not understand the text. If they are writing questions, make sure the questions apply to the text.
Meeting Individual Needs
For students who struggle with this strategy, model it again. Have them read one page at a time and ask one question per page. Ask them if the question is answered in the text or not. If not, ask them where they might find the answer to the question.
Rapid readers can review their questions. With a partner, they can choose one question and use research materials to find an answer. Then they can share their answer with others.
Guide Strategies: Chapter 3
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Chapter 3 (continued)
Comprehension Strategy: Summarize Information
• Review the Summarize Information graphic organizer, and remind students that a summary presents key topics and the most important details contained in a longer piece of text.
• Have students skim pages 11–15 to pull out the key topics. Write them on the graphic organizer.
• Have students work in pairs to skim pages 16–19 and write key topics on their charts. Provide support for students who are struggling with this strategy.
• Use the completed graphic organizer on this page for suggested answers. Although their wording may vary, make sure that students have included the key topics and important details as noted.
• As a group, write a summary for Chapter 3.
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning: Descriptions
• Tell students that it is often possible to figure out what a word means from the words and sentences around it. This is called the word’s context. Have students find the word scalps on page 16. Point out that the author does not define this word but does describe it.
• Say: The sentence says that Jane’s scalp was taken to Burgoyne’s camp. The next sentence says that Jane’s fiancé recognized her hair. This description helps me define the word scalp: the skin of the head, on which hair grows.
• Have students find the word scout on page 19. Ask them to identify the descriptions that help define the word. (The soldiers were sent out in the area to find a suitable place to meet the enemy.) Point out that to scout is to explore an area to obtain information.
• Tell students they will practice this strategy again later.
Pages 11–15: Burgoyne had to choose between having the army cross the water in a deep place where there were few rebel troops or make an easier crossing where there would be more rebels. He chose the second. The soldiers crossed successfully, but they were weary. Pages 16–19: More rebels joined General Gates’s army. Daniel Morgan led a group of scouts. The American army stopped at Bemis Heights to await the enemy.
Burgoyne chose a route across the river, and the soldiers crossed it. The American army was growing in number. General Gates chose Bemis Heights as a place for the Americans to camp and await the British.
Reader Response
Imagine you were a farmer in New York near Albany when Burgoyne began his campaign. Would you join the American army? How would you feel about it? Write a response in your journal and share your thoughts with a group member.
Before ReadingMonitor-Reading Strategy: Ask questions • Remind students that they have practiced asking questions
about unknown words and about who, what, why, and how. Have them review the questions they have already asked and written on self-stick notes or in their journals. Tell them to continue asking who, what, why, and how questions as they read.
• Read pages 20–21 aloud while students follow along.
Say: My question is, “How did General Gates react to Benedict Arnold’s decision to take action?” This question is not answered in the text. What can I do?
Have students offer possible ways to answer the question.
During ReadingSet a Purpose for Reading • Have students read the rest of the book silently. Encourage
them to ask who, what, why, and how questions as they read. Have them write their questions on self-stick notes or in their journals.
After ReadingDiscuss the Reading • Have students share the questions they have asked while reading.
• Ask: Which questions were you able to answer from the book? Which questions need additional research? How can you find answers to these questions?
• Have students turn to page 27 and read the checkpoint. Explain that stopping to think about the text is one way to make sense of what we read. Have students think about and answer the prompt in their journals. Discuss responses.
• For text-dependent comprehension practice, ask the questions for Chapter 4 and the Conclusion found on the Comprehension Through Deductive Reasoning Card for this chapter book.
Teaching Tips
After discussing the reading, have stu-dents remove the self-stick notes from their books and place them in their journals on a page titled “Ask Questions.” Use this page to review asking questions throughout the year.
Comprehension Strategy: Summarize Information• Review the graphic organizer students have been completing.
Explain that they will summarize information in Chapter 4 in pairs or independently. Students should identify key topics on pages 20–21, 22–23, 24–26, and 28–29 and then write a summary.
• Ask students if they have any questions before they begin. Monitor their work and intervene if they are having difficulty. Discuss students’ responses together.
• For more practice with summarizing, have students complete the blackline master “Summarize Information” on page 15.
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning: Descriptions
• Remind students that they can use words and descriptions from the text to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words. Have students find the word artillery on page 21. Point out that the author does not define this word but does describe it.
• Say: The author says that the left column of the British army controlled all the heavy artillery, light and heavy cannons, and guns. By reading this description, I know that artillery means “weapons.”
• Have students find the word vivid on page 26. Read the last sentence of column 2 text aloud. Then read the diary excerpt on page 27. Help students characterize it as engaging and detailed. Point out that these traits help define vivid: “sharp and lively.”
• For additional practice, have students complete the blackline master on page 16.
1. Watch students as they summarize. Ask yourself: How have students progressed with this strategy? What problems are they still having?
2. Watch students as they complete the graphic organizer. Ask yourself: Who is still struggling with this strategy? How can I help them?
3. Jot down your thoughts in your folder or notebook. For students who struggle with summarizing, review the strategy.
Reader Response
How might the war have ended if the Americans had not won the Battle of Saratoga? Write a response in your journal and share your thoughts with a group member.
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Many American fighters joined General Gates to fight at Saratoga. One reason was that many soldiers were members of state militias. They didn’t fight all battles, but fought in battles near their homes. Second, Gates was popular because he had fought in the French and Indian War. His victory at Saratoga made him even more popular, and some people wanted him to replace Washington. However, this did not happen.
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Chapter 4
Pages 20–21: On Sept. 19, the British army left camp, breaking into three columns. General Arnold prepared riflemen in the woods to act. Pages 22–23: The riflemen began shooting and were attacked by British cannons. The Americans retreated; the British had great losses. A British commander promised more troops for Burgoyne. Pages 24–26: Fresh troops never arrived. Burgoyne’s men were suffering, so he attacked again. Arnold led the rebels against them; the British retreated. Pages 28–29: Burgoyne surrendered to Gates. The battle changed the war; it encouraged France and Spain to help the Americans, who finally won.
When the British attacked, riflemen shot them from the woods. The plan worked, but the rebels were attacked when they went into the open. The Americans retreated, but the British suffered huge losses. The British attacked again, but the rebels defeated the British. The success prompted France and Spain to help out, enabling America to win the war.
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Clue: The British controlled much of North America, and India as well.Definition: a political unit with a large territory
Clue: He hoped to make friends and persuade France to help America fight Britain.Definition: a person who is sent on a country’s mission to a foreign government
Clue: An agreement to help the United States would lead to war with Britain.Definition: an agreement or arrangement made between two or more countries
Clue: France would send help to their friends.Definition: countries on friendly terms based on a treaty
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Administer Ongoing Comprehension Assessment• Administer Ongoing Assessment #29 on pages 88–89 in the
Identify Cause-and-Effect Relationships• Point out to students that the book Battles of the American
Revolution: Saratoga describes many causes and effects. For example, it describes the effect of the British not being familiar with the American terrain.
• Ask students to skim the book, looking for information about the causes that enabled the Americans to win the Battle of Saratoga. Have them write down the effects on a chart like the one below.
• When the charts are complete, have students discuss the information they recorded. Then encourage them to draw conclusions about the causes of the American victory.
• Give students the opportunity to share their conclusions.
Say: By looking at the causes and effects of actions by the British and American armies, we can conclude that the Americans won the battle because of good leadership and a better knowledge of the wilderness than the British.
1. Score assessments and determine if more instruction is needed for this strategy.
2. Keep group assessments in a small-group reading folder.
3. Look closely at students’ responses. Ask yourself: Why might this student have answered the question in this manner? For in-depth analysis, discuss responses with individual students.
4. If needed, reteach this strategy and administer Ongoing Assessment #30 on pages 90–91 in the Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook (Grade 5).
5. Use ongoing assessments to document growth over time, for parent/teacher conferences, or for your own records.
Scaffold the graphic organizer activity by talking about one row of the chart at a time. Model finding the effects of the first cause. Then have students find answers for the second row of the chart, explaining where they find them. Point out that a cause may have an immediate effect as well as ultimate, or final, ones.
Synthesize Information
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Cause EffectThe British didn’t know the American terrain.
They had a hard time moving south from Canada.
Benedict Arnold got the British to retreat from Fort Stanwix.
General Burgoyne lost one of his advancing columns.
The British troops were tired after crossing the Hudson River.
They weren’t in good shape to fight the American rebels.
Benedict Arnold ordered riflemen to await the British in the woods.
The British were fired upon as soon as they appeared.
The British suffered great losses after forcing the Americans to retreat on September 19.
Their victory was no cause for celebration.
Benedict Arnold led the rebels bravely when the British attacked on October 7.
The Americans won the Battle of Saratoga.
Write a Personal ResponseInvite students to respond to the book in a way that is meaningful to them. The prompts below provide a variety of alternatives.• Suppose you had lived in New York during the Revolution.
What action would you have taken when Burgoyne was preparing to attack? (text-to-self)
• Compare this book about the American Revolution to other books about American history you have read. (text-to-text/compare)
• How did the American Revolution affect the world? (text-to- world)
• What parts of this book did you find most challenging? (self-monitor)
• What did you like about this book? What did you dislike about it? (evaluate)
• Describe how you felt as you read this book. Explain why you felt that way. (personal response)
• What connections to other books and articles you have read did you make as you read this book? (make connections)
• What main ideas did you find in this book? (synthesize information)
Write to a Text PromptUse the prompt below as a timed writing activity. Students have a maximum of one hour to draft, revise, and edit a response. Use the rubric provided in the sidebar to score students’ writing.
Write to a Picture PromptUse the following picture prompt to develop students’ visual writing abilities.
Reading/Writing Connections
Teaching Tips
Transfer personal response prompts to a piece of large chart paper and hang it in the room. Students can refer to the list throughout the year.
The prompt is well-developed. There is strong evidence of focus, organization, voice, and correct conventions.
The prompt is developed. There is adequate evidence of focus, organization, voice, and correct conventions. The prompt is somewhat developed. There is minimal evidence of focus, organization, voice, and correct conventions.
The prompt is weakly developed. There is little evidence of focus, organization, voice, and correct conventions.
Scoring Rubric
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How did choices and actions by individuals on both sides of the Battle of Saratoga make a difference in the battle’s outcome? Use information from the book to support your answer.
Look at the picture on pages 28–29. What attitudes did the two generals show toward one another? What attitudes did the two armies show toward one another? Write a response in your journal and share your thoughts with a group member. Use details from the picture to support your answer.
Summarize InformationDirections: Read the passage. Identify the key topics of each paragraph and then write a summary of its most important points.
A Call for Help
As General Horatio Gates waited for the British to attack at Saratoga, more and more American soldiers joined his cause. How was General Gates able to attract so many fighters?
First, many American soldiers were not part of George Washington’s Continental Army. They belonged to state militias. They wanted to stay at home and maintain their farms. But when areas near their homes were threatened, they were glad to fight. So when they heard about the British army’s march to Albany, men from all over New England rallied to protect their homes.
Second, General Gates was popular among New England patriots. During the French and Indian War, he had fought with Washington against the French. He fought throughout the war and had a reputation as good military leader.
Thanks to the thousands of men who came to fight in his campaign, Gates was able to accept General Burgoyne’s surrender in 1777. The victory made Gates very popular. In fact, a few officers wanted him to replace George Washington as com-mander in chief. When this plan became known, the public defended Washington. Washington continued leading the army. Gates served under him.
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning: Description
Directions: Read the passage. Write the clues that tell you what each boldfaced word means. Then write a definition for each word. Use a dictionary if necessary.
1. empire Clue:
Definition:
2. ambassador Clue:
Definition:
3. treaty Clue:
Definition:
4. allies Clue:
Definition:
America and France
France finally sent troops to America in 1778. However, the two countries had already forged a relationship. France and Britain had been rivals for many years. Great Britain had become a mighty empire. The British controlled much of North America, and India as well. French leaders rooted for the Americans to defeat Britain in the colonies. They knew that this would weaken Great Britain.
In 1776, the United States sent Benjamin Franklin as an ambassador to France. He hoped to make friends with the French people and persuade them to help in the war against Britain. He succeeded in making friends with the French, but the French government did not yet want to make a formal treaty with the Americans. An agreement to help the United States would lead to war with Britain. Also, the French were not sure that the Americans could win the war.
When General Burgoyne was defeated at Saratoga, the French gained confidence in America. They signed a treaty with the United States. Now the two countries were officially allies. France would send troops and supplies to their friends in the colonies.
Skills Bank
Build ComprehensionMakE InfErEnCEs
Explain • Create an overhead transparency of the graphic organizer “Battles of the American Revolution: Saratoga” or draw it on the board. Say: An author can’t tell us every bit of information in a book. We figure out some things on our own. We use the author’s words and illustrations for clues. Figuring something out using one or two clues is called making an inference.
Model • Say: Let’s make an inference about Battles of the American Revolution: Saratoga. The title of the book gives us our first clue: this book is about the Battles of Saratoga in the American Revolution. So let’s make inferences about the battles. On page 4, I read that Burgoyne would lead the main column down the Hudson River. Another column would travel down the Mohawk River. These are clues about how things were done in the American Revolution. In the first Clues box on the graphic organizer, write Burgoyne would lead the main column down the Hudson River. Another column would travel down the Mohawk River. Then say: Now we will use the clues to make an inference. We can infer that rivers were the best way for armies to travel during the American Revolution. In the first Inference box, write Rivers were the best way for armies to travel during the Revolution.
Guide • Say: Let’s make an inference about the information on page 6. What can you learn from the description of Burgoyne’s plan and of the American terrain? (Allow time for students to respond, assisting if needed.) Yes, Burgoyne had a well-thought out plan. But the plan didn’t take into account the American terrain. In the second Clues box on the graphic organizer, write Burgoyne had a well-thought out plan. But the plan didn’t take into account the American terrain. Then ask: What can we figure out from these clues? (Again allow time for students to respond.) Yes, we can infer that the American terrain made the war difficult for the British. In the second Inference box, write The rough American wilderness made the war difficult for the British to fight.
apply • Ask students to work with a partner to make inferences throughout the rest of the book. Remind them to use one or two clues to figure out things the author doesn’t say. After each partnership shares, record their ideas on the graphic organizer. Finally, read the completed graphic organizer aloud and invite students to echo-read.
