The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Copyright: 2010
Citation: Sheinkin, S. (2010). The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Copyright: 2010
Citation: Sheinkin, S. (2010). The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.
Literary Awards, Honors, and/or Nominations
- 2012 YALSA's Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: Winner
- 2011 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction: Winner
Reading Level:
Grade Level Equivalent: 7.1
Lexile Measure: 990L
DRA: 60
Guided Reading: Y
-Original description of the book
Steve Sheinkin used great primary and secondary resources throughout this book. It is also a great introductory book to get students used to biographies and to introduce them to American historical figures. It is a very action-packed book that has interesting twists and turns that keeps you on your toes. The Notorious Benedict Arnold is also a great book for older students as well. I didn’t know much about Benedict Arnold and while I was reading I was getting not just history about our country but also about different towns in Connecticut. This book also uses different perspectives about how Benedict Arnold betrays his country and how many people think of him as a traitor, other believe that he is a hero.
-Corresponding Common Core State Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. (Activity that addresses the standard: Students debating over the controversy of Benedict Arnold's actions.)
-Suggested delivery
1) Independent Read
-2 electronic resources
1) American Revolution on Ducksters
2) Biographies for Kids-Famous Leaders
-3 teaching suggestions for grades 4-6
1) Teachers can use this book in the classroom as an introduction or as a resource/biography about the American/Revolutionary War. This will help students become interested in the people who were involved in the Revolutionary War and what people during that time had to go through.
2) Another way teachers can use this book in the classroom is to teach students about the different Historical Figures that the United States has. While teaching this topic, teachers can also go into the concept about different perspectives that people have about these historic people and how misconceptions were formed about them.
3) This book would also be a great way to introduce to students what autobiographies and biographies are and what are in them. Teachers can also teach students about the different types of resources that are used for biographies and autobiographies.
-Key vocabulary
1) Justice of the peace: a local public officer that that determines minor civil and criminal cases and having authority give oaths and oversees marriages
2) Gout: a reoccurring disease characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, mainly in the feet and hands
3) Wharf: a structure built on a shore that lets ships be moored to unload supplies
4) Apprehend: to take into custody; arrested by a legal warrant and authority
5) Revile: to speak abusively
6) Calumniate: to make false and malicious statements
7) Magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness
8) Indelicate: improper; offensive to a sense of generally accepted modesty or decency
9) Obstinate: not easily controlled; firmly believing or sticking to one’s opinion
10) Frivolous: characterized by a lack of seriousness; having little or no importance
11) Animosity: a feeling of strong dislike or ill well that tends to display itself in action
12) Calumny: a false and cruel statement meant to injure the reputation of someone or something
13) Sycophant: a self-seeking flatter
14) Zeal: eager desire
15) Abhor: to regard with extreme disgust
16) Tyranny: a government ruled by one ruler
17) Annals: a record of events of a specific year
18) Adjutant: a staff officer who assists the commanding officer in giving orders
19) Audacious: extremely bold and daring
-Vocabulary Instruction
This specific books is filled with a lot of complex vocabulary that is mostly used with military and war themed books, so students will most likely need to have more explicit instruction that will expose these words before they come across them in the book. Students can create their own vocabulary stapleless book to give the students the work, definition, visuals and other clues that will help them remember the word's meaning. Students can go back and add more information as they read the book to build their knowledge about these vocabulary words.
-An inferential comprehension writing activity
Students will write extended response-style essays on the following prompts:
-Did Steve Sheinkin’s book accurately and effectively communicate the sentiments of George Washington and Benedict, as implied by their letters? Explain your reasoning using evidence from the text, as well as your own interpretation.
-Did Sheinkin’s book provides sufficient background knowledge to explain how the letters between Arnold and Washington were influential to Arnold’s subsequent acts of treason? Explain your reasoning using evidence from the text, as well as your interpretation.
-Before Reading Comprehension Activity: Create an interactive avatar on Blabberize and use that to give a background on Benedict Arnold. Once the avatar is done, ask students based on what they just heard and know about Benedict Arnold what they believe the book will be about and whether they believe if he is a traitor or a hero.
-During Reading Comprehension Activity: Have students take split-page note taking while reading or listening to the book. This will help students to remember what they thought was important and why.
-After Reading Comprehension Activity: Have students create a skit based on what happened in the book. The students will be split up into groups and will have a certain time period assigned to them and they will have to sort out the main events and recreate them to the class.
Lexile Measure: 990L
DRA: 60
Guided Reading: Y
-Original description of the book
Steve Sheinkin used great primary and secondary resources throughout this book. It is also a great introductory book to get students used to biographies and to introduce them to American historical figures. It is a very action-packed book that has interesting twists and turns that keeps you on your toes. The Notorious Benedict Arnold is also a great book for older students as well. I didn’t know much about Benedict Arnold and while I was reading I was getting not just history about our country but also about different towns in Connecticut. This book also uses different perspectives about how Benedict Arnold betrays his country and how many people think of him as a traitor, other believe that he is a hero.
-Corresponding Common Core State Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. (Activity that addresses the standard: Students debating over the controversy of Benedict Arnold's actions.)
-Suggested delivery
1) Independent Read
-2 electronic resources
1) American Revolution on Ducksters
2) Biographies for Kids-Famous Leaders
-3 teaching suggestions for grades 4-6
1) Teachers can use this book in the classroom as an introduction or as a resource/biography about the American/Revolutionary War. This will help students become interested in the people who were involved in the Revolutionary War and what people during that time had to go through.
2) Another way teachers can use this book in the classroom is to teach students about the different Historical Figures that the United States has. While teaching this topic, teachers can also go into the concept about different perspectives that people have about these historic people and how misconceptions were formed about them.
3) This book would also be a great way to introduce to students what autobiographies and biographies are and what are in them. Teachers can also teach students about the different types of resources that are used for biographies and autobiographies.
-Key vocabulary
1) Justice of the peace: a local public officer that that determines minor civil and criminal cases and having authority give oaths and oversees marriages
2) Gout: a reoccurring disease characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, mainly in the feet and hands
3) Wharf: a structure built on a shore that lets ships be moored to unload supplies
4) Apprehend: to take into custody; arrested by a legal warrant and authority
5) Revile: to speak abusively
6) Calumniate: to make false and malicious statements
7) Magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness
8) Indelicate: improper; offensive to a sense of generally accepted modesty or decency
9) Obstinate: not easily controlled; firmly believing or sticking to one’s opinion
10) Frivolous: characterized by a lack of seriousness; having little or no importance
11) Animosity: a feeling of strong dislike or ill well that tends to display itself in action
12) Calumny: a false and cruel statement meant to injure the reputation of someone or something
13) Sycophant: a self-seeking flatter
14) Zeal: eager desire
15) Abhor: to regard with extreme disgust
16) Tyranny: a government ruled by one ruler
17) Annals: a record of events of a specific year
18) Adjutant: a staff officer who assists the commanding officer in giving orders
19) Audacious: extremely bold and daring
-Vocabulary Instruction
This specific books is filled with a lot of complex vocabulary that is mostly used with military and war themed books, so students will most likely need to have more explicit instruction that will expose these words before they come across them in the book. Students can create their own vocabulary stapleless book to give the students the work, definition, visuals and other clues that will help them remember the word's meaning. Students can go back and add more information as they read the book to build their knowledge about these vocabulary words.
-An inferential comprehension writing activity
Students will write extended response-style essays on the following prompts:
-Did Steve Sheinkin’s book accurately and effectively communicate the sentiments of George Washington and Benedict, as implied by their letters? Explain your reasoning using evidence from the text, as well as your own interpretation.
-Did Sheinkin’s book provides sufficient background knowledge to explain how the letters between Arnold and Washington were influential to Arnold’s subsequent acts of treason? Explain your reasoning using evidence from the text, as well as your interpretation.
-Before Reading Comprehension Activity: Create an interactive avatar on Blabberize and use that to give a background on Benedict Arnold. Once the avatar is done, ask students based on what they just heard and know about Benedict Arnold what they believe the book will be about and whether they believe if he is a traitor or a hero.
-During Reading Comprehension Activity: Have students take split-page note taking while reading or listening to the book. This will help students to remember what they thought was important and why.
-After Reading Comprehension Activity: Have students create a skit based on what happened in the book. The students will be split up into groups and will have a certain time period assigned to them and they will have to sort out the main events and recreate them to the class.
