Grade: 6th- 7th grade 

The historical fiction novel of The Fever 1793 tells the story of a 14-year-old girl named Mattie Cook, who fights to survive the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 in Philadelphia. Through the eyes of Mattie we witness a city overtaken by fear, an unknown illness progressing across a city, and the daily life of Philadelphians in 1793. The Fever of 1793 contains themes of mortality, family and overcoming hardships. 

By working in collaborative Historical Literacy groups, students will be able to analyze primary and secondary sources pertaining to the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 to present and contextualize historical events. Students will connect these topics and events to Mattie Cooks character development. 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY>RL.7.9

- compare and contrast a fictional portal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. 

1. Students will be put into groups of 10 and their will be 2 groups 

2. Each group will be responsible for filling out the novel portion of the worksheet 

3. Each group will be responsible for one worksheet 

4. After each group fills out the Novel portion of their worksheet groups will go to the projector and give their answers to the other group.

5. Students will watch the youtube video and write their findings from the video. 

6. After the video students will compare and contrast the novel to the video. 

7. Students will turn and talk with their table groups and answer the following question. 

   • Just how accurately did Laurie Halse Anderson portray the events of the fever?