21st Century Lessons

Citing Textual Evidence in Complex Informational Texts –

The Salem Witch Trials Lesson #1: 110 minutes

Primary Lesson Designer(s):Audrey Schindler McDonald

1

Access 300,000+ free lesson plans like this one on Share My Lesson, developed by the American Federation of Teachers and TES Global: sharemylesson.com.

2

3

This project is funded by the American Federation of Teachers.

4

*1st Time Users of 21st Century Lesson:Click HERE for a detailed description of our project.

21st Century Lessons – Teacher Preparation

• Spend AT LEAST 30 minutes studying the Lesson Overview, Teacher Notes on each slide, and accompanying worksheets.

• Set up your projector and test this PowerPoint file to make sure all animations, media, etc. work properly.

Please do the following as you prepare to deliver this lesson:

• Feel free to customize this file to match the language and routines in your classroom.

5

Lesson Objective

By the end of this three lesson unit, students should be able to examine three different types of primary source documents (a letter, a diary entry, and court testimony) related to the Salem Witch Trials. Students should also be able to choose textual evidence that support claims, and write reasoning and analysis statements.

Lesson Description

This lesson is the first of three within a unit on citing appropriate evidence from informational texts. The focus is on the Salem Witch Trials – a topic that most students will find engaging. While interacting with different primary source documents and participating in a variety of activities, students will be thinking about, and answering, the following essential questions: What is the impact of the Salem Witch Trials on the overall community during the Seventeenth Century? How does a particular document (text) inform and change our perception of an historical event? How does seeing only one side of an argument limit our understanding of a subject?

Lesson Overview (1 of 4)

6

Lesson Vocabulary Claim: a statement that can be proven (or disproven) using evidenceEvidence: proof that supports or negates a claim, taken directly from a text.Mass hysteria: a condition affecting a group of people who display excitement or anxiety, irrational behavior or beliefs, or inexplicable symptoms of illness.

Materials Handout of Governor Phips’ LetterHandout of CE TemplateScoring GuideChart PaperMarkerFour Corners Activity SignsPowerPoint, LCD ProjectorExit Slip Handouts OR White-lined Paper

Common Core State Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.1: Cite textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Lesson Overview (2 of 4)

7

Scaffolding The word choice and spelling of the document used in this lesson is often confusing even for our strongest readers, therefore a helpful vocabulary list has been provided. This will help struggling students with the content.

Enrichment Advanced students may read the second letter (found immediately after the first letter) from Governor Phips to the Earl of Nottingham, and write their own claims and provide textual evidence to support these claims. Students might also research other letters written during this same period to look for similarities and differences, and to further develop their understanding of background information.

Online Resources for Absent Students

http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people/phips.htmlhttp://www.newfane.wnyric.org/page/558http://teachinghistory.org/best-practices/examples-of-historical-thinking/24551

Lesson Overview (3 of 4)

8

Lesson Overview (4 of 4)Before and After Before: Students should know the protocol for working in small

groups. Students should have an understanding of the time period for the Salem Witch Trials. Students should understand the term Mass Hysteria. Students should be knowledgeable about how to annotate texts and ask higher order thinking questions.

After: Students will begin to have more thorough background information on the Salem Witch Trials. Students will understand a leader’s stance on the situation in Salem. Students will cite evidence from the text to support three claims.

Topic Background

William Phips – a ship captain, treasure hunter, and eventual first royally appointed Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay – became Governor in the midst of the Salem Witch Trial mass hysteria. During his time as Governor, Phips wrote many letters to the Earl of Nottingham describing the events of the Salem Witch Trials, and informing the Earl of his actions. Two of those letters are widely recognized today. It was after Phips’ wife was accused of witchcraft that Phips finally put an end to the Salem Witch Trials.

Warm Up – Let’s Brainstorm!OBJECTIVE: Students will read, annotate, and discuss a primary source document in order to pull textual evidence to support a claim.

9

What do you think of when you hear the word “witch”?

Have you ever heard of the Salem Witch Trials?

Agenda

Agenda:

1) Warm Up – Whole Class Brainstorm 2) Launch – Governor Phips’ Letter3) Explore – Four Corners Activity 4) Summary – Turn and Talk

5) Practice – Claims/Evidence Template6) Assessment – Exit Slip

10

OBJECTIVE: Students will read, annotate, and discuss a primary source document in order to pull textual evidence to support a claim.

Launch – Governor Phips Letter

Agenda

Reading 1: I will read it aloud to the class.Reading 2: You will read it silently.Reading 3: You will read it aloud in your small groups.

It is OK to not understand everything you read. Concentrate on what you DO understand because you will learn something.

Today, we are going to read and annotate a letter written by a man named William Phips. William Phips became the Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay during the height of the Salem Witch Trial hysteria. We will read this letter THREE times.

11

Launch – Governor Phips Letter

Agenda

12

Before we read, it’s important to understand that during this time period, spelling and punctuation was not consistent. So while some words will look misspelled, they are simply a sign of the time period in which they were written.

Most words you can figure out on your own…

For example: Devill = devil sitt = sit

You try! Mee = __________ unavoydable = ______________

Some words, however, you’ll need help with. Let’s refer now to the list of vocabulary words you have in front of you…

Launch – Governor Phips Letter

Agenda

13

READING #1

As I read this letter aloud, I want you to write down comments that help answer these two questions:

1) What does Governor Phips observe upon his arrival?

2) How does he feel about what has been happening?

Remember – you are not expected to understand everything in this letter, but you are expected totry, try try!

Launch – Governor Phips Letter

Agenda

14

READING #2

Now you will read through the letter silently. As you read, I want you to write down comments that help answer this question:

1. What does Governor Phips tell us about how the townspeople are reacting?

Remember – you are not expected to understand everything in this letter, but do your best to find clues in the text that help you answer the question.

Launch – Governor Phips Letter

Agenda

15

Before we continue on to our third reading, let’s check in with our understanding.

Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down

Please give me a quick Thumbs Up if you’re starting to understand this letter.

Please give me a quick Thumbs Down if you’re really struggling.

And please give me a Thumb in the Middle if you’re feeling so-so.

Launch – Governor Phips Letter

Agenda

16

READING #3

Now you will read through the letter out loud in your small groups. You should take turns reading aloud.

As you read, please write down:• ANY comments that help you to figure out what Governor

Phips believes• any questions that you need the answer to

Remember – you are still not expected to understand everything in this letter, but you are still expected to try! No excuses!

Explore – Four Corners Activity!

It’s time for us to stand up and do a Four Corners Activity.

Take your annotated letters with you to use for support.

• I will read a series of statements. • You should move to one of the four corners in the room

depending on your beliefs based on what you read.

17

Agenda

Explore – Four Corners Activity!

Statement #1 Governor Phips believed

in witchcraft.

18

Agenda

Explore – Four Corners Activity!

19

Agenda

Statement #2 Governor Phips believed that the general public

was upset by the current situation in Salem.

Explore – Four Corners Activity!

20

Agenda

Statement #3 Governor Phips believed

that the court proceedings (trials) were fair.

Explore – Four Corners Activity!

21

Agenda

Statement #4 Governor Phips felt upset by what was happening

and was trying to stop the trials from continuing.

Summary – Turn and Talk!

22

Agenda

Turn and speak to a partner about one thing you’ve learned so far from the Governor’s letter.

Allow one minute per partner!

Practice – Words to Know!

23

Agenda

It’s time to start pulling evidence from the Governor’s letter to support a claim. Before we start, let’s define two words that we need to know.Claim: a claim is a statement that is debatable (you can argue with it).

Chocolate is the best flavor for ice cream.Nike is a better brand than Reebok.That test was difficult.

Evidence: proof from a text that supports a claim

Claim: The straw house built by the first little pig was no match for the big bad wolf.

Evidence: “And he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house down.”

Exam

ples

Exam

ples

Practice – Let’s use a Claims/Evidence Template

24

Agenda

Let’s start choosing some evidence to support some claims!

Please make sure you have in front of you:• Your annotated Governor’s Letter• The Claims/Evidence Template in front

Now listen carefully to the instructions…1) Read each claim carefully.2) Go into the Governor’s Letter and look for evidence

that could support this claim.3) Copy the evidence word for word into the box labeled

“Evidence.”

We will do one together…

Assessment - – Exit Slip

25

Agenda

Don’t forget to put your name on the paper! Turn this in to me as you leave class.

On a piece of white-lined paper, please complete a 3-2-1 Exit Slip.

Write 3 ideas that stuck with you from today’s class.Write 2 definitions: one for “claim” and one for “evidence”Write 1 question you have.

The goal of 21st Century Lessons is simple: We want to assist teachers, particularly in urban and turnaround schools, by bringing together teams of exemplary educators to develop units of high-quality, model lessons. These lessons are intended to:

• Support an increase in student achievement; • Engage teachers and students; • Align to the National Common Core Standards and the Massachusetts curriculum

frameworks;• Embed best teaching practices, such as differentiated instruction; • Incorporate high-quality multi-media and design (e.g., PowerPoint); • Be delivered by exemplary teachers for videotaping to be used for professional

development and other teacher training activities; • Be available, along with videos and supporting materials, to teachers free of charge via the

Internet. • Serve as the basis of high-quality, teacher-led professional development, including mentoring

between experienced and novice teachers.

21st Century LessonsThe goal…

33

Directors:Kathy Aldred - Co-Chair of the Boston Teachers Union Professional Issues CommitteeTed Chambers - Co-director of 21st Century LessonsTracy Young - Staffing Director of 21st Century LessonsLeslie Ryan Miller - Director of the Boston Public Schools Office

of Teacher Development and Advancement

Wendy Welch - Curriculum Director (Social Studies and English) Carla Zils – Curriculum Director (Math) Shane Ulrich– Technology DirectorMarcy Ostberg – Technology Evaluator

21st Century Lessons

The people…

34

Visit sharemylesson.com to download this and other high-quality PreK-12 lesson plans shared by education professionals and content partners.

35