LITERARY ELEMENTS
CHAPTER 15
Charlene H. Nicholson, ELA/SS IC
Halifax County Schools
Princeton Review Workshop
Common Core State Standard (CCSS)
7.RL.3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or
drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or
plot).
Learning Targets
I can analyze how particular elements of a story or drama
interact.
I can identify, analyze and apply how particular elements
of a story or drama impact its overall meaning.
Essential Question
How does the development of literary
elements convey meaning on a particular story or drama?
WRITE
Prompt: Describe a time when you felt conflict. What happened? Was this conflict with
another person?
Directions: Write your thoughts in complete sentences for
the next 5 minutes using a QuickWrite/QuickDraw graphic
organizer.
( On the left hand side, illustrate the conflict and on the
right hand side, explain the conflict in written expression for
5 minutes. (Ask volunteers to share out).
EXPLORE
Activating Strategy
Assess students’ prior knowledge of literary elements by
using an Anticipation-Reaction Guide handout before
teaching the actual elements.
Organizing Strategy: Target Notes
• Teacher will introduce students to the types of literary
elements by using a target notes graphic organizer to
organize their thinking.
• Students will copy words and details about each type of
literary element in the outer circle.
Terms: theme, setting, imagery, plot, conflict
Practice: Literary Elements and
Answering Questions
• Students will be instructed to read, write about and/or
answer questions about literary elements to check for
understanding thus far.
Task: Read the fairytale Cinderella and fill in the chart
identifying the literary elements within the story. Complete
the sentences. (Color code each example a different
color)
Student Activity
Terms
Examples (Cite textual evidence)
theme
setting
imagery
plot
conflict
1. What did you find easy about picking out the literary elements in each
fairy tale?
2. What did you find difficult? Why?
3. Did recognizing other literary elements help you find the theme of the
story? Explain.
DISCUSSION
PARTICIPATE
Students will view a short video clip of Edgar Allan Poe,
author of The Raven. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x387NMCR6w
My Notes
Summary:
My Partner’s Notes
Activity
• Students will pair up to read and annotate poem to unfold
its meaning and identify literary examples.
• Students will record examples on post-it notes and
categorize by headings on chart prepared in advance by
teacher. (students walk/place stickies under correct
columns.)
Theme Setting Imagery Plot Conflict
Activity
Literary Elements
Example from “The Raven”
Theme
Setting
Imagery
Plot
Conflict
1. How did you identify the theme?
2. What category is the main conflict in this poem? What clues in the
poem helped you discover it?
Practice
Students will read and annotate the selection The
Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde.
Distribute numbers to students. Become experts on the
information on their page. All alike numbers per group
come back and share out to whole group.
Strategy: Jigsaw each page. Answer text-based questions.
Define vocabulary within context that is in bold.
Homework
Assign The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll.
Complete the following chart and questions.
Literary Terms
Theme
Setting
Imagery
Plot
Conflict
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Questions
• What is the main conflict in the poem? What type of
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conflict is it?
What is the theme of the poem?
Did understanding the conflict help you fid the theme? If
so, how?
Give an example of imagery from the poem.
Who are the main characters?
Does the setting of the poem help you understand the
poem better? Why or why not?
Assessment: Distribute a copy of William Shakespeare to each student.
Create a question up Bloom’s Taxonomy
Assessment: Differentiated Choice Board
Create a rap or song
about the literary
elements.
Compose an original
Illustrate an example of
poem using the following each literary term.
literary terms: theme,
setting, plot, imagery
and conflict.
Design a cartoon strip
depicting each literary
term.
Write an argument to
introduce a new literary
term.
Compare and contrast
two poems, speeches or
excerpts and how the
author uses literary terms
to relay its overall
meaning.
Imagine you are a newspaper
reporter assigned to interview one
of the main characters. After filling
out a "5Ws" form, write an article
containing lots of detailed personal
information from an objective point
of view. Include two character
quotes, story-related pictures with
captions, and an advertisement
that would draw prospective readers
Play on-line literary games
Design a story trail of
literary terms using
literary genre
in.
Reflect
What are your thoughts in complete sentences for the next
5 minutes?
What did you find most interesting while learning about
literary elements?