Prereading Strategies

	Draw conclusions to improve comprehension.
	Ask questions to draw conclusions.

GENRE STUDY

Historical Fiction

William's House is historical fiction. Explain that historical fiction is realistic fiction that takes place in the past. Often, the events and/or the characters in historical fiction are based on real events or people; even when the events and people are made up, they are based on historical fact.

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students preview the selection title and illustrations and discuss the topics or ideas they think this selection will cover. Encourage students to use lesson vocabulary as they talk about what they expect to learn.

Predict Have students write their predictions in their strategy response logs. Students will check their predictions in the Strategy Response Log activity on p. 261.

SET PURPOSE

Read the first page of the selection aloud to students. Discuss with students where William is from (England) and where he is living now (New England). Brainstorm ways in which the two places are different. Read to find out how William will have to adapt to life in the new country.

Remind students to ask questions and draw conclusions as they read.

STRATEGY RECALL

Students have now used these before-reading strategies:

preview the selection to be aware of its genre, features, and possible content;
activate prior knowledge about that content and what to expect of that genre;
make predictions;
set a purpose for reading.

Remind students to be aware of and flexibly use the during-reading strategies they have learned:

link prior knowledge to new information;
summarize text they have read so far;
ask clarifying questions;
answer questions they or others pose;
check their predictions and either refine them or make new predictions;
recognize the text structure the author is using, and use that knowledge to make predictions and increase comprehension;
visualize what the author is describing;
monitor their comprehension and use fix-up strategies.

After reading, students will use these strategies:

summarize or retell the text;
answer questions they or others pose;
reflect to make new information become part of their prior knowledge.

AudioText

"William's House"
by Ginger Howard

Student Edition
Unit 2, pp. 254–265

Historical fiction is a story that takes place in the past. What can you learn about when this story takes place?

William grew up in England, but in 1637 he and his family were living in New England. William needed to build a house for his wife and two sons. He wanted it to be like his father's house in England.
William cut trees and used the wood to make the frame and sides of the house. He used wooden pegs as nails. He built a small stone fireplace in the corner of the house's one room. He then added a thatched roof. Since he didn't have glass for a window, he used scraped animal horn and placed it between slits in the boards.
He made a few pieces of furniture for the home too. He made a table from a packing crate and mattresses from sacks filled with corn husks. He looked at his home and smiled. It did indeed look just like his father's house in England.
That summer was very hot, much hotter than summers in England. The family's food began to spoil. Elizabeth, William's wife, warned that the family had to do something or else they would lose all their food. William dug a cellar and stored their vegetables and barrels of food in the cool underground room.
In late summer, strong winds blew, toppling a tree near the house. Elizabeth warned that the family had to do something or a tree would fall and crush them. William cut down trees to make a clearing around the house.
Fall came, and everything was dry, much drier than in England. Sparks from the fireplace went up the chimney and fell on the dry thatched roof. Elizabeth warned that the family had to do something or the house would burn down. William tore off the thatched roof and put up cedar shingles instead. They would not burn as easily as thatch.
Winter brought a lot of snow, much more snow than in England. The heavy snow weighed down the roof. Elizabeth warned that the family had to do something or the roof would collapse. William and his friends built a steep, peaked roof so snow would slide off.
Winter was also much colder than in England. Elizabeth warned that the family had to do something or they would freeze. William built a bigger fireplace in the center of one wall. It kept them cozy and warm in their new house.
Spring came, and so did a ship from England. On it were William's cousins. When they looked at his house, they asked what kind of house it was.
William looked at it and said, "This is like my father's house-reshaped for New England."
Then he turned to his cousins. "Welcome!" he said, and they all went inside.



	Close
	Activate Prior Knowledge Have students share their experiences coming to the United States. Encourage them to talk about what they expected America to be like and to compare and contrast their native country and the United States. Consider having students read the selection summary in English or in students' home languages. See the Multilingual Summaries in the ELL Teaching Guide, pp. 68–70.

"William's House" by Ginger Howard

"William's House"
by Ginger Howard