Story Summary

Set on the prairie in the late nineteenth century, the story follows Anna and Caleb, whose mother died shortly after Caleb was born. Their father places an advertisement seeking a wife, and receives a response from Sarah Wheaton, a woman from Maine who agrees to visit the family for a month. As the children exchange letters with Sarah and eagerly await her arrival, they hope she will become a permanent part of their family.

After arriving, Sarah gradually adapts to prairie life while Anna, Caleb, and Papa grow attached to her. Although Sarah misses her family and the sea, she learns to appreciate her new home and develops strong bonds with the family. By the end of the novel, Sarah decides to stay, bringing renewed happiness and hope to the household.

Learning Expectations

Students will:

• Develop an appreciation of family relationships and their development.
• Become more aware of the lifestyles of early settler life.
• Become involved with the writings of Patricia MacLachlan.
• Develop a variety of reading and writing skills using a novel study.

Introduction

Introduction Includes:

• Expectations
• Story Summary
• Author Biography
• Other Books Written by Patricia MacLachlan
• Directed Reading Approach
• Informal Reading Approach
• Teacher Input Suggestions
• Vocabulary Lists
• Response Journals
• Novel Discussion Questions by Chapter
• Evaluation Suggestions
• Response Journal and Self Evaluation Form

Chapter Questions

• Student Booklet Cover
• Chapter Questions
• Answer Key Chapter Questions

Chapter 1

Skills Covered

• Reading comprehension
• Character analysis
• Making inferences
• Compound words
• Identifying nouns
• Response journal writing  

Chapter 2

Skills Covered

• Reading comprehension
• Context clues
• Character study
• Syllables
• Identifying verbs
• Personal response writing  

Chapter 3

Skills Covered

• Drawing conclusions
• Sequencing events
• Alphabetical order
• Adjectives and nouns
• Personal response writing

Chapter 4

Skills Covered

• Reading comprehension
• Character analysis
• Antonyms
• Sentence recognition
• Personal response writing  

Chapter 5

Skills Covered

• Emotional reactions
• Classifying phrases
• Digraph review
• Nouns and verbs
• Personal response writing  

Chapter 6

Skills Covered

• Finding proof in text
• Synonyms
• Correct verb usage (is/are)
• Descriptive writing
• Personal response writing  

Chapter 7

Skills Covered

• Sequencing relationships (before/after)
• Singular and plural nouns
• Capitalization
• Character relationships
• Personal response writing  

Chapter 8

Skills Covered

• Emotional reactions
• Sound patterns
• Possessives
• Prediction
• Personal response writing

Chapter 9

Skills Covered

• Finding proof in text
• Root words
• Adverbs
• Story analysis
• Personal response writing

After Reading Activities

Skills Covered

• Discussion and reflection
• Theme analysis
• Identifying author's message
• Personal connections
• Critical thinking

Novel Extension Activities

Creative Activities

Activity 1: The Setting
Task/Skill: Draw the prairie farm setting Sarah sees when she first arrives. (Setting and visualization skills)  

Activity 2: The Setting
Task/Skill: Illustrate Sarah's home in Maine using story details. (Setting comparison and visualization)  

Activity 3: Making a Feeling Map
Task/Skill: Design a neighborhood map and describe feelings connected to locations. (Mapping and personal connections)  

Activity 4: Farm Map
Task/Skill: Create and label a map of Anna and Caleb's farm. (Setting analysis and mapping skills)  

Activity 5: Sights, Sounds, and Smells
Task/Skill: Record sensory details Sarah might experience on the farm. (Sensory language and descriptive writing)  

Activity 6: Changing the Time of the Setting
Task/Skill: Discuss how the story would change if it took place today. (Comparing historical and modern settings)

Activity 7: Creating a Timeline
Task/Skill: Create a mural showing story events in sequential order. (Sequencing and summarizing)  

Activity 8: Special Things for a Character
Task/Skill: Create a character collage using magazine pictures. (Character analysis)

Activity 9: Advertisement for a Perfect Mother
Task/Skill: Write a classified advertisement describing an ideal mother. (Persuasive and descriptive writing)  

Activity 10: Character Biography
Task/Skill: Write a biography of a selected character. (Character development and biography writing)  

Activity 11: Interviewing a Character
Task/Skill: Develop interview questions for a character. (Questioning skills and character understanding)  

Activity 12: Important Character Qualities
Task/Skill: Identify important personal qualities and explain their value. (Character traits and reflection)  

Activity 13: A Secret Diary
Task/Skill: Write a diary entry about moving to a new home. (Perspective writing and empathy)  

Activity 14: Character Personalities
Task/Skill: Describe character traits for major characters. (Character analysis)

Activity 15: Writing a Letter
Task/Skill: Write advice to a story character. (Letter writing and problem solving)

Activity 16: A New Ending
Task/Skill: Write an additional chapter extending the story. (Creative writing)  

Activity 17: Drawing a Cartoon
Task/Skill: Create a cartoon depicting a favorite scene. (Visual storytelling)  

Activity 18: Story Mobile
Task/Skill: Construct a mobile featuring characters, setting, and favorite scenes. (Summarizing and visual representation)

Activity 19: Story Summary
Task/Skill: Retell the story in the correct sequence. (Summarizing and sequencing) 

Activity 20: Vocabulary Study
Task/Skill: Identify unfamiliar words and determine meanings using a dictionary. (Vocabulary development)  

Activity 21: Making a Travel Guide
Task/Skill: Create a travel guide for a community. (Research, informational writing, and geography)  

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