Is there a study guide for the Witch of Blackbird Pond?
Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. A concise biography of Elizabeth George Speare plus historical and literary context for The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
What is Charter Oak in the Witch of Blackbird Pond?
According to legend, when Governor Andros held a meeting in Hartford, Connecticut to collect the Connecticut colony’s charter (as he does in The Witch of Blackbird Pond ), attendees snuck the charter out of the meeting room and hid in an extraordinarily large oak tree, now known as Charter Oak.
When did the Witch of Blackbird Pond win the Newbery Medal?
The Witch of Blackbird Pond won the Newbery Medal in 1959. Read our full plot summary of The Witch of Blackbird Pond or chapter-by-chapter breakdowns. See a complete list of the characters in The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
What is an example of politics in the Witch of Blackbird Pond?
For example, Matthew Wood is passionate about maintaining self-governance, whereas Reverend Bulkeley is a royalist, someone who believes the King should have control over the colonies. In addition to the era’s politics, The Witch of Blackbird Pond also focuses on religion.
What age is The Witch of Blackbird Pond for?
ages 9 to 12The Witch of Blackbird Pond is written for ages 9 to 12.
Is The Witch of Blackbird Pond a classic book?
In this Newbery Medal–winning novel, a girl faces prejudice and accusations of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Connecticut. A classic of historical fiction that continues to resonate across the generations.
What genre is The Witch of Blackbird Pond?
NovelHistorical FictionChildren's literaturehistorical novelThe Witch of Blackbird Pond/Genres
How many AR points is witch of Blackbird Pond?
9.0ATOS Book Level:5.7Interest Level:Middle Grades (MG 4-8)AR Points:9.0Rating:Word Count:600273 more rows
Do Nat and Kit get married?
However, she decides to talk to Nat first. Nat returns to Wethersfield with a surprise: he is the captain of a new boat. The boat is called the Witch, named after Kit. Kit asks to come on board the Witch but Nat says no, until he gets her Uncle Matthew's permission to marry her.
Who does Kit marry in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?
Kit will ultimately marry Nat Eaton, the new captain of the Witch. The two meet while Kit is sailing on his father's ship, the Dolphin, to live with...
What does KIT do when Prudence's doll falls in the water?
Feeling particularly miffed that no one will help the poor girl, Kit's temper flares and she jumps into the water to fetch the doll herself. Nat jumps into the water after her, but Kit manages to grab the doll and beat him back to the boat.
What did Kit accidentally hear before she went to bed?
An older man wanted to marry Kit; She had to get away. What did Kit accidentally hear before she went to bed? Judith doesn't like having her around and she wishes she was a boy.
What is the story of The Witch of Blackbird Pond about?
The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a novel about the dangers of intolerance, bigotry, and excluding people from society. The residents of Wethersfield, CT, mistreat Hannah because she is of a different faith. As they make no effort to understand her, they inevitably fear her.
What is Lexile level?
What Is a Lexile Level? A popular method used by schools to measure a student reader's ability is Lexile level or a Lexile Measure. A Lexile measure is a valuable tool for teachers, parents, and students. It serves two unique functions: it is the measure of how difficult a text is OR a student's reading ability level.
What reading level is Johnny Tremain?
Johnny Tremain | Forbes, Esther Hoskins | Lexile & Reading Level: 840.
How many chapters are in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?
21 chaptersAnyone who needs help summarizing the chapters from The Witch of Blackbird Pond will benefit from these lessons. There is no faster or easier way to learn what happens in all 21 chapters from the book.
Teaching Literature with Activities
Are your students about to read Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond? If so, you're going to help them think about important themes like identity formation, the role of social class, and how religion can shape a person's experience of life.
Pre-Reading Activities
These activities will help activate your students' prior knowledge as they prepare to engage with the text.
During Reading Activities
Here, you will find activities that support your students' comprehension while they are reading the novel.
What is the witch of Blackbird Pond about?
The Witch of Blackbird Pond is set in Connecticut Colony in the 17th century and explores politics and social issues in a Puritan community. In the 1630s, the English colonized Connecticut. In 1662, King Charles II of England granted the leaders of Connecticut Colony a charter that gave the colonists of Connecticut an exceptional degree of self-governance. According to the charter, the colonists could divide up and sell Connecticut’s land as they saw fit, and they could elect their own officials. But King James II, the next King of England, wanted more control over the colonies. So, in 1686, he appointed Sir Edmund Andros as Royal Governor of the colonies. This appointment invalidated all previous charters, including Connecticut’s. The result was that the colonists could no longer govern themselves; they had to answer to the King of England again. This led to tension among colonists, which plays an important role in The Witch of Blackbird Pond. For example, Matthew Wood is passionate about maintaining self-governance, whereas Reverend Bulkeley is a royalist, someone who believes the King should have control over the colonies. In addition to the era’s politics, The Witch of Blackbird Pond also focuses on religion. Many of Connecticut’s English colonists were Puritans, members of a religious group that was persecuted in England. Wanting to practice their religion freely, thousands of Puritans left England for the American colonies. Like many Christians in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Puritans believed that demons existed and could possess people. It was not uncommon at this time to blame unexplained events on witchcraft, like how the Puritan townspeople in the novel blame a plague on Hannah Tupper’s supposed witchcraft. In many instances—such as in the famous Salem witch trials—people killed or otherwise persecuted men and women who were regarded as outsiders or were generally resented.
What was the result of the appointment of the King of England in the Witch of Blackbird Pond?
This appointment invalidated all previous charters, including Connecticut’s. The result was that the colonists could no longer govern themselves; they had to answer to the King of England again. This led to tension among colonists, which plays an important role in The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Where did the charter oak tree hide?
According to legend, when Governor Andros held a meeting in Hartford, Connecticut to collect the Connecticut colony’s charter (as he does in The Witch of Blackbird Pond ), attendees snuck the charter out of the meeting room and hid in an extraordinarily large oak tree, now known as Charter Oak.
What is the difference between Reverend Bulkeley and Matthew Wood?
For example, Matthew Wood is passionate about maintaining self-governance, whereas Reverend Bulkeley is a royalist, someone who believes the King should have control over the colonies. In addition to the era’s politics, The Witch of Blackbird Pond also focuses on religion.
