The Salem Witch Trials
By Matt Doeden
Genre: non-fiction
Grade: third to fifth
About The Author
With 138 published books, Doeden is a successful author. Writing non-fiction books, he is now a freelance writer, and was an editor on the Capstone Press for 7 years. Doeden admits that his work is all over the place, writing about genetics, geography, sports, cars, nutrtion, and more, click link above for more. He has also focused on emergent readers, and ESL students, and appears to be a man of many talents.
About The Book
This a a you Choose Book, meaning that is an interactive history book for young readers. It has 3 story paths, 39 choices and 13 endings! Students can decide to be three different characters: 1. They can can defend themselves against charges of witch craft 2. Try keeping a family together after their mother has been put on trial 3. Or they can accuse someone of witch craft. Based in a colony out of Massachusetts in 1692 readers can get a real sense of the time period. Ever story path is real person trials and tribulations during the Salem Witch Trials. I found the book to be a great alternative to "typical" chapter books, as it gives it reader power and engages them in the reading process.
Lesson
purpose: To understand the Salem Witch Trials by actively taking part in a trial
Pre-assessment: Having a formal discussion of the Salem Witch Trials, attached to a corresponding worksheet looking at when, how, and why.
Lesson: Students will read the text ( a certain amount of them should read each path way). Then go over important factual information during the Salem Witch Trials. Once done students will put on their on trial. They will have a judge, spectators or family, the accusing party, and the individual(s) put on trial. The students story paths will effect what they do in the trial as to help with background knowledge. When this is done students will then write a paper on the reading and the trial comparing and contrasting the two and answering how they felt in the trail (putting themselves in their characters shoes).
Post assessment: Taking student notes on the trial, looking at the paper, and giving a test.
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