The Witchcraft of Salem Village

Cycle 1, Day 1

Agenda• Reading Goal:– Identify and describe important

elements of setting.

• Today’s Big Question:–Does anything good ever come of

gossip? Why or why not?

• Team Cooperation Goal:– Practice active listening

Survey and building background

• T-P-S• Where do you look for clues that

can help you predict what a book might be about?

• Survey the book.• What do you think we will be

reading about?• Has anyone heard about the Salem

witch trials? What do you already know?

Historical Narrative, Nonfiction

• Characters or real people?• Plot or real events?

• T-P-S• How can you tell that this is written

as a story, not as a textbook passage or a newspaper article?

• Why would an author choose to tell something factual in a story format?

Setting T-P-S• What is setting?• Why is it important to

understand the setting of a book?

• When is this book set?• What events in U.S. history are

happening around this time?• What do you already know about

life back then?

Listening• Listen as I read the Note, pages 1-7.• Listen to Think Aloud.

• T-P-S• What did you find surprising,

interesting, or different about life in the late 1600s?

• How does this fit with what you already know about the time period or place?

• What impact do you think it might have on the events of the story?

VocabularyWord DefinitionSurmount To overcomeTactful Showing sensitivity to the feelings of

othersFrivolous Of little importance or seriousnessCower To hide or shrink away from something

threateningEloquent Clear, appealing, and forceful in

speechAfflicted Troubled, tormented, or suffering in

some wayProminent Standing out, noticeablePrestige The degree of respect others hold for a

person

Partner read pgs 7-181. On pages 7-8, the author writes about quarrels in

Salem Village. Given what you know about the setting, why might this be important? What effect might these disputes have had on the town? (write)

2. Explain what the author means when she write on page 8: “Their lives were spent in hard work and religious observance. Even their relaxation was associated with the meeting house.” What conclusions can you draw about life in Salem Village?

3. What does the author think about Ann Putman? How do you know?

4. Why did the girls enjoy spending time with Tituba? Why were they afraid this might get them into trouble?

Reflection # heads• What were most people worried about

in Salem Village in 1692? What big fears did they have?

• Why does the author give so many details about daily life?

• How did the people of Salem Village get their news?

• Do you think this was a reliable way of sharing news? Why or why not?

• How might gossip contribute to events in a small community like Salem Village?