Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone brings early American history to life through the compelling story of Samuel Collier and the founding of Jamestown, offering students a powerful lens into survival, conflict, and cultural encounter in the early colonial period. Beginning in mid-February 2026, this APEX book study will feature five interactive webinar discussions paired with practical teaching strategies for using the text effectively with students. Participants will deepen their historical understanding, explore instructional approaches for reading historical fiction in the classroom, and complete five short quizzes to earn APEX hours and an associated stipend. 

Can’t attend every Zoom session? No problem—participants may still join and complete quizzes on their own schedule.

All book club meetings will be held on Zoom. Participants will also access quizzes and course materials through the National Performance for Education Learning Center. An invitation to the Learning Center will be sent prior to the first meeting.

Book Club Meeting Schedule
All meetings take place at 5:00 PM Central / 6:00 PM Eastern. Click on the links below to register for meetings.

February 17 – Orientation

February 24 – Chapters 1–5

March 3 – Chapters 6–10

March 10 – Chapters 11–15

March 17 – Chapters 16–20

March 24 – Chapter 21 & Afterward 

We’re looking forward to meaningful conversations and a great learning experience together. More details will be shared soon!