The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (2009)
By: Jacqueline Kelly
Henry Holt and Company, LLC, New York, NY
Cover Image by: April Ward
Lexile: 830L
Accelerated Reader: 12.0

Captivating, Innocent, Scientific, Soul Searching, Honest

Suggested Delivery: small group reading

Electronic Resources to Support Reading:

      1.  Charles Darwin 

           Students may explore this website to gain a deeper understanding of Charles Darwin and his innovative work, The Origin of Species, in which excerpts are published at the beginning of each chapter.  Students will be able to relate Darwin's ideologies to Calpurnia's and her grandfather's; therefore, this website should be explored during the reading of the story.

       2.  Fentress, Texas  

             This website provided by the Texas State Historical Association will provide students with a glimpse into Fentress, TX during the late 19th century.  It provides information about important landmarks during this time, such as the San Marcos River, where Callie and her grandfather regularly explore, and insight into the schooling and stores of the town during this time period.

Key Vocabulary:

• evolution - change in biological traits that occur over generations
• family - used in biology to classify living organisms; family comes above genus and is therefore a broader category that contains more organisms 
• genus - used in biology to classify living organisms; genus comes above species and below family.
• naturalist - one who believes that Nature governs the flow and cycle of all life forms.
• chagrined - humiliated or distressed
• tetchy - irritable or cranky
• dyspeptic - short-tempered or irritated
• primitive - not developed, in the first stages of growth

Before Reading:  Calpurnia is just shy of 12 years old, living in rural, undeveloped Texas right before the turn of the 20th century, the one girl of seven children.  Students will research what typical life consisted of back then, in terms of the way the household was set up, chores and work needing to be done, overall lifestyle, (i.e. customs and traditions), schooling, what major inventions emerged, and what kids did for fun. 

During Reading:  Calpurnia writes all of her observations and ideas about the different organisms and species she sees around her house in her Notebook.  Similar to Callie's Notebook, the whole class will venture out around the paths in the woods behind the school to record observations in their notebooks.  Students should use all of their five senses to make observations and also pose questions about things they observe that seem puzzling or interesting.

After Reading:  Students will work in groups of 4-5 to discuss a series of questions about the book.  Most of the questions are not a "right or wrong" but encourage the students to discuss and debate with each other using evidence from the story.  For example, "Do you think Callie's mother is justified in thinking that science is of no use to a girl in 1899 and she should instead focus on sewing and cooking?"  And... "Daily life was vastly different in this time period than it is currently.  Are you at all envious of the simplicity of this lifestyle?  Are you happy your lifestyle is very different now than it was for Callie and her family?"  Questions are meant to invoke discussion among group members and the ability to put themselves in others' point of views.

Writing Activity:  Students will compose a narrative piece in which they continue the story where it leaves off.  Will the family dynamic and other things change as it is now 1900?  Will Callie and her grandfather continue their scientific quests of discovery, or will she surrender to her womanly duties of learning to sew and cook?  Will she and Lula maintain their friendship despite their differences in interests and abilities?  These are some questions meant to inspire students' narratives, but not limited to these ideas.