Section 3: pp. 1-14

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 questions you select should be interesting and important to the story. Please answer three describing questions, one cause and effect question, and one prediction question.

1. Describe Molly's problem in this section of the book. Was there a solution to this problem?
Answer: Molly's problem was that was accused of stealing from the lord. The sentence for this crime is, of course, death.  The solution was that she read from the Bible, since anyone who could read the Bible could not be killed for stealing.

2. What caused Molly to be accused of stealing?
Answer: The cow turned over the pail of milk when Molly sneezed. SO, Molly had no milk to take back to the manor house.

3. How do you think Molly felt when she finally gained her freedom?
Answer: I think Molly was very happy, but maybe a little scared to be all on her own.

4. The farmer gave Molly all the items she would need t re-start her life (an ox, a cart, a plow, two hoes, seeds, corn, clothes, a gun). What might you need to start a life all alone?
Answer: I would need, clothes, flour (for bread), water, my dog, a knife and a radio.

5. Predict what you think will happen to Molly.
Answer: I think Molly will find someone else to help on her farm. With this help, Molly will become a successful woman.
 

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. 2, para. 1, “The man …was lord.”
I picked this passage because it shows me how powerful the lord is.
The authors purpose for this passage is to describe how dominant the lord is over Molly.
Question: How do you think Molly feels about the lord from this description?
Answer: I think Molly probably does not like the lord, she just works for him, and he gives her a place to live.
 

2. p 7, para. 1, “Her life…a ship.”
I picked this passage because it made me feel sorry for Molly.
The author's purpose for this passage is to describe what Molly was going through at this time in her life.
Question: How do you think Molly felt about her new life?
Answer: I think she was thankful to be alive, but was unsure of her future away from England.

3. p. 10, para. 1, “After she…plow steady.”
I picked this passage because it showed me how similar Molly's new life was to her old life.
The authors purpose for this passage is to inform to reader of what Molly's life was like in the New World.
Question: Compare Molly's life before and after the trial, up to this point in the section.
Answer: Before and After Molly's trial, she worked for someone who provided her with a home. She did manual labor that she did not enjoy, but she was determined to do a good job.

4. p. 13, para. 1, “They helped…to sell.”
I picked this passage because it describes how friendly Molly's new neighbors were. It made me like her neighbors.
The author's purpose for this passage is to persuade the reader to like Molly's neighbors.
Question: Think of a time when you helped some one. Describe what you did and how it made you feel.
Answer: I helped pack and load items for people who had been affected by hurricane Andrew. It made me feel very important, like I was helping to make someone's life a little better, just when they thought it couldn't get any worse.
 

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. obstinate
        p. 2, para. 1, "On a cold, gray morning in 1683, Molly Walsh sat on a stool tugging at the udder of an obstinate cow."
        definition: difficult to manage; stubborn
        sentence: I am obstinate when I don't get my way.

2. scullery
        p.3, para. 1, "When the pail was full, it was her duty to take it up the hill to the manor house and hand it to the scullery maid, who handed it to the kitchen maid, who handed it to the cook."
        definition: a small room adjoining a kitchen.
        sentence: We wash dishes in the scullery.

3. gallows
        p. 5, para. 1, "The usual penalty was death on the gallows, but no one who could read the Bible could be executed for
        stealing."
        definition: a device consisting of two upright posts supporting a crossbeam from which a noose is suspended and used for execution by hanging.
        sentence: The gallows were used to execute many people in the Salem witch trials.

4. cure
        p.13, para. 1, "They helped her harvest and cure her first crop."
        definition: to prepare, preserve or finish a substance by a chemical or physical process.
        sentence: Tobacco must be cured before it can be sold at the market.
 

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.

Molly
Hard working because she works all day, and does not receive much in return.
Brave because she starts a new life twice, all on her own.
Independent because she earns her own money, and answers only to her employers.
Goal: wants to live a happy life.
Problem: Is accused of stealing milk from the lord.
Solution: Reads from the Bible and is sentenced to bondage instead of death.

Summarizer
Your job today will be the summarizer. Pick out the main events from this section of the book. Record them on your paper and share this brief summary with your group.