Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What was the central conflict of the Revolutionary War? When was it fought? Who represented the opposing sides, and what were they fighting for?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to consider the themes of Glory Versus Tragedy in War and Kindness or Brutality in a Crisis in tandem with the historical context of the novel: the Revolutionary War. During the eight-year period, the European settlers living in the American colonies fought for independence from the British monarchy. Avi’s novel takes place over the course of a 24-hour period. Jonathan, the novel’s protagonist, is a 13-year-old boy who longs to fight for the “Americans.” As a result, he secretly joins a volunteer group to fight the Hessians, a German mercenary group funded by the British. Students who are unfamiliar with the Revolutionary War may benefit from a timed-research exercise in which they find the answers to the questions online using these research websites designed for kids; students might then come together and share their findings.