William's House
Below-Level Reader
Colonial New England
Unit 2 Week 5
DRAW CONCLUSIONS ASK QUESTIONS
LESSON VOCABULARY barrels, cellar, clearing, peg, spoil, steep
SUMMARY The author describes how early colonists met basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. The work habits and education of children reveal the demands of life at that time.
INTRODUCE THE BOOK
BUILD BACKGROUND Ask students to discuss how they would feel if they did not have modern conveniences such as refrigerators, supermarkets, ready-to-wear clothing, and video games. What could they do to meet their needs?
PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Tell students to look at the pictures and read the captions while flipping through the book. Ask them to share any impressions or questions they may have about colonial life.
TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY Before reading, ask if students recognize the vocabulary words. Have volunteers use the words in sentences.
Help students sort words related to colonial New England by creating categories such as food, clothing, and homes.
TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
DRAW CONCLUSIONS Tell students that a
conclusion is a decision you reach after you think about what you have read. Model how to draw conclusions by using a web or a blank chart with spaces to write facts from the book, what one already knows, and the conclusions that result.
ASK QUESTIONS This strategy involves
asking questions about important text information. Good questions often start with
who, what, when, where, why, or
how. They are about important details in the story and are usually answered by information in the story. Ask students to write down questions they have while reading about colonial New England. Students who ask questions and find answers during reading are better able to draw conclusions.
READ THE BOOK
Use the following questions to support comprehension.
PAGE 3 Why was colonial America called New England by settlers? (Most settlers came to America from England, so their new home was like a "new" England.)
PAGE 4 Was it easy for colonists to get clothing to wear? (No. They had to make things themselves, from spinning yarn using sheep's wool to sewing wool cloth into clothing.)
PAGE 9 Why was food salted, smoked, dried, and stored in cool places? (These methods prevented food from spoiling during a time when there were no refrigerators.)
TALK ABOUT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
- Responses will vary.
- Responses will vary but may include questions about playtime, chores, learning, and family life.
- Clearing means to remove things such as trees, rocks, branches, and weeds. Fields need to be cleared for planting crops.
- Responses will vary, but will probably include mud walls, small size, furniture, and dirt floor.
RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING Ask students to pretend they are children in colonial New England in 1650. Tell them to write journal entries about a typical day in their lives.
CONTENT CONNECTIONS
SOCIAL STUDIES Provide reference materials that will help students learn more about different roles that colonists played in their communities. Then ask them to work in pairs and interview each other about what they did and needed to know to do their jobs.
L.R. TOC
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