Book Title: ____________________________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________________________
Character Inference Chart- Lesson 2
Character Name: ______________________________________
Methods of
Revealing Character
Evidence/Quotations
from the Story
Character Traits
Revealed
Direct Comment
Character’s Thoughts
and Feelings
Character’s Speech
and Actions
How Others React
to Character
Based upon your responses reported in the inference chart, write 1-2 sentences telling what
type of person you think this character is.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Survival Anticipation Guide-Lesson Three
Skill and experience make you more able to survive danger
To survive, you sometimes have to give up something precious to you
Having a positive attitude can help you survive an extreme situation
Survival skills are for emergencies and not useful in everyday life
Your fear of a situation can help you survive it
Thinking about loved ones can help you survive a dangerous situation
Bullies can be handled only with physical force
It is better to stay put and wait to be rescued than to look for help
I could survive on my own for a year in the wilderness
I couldn’t survive a weekend without my cell phone or Ipod
Physical strength is more important than mental strength to survive a difficult situation
If stranded away from civilization, I would rather be with a close friend than alone.
I believe that struggles in life just make us stronger people.
Bad situation can be avoided in life.
I could survive on my own for a year in the
wilderness.
I couldn’t survive a weekend without my cell
phone or iPod.
Physical strength is more important than mental
strength to survive a difficult situation.
If stranded away from civilization, I would rather
be with a close friend than alone.
I believe that struggles in life just make us
stronger people.
Bad situations can be avoided in life.
Survival Word Sort Activity- Lesson Four
Name: ____________________________________Section _________ Date: ___________
Read and separate each activity card.
Identify and label categories.
Sort the terms into your categories.
summary
perspective
theme
adversity
Second person consequence
perseverance
determination
tenacity
willpower
nonfiction
conflict
consequence
motivation
Intuition
narrator
character
first person
SURVIVAL, DECISIONS, AND CONSEQUENCES
VOCABULARY LIST
Fiction – genre of literature, writing that tells an imaginary story
Nonfiction – genre of literature, writing that tells about real people, places, and events
Poem – genre of literature, writing in which words are carefully chosen and may use a variety of sound devices,
imagery, and figurative language to express emotions and ideas
Summary - a description of the story which includes information about the main characters and main events. It is not
a review and should not contain the opinions of the author.
Theme - a central message, concern, or purpose in a story
Conflict – struggle between opposing characters: person/person, nature/person
Setting - the time and place of the action in the story
Character - a person or an animal that takes part in the action of a story
Perspective – point of view from which the story is told
Third person – Story is told by a person outside of the story
Narrator – tells the story
First person – story told from the narrator’s point of view using “I”
Adversity - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
Courage - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
Perseverance - persistent determination
Determination - the act of making up your mind about something
Tenacity - persistent determination
Will power – the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
Motivation - the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
Intuition - instinctive knowing without the use of rational processes
Name: ______________________
___________________
Text:
“Snapshot” of Literature Circle Roles- Lesson 5
Summarizer
Questioner
Character Captain
Connector
Passage Master
Questioner-Literature Circles
Name:_________________________________
Book: _____________________________
Date: _________________________________
Assignment:________________________
Questioner/Discussion Director: Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group
might want to discuss about this part of the book. Don’t worry about the small details; your task
is to help people talk over the big ideas in the reading and share their reactions. Usually the best
discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read. You can
list them below during or after your reading. You may also use some of the general questions
prompts below to develop topics to your group.
Possible discussion questions or topics for today:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
What if…?
How did….?
Why did…?
What would happen if…?
What caused…?
What might…?
How would you feel if…?
What character traits describe…?
Why do you think…?
Why is…
Summarizer-Literature Circles
Name: _________________________ Book: ______________________________
Date: __________________
pages: ______________________________
Your job is to prepare a summary of the reading. Start with a headline. Don’t tell the
whole story, just focus on the important parts. The other members of your group will be
counting on you to remind them about this part of the story.
Summary:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Connector-Literature Circles
Name: _________________________ Book: ______________________________
Date: __________________
Assignment: _______________________________
Connector: Your job is to find connections between the book you are reading
and the outside world. This means connecting what you read with your own
life, to what happens at school or in the community, to similar events at other
times and places, or to other people or problems.
Describe the part in the book, and then explain your connection.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
PASSAGE MASTER- Lesson 5
NAME: ___________________________
pages____________
As you read, think about parts of the text that are important, make you laugh, give you a good
mental picture, or would trigger a good discussion. Fill out the chart below and bring this sheet
with you to your next meeting. You may use the back for additional space if needed.
HOW I PLAN TO
CHAPTER AND/OR
PARAGRAPH
REASON I CHOSE THIS
SHARE THIS
PAGE NUMBERS
BEGINNING
PASSAGE
PASSAGE WITH
WITH…
MY GROUP
 Read aloud
 Important to the story
Chapter: ______
“When you
 Read with
 Good descriptive
change to a
partner
writing
Pages: ______ new…”
 Read to self
 To discuss…
 Made me laugh when…
Literature Circles – Character Captain (Lesson 5)
Name:______________________________________Date:_________________
Book: ___________________________________________________
Character Captain: Your task is to identify specific personality traits of the main character(s)
within the novel. Find examples in the assigned reading of behaviors/actions that help group
members know this character(s). Select three adjectives that describe the main character, and
support your selection with evidence taken from your reading assignment. * Evidence could be:
quotes from the book, a short passage, or a one- or two-sentence summary of a passage.
Bonus: Identify a specific personality trait of a secondary character. Select an adjective that
describes this secondary character and support your selection with evidence taken from your
reading assignment.
Character
(same as above)
(same as above)
*Bonus
Trait
*Evidence
Literature Circle Group Roles
Rule/Term
Respect
Definition
Show courtesy,
consideration, and
respect at all times
Participation
Everyone shares;
everyone “actively”
listens
Time
Use the time wisely;
re-focus when needed
Preparation
Accomplish your goal
and task; hold each
other accountable for
completed work
Problem Solving
Behavior
Ask your group for
guidance before you
ask the teacher
Stay in your assigned
group; stay on task;
don’t distract other
students
Looks/ Sounds Like
Literature Circles Planning Sheet- Lesson 7
Name: ____________________________
novel: ______________________________
Circle #1 date: ____
Summarizer __________________
Character Captain______________
Questioner
_________________
Passage Master_________________
Connector _____________________
Circle #2 date: _____
Summarizer ______________________
Character Captain ________________
Questioner ________________________
Passage Master ____________________
Connector ________________________
Circle #3 date: ____
Summarizer ___________________
Character Captain ______________
Questioner
__________________
Passage Master__________________
Connector ______________________
Circle #4 date: _____
Summarizer _________________________
Character Captain ____________________
Questioner __________________________
Passage Master ______________________
Connector ____________________________
Circle #5 date: ____
Summarizer ____________________
Character Captain________________
Questioner
___________________
Passage Master ___________________
Connector _______________________
Lesson 8
Sunday
Lesson 8
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Introduction to Analyzing Point of View- Lesson 9
1. Divide the class into two groups. Explain that they are going to be reading a
short piece of text and their task is to remember as many details as possible
from the text. Tell one half of the class that they are burglars and the other
half of the class that they are real estate agents, without divulging the roles
to the opposite groups.
2. Put the story, The House by Laurie Henry, on the overhead and read it aloud
to your students. While you are reading, students should not be taking notes.
Once the reading is complete, turn off the overhead and ask students to list
as many details as they can remember about the house from the text (e.g.,
descriptions of rooms, items located in the house, layout of house). This part
of the activity should be limited to 2-3 minutes.
3. Students then share their lists within their group. (For larger classes, students
can be broken into 4 groups, 2 for each prescribed role.) Distribute chart
paper to each group so that students can record their lists.
4. Hang both sheets of chart paper on the front wall of the classroom. Discuss
the similarities and differences between the two lists, and allow students to
guess the viewpoint of the other group.
5. Discuss whether the lists would be different from another perspective (e.g.,
child, interior decorator, pet dog).
The House
By Laurie Henry
As I entered the front door, the marble floor glistened before me. The
entryway opened to a grand staircase, which wound its way to the second level.
My heels clicked across the cold, white floor as I proceeded to the living room on
my left. A giant fireplace stretched across one end of the room. The impressive
mantelpiece showcased a golden egg and porcelain figurines. A painting of
sunflowers hung on the center of the wall. The white carpeting looked as if it had
never been stepped on, and the entertainment center sprawled across the back wall.
I turned around to face the dining room. A golden chandelier hung above a
great mahogany table. A bank of French doors opened to a wrap-around deck at the
back of the house. A lighted hutch contained crystal goblets and gold-edged
dinnerware. Proceeding down the hallway, I discovered a custom kitchen on my
left, opposite the far end of the dining room. The sleek counters were free of
clutter. Cabinets hung on every inch of wall space. A breakfast nook looked out
over the back garden.
I soon retraced my steps to the entryway and ascended the stairs. A short
hallway welcomed me to the second level of the house. To my left and at the front
of the house was a small bedroom set up as a home office. The remainder of the
upstairs consisted of a master bedroom suite. Two walk-in closets flanked the
entrance to the master bedroom.
No doubt, one closet was for him and the other one was for her. The matching
bedroom furniture consisted of two dressers and night stands on either side of a
four-poster bed. A wooden chest sat atop each dresser. A large bathroom sat off to
the right side with double sinks inside. A whirlpool tub and shower stall lined the
far wall.
I slowly retreated and returned to the lower level and out the front door. I
shall return to this exquisite abode.
Copyright 2002 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved. ReadWriteThink
materials may be reproduced for educational purposes.
Lesson 10- Uploaded to Wiki as Power point
Point of View
Lesson 11
Name: _______________________________
Identifying Point of View (Perspective)
Directions: Read the following passages and determine the point of view. Then explain how
you were able to identify the perspective.
Point of View (perspective): first-person, second-person, third-person
1. The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum
The Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy’s basket with them, so that she would
not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow,
but she laughed heartily at the awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His
padded hands were so clumsy that he dropped almost as many as he put in the basket. But the
Scarecrow did not mind how long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away
from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up (49).
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
2. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
We crossed the road to a white house inside a walled garden, and found some food—two loaves
of bread, and uncooked steak, and half of a ham. We also found several bottles of beer, a sack of
beans, and a dozen or so cans of soup, salmon and vegetables. We sat in the kitchen in the
dark—not daring to strike a light—and ate bread and ham and drank beer out of the same bottle.
The priest wanted to keep going instead of resting and eating. I was urging him to eat and keep
up his strength when, all of a sudden, disaster struck! (134)
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
3. The Freedom Writers Diary by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell
Dear Diary, Tonight I just finished one of the books for our read-a-thon, called The Wave. This
story is about a school experiment that shows how peer pressure can get out of hand. One of the
main characters was a guy by the name of Robert Billing. He pressured and bullied other
teenagers into acting like modern-day Nazis. The teenagers were like sheep blindly following a
leader. After reading this book, I realized how teens are very gullible; getting tricked into doing
things to fit in or be popular (68-69).
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
4. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
At dawn, Mae Tuck set out on her horse for the wood at the edge of the village of Treegap. She
was going there, as she did once every ten years, to meet her two sons, Miles and Jesse, and she
was feeling at ease. At noon time, Winnie Foster, whose family owned the Treegap wood, lost
her patience at last and decided to think about running away.
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
5. Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes
And we scrounged. Next to survival, scrounge was probably the most important word in our
new vocabulary. We found a store that was throwing out water-damaged mattresses. Getting
them home was a problem, since we had to make two trips, leaving Brad and Katie, armed with
sticks to guard over the remained. I truly expected them to be challenged by some gang boss, but
they said that the only person who came by was a scrawny little rat of a girl living alone. We let
her have one of the mattresses.
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
6. Alice's adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, John Tenniel
Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing
to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or
conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or
conversations?” So she was considering, in her own mind whether the pleasure of making a
daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a
White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
7. White Fang by Jack London
They spoke no more until camp was made. Henry was bending over and adding ice to the
bubbling pot of beans when he was startled by the sound of a sharp snarling cry of pain from
among the dogs. Henry grunted with a tone that was not sympathy, and for a quarter of an hour
they sat on in silence, Henry staring at the fire, and Bill at the circle of eyes that burned in the
darkness just beyond the firelight.
Point of View:
_______________________________________________________________________
How do you know?
___________________________________________________________________
Identifying Narrative Perspective: ANSWERS
Identifying Point of View (Perspective)
Directions: Read the following passages and determine the point of view. Then explain how
you were able to identify the perspective.
Point of View (perspective): first-person, second-person, third-person
1. The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum
The Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy’s basket with them, so that she would
not be hungry for a long time. She thought this was very kind and thoughtful of the Scarecrow,
but she laughed heartily at the awkward way in which the poor creature picked up the nuts. His
padded hands were so clumsy that he dropped almost as many as he put in the basket. But the
Scarecrow did not mind how long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away
from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up (49).
Point of View: Third-Person
How do you know? The story is told by the narrator who is not a character in the story and
Scarecrow and Dorothy’s thoughts are revealed.
2. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
We crossed the road to a white house inside a walled garden, and found some food—two loaves
of bread, and uncooked steak, and half of a ham. We also found several bottles of beer, a sack of
beans, and a dozen or so cans of soup, salmon and vegetables. We sat in the kitchen in the
dark—not daring to strike a light—and ate bread and ham and drank beer out of the same bottle.
The priest wanted to keep going instead of resting and eating. I was urging him to eat and keep
up his strength when, all of a sudden, disaster struck! (134)
Point of View: First-Person
How do you know? The story is told by "We" and "I."
3. The Freedom Writers Diary by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell
Dear Diary, Tonight I just finished one of the books for our read-a-thon, called The Wave. This
story is about a school experiment that shows how peer pressure can get out of hand. One of the
main characters was a guy by the name of Robert Billing. He pressured and bullied other
teenagers into acting like modern-day Nazis. The teenagers were like sheep blindly following a
leader. After reading this book, I realized how teens are very gullible; getting tricked into doing
things to fit in or be popular (68-69).
Point of View: First-Person
How do you know? The narrator tells the story from the perspective of "I."
4. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
At dawn, Mae Tuck set out on her horse for the wood at the edge of the village of Treegap. She
was going there, as she did once every ten years, to meet her two sons, Miles and Jesse, and she
was feeling at ease. At noon time, Winnie Foster, whose family owned the Treegap wood, lost
her patience at last and decided to think about running away.
Point of View: Third-Person
How do you know? The story is told by the narrator who is not a character in the story and Mae's
and Winnie's thoughts are revealed.
5. Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes
And we scrounged. Next to survival, scrounge was probably the most important word in our
new vocabulary. We found a store that was throwing out water-damaged mattresses. Getting
them home was a problem, since we had to make two trips, leaving Brad and Katie, armed with
sticks to guard over the remained. I truly expected them to be challenged by some gang boss, but
they said that the only person who came by was a scrawny little rat of a girl living alone. We let
her have one of the mattresses.
Point of View: First-Person
How do you know? The story is told by "We" and "I."
6. Alice's adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, John Tenniel
Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing
to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or
conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or
conversations?” So she was considering, in her own mind whether the pleasure of making a
daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a
White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.
Point of View: Third-person
How do you know? The story is told by the narrator who is not a character in the story and
Alice's thoughts are revealed.
7. White Fang by Jack London
They spoke no more until camp was made. Henry was bending over and adding ice to the
bubbling pot of beans when he was startled by the sound of a sharp snarling cry of pain from
among the dogs. Henry grunted with a tone that was not sympathy, and for a quarter of an hour
they sat on in silence, Henry staring at the fire, and Bill at the circle of eyes that burned in the
darkness just beyond the firelight.
Point of View: Third-Person
How do you know? The story is told by the narrator who is not a character in the story.
Lesson 12
A Step-by-Step Approach to Writing Summaries
The following is a step by step approach to teaching students how to write a summary of a text.
Please have them record all information in the graphic organizer (see attached).
STEP ONE: Find the Main Idea of the Passage- The main idea can be explicitly or
implicitly stated.
Refer to One Hand Gone, but Not His Spirit from Course I, Volume II in the Expert 21 book.
How do we find the main idea of this passage?
1) Identify the topic- Aron Ralston’s survival
2) Underline and highlight key words and words that are repeated- options, calm, focused,
chose/choice, family, support
3) Putting that together, what does the author convey about the topic:
Main idea: When Aron Ralston was put in a life and death situation, he considered his options,
remained calm and focused, and made a difficult decision to save his life.
STEP TWO: Find other relevant details to support the main idea
Irrelevant detail- “Ralston fell in love with the outdoors upon moving from Indiana to Colorado
at age 12”
Relevant detail- “But Aron is the kind of person who actually becomes calmer and more
focused when all the options are bad, the clock is ticking, and life hangs in the balance.”
STEP THREE: Paraphrase the relevant details:
“A mechanical engineer with years of backcountry experience, Ralston was a prisoner of
geology for five nights.”
Paraphrase: Despite his background in mechanical engineering and familiarity with outdoor
adventure, Ralston was unable to free himself from a boulder for five nights.
STEP FOUR- Collapse lists/ Make generalizations
Quotation: “Keeping up that pace since the accident, he has completed the Leadville 100, a
daunting 100- mile high mountain foot race; climbed the highest peak in five neighboring states
within 24 hours; and traipsed to Vermont to see the final performances of Phish, his favorite
band.”
Generalization: Since his accident, Aron has had many extreme adventures.
STEP FIVE: Identify the text structure
(examples: chronological, cause and effect, compare/contrast, problem-solution)
This particular passage is a problem-solution, so the summary should be written in that manner:
When Aron Ralston’s arm was pinned inside a narrow canyon, he made the decision on the 6th
day to cut off his right forearm in order to survive.
Step 6- Put main ideas and summaries together using proper transitions according to the text
structure:
Problem/Solution: So, then, due to, nevertheless, in spite of, after
Step 7- Use the graphic organizer to write your summary:
When Aron Ralston was put in a life and death situation, he considered his options, remained
calm and focused, and made a difficult decision to save his life. In 2003, Aron Ralston was
hiking in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park, when he accidentally dislodged an 800 pound
boulder. He became trapped in a narrow canyon with his right arm pinned by the boulder. Over
the course of the next six days, Ralston tried several ways to free his arm, including chipping
away at the stone. With supplies running out, and the knowledge that he had told no one where
he was, Aron made a drastic decision to cut off his right forearm with a dull pocket knife. After
applying a tourniquet, he climbed down a 65-foot cliff and hiked seven miles before being
rescued by a search helicopter. He credits his survival to his calm and focused manner and his
determination to see his family again. Since his accident, Aron has had many extreme adventures
and has written a book about his experience.
.
Summary Graphic Organizer
Find the topic:____________________________________________________________
List key words and words that are repeated:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Write the main idea:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Paraphrase first relevant detail:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Paraphrase second relevant detail:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Paraphrase third relevant detail:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Paraphrase fourth relevant detail:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Paraphrase sixth relevant detail:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Text structure (cause and effect, problem/solution, compare/contrast, chronological,
description):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Literature Circle Reflections
Lesson 13
Name:___________________________________ Date:_____________________
Title:_____________________________
Reflection Statements
session:_____________
Yes
No
Somewhat
I completed my assigned reading before the meeting.
I wrote thoughtful and complete responses on my role sheet.
I asked questions to clarify my understanding of the book and/or to help
me better understand other group members’ ideas.
I brought all required materials to the Literature Circle meeting. (book,
role sheet, my brain, etc.)
I shared parts of the book that were important to me and explained why
they were important.
I was a careful and caring listener by giving my complete attention to
other group members when they were speaking.
I responded to other group members’ ideas.
What was an important contribution you made to the discussion today?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
What was an important idea or explanation expressed by someone else during the discussion?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Teacher Comments:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Lesson 14- Conflict Power Point (uploaded onto the Wiki)
15
Still I Rise
by Maya Angelou
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/still-i-rise/
This morning
By Lucille Clifton
this morning
this morning
i met myself
coming in
a bright
jungle girl
shining
quick as a snake
a tall
tree girl a
me girl
i met myself
this morning
coming in
and all day
i have been
a black bell
ringing
i survive
survive!
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090406180249AAeBPqM
15 Continued
Suggested Activities/Discussion Questions for “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou
1. Identify examples of figurative language in the poem (such as “walk like I’ve got oil wells
pumping in my living room,” “hope springing high.”) Discuss how this language enhances the
theme of the poem.
2. Discuss the following questions:
 To whom is the poet writing?
 What does the poet mean by “I’ll rise?” What is the impact of the repetition of this
phrase throughout the poem?
 Why does the poet ask questions of the reader?
 What is a key word in each stanza?
3. Have students write an antonym poem using both negative and positive emotions, modeled
after this poem. For example, their poem could include the themes of Losing/Winning,
Failure/Success, Ugly/Beautiful, etc….
HOTSEAT
16
Hotseat is an excellent activity as students will remember a great deal
more of the story when they have been involved in a role play.
Directions
During literature circles, each student is asked a contentious question that
could be asked of the main character in the novel. The student assumes
the role of the character and answers the question according to how he/she
believes the character would answer them.
Do you ever feel
overwhelmed? What
could you have done
differently?
Do you blame others for
the situation you are in, or
was this a choice you
made?
Do you like to be alone
sometimes?
How are you able to stay
positive?
Which have you relied upon
more, mental strength or
physical strength?
How is your health
(emotional and physical)?
17
Name:________________________________
Date:_________________________________
Block:________________________________
Rewrite the following excerpt from the Other June’s point of view. Your goal
is to put yourself in the Other June’s shoes.
After that, everyone called me Fish Eyes. And every Other Tuesday,
wherever I was, there was also the Other June-at the edge of the pool, in the pool,
in the locker room. In the water, she swam alongside me, blowing and huffing,
knocking into me. In the locker room, she stepped on my feet, pinched my arm,
hid my blouse, and knotted my braids together. She had large square teeth; she
was shorter than I was, but heavier, with bigger bones and square hands. If I met
her outside on the street, carrying her bathing suit and towel, she’d walk toward
me, smiling a square, friendly smile. “Oh well, if it isn’t Fish Eyes.” Then she’d
punch me, blam! Her whole solid weigh hitting me.
I didn’t know what to do about her. She was training me like a dog. After a
few weeks of this, she only had to look at me, only to growl, “I’m going to get you,
Fish Eyes,” for my heart to slink like a whipped dog down into my stomach. My
arms were covered with bruises. When my mother noticed, I made up a story
about tripping on the sidewalk.
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How does changing the point of view affect how you feel about the characters
and events in the story?
______________________________________________________________________________
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Point of View
CRITERIA
Content/Ideas
Organization
3
The narrative is
rewritten with a
consistent and
accurate point of
view.
Writing is
cohesive,
creative, and
clear.
2
The narrative is
rewritten with a
mostly
consistent and
accurate point of
view.
Writing is
mostly cohesive,
creative, and
clear.
1
The narrative is
rewritten with an
inconsistent
and/or
inaccurate point
of view.
Writing is not
cohesive,
creative, and
clear.
SCORE
SCORE:
18
From Call It Courage, by Armstrong Sperry
It was the sea that Mafatu feared.
He had been surrounded by it ever since
he was born The thunder of it filled his
ears; the crash of it upon the reef, the
mutter of it at sunset, the threat and fury
of its storms--on every hand, wherever
he turned--the sea.
He could not remember when the
fear of it first had taken hold of him.
Perhaps it was during the great
hurricane which swept Hikueru when he
was a child of three. Even now, twelve
years later, Mafatu could remember that
terrible morning. His mother had taken
him out to the barrier-reef to search for sea urchins in the reef pools.
There were other canoes scattered at wide intervals along the reef. With
late afternoon the other fishermen began to turn back. They shouted
warnings to Mafatu's mother. It was the season of hurricane and the
people of Hikueru were nervous and ill at ease, charged, it seemed, with
an almost animal awareness of impending storm.
But when at last Mafatu's mother turned back toward shore, a swift
current had set in around the shoulder of the reef-passage: a meeting of
tides that swept like a millrace out into the open sea. It seized the frail
craft in its swift race. Despite all the woman's skill, the canoe was
carried on the crest of the churning tide, through the reef-passage, into
the outer ocean.
Mafatu would never forget the sound of his mother's despairing
cry. He didn't know then what it meant; but he felt that something was
terribly wrong, and he set up a loud wailing. Night closed down upon
them, swift as a frigate's wing, darkening the known world. The wind of
the open ocean rushed in at them, screaming. Waves lifted and struck at
one another, their crests hissing with spray. The poles of the outrigger
were torn from their thwarts. The woman sprang forward to seize her
child as the canoe capsized. The little boy gasped when the cold water
struck him. He clung to his mother's neck. Moana, the Sea od, was
reaching up for them, seeking to draw them down to his dark heart....
Off the tip of Hikueru, the uninhabited islet of Tekoto lay shrouded
in darkness. It was scarcely more than a ledge of coral, almost awash.
The swift current bore directly down upon the islet.
Dawn found the woman still clinging to the purau pole and the
little boy with his arms locked about his mother's neck. The grim light
revealed sharks
circling, circling.... Little Mafatu buried his head against his mother's
cold neck. He was filled with terror. He even forgot the thirst that burned
his throat. But the palms of Tekoto beckoned with their promise of life,
and the woman
fought on.
When at last they were cast up on the pinnacle of coral, Mafatu's
mother crawled ashore with scarcely enough strength left to pull her
child beyond reach of the sea's hungry fingers. The little boy was too
weak even to cry. At hand lay a cracked coconut; the woman managed
to press the cool, sustaining meat to her child's lips before she died.
19
Setting and Its Roles
20
Identifying Theme
Identifying Theme
Directions: Determine what the theme is for each story and explain your answer. Remember, a
theme is a lesson or message in the story. Write in complete sentences.
1. Katie Clean invited Messy Missy to her house to work on their biology project, but Katie
Clean had no idea what a visit from Messy Missy entailed. First of all, it was raining and Messy
Missy neither bothered to take her boots off nor thoroughly wiped them on the doormat. Then
Messy Missy ate a bag of hot chips on Katie Clean’s white bedspread without asking, and Messy
Missy is a sloppy eater, so hot chip powder got all over the bedspread. Katie Clean tried to be
polite and ignore Messy Missy’s sloppy behavior, but then Messy Missy threw her chip wrapper
on the floor. Offended, Katie Clean pretended that she was sick and asked Messy Missy to
leave. The next day Katie Clean asked the teacher if she could work by herself. After explaining
her situation, the teacher allowed Katie to work alone. Messy Missy would have finished the
assignment by herself, but she spilled grape soda all over her assignment.
What is the theme of the
story?___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
2. Money Mark was born rich. He never had to work a day in his life and he got everything
handed to him on a silver platter. When he was six, Money Mark wanted to go to a basketball
game. His father paid the starting five of the Bulls and Celtics to play a private game of Nerfball in Money Mark’s bedroom. When Money Mark turned thirteen, he wanted to start a band.
His father hired the Rolling Stones to play with him every Saturday at the family’s private
concert hall, though his family was never there. By the time he was twenty-one, Money Mark
was bored with life. He was surrounded by a bunch of possessions that he didn’t appreciate and
Money Mark could find nothing new or exciting in his life. Despite his vast wealth, Money
Mark never found happiness. Penny Petal was born poor. Her family hardly had anything to eat,
but they loved each other. Penny Petal appreciated every thing she got. When she was six, her
father walked her around the United Center before the Bulls played the Celtics. She was excited
by the crazy fans and feeling in the air. She looked forward to the day that she could see a real
game. When she was thirteen, she learned to play the buckets. She was an extremely talented
musician, a natural percussionist, and everyone on the block loved the rhythms that poured from
her palms. By the time she was twenty-one, Penny was a successful businesswoman. Now she
had everything that she had ever dreamed of and she truly loved to share her wealth and
happiness with her family who supported her through all of the hard times.
What is the theme of the
story?___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
3. Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton’s reading class. Mr. Morton wasn’t too strict
about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his other classes but
never bothered to complete Mr. Morton’s reading assignments, figuring that he could complete them
later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton assigned the night that he
assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn’t want to get a penalty for turning in her reading
work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and that she had to keep “C” average for the entire
year or she would have to go to summer school. When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy
had both planned on going to the Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy’s
mother, and she grounded Sammy until he turned in all of his work. That weekend was horrible for
Sammy. He stayed up until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn’t complete all of the assignments. The
whole while, Tammy had a great time eating pizza at Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night,
and enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to
squeak by with a “C” minus in reading while Tammy earned an “A.” Sammy still hasn’t learned his
lesson and probably won’t complete this activity either.
What is the theme of the
story?___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
4. Mr. Pig and Mr. Dog were hanging out at the food court of the animal shopping mall. Mr. Pig was
eating a huge feast of pizza and drinking a large jug of fruit punch and Mr. Dog was watching him eat.
“Hey, Mr. Pig. If you give me a slice of your pizza, I’ll let you have the next bone I find.” Mr. Pig
declined, even though it hurt his stomach to eat the last three slices of pizza. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dog,” Mr.
Pig said, “but I paid for this pizza and it’s all mine.” Mr. Dog sighed and waited for Mr. Pig to finish, and
then they left the animal mall together. On the way out, a hunter spotted them and gave chase. Mr. Pig
normally could have escaped the hunter but since he was weighed down by such a large meal, Mr. Pig
collapsed and the hunter killed him. Mr. Dog easily escaped. Later that night while returning to the
scene, Mr. Dog caught the scent of something delicious and began digging around a trash can. He found
a large ham bone with lots of meat and marrow still stuck to the bone. Mr. Dog happily ate.
What is the theme of the
story?___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
5. In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney
High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed
that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn’t let this
obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another
four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a
game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history.
What is the theme of the
story?___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______
Identifying Theme : ANSWERS
Directions: Determine what the theme is for each story and explain your answer. Remember, a
theme is a lesson or message in the story. Write in complete sentences.
1. Katie Clean invited Messy Missy to her house to work on their biology project, but Katie
Clean had no idea what a visit from Messy Missy entailed. First of all, it was raining and Messy
Missy neither bothered to take her boots off nor thoroughly wiped them on the doormat. Then
Messy Missy ate a bag of hot chips on Katie Clean’s white bedspread without asking, and Messy
Missy is a sloppy eater, so hot chip powder got all over the bedspread. Katie Clean tried to be
polite and ignore Messy Missy’s sloppy behavior, but then Messy Missy threw her chip wrapper
on the floor. Offended, Katie Clean pretended that she was sick and asked Messy Missy to
leave. The next day Katie Clean asked the teacher if she could work by herself. After explaining
her situation, the teacher allowed Katie to work alone. Messy Missy would have finished the
assignment by herself, but she spilled grape soda all over her assignment.
What is the theme of the story? Answers may vary. Respect other peoples' property. Choose
your partners carefully.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? Missy ruins Katie's property and
had to work alone.
2. Money Mark was born rich. He never had to work a day in his life and he got everything
handed to him on a silver platter. When he was six, Money Mark wanted to go to a basketball
game. His father paid the starting five of the Bulls and Celtics to play a private game of Nerfball in Money Mark’s bedroom. When Money Mark turned thirteen, he wanted to start a band.
His father hired the Rolling Stones to play with him every Saturday at the family’s private
concert hall, though his family was never there. By the time he was twenty-one, Money Mark
was bored with life. He was surrounded by a bunch of possessions that he didn’t appreciate and
Money Mark could find nothing new or exciting in his life. Despite his vast wealth, Money
Mark never found happiness. Penny Petal was born poor. Her family hardly had anything to eat,
but they loved each other. Penny Petal appreciated every thing she got. When she was six, her
father walked her around the United Center before the Bulls played the Celtics. She was excited
by the crazy fans and feeling in the air. She looked forward to the day that she could see a real
game. When she was thirteen, she learned to play the buckets. She was an extremely talented
musician, a natural percussionist, and everyone on the block loved the rhythms that poured from
her palms. By the time she was twenty-one, Penny was a successful businesswoman. Now she
had everything that she had ever dreamed of and she truly loved to share her wealth and
happiness with her family who supported her through all of the hard times.
What is the theme of the story? Answer may vary. Money doesn't buy happiness. You don't
appreciate the things for which you don't work.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? Mark was rich but miserable. Penny
was poor but happy.
3. Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton’s reading class. Mr. Morton wasn’t
too strict about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his
other classes but never bothered to complete Mr. Morton’s reading assignments, figuring that he
could complete them later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton
assigned the night that he assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn’t want to get a
penalty for turning in her reading work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and that
she had to keep “C” average for the entire year or she would have to go to summer school.
When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy had both planned on going to the
Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy’s mother, and she grounded
Sammy until he turned in all of his work. That weekend was horrible for Sammy. He stayed up
until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn’t complete all of the assignments. The whole while,
Tammy had a great time eating pizza at Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night, and
enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to
squeak by with a “C” minus in reading while Tammy earned an “A.” Sammy still hasn’t learned
his lesson and probably won’t complete this activity either.
What is the theme of the story? It is better to do things right the first time. Work hard, play hard.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? Sammy blew off his work but it
caught up with him.
4. Mr. Pig and Mr. Dog were hanging out at the food court of the animal shopping mall. Mr. Pig
was eating a huge feast of pizza and drinking a large jug of fruit punch and Mr. Dog was
watching him eat. “Hey, Mr. Pig. If you give me a slice of your pizza, I’ll let you have the next
bone I find.” Mr. Pig declined, even though it hurt his stomach to eat the last three slices of
pizza. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dog,” Mr. Pig said, “but I paid for this pizza and it’s all mine.” Mr. Dog
sighed and waited for Mr. Pig to finish, and then they left the animal mall together. On the way
out, a hunter spotted them and gave chase. Mr. Pig normally could have escaped the hunter but
since he was weighed down by such a large meal, Mr. Pig collapsed and the hunter killed him.
Mr. Dog easily escaped. Later that night while returning to the scene, Mr. Dog caught the scent
of something delicious and began digging around a trash can. He found a large ham bone with
lots of meat and marrow still stuck to the bone. Mr. Dog happily ate.
What is the theme of the story? It is better to share. Don't be greedy.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? Mr. Pig died because of his greed.
Had he shared with Mr. Dog, he might have escaped.
5. In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team
at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the
coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team.
Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained
vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the
varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest
basketball players in history.
What is the theme of the story? Never give up. Persistence pays off.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? Jordan could have quit basketball
his sophomore year, but he continued playing and became one of the best players in history
21
Name:____________________________________ Date: _______________ Block: ________




Below are vocabulary words pertaining to survival.
Use each word in a sentence that relates to characters and their experiences in your
survival readings.
Be sure to cite specific examples.
Underline the vocabulary word used in each sentence.
Example:
Courage - the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc.,
without fear
In “Tuesday of the Other June”, June demonstrated courage at the end of the story when she finally
stood up to the Other June and said “No more!”
Adversity - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Courage - the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc.,
without fear
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Perseverance - persistent determination
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Determination - the act of making up your mind about something
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Tenacity – the quality of sticking firmly to any decision, plan, or opinion without changing or
doubting it
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Will power – the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Motivation - the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Intuition - instinctive knowing without the use of rational processes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
22
Conflict Letter Writing Activity
1. Identify a conflict facing the main character in your novel,______________________,
and put yourself in the character’s place.
2. As that character, write a letter to someone you know explaining your problem with
detail and ask that person for advice.
3. Write an answer in letter form from the person you wrote to, offering a solution to your
(the main character’s problem).
Dear__________________________________,
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________,
_________________________________
(character’s name)
23
Found Poetry:
A found poem uses language from non-poetic contexts and turns it
into poetry. Think of a collage -- visual artists take scraps of newspaper, cloth, feathers,
bottle caps, and create magic. You can do the same with language and poems.
Writing this type of poetry is a kind of treasure hunt. You can search for interesting scraps
of language, then put them together in different ways and see what comes out. This can
lead to surprising results.
YOUR TASK:
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1. Search through your novel for words, phrases, and
sentences that highlight the story’s theme. Look for details
that you find particularly powerful, moving, or interesting,
but all should relate to the theme. Copy everything down in
the order in which you find it. As you collect, don’t worry about the poetic form right
away. You should have roughly 75-125 words. Double-space between lines so that
the lines are easy to work with.
Look back over your list and cut out everything that is dull, or unnecessary, or that
just doesn’t seem right for a poem about this theme. Try to cut your original list in
half.
As you look over the shortened list, think about the tone that the details and
language convey. Make sure that you have words that communicate your message
clearly.
Make any minor changes necessary to create your poem. You can change
punctuation and make little changes to the words to make them fit together (such as
change the tenses, possessives, plurals, and capitalizations).
When you’re close to an edited down version, if you absolutely need to add a word or
two to make the poem flow more smoothly, to make sense, to make a point, you
may add up to two words of your own. That’s two (2) and only two!
Read back over your edited draft one more time and make any deletions or minor
changes.
Check the words and choose a title that reflects the theme of your novel.
Type your words in a word processor. Space or arrange the words so that they’re
poem-like. Pay attention to line breaks, layout, and other elements that will
emphasize important words or ideas in the poem.
• Read aloud as you arrange the words! Test the possible line breaks by pausing
slightly. If it sounds good, it’s probably right.
• Arrange the words so that they make a rhythm you like. You can space words out
so that they are all alone or allruntogether.
• You can also put key words on lines by themselves.
• Emphasize words by playing with boldface and italics, different sizes of letters, and
so forth.
9. At the bottom of the poem, type your name, and underneath it, tell where the words
in the poem came from, for example, From Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead
George.
Clues to Theme-24
In some folk tales and stories, the theme is directly stated by a character or narrator. In most works of
literature, though, the theme is not usually revealed in the form of a direct statement. As a reader, you
need to infer, or guess, the theme. To make a reasonable guess, you have to consider certain clues. The
elements in the chart below can all serve as clues.
THE CLUES
TITLE:
The title may hint at a theme by highlighting
an important idea, setting, or character. Ask:


PLOT & CONFLICT:
A story’s plot often focuses on a conflict that
is important to the theme. Ask:


CHARACTERS:
What conflicts do the characters face?
How are the conflicts resolved?
Characters can reflect a theme by how they
act and what they learn. Ask:




SETTING:
To what in the story does the title refer?
What ideas does the title emphasize?
What are the main characters like? (Notice what
they do and say.)
How do the characters deal with the conflicts?
How do the characters change?
What lessons do the characters learn?
A setting can suggest a theme because of
the conflicts it creates for the characters. Ask:


What conflicts does the setting create?
How do the characters feel about their
surroundings??
25
Name: ________________________________________
Date: ________________
THEME ORGANIZER
Idea or Topic: __________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
In some folk tales and stories, the theme is directly stated by a character or the narrator. In most works of
literature, though, the theme is not
usually revealed in the form of a direct statement. As a reader, you need to infer the theme, or use clues from
the story to make a reasonable guess.
TITLE
PLOT & CONFLICT
CHARACTERS
* What do the characters say and do?
* What conflicts does the setting create?
* What does the title refer to in the story?
* How do the characters feel about their
* What ideas does the title emphasize?
surroundings?
* What conflicts do the characters face?
* How do the characters change?
* How are the conflicts resolved?
* What lessons do the characters learn?
THEME Statement: _____________________________________________________________________________