Have a Debate
In the book Guests, you can conclude that the "guests" who come to the harvest feast are the Pilgrims. What proof is there in the book that they are, indeed, the Pilgrims? Choose a group: those who will argue that the guests are the Pilgrims, those who will argue that the guests are not the Pilgrims, and those who will act as judges of the debate. Help your group find specific descriptions and examples from the book to support your point of view. The judges can look for evidence that supports either view so they can decide if an argument is valid or not. Allow each group to present their arguments, then let the judges decide who wins the debate.

Be a Storyteller
Michael Dorris includes three Native American stories in this book: "Running Woman," "How the People Lost Each Other," and "The Beaver and the Muskrat Woman." Read each of them aloud to the class and explain that storytelling was a way for Native Americans to pass history, stories, traditions, and fables down from one generation to the next. Conduct a class discussion in which students try to capture the main point of each story and then create a moral for it. Tell students that each member of the class will perform one of these stories from memory. Instruct each student to select the story she likes the best and read it silently to herself one more time. Suggest that each student picture the events of the story in her head rather than trying to memorize the words. If students are nervous about performing without the book, allow them to write a one-sentence description of each important event from the story on an index card. Allow time for students to practice telling their stories. Encourage them to use hand motions, facial expressions, props, and different tones of voice to bring the story to life. When the students are ready, invite an audience (parents, classmates, teachers) to come and listen to the fabulous Native American stories they have to tell.

Make Brochures About the Wampanoag People
As a way to understand the differences between stereotypes about Native Americans and reality, students will conduct research about the Wampanoag people (including their lives today) and create brochures. Gather reference materials such as books, magazines, and the Internet resources below for student use, and allow students to browse through them for a few minutes. Afterward, conduct a class discussion in which students generate a list of topics to research. These might include clothing, food, where the Wampanoag lived in the past and where they live today, cultural traditions, etc. Write the list on the board and allow each student to select a topic that interests him. Explain that each student will research his chosen topic and then create a brochure about it to share with the class. To make the brochures, fold a blank piece of paper into thirds, which will give students six panels (using both sides of the paper) to fill in with illustrations and information. Ask students to put a title at the top of each panel, follow that with facts about the title, and include at least one illustration on each panel. When the brochures are finished, have students share them with one another.