Aunt Fred Is A Witch: Teacher’s Guide

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General Themes And Connections:

  1. Stereotyping the elderly
    • society’s concepts of what elderly people are able to do
    • society’s concepts of appropriate activities for the elderly
    • society’s concepts of the appearance of elderly people
    • marginalization and devaluation of the elderly
  2. Stereotyping
    • how lack of knowledge and information can lead to misconceptions of groups of people, whether they be people of different culture, language, appearance, socio-economic background, ability, gender.
  3. Witches
    • the history of the term witch; how witches were healers; the term “witch” used to mean wise woman; witches were knowledgeable about the herbs of healing
    • how the naming of a person as a “witch” was misused to get rid of enemies
    • some of the famous Witch trials, such as in Salem, Massachusetts
    • how fear of the unknown can induce mass hysteria
    • traditional lore for warding away evil and witches
  4. Rumours and how they spread
    • the power each person has to start and spread rumours
    • how rumours grow and are exaggerated

Classroom Activities

  1. Topics of discussion:
    1. Why did Leila think Aunt Fred was a witch?
    2. Why do you think that Jeremy thought Aunt Fred was a witch?
    3. What did Leila feel when she was invited to Aunt Fred’s and why?
    4. Why did Aunt Fred say she was called “Witch for short.”
    5. What did Aunt Fred mean when she said, “I get so tired of people telling me to act my age...?”
    6. What did Leila and Aunt Fred have in common regarding people telling them to act their age?
    7. Why did Aunt Fred dress as she did at first when Leila’s mother dropped Leila off?
  2. Writing exercises:
    1. Write an account of what might happen if you visited a witch.
    2. Imagine that Aunt Fred is your aunt. Describe a day you spend with her with all your favourite activities.
    3. Write a letter that Leila might write to Aunt Fred with ideas for more time spent together.
    4. Write a sequel to this story about what happens when Leila and Aunt Fred go up in a hot air balloon.
    5. Make up a recipe for a “witch’s potion”. Describe the ingredients, and how to make it and what it might be used for.
  3. Art Activities
    1. Draw a picture of you and Aunt Fred enjoying your favourite activity.
    2. Draw a picture of a ride you would like to go on.
    3. Draw a picture of Aunt Fred’s rainbow dress.
    4. Draw a picture of Aunt Fred and Leila doing something together the next day. What else they might do other than go up in a hot air balloon?
  4. Extra Study and Research activities:
    1. Do some research on the term “witch” and write a report.
    2. Research a famous witch trial and do a report.

Copyright © Rachna Gilmore

One of a series of Teacher’s Guides found at www.rachnagilmore.ca

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