Shadows at Jamestown
The Virginia Mysteries Book 6
A Virginia Readers’ Choice 2019/20 Elementary Title
Reading Comprehension Quiz – NEW!
“I Found this Humerus”/ Creating Puns
On page 15, Sam and Derek meet a college student who has the above written on his t-shirt with an illustration of a bone. Sam thought it was some type of joke but he was not sure. What Sam had observed is a bit of fun with puns. A pun is a type of word play that explores multiple meanings or similar sound of words, such a humerus (type of bone in the human body) and humorous (funny). Another way to apply puns to create a humorous sentence or joke through the use of homonyms (two or more words that have the same spelling and different meanings). Challenge the students to create a sentence or joke using the following homonyms: spring, tire, mean, bark, fair.
A comprehensive list of homonyms can be located at https://www.grammar.com/list_of_homonyms. The ability to create puns demonstrates a clear understanding of word meaning.
Captain Smith Made a Map/ Analyze a Primary Resource
The first map of Virginia was created by Captain John Smith. Sam, Derek, and Caitlin learn about this map during their tour of the Jamestown Settlement. This map is amazing as it records not only the geographical data but also cultural information. It was published in England in 1612 and was used as the primary resource map of Virginia for almost one hundred years. Find his map at the Library of Congress site.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3880.ct000377/?r=-0.289,0.273,1.038,0.495,0
Compare the map with a map of current map of Virginia. Use the following discussion questions to analyze the map.
- Orientation: What direction is the Chesapeake Bay on Smith’s map? Is this confusing? Locate the map scale(measured in leagues/ a league equals 3 miles) and compass rose. (North is not at the top of the map as is the norm today but to the right. Captain Smith drew the map from the perspective of a ship coming from the Atlantic.)
- The Virginian Sea: Smith labeled a body of water “The Virginian Sea”. What body of water do you think that is?
- Jamestown: Locate the settlement on the map. On what river is it located?
- Illustrations: Smith drew people on this map. Who are they? (Powhatan’s council and a Susquehannock Indian). Why did he draw so many trees?
- Labels: Smith wrote labels all over his map. Note the words Monacans and Powhatan. What do those words signify? FACT: Smith recorded more than 200 Indian towns. Many of those names remain in Virginia today. https://www.nps.gov/cajo/learn/smith-maps.htm
- Rivers:How many rivers did Smith draw flowing into the Virginian Sea? If the Virginian Sea is really the Chesapeake Bay, how accurate was he? (The Susquehanna, Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and James Rivers are the five largest rivers that flow into Chesapeake Bay.)
- More than Virginia: The map details what is now Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. Compare to a current map and locate those states on Smith’s map.
- X Marks the Spot: There are 27 of these X marks on the map. Smith actually drew them as “crosses”. These are actual places that Smith visited. The other locations were recorded from information given him by the Native People. Locate the “crosses”.
What If?
Professor Evanshade relates how the settlers of Jamestown almost abandoned the colony and were sailing up the River to return to England when they met a supply ship that brought more colonists, food, and supplies. Caitlin asks, “I wonder what would have happened if they hadn’t met that ship”. (page 25) The Professor stated that history is filled with many such “what ifs”. “What if” the settlers never return to Virginia? Would there be no Virginia colony? Would there be other colonies settled?
What Is that Flag?
On each chapter page there is an illustration of Jamestown. It includes an X and something that looks like a flag. Use this site to interpret the true meaning of this drawing.
Glass House
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin get a first-hand tour of the glass house and observe how the settlers made glass. (pages 90-93) Use this YouTube video to recreate their experience.
There Were 3 Ships
The 3 kids learned that there were a total of 71 people aboard the Susan Constant, 52 aboard the Godspeed and 21 aboard the Discovery. These people were on these ships for a total four and a half months. The sleeping and living areas about each ship was small and cramped. Have the students write a journal entry pretending to be one of the passengers on the ship. Using their background knowledge gained from reading the book, record what the passengers ate, drank, and what they saw. What did they do for entertainment during the long journey? This, of course, will be historical fiction. Watch this YouTube video of a tour of the Susan Constant. Remind the students that this is a replica of the real ship.
The overall length of the Susan Constant, from tip to stern, is estimated at 116 feet. Duplicate that measurement to visually see the size of the ship.
It Is All about the Knots
On page 105, Jada describes a log line that was used to determine the speed the ship was traveling. Using the description in the book, create a log line. You will learn why we measure speed on ships by knots.
Jamestown Biopoem
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin participated in a play which features the historical people (John Smith, John Rolfe, and Pocahontas). Research more information about the roles these three played in the story of Jamestown. Use the information to create a biopoem about one of them. Note that Pocahontas’s can be research as a First American or as a colonist.
First name Last Name
Two or three adjectives that describe the person
Why important to Jamestown
