Section 1: pp.1-20

Discussion Director
 
    Today your job will be Discussion Director. You will read this section of the book, and choose questions for your group to discuss. The question you select would be interesting and important to the story. Please select: one compare/contrast question; one author's purpose; one prediction question; one sequencing question; and one fact or opinion question.

1. Compare and contrast Samuel Eaton's way of life with our own way of life.

    Answer:    Samuel Eaton has many responsibilities that children in our time do not have. He does not attend public school, instead he helps his family with chores. He lives in a village, which is like a town or neighborhood in our day. Samuel wears different clothes than we do- it takes longer for him to get dressed in the mornings. Samuel "brushes" his clothes, we wash ours. His family sits down and eats the meal together, much like we still do today. There are no cars or busses to take Sam and his father to the rye fields.

2. What is the author's purpose for writing this story?

    Answer:    The author is describing what life was like during the day of the pilgrims. The author is demonstrating what a day in life in the life of a pilgrim boy would be like.

3. What do you predict about the rye harvest? Do you think it will be successful, or not?

    Answer:    I predict that Samuel will help with the harvest as much as he can. He may not be as successful as he wants to be, though, because it is only his first time going. I predict that Samuel's father will be happy with his work.

4. Describe the sequence of events that have occurred so far in Samuel's day.

    Answer:    First, Samuel gets dressed with Mam's help. Then, he goes to the spring to get water. Next, Samuel visits the forest to see if he has caught any food in his trap. While returning to the house, Samuel gathers firewood. Then Sam washes up and brushes his clothes. Breakfast is served, and the whole family eats together. After breakfast, Samuel, his Father and a friend, Robert Bartlett, head to the rye field. Samuel helps by gathering and binding the rye that has been cut.

5. Fact or opinion: Harvesting rye is easy.

    Answer:    Opinion: Harvesting rye might be easy to Samuel's father or to Robert Bartlett, but it is not easy for Samuel, and it probably would not be easy for me!
 

Passage Picker

    Your job today will be Passage Picker. You will read this section of the book, and select passages that you find especially interesting, descriptive, important, or surprising. Select four passages to discuss with the class. Be sure to include: page and paragraph number; first two words and last two words of the passage; why you chose this passage; a question about the passage; and what was the author's purpose for this passage ( to describe, inform, entertain, persuade).

1. p.3, para. 3, "Today is...the harvest."
        I chose this passage because it is important to the story. This passage is describing what Samuel's goal is, and why he is   about to reach to that goal.
    The author's purpose for this passage is to describe how Samuel is feeling about the harvest.
    Question: Have you ever received something that you wanted very badly, like Samuel wants to go to harvest?
    Answer: Yes! I wanted to be a cheerleader, and when I turned five, I was old enough to join the squad.

2. p.9, para. 1, "Now that...a pottage."
    I chose this passage because it is very descriptive. It describes why Samuel set a snare, and what the snare's purpose is.
    The author's purpose for this passage is to describe Samuel's interaction with the snare.
    Question: What are some activities that you will be able to do when you are "almost grown"?
    Answer: I will be able to get a loan, and buy a house when I am "almost grown".

3. p.14, para. 2, "Tis no...the grain."
    I chose this passage because it explains the importance of having a successful harvest.
    The author's purpose for this passage is to inform.
    Question: What will happen if there is not a successful harvest?
    Answer: There will not be enough food for the family to make it through the winter.

4. p.20, para. 1 "When I...Father see."
    I chose this passage because it describes part of how Samuel is feeling about his first harvest.
    The author's purpose for this passage is to describe.
    Question: Why must Samuel keep his true feelings from his father?
    Answer: Because his father might think he is not ready to work the fields yet.

Word Wizard

        Your job today is the Word Wizard. You will read this section of the book. Then you will look up the following words in the section. Find the sentence from the book that contains the word, including the page and paragraph number. Then, find the definition of the word (this book has a glossary at the end). Next, write your own sentence using that word. Put this information on an index card, and draw a picture that describes or explains the word.

1. rye
    p.3, para. 3, "I am to help with the rye harvest for the first time."
    definition: a cereal grass whose seeds are used to make flower
    sentence: "There were large fields of wheat and rye along the landscape."

2. snare
    p.9, para. 1, "I run to the woods to check my snare."
    definition: a rope trap for catching animals
    sentence: "The chipmunk was trapped in the snare."

3. samp
    p.13, para. 1, "I serve Father and Mam the samp."
    definition: cracked corn cooked to a mush
    sentence: "Samp can be spiced up by adding salt and pepper."

4. sickle
    p. 16, para. 3, "I am not grown enough to wield the sickle."
    definition: a tool with a curved blade used to cut grain stalks
    sentence: "I bet that sickle is pretty sharp."

Character Sketcher

        Your job today is the Character Sketcher. Read this section of the book, and pick an interesting character. On your own, choose three words that describe your character. For each word, you must provide proof that the character is really like that. Next, decide what your character's goals are in this story. Then, find a problem that your character faces. Is this problem resolved, how? Also, draw a picture of your character, being as creative as you wish.

Samuel
Eager to work in the fields.
Determined to please his father.
Tired from working so hard.
Goal: have a successful first day in the fields.
Problem: afraid he might not work hard enough for his father
Solution: works as hard as he can while in the fields.

Connector
    Your job today is the Connector. Read this section of the book. As you are reading, try to think of ways you can relate your own life to Samuel Eaton's life. You can relate ideas, events, themes or anything else you think of. You will share these connections with the rest of the group, and question to see if anyone else made any connections to Samuel Eaton.
 
The way that I connected to Samuel Eaton was because I have to get up very early in the morning. I also have a pretty set routine for the day, just like he does.