Sailing Home
Advanced-Level Reader
The Incredible Journey . . .
Unit 5 Week 1
AUTHOR'S PURPOSE PREDICT
LESSON VOCABULARY bow, cargo, celestial, conducted, dignified, navigation, quivered, stern
SUMMARY Visiting French Polynesia in 1936, Norwegian zoologist Thor Heyerdahl became curious where Polynesians came from and how. Hypothesizing that Peru was their origin, Heyerdahl set out to replicate a 4,000-mile journey aboard his craft, the Kon-Tiki. This book traces the plans and trip.
INTRODUCE THE BOOK
BUILD BACKGROUND Ask students to describe their experiences with rafts or other sailing vessels. Have a world map on hand and ask if students can locate Peru, Norway, and French Polynesia on the map. Ask what students know about life in these countries.
PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Have students preview the text by looking at the maps, raft diagram, trade wind diagram, subheadings, and the Glossary. Ask students what they expect to learn from the book.
TEACH/PREVIEW VOCABULARY Have students share the meanings of glossary terms they know; then define words they don't. Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Have students identify the two homonyms among the glossary words.
TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
AUTHOR'S PURPOSE Explain that authors have many reasons for writing, among them: to persuade, to inform, to entertain, and to express. Often, authors have more than one purpose. Note that it is important to determine the
author's purpose so that you can adjust the way you read. Students should be able to give reasons, after reading, for what they see as an author's purpose.
PREDICT Define
predict for students; it means to tell what you think might happen next in a text based on what has already happened. As they read, encourage students to predict how the
Kon-Tiki will handle rough seas.
READ THE BOOK
Use the following questions to support comprehension.
PAGES 5–6 What clues made Heyerdahl think Polynesians came from Peru? Pyramids and temples in Polynesia were similar to those in Peru, bearded lightskinned people lived in both places, trade winds would carry a sea vessel northwest.
PAGE 13 What is the author's purpose in describing the trip's scary first days? It makes the story entertaining and provides facts that help explain the trip's importance.
PAGE 15 How did the crew figure out how far they'd traveled each day? Stars were a guide.
Ask students to share what they know of the Spanish
conquistadores or explorers. Some may wish to share their knowledge of ancient gods, such as
Kon-Tiki.
TALK ABOUT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
- Many people believed the early Polynesians came from the West.
- Possible response: The author's purpose was to show how
Thor Heyerdahl proved his theory. Clues that the voyage will
succeed are on pages 3, 6, 7, and 9.
- Answers will vary.
- Answers will vary.
RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING Have students imagine they are with the crew on the Kon-Tiki as it heads for Polynesia. Have them write a short description of a night aboard the vessel.
CONTENT CONNECTIONS
SOCIAL STUDIES Have students,
alone or in groups, use the library
and Internet to do short research on other
ocean explorers, such as Columbus, Magellan, or Vasco
de Gama. Have them report back to the class.
