Hi everyone! I hope you have had a great couple of days since class, and hope you all enjoy this snowy day! As we have been learning about Jamestown and Virginia’s history, as well as teaching these subjects, we read Blood On The River by Elisa Carbone. I found this book to be a very fun and interesting read, that kept me very entertained all the way through. As I did not grow up in Virginia, I never really learned much about Jamestown or other specific Virginia history, so this book, as well as Richmond’s Unhealed History were basically the first I had read about this. I found Blood On The River to be a much more fun read, and I enjoyed how the book was written from a first-person point of view, with characters that we were able to get to know and form opinions about. I think this aspect in particular would make this book a great read for elementary students, because it could keep them more into the book, while also learning lots!
If I were to use this book in my classroom, I think that as an activity I would have my students pick a scene from the book that stood out to them, and have them explain why it stood out, and what it meant to them. A scene that I would pick that stood out to me was when Sam went to Namontack’s home: “Namontack is right, I think. His home is much better than James Town. There is more food and more joy to be had in one night here than in a whole year in James Town (163).” This scene stood out to me because it really shows how peaceful and joyful the tribes that already inhabited the land were. In U.S. history, they can be painted as violent, and the narrative exists that the land was ours, when really, these tribes were peacefully living in the places they had rightfully discovered, when we took that away from them. I like how this scene shows their happy lives before we took over. I also love how this scene perfectly demonstrates looking at other cultures/people through a non judgemental lens, with Sam even admitting that this home is better than his own. This non judgemental view is crucial to understand when teaching about other cultures or tribes, and Sam did this very well, and even “adapted” to another culture!
Growing up, had you learned much about Virginia history/ Jamestown history? If so, how did your teachers present and teach this information? Were their strategies beneficial, or how would you have taught it differently? Do you think you would have benefited from reading Blood On The River, and do you think you would include this book in your future teaching?
What did you think about the first-person point of view in this book? I noted that the first-person point of view was one of my favorite aspects of the book- what was one of your favorite aspects of the way the book was written?
If you were to teach this book, would you choose to have the students pick out a scene that stood out to them? What was a scene that stood out to you, and why?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond to this blog post! I look forward to hearing from all of you! I hope you have a great rest of your week, and I’ll see you all next Monday!
Mackenzie Tewksbury
Hi Mackenzie, hope you’re having a fun snow day!
Growing up, I never learned about Virginia history, and being from Pennsylvania, much of our specific history lessons focused on Philadelphia history. One history lesson I remember from 8th grade that remains my favorite to this day, was a class recreation of settlers first coming to America. Paired with instructed teaching, small quizzes, and readings outside of class, my peers and I imagined we were these first settlers trying to survive in a new settlement. This activity went on throughout the year, and each settlement, or group of students, tried to survive and succeed throughout different challenges our teacher created. Being so interactive and engaging was incredibly beneficial, and had our entire class excited about history every day! This book would be a great asset in my classroom and I think my students would benefit greatly from reading it.
I also really enjoyed the first person point of view in this book! I think it really immerses readers into the story, and makes them feel like they are fully present in Jamestown themselves! I think in books that involve a large amount of history or aim to replicate historical eras really benefit when using a first person point of view, as it really blends history and fiction into an exciting point of view for readers.
Yes, I think having students pick out a scene is a great way to keep them involved in what they are reading, as well as reflect on why that scene stood out to them, and what it meant within the story. I personally found the scene from chapter 18, page 139, to be really interesting and impactful. This is when Samuel learns that John Smith participated in a ceremony, rather than be saved from death by Pocahontas. This scene provides a lot for students to reflect on, as well as discuss this event and all the ways it’s been told within history, which is the main reason it stuck out to me.
Thanks again for the great blog post, and see you on Monday!
Hi Mackenzie!
I also found “Blood on the River” to be a very engaging and informative piece of historical fiction that could easily be utilized in a fourth or fifth grade classroom.
Other than a trip to Jamestown in eighth grade, my lower and middle school curriculum focused on a very general picture of United States history. Growing up in California, our fourth grade history class focused on Spanish missions and early explorations out west, but I wish I was able to learn more about the early foundations of this country as it is presented in “Blood on the River”. Most of the history that I did was centered around a textbook and memorizing facts, rather than truly imagining what it would have been like living here during historical times. I found the long lectures to not only be tedious, but also almost pointless, as I struggled with paying attention at all and I could not retain information well. Further, when we did have hands-on projects, they were overwhelming and felt very graded based. Reading a book like “Blood on the River”, however, would allow opportunities for low stakes discussion that gave everyone a chance to participate.
I really enjoyed the first-person perspective of the book and the fact that it was told by a kid. This makes the whole experience of coming to a whole new world, probably hard to grasp for most children, much more relatable. Additionally, although the author could not have known everything that happened to Samuel since he did not keep a diary, she still made sure to make it as historically accurate as possible, while still giving him the spunk of a ten year old from any time period. One of my favorite aspects of the book was the portrayal of Pocahontas. With the Disney movie and so many other common misconceptions of her role in early America, I found her feature to be essential to a young students knowledge of the happenings of Jamestown.
Along the lines of Pocahontas’ role in the book, I would say the scene that stood out to me most was the one where she was admiring and being curious about all of John’s Smith’s belongings. This really put into perspective the comfort she felt when she was with the English settlers, even though she was soon betrayed by them over and over again.
I look forward to hear everyone else’s responses!
Hi Mackenzie!
I was very much on the same page as you. Since I did not grow up here, I did not learn much about Virginia history or Jamestown history. I grew up in Washington State, so we learned a lot about Washington’s history. When thinking about how my teachers taught history overall, I remember some teachers taught it in a way that was more confusing to me, and other teachers taught it in a way that registered so well, and I was able to understand. I remember one teacher would do Socratic Seminars, and we would come to class and spend all period doing it, and afterward, I felt like I learned so much. I think in the classes I felt more confused, I would have activated prior knowledge first, and then taught the content in chronological order and made connections when history repeats itself. Yes, I think reading Blood on the River would have greatly benefited me because it was engaging and interesting yet factual and got the story across at the same time. I will definitely include this book in my future teachings. It was such a great book and portrayed all the characters and scenes graphically; you could visualize what was happening.
I really enjoyed that it was from a first-person point of view. I think this perspective gave us more insight and feeling as to how the characters felt and what their experience was like during this time. My favorite aspect was how I could picture each situation they were in and make a mental image of what that piece of history may have looked like.
When I use this book in the classroom, I think doing a wax museum after reading it would be very interesting. Each student could pick a character, and we have people come and hear each character’s perspective. I think this would be an engaging way to have the students regurgitate what they learned in their own words and show others.
A scene that stood out to me was on pages 7 and 8: “King James has granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London to send men to the New World, to Virginia. The men will explore for gold, silver, and jewels, and for a new passage to the Orient, and they’ll cut down New World trees to send back to England to build English houses—all to make a big profit for the investors of the Virginia Company. But the real importance, Reverend Hunt says, is to bring the good news of Christ to the native people who live in Virginia. He says we’ll also look for survivors from the Roanoke colony, the settlers who went to Virginia with Sir Walter Raleigh over twenty years ago. That is why Reverend Hunt wants to go”. This shows the purpose and the why of this mission and sets up the whole story.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Mckenzie,
Thank you for your post. I enjoyed the book as well and I did like how it was written in the first person point of view. Growing up we did not learn much about Jamestown(I am a lot older so I think this is why my education was different). I remember learning about Pilgrims and Thanksgiving. I really feel like books like this open up discussions of how things really were. That the gentlemen were lazy and entitled and that the commoners were mistreated. The Indians were in general friendly and not savages at all. It appears that even back then the English did not disclose the full truth to the people back home. They knew that is they knew how hard things were at Jamestown they would not want to come. In todays society they still want to sugar coat the role that the English settlers had and also our role in slavery, and other atrocities. I like that this book had truth in it and I think these books are valuable so that people can search for the real truth!
Stay warm
Hi Mackenzie, thank you for your post!
I was born and raised in Suffolk, Virginia so I’ve been learning about Virginia history all my life, (Opinion: I think Virginia is the best state in the US!). In elementary school, I was taught about Virginia at different points, learning about the state flag, flower, and bird in first or second grade, and then learning most of Virginia’s history in fourth grade. In fourth grade I remember learning about the largest Native American tribes that were settled in Virginia, the regions of Virginia, and the products that were produced in each, the settlement of Jamestown, etc.
In the fourth grade, my teacher Mrs.Hicks created songs that aligned with each unit we would learn, we would sing the songs as a class and they would help us remember the key information we were learning. We learned about Jamestown through passages, didactic lessons, animated clips, and the songs she came up with. When we visited Jamestown later that year I vividly remember us singing on the bus all the songs we had learned, songs about the Native Americans, Jamestown, and the great state of Virginia!
The strategy of teaching through song is extremely beneficial; think of the ABC song, everyone knows it and they were most likely taught it in the process of learning their ABCs. Mrs.Hicks’s use of song helped us remember key information from each unit, as well as gave us an opportunity to learn in a unique way. It was fun singing with friends, it made learning enjoyable, and when it came time for tests or quizzes all you had to do was sing the song to yourself and all the answers were right there. Nine years later I remember several of the songs we learned, maybe not all the words but it has definitely stuck with me.
Blood on the River is a great source of information on the settlement of Jamestown, it is full of primary resources and would be engaging for young readers. If I were to teach my students about Jamestown I would use Blood on the River in tandem with songs, select passages, artifact discovery lessons, and more. I enjoyed the first-person point of view of the story, it was helpful having a person to follow along with through the book. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Samuel’s growth throughout the story and seeing how he developed into a skilled frontiersman and was of help to his fellow settlers. When teaching this book I don’t think I would have students focus on a particular scene, but possibly have them discuss major themes of the story and what they learned about Jamestown through this source. A scene that stood out to me was when Samuel discovered that Chief Powhatan and the Native Americans were under the impression that the settlers had become a part of their tribe, that’s why when the settlers were in danger they would come and help them. Samuel at the time keeps this information to himself, though it later comes out and relationships become tense.
Hi Mackenzie! Thank you for your post!
I learned a lot about Virginia history and Jamestown in school. Most of the information about this history was presented in lecture form. The one fun activity we did do was go to Jamestown. We got to tour all the exhibits and have hands-on experiences. Using “Blood on River” when teaching this topic would be very beneficial. It is always essential to incorporate literacy into all subjects. I will use this book in my future teaching because it is a more immersive way to learn about Jamestown.
I also really enjoyed this book’s point of view. The first-person point of view lets the reader connect with Samuel more. It is also more simple to follow than if it had been in the third person. Hearing Samuel’s thoughts and feelings throughout the book made understanding how the settlers must have felt through this journey easier. The first-person point of view was also my favorite aspect of this book because it made it easier to connect to the story.
I would definitely have students pick their favorite scene from the book and illustrate it so they can show what they visualized as they read. My favorite scene in the book was when Samuel took Virginia across the river to save her. I liked this scene because it was shocking but also brave. It showed how much Samuel changed from the beginning of the book.
Thank you again for posting, and I hope you have a great rest of your weekend!
Hey Mackenzie!
Thank you for the post! As I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, I learned the basics about Virginia history but for the most part, we focused on Louisiana history. I cannot remember much of what and how they taught us this information other than having a “POW WOW Day” and “Pilgrim Day.” The basic premise of “POW WOW Day” was that all second graders had to “dress up as Native Americans” while we experienced many “Native American activities” like hammering nails in patterns to signify chiseling and painting in caves, making bead shirts to signify their garments, and doing rain dances. It was very culturally insensitive and misrepresented a lot of the true history and culture. As for “Pilgrim Day,” we all dressed up in pilgrim type outfits, squaredanced, and then ate a Thanksgiving feast. These strategies were fun in the moment but failed to teach us historically accurate and culturally sensitive information. I think by removing this level of “celebration of colonization” attitude, students could have a much more beneficial and effective understanding of this time period. Books like “Blood On The River” and class discussions with the usage of primary sources are great ways to remedy the way this information was taught. The inclusion of multiple perspectives of this time period is what I think is most important so students do not learn only the “white” side of history. Furthermore, Blood On The River is a great learning tool for students because of the first-person point of view which makes the information presented seem more relatable and accessible to young readers. I would definitely have students pick out a scene that stood out to them because I feel like the only resources that are truly accesible to those age groups is stuff like Disney’s Pocohontas. For this reason, I think reading this book and having them further analyze scenes would be beneficial so they can learn how to compare/contrast, decipher good sources, and learn to stray away from the artificial perspective of life that Disney may bring young students.
Once again, thank you for the post!
Sorry fixed all the spelling errors—
Hey Mackenzie!
Thank you for the post! As I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, I learned the basics about Virginia history but for the most part, we focused on Louisiana history. I cannot remember much of what and how they taught us this information other than having a “POW WOW Day” and “Pilgrim Day.” The basic premise of “POW WOW Day” was that all second graders had to “dress up as Native Americans” while we experienced many “Native American activities” like hammering nails in patterns to signify chiseling and painting in caves, making bead shirts to signify their garments, and doing rain dances. It was very culturally insensitive and misrepresented a lot of the true history and culture. As for “Pilgrim Day,” we all dressed up in pilgrim-type outfits, square danced, and then ate a Thanksgiving feast. These strategies were fun at the moment but failed to teach us historically accurate and culturally sensitive information. I think by removing this level of “celebration of colonization” attitude, students could have a much more beneficial and effective understanding of this period. Books like “Blood On The River” and class discussions with the usage of primary sources are great ways to remedy the way this information was taught. The inclusion of multiple perspectives of this time is what I think is most important so students do not learn only the “white” side of history. Furthermore, Blood On The River is a great learning tool for students because of the first-person point of view which makes the information presented seem more relatable and accessible to young readers. I would definitely have students pick out a scene that stood out to them because I feel like the only resources that are truly accessible to those age groups is stuff like Disney’s Pocahontas. For this reason, I think reading this book and having them further analyze scenes would be beneficial so they can learn how to compare/contrast, decipher good sources, and learn to stray away from the artificial perspective of life that Disney may bring young students.
Once again, thank you for the post!
Hi Mackenzie,
Thank you for your beautiful post! <3
Growing up, my knowledge of American history was mostly limited to its involvement in the Vietnam War. Learning about Virginia and Richmond's history in our class has opened up new perspectives for me. It’s been especially interesting to hear about the different ways history is taught, which has made me reflect on my own experiences. I didn’t fully realize how valuable it is to engage with primary sources and approach history in a more interactive and memorable way until now.
Regarding the book we read, I would definitely love to incorporate it into lessons about Jamestown and explore Samuel's adventures during the early years. The book offers so much that students can benefit from. One idea is to assign it as homework reading and follow up with a class discussion where students can share their thoughts and interpretations. To build engagement beforehand, we could organize a small group activity where students work together on posters to showcase their prior knowledge about Jamestown. An anticipation guide would also be a fun and effective way to activate their curiosity and prepare them for the reading.
Another activity I found particularly interesting is inspired by the historical fact that settlers were not allowed to write letters describing the hardships they faced in the New World. After finishing the book and the class discussion, students could imagine themselves as a settler receiving word that their brother is planning to join them in Jamestown. Their task would be to write a truthful letter describing the challenges they’ve faced and to persuade their brother to stay in England. This creative writing activity would not only allow students to dive deeper into the historical context but also give them a chance to apply what they’ve learned in a personal and imaginative way. It’s a powerful way to connect literature with history while encouraging critical thinking and creativity.
What do you think? I’d love to hear if you have any other ideas to make these lessons even more engaging!
Thank you once again and see you in the next class!
Tam <3
Thank you for the post Mackenzie! You raised some interesting questions about how history is taught in each state – I am from Texas, and our Virginia teaching was generally about the founding fathers and a lot of Constitutional ideas from leaders in the state.
We also spent a disproportional amount of time on remembering the Battle of the Alamo, with one-sided primary sources used in class. Not surprisingly, we glossed over that Texans like William B. Travis and Stephen F. Austin were mainly fighting to avoid the abolition of slavery as required by Mexican law. We did learn about Columbus and the ships Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria, although it would have made more sense to learn about the English voyages on the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery.
I enjoyed learning from the first person perspective in Blood on the River – a fictional book like this that referenced primary sources really allows a narrative connection for students that is hard to replicate through a secondary source textbook. I would also like to spend time on the sections talking about the Native American way of life, and what skills could allow Virginians to live off the land without starvation. One of the quotes that really resonated with was from Samuel, reflecting on help received from the Powhatans – “Now it all makes sense: The gifts of food and animal furs, the sudden peace between us. Chief Powhatan is taking care of us because he considers us one of his tribes. If it were just me, I would be very happy with the arrangement. It means survival and peace. It means an end to the bloodshed between our settlers and the Powhatans. But I know these gentlemen, and I know they have no interest in being the subjects of a man they consider to be a lowly savage” (pg. 140-41, Blood on the River).
I would encourage the class to talk about what could have happened for the settlers if they had agreed to be part of the Powhatan tribe. Would there have been starvation during the winter? Could there have been a lasting peace given the colonial imperatives from the Virginia Colony? Interesting food for thought, and I would encourage the class to find primary resources from the tribes on how a settler’s way of life would change if they were formally adopted into the Powhatan tribe. I liked Ryleigh’s idea of a wax museum – I would encourage this for a few characters from the book including Samuel, John Smith, Pocahontas, Powhatan, and perhaps Governor Ratcliffe or Lord De La Warr – encouraging some research on primary sources for each character. Thanks again for letting me think about the parts of this book that really brought the history alive!
Hi Mackenzie! Thank you so much for posting this blog! I also did not grow up in Virginia; therefore, I did not learn about Jamestown or Virginia’s history. Subsequently, “Blood on the River” and “Richmond’s Unhealed History” were the first time I read about Virginia’s history. While I did not learn much about Virginia’s history, I learned a lot about California’s history, as this is where I am from. The biggest topic that I remember learning about is the gold rush. My teacher’s strategies for this topic were intricate and kept me engaged. We read many stories and looked at an ample amount of primary sources. Additionally, we went on an overnight trip to a place where we could use a tool to sift through the water and find some little pieces of gold! This allowed me to gain a profound understanding of the gold rush.
Because I am from California, I do not think my school would incorporate “Blood on the River” into the curriculum; however, I think I would have benefited from reading a book of similar structure. Reading historical fiction books in social sciences is a great way to engage students in the topic at hand because it allows them to step into the story and fully understand it on a more emotional level.
I found this book’s first-person point of view to be a powerful tool. It allowed me to empathize with the characters and truly appreciate their resilience. When students read a textbook or an informational article, they can grasp the facts about the historical event; however, they may not fully comprehend the real human experience of the people living at that time. I believe that learning about history through personal experiences or fictional stories is the most effective way to engage students, as it allows them to use their complex imaginations to step into the shoes of those who lived through those times.
If I were to teach “Blood on the River,” I would probably make my instruction a little more specific by having kids pick a specific quote from the book that stood out to them. I would have them analyze why this quote is essential to the story and why they resonated with it. A quote from the book that stood out to me was, “Instead of trying to decipher which of the men are to be trusted and which are not, I have made it simple for myself: Trust no one. This philosophy worked for me in the poorhouse, on the streets of London, and at the orphanage.” This quote explains Samuel’s philosophy throughout his life. I resonated with this quote because while this is not a sustainable philosophy, it helped Samuel survive his tough life experiences as an orphan. Throughout my life, I have fostered mindsets that, while not sustainable in the long term, help me get through hard times in my own life.
Hi Mackenzie! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on “Blood on the River!” I also really enjoyed reading it and gaining a little more insight into Virginia’s history. I grew up in Richmond, so I learned about Jamestown in fourth grade and even visited the site of Jamestown on a field trip. I felt like I had a decent background in Virginia history going into this lesson, so hearing that this was your first time learning about Jamestown is neat. You actually get to experience learning about this for the first time just like the students will when we teach it to them.
I agree that the book’s first-person perspective makes it an engaging and immersive read, especially for elementary students. It allows students to connect with Samuel’s experiences and emotions, making the history feel more personal and relatable. I also really enjoy your focus on the scene where Samuel visits Namontack’s home. It’s such a powerful moment that challenges traditional narratives about Indigenous people and encourages students to think critically about Jamestown history. I love your idea of having students choose a scene that stood out to them and explain its significance. This would be a great way to promote personal reflection and discussion in the classroom that I would like to use in my own classroom. When I teach this book, I would also have students pick a scene that resonated with them, as you suggested. One scene that stood out to me was Samuel’s realization that he couldn’t survive on his own and needed to work with others. It’s such an important lesson that extends beyond history and into life skills like teamwork and empathy. Thank you again for this thoughtful post! Have a great week!
Hi Mackenzie! Thank you for this blog post. I completely agree with you. I found Blood on The River an enjoyable read, and I was hooked by all the characters and their stories. Growing up, I learned briefly about Jamestown, though not too in-depth, since I’m not from Virginia. However, I remember being taught by reading long textbook passages and taking notes in class as teachers lectured on this information. Though these strategies were somewhat effective, if I were to teach this topic, I would incorporate more reading material, that isn’t from a textbook, such as Blood on the River, to pique students’ interest in this history. Having students pick out a scene that stood out would be a great strategy to help them think about the reading and some key takeaways. If I could pick a scene that stood out to me, it would be when Pocahontas visits Jamestown and plays with Samuel and the boys. For similar reasons, this scene depicts children racing each other, doing cartwheels, and running around, rather than the depiction many of us have in our heads today of such violence between the colonists and Native Americans. Though Pocahontas and Samuel differ in culture and background, they still come together, play, and have fun. In general, Pocahontas’ character would be interesting (and important) for students to focus on. Many students may only know Pocahontas from her Disney movie, and there is so much more to her than the information given there. This book is one source students can use to learn more about Pocahontas, and how she helped the colonists. I also really enjoyed the first-person point of view, which made the book more engaging. However, I would caution my students that, especially because of the first-person narration, though this book is based on factual history, some of it has been embellished or not proven true. Especially from the first-person perspective, it may be difficult for students to remember that this is a work of historical fiction. It may be helpful to have students read the author’s note (like we did in class) explaining this concept in more detail. Thanks again for a great post, Mackenzie!