America's Mighty Rivers

Grade Appropriate:  3 - 8

Objectives:

• to introduce students to the cultural importance of two of America's rivers by examining one story that takes place on the Mississippi River and another on the Hudson River
• to introduce students to the concept of preservation and stewardship

National Standards Connections:

This lesson plan meets the following learning standards as organized by the Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory (see Links for Web address).

Language Arts (3 - 8):  Applies reading skills and strategies to a variety of literary passages and texts (e.g. fairy tales, folktales, fiction, nonfiction)

History (3 - 8 ): Understands the folklore and other cultural contributions form various regions of the United States and how they helped to form a national heritage

Art (3 - 8): Understands connections among the various art forms and other disciplines

Suggested Time Allowance:  three 45-minute sessions

Background for Teachers:   (See About WI, About Sunnyside , and Links for more information)

In 1997, the Federal government established the American Heritage River Initiative to help protect and preserve America's rivers (see Links for web address). Because of their importance to America's environment, economics, and history, the Hudson and Mississippi Rivers are two of the ten rivers that have been named heritage rivers. 

The following lesson plan considers the influence of the Hudson and Mississippi  Rivers on two American authors -- Samuel Langhorne Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain)  and Washington Irving.  Clemens' (1835 - 1910) childhood home is a historic site located in Hannibal, MO (see Links for more web sites with more information).  Irving's (1783 - 1859) historic home - Sunnyside - is located along the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York (see Background section for more information).

Both authors wrote stories that take place in areas located near the rivers.  Clemens' Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) is about a young boy who leaves his home to travel up the Mississippi.  Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle (1819-1820) is set in the Catskill Mountains along the Hudson River.

Vocabulary: (Complete list )

Hudson River:
315 mile river that flows from the Adirondacks in upstate New York to Upper New York Bay (near New York City) which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.  The river is names after the early Dutch explorer Henry Hudson, who in 1609 traveled up the river.

Activities / Procedures:

1.   Discussion:  Introduce students to Washington Irving and Samuel Langhorne Clemens as two important 19th-century authors who not only lived along rivers, but also used their surrounding area as backdrops to several  fictional stories.  Introduce the idea that America's rivers have made an impact on many authors, as well as painters and photographers. 

2.   Reading activity: Read  versions of Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle   and Samuel Langhorne Clemens' Adventures of Tom Sawyer  or view them in   video formats (see Reference list for suggested books and videos). Suggested   questions:  How is life in the 18th and 19th century on America's river represented in these stories?  Do you think things are similar today?

3.   Research:  Ask students to research what life is like on the rivers today.  This   research can be translated into written reports or presentations. Ask students to consider the different kinds of commercial and leisure-time activities occurring on the rivers.  Also, students may identify environmental issues and   what is being done to preserve the rivers (see Links for suggested web sites).  They might also include information about the preservation of historic land-  marks that border the rivers, such as   Washington Irving's Sunnyside home   along the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York.
 

Assessment:

Through their involvement in several discussions, students will demonstrate their understanding of the impact of rivers on American authors.  Criteria for assessment include:

1. active involvement in discussions
2. ability to retell story using main characters and setting and in correct sequence
3. detailed research report or presentation on America's river today