Vocabulary
What are barrels?
Containers with round, flat tops and bottoms, used to hold something in
What is another name for a basement?
A cellar
William built a roof with a steep pitch so that...
the snow would fall off.
William’s house is made entirely of things found in nature. Why do you think that is?
Those were the only materials available.
Construct another title for William's House
A New Home in New England
(answers may vary)
What is a cellar?
An underground room; A basement
What is another name for an open field?
A clearing
William set out to build a house that was...
like his father's house in England.
What kind of person is William?
He works hard. He takes good care of his family. He misses his home.
How would you describe how William's house in New England is different from our New England houses?
Our houses today have metal roofs, insulation, glass windows, cellars just below the house, more sturdy houses, refrigeration, etc.
(answers may vary)
What is a clearing?
An open space of land; A field
What does it mean when something goes bad?
What is the setting of the story?
New England 1637 across the different seasons of the year.
What conclusion can you draw about life in colonial New England?
Life was hard; You needed to work for what you needed for your family.
How would you explain the reason the author wrote this story?
To help you understand that you can have problems when you find yourself in a new place and you may need to make changes based on these problems.
What are pegs?
Pins or small bolts of wood used to fasten parts together
What word means when something goes almost straight up?
steep
What was the first change William made?
He dug a cellar to store food so it would not spoil.
How was life in New England different from life in England?
New England's weather was more harsh than in England
(New England had hotter summers, colder and more snowy winters, and stronger winds)
*Bonus*
Double Points
What does spoil mean?
To become bad
What does historical fiction mean?
A fictional story that takes place in the past
Name another change that William made to his house.
1. He made a clearing 2. He replaced thatch on the roof with shingles 3. He made a steeper roof 4. He built a larger fireplace 5. He used an animal horn to make a window.
Why didn’t William make all the changes to his house at the same time?
He made each change as a new problem occurred.
What do you think was the most important change William made to his house?
(answers may vary)