Teacher Ideas

"The Landlady"
Exploring Foreshadowing Through Letter Writing

This exercise was sent in by Jessica Atkinson, a seventh grade English teacher in Pennsylvania. It's designed for seventh graders. Thanks Jessica!

Pretend you are Billy and you are staying in the bed and breakfast. As you go up to bed after tea, you decide to write a letter to a friend or relative expressing your growing concern that something is not right with your situation.

In your letter, include five clues (examples of foreshadowing) that are making you nervous about staying in the bed and breakfast. Express your concerns but do not change the plot. You cannot, for example, throw the tea in the landlady's face and make a run for it.