Following the signposts for
greater understanding
What do good readers do?
Good readers are alert to the signposts
that authors provide.
 When they see those signposts in their
reading, they STOP, take NOTICE, and
make a NOTE.
 Because of this, they understand what
they read better, AND…
 …they understand and appreciate the
author’s craft as a writer.

What does each signpost mean?
Why does the state put
signposts up along the
roads?
Authors provide signposts, too!

For the same reason---to help
you find your way as you read.

We are going to learn about 6
signposts authors provide and
what we can learn from each of
them.
Signpost #1:
Contrasts and Contradictions



When a character says or
does something that’s the
opposite of what he has been
saying or doing all along.
When there is a sharp
contrast between what we
expect and what we observe.
When the character
experiences something in
contrast with what he or she
expects.
CC
Contrasts and Contradictions
Ask: Why would the character
act or feel this way?
Contrasts and Contradictions
When authors show you a character acting in
a way that contrasts with how you would
expect someone to act or that contradicts
how that character has been acting, you
know the author is showing you
something important about the character.
You’ll want to pause and ask yourself, “Why
would the character act this way?”
Contrasts and Contradictions
Contrasts and comparisons show us
other aspects of the character or the
setting.
 This question encourages thinking about
and discussing:

○ Character
○ Motivation
○ Situation
○ Theme
Signpost #1:
Contrasts and Contradictions
I didn’t expect that!
 He didn’t expect that!
 STOP!
 Why would the
character act this way??
 Make an inference or
prediction about the
character or plot.

CC
#1 Contrasts & Contradictions

“Thank You, M’am” by
Langston Hughes

Follow along as I read the
story.

Be alert for contrasts and
contradictions—where the
characters don’t act the
way you expect them to!
Do Now
Get out your Reading Journal.
 Get out Jackie’s Wild Seattle.
 Study the picture on the cover and read the
blurb on the back.
 What are three questions or predictions
you have about the story? Write them in
your Reading Journal.


If you did not turn in your Reading Log
yesterday, give it to me.
Jackie’s Wild Seattle
Take a minute to look at the cover of the
book and read the blurb on the back.
 Open your Reading Journal and begin a
new page for this novel study.
 Write “Cover/Blurb” and today’s date.
 Make three predictions about the story.

Jackie’s Wild Seattle
Let’s set up our Reading Journals for
Notice & Note.
 Make four columns—2 narrow ones and
2 wide ones.
 Label the narrow ones “Page #” and
“Signpost”.
 Label the wide ones “What I Notice” and
“What that means/shows”.

Jackie’s Wild Seattle
Follow along as volunteers read aloud.
 Raise your hand if you recognize a
Contrast or Contradiction.
 We will STOP and ask “Why is the
character doing/thinking that?”
 We will write in our journal—we will
NOTICE and NOTE.
 We will make predictions and inferences
about the characters and the story.

Jackie’s Wild Seattle
For homework, read Chapter 2.
 Watch for the signposts of Contrasts &
Contradictions.
 STOP and ask the question: “Why is the
character doing/thinking that?”
 Write in your journal—what did you
notice? What does it mean? What
inferences or predictions can you make?

Do Now:

Get out your GLR work for me to check.
 Please open your orange folder to the page
where you wrote your sample words.
 Pass them down the row to the center aisle.
 This will make it quick and easy for me to grade
and get back to you so you can study for the…
TEST on MONDAY.
 Read Chapter 2. Look for CC and MM.

Signpost #2: Memory Moments

A Memory Moment is a
point when the author
interrupts what’s
happening in the story to
show us the main
character as he/she
remembers something
important.
MM
Memory Moment

Sometimes a Memory Moment is very
obvious: “I suddenly remembered the
time…”

Sometimes more subtle: “My dad liked
to tell the story about…” or “That picture
always reminded me of…”

When you notice a Memory Moment…
Memory Moment

STOP and ask yourself:
Why might this memory be important?
The answer will reveal something about
the character, the plot, or the theme.
 It might foreshadow something that will
happen or that will become important.

Memory Moment

Hope Was Here, excerpts:
Once again, Hope has to leave a place
she’s called home, to move.
 We pick up the story as Hope and her aunt
are getting into the car to begin their latest
move.


Follow along as I read. Be alert for Hope’s
memories.
Jackie’s Wild Seattle
Be on the lookout for Contrasts &
Contradictions in Chapter 3.
 Look for Memory Moments, as well.
There’s an important one in this chapter.
 Ask yourself the important question and
seek an answer.
 NOTE these down in your journal when
you see them.

Monday, Nov 4 Do Now

Set out your orange folder for me to grade.

Set out your reading log for me to grade

Print off your Reading Log Story Elements project.
Make sure your name is on it. Print to the library.

Take the GLR Quiz

Add dates to the November Reading Log

Begin work on this week’s GLRs: #16-20

Read silently, finishing chapter 4, writing CC and MM in
your journal.
Signpost #3: Aha! Moment
An Aha! Moment is a
point when we realize
something, and that
realization changes our
actions.
 “Suddenly I realized…”
 “It came to me in a flash…”
 “Now I knew…”

Aha!
Aha!

This signpost is kind of easy to
recognize, because you’ve had lots of
Aha! moments yourself.
 You walk into class; everyone is looking at
their notes and you suddenly realize, Aha!
There’s a test today that you forgot about!
Aha!

Or you look over your room, see the dirty
clothes, the dirty dishes, the papers on your
bed and you realize, Aha! My room is a
disaster!

I have to do something about this!
Aha!

Aha! Moments are those moments when
we realize something…

…and that realization CHANGES OUR
ACTIONS!
Aha! Moments

When you are reading along and a
character realizes, understands, or
finally figures something out…
Aha!

STOP and ask yourself:
How might this change things?
If the character just figured out a
problem, you’ve learned about the
conflict and solution.
 If the character understood a life lesson,
you’ve probably learned the theme.

Aha!
Excerpt from Crash by Jerry Spinelli
 Crash is a middle-school age kid who
bullies another kid named Penn Webb.
Crash often refers to him by his last
name, Webb.
 The first excerpt is from the beginning of
the story, when Crash first meets Penn.
 Follow along as we read.

Aha!
In Jackie’s Wild Seattle there was an
Aha! Moment during chapter 1.
 Turn to page 4 and see if you can find it.


Can any of you remember another Aha!
we’ve read so far?
Tough Questions
When you’re reading
along and the character
asks himself (or another
character) a really difficult
question…
 …or expresses serious
doubt or confusion…

TQ
Tough Questions

STOP and ask yourself:
What does this question make me wonder
about?

The answers will tell you about the conflict
and might give you ideas about what will
happen later in the story. You will learn
about a character’s INTERNAL CONFLICT.
Tough Questions

Now we all ask questions every day…
 What’s for dinner?
 Did we have homework?
 Will you take out the garbage?
Those aren’t “tough questions.”
 Tough Questions are those that seem, at
least for a while, not to have an
answer…

Tough Questions

…or to have an answer that will change the
way we look at the world or the choices we
make.

When a loved one has died, we may ask
ourselves, “Will I ever get over this?”

When we are pressured to do something
we know is wrong, we may ask ourselves,
“Am I strong enough to say NO?”
Tough Questions

Authors often show tough questions in a
straightforward way:
 They often appear in pairs: “Why don’t they
talk to me anymore? Why is everyone
treating me this way?”
 Sometimes the character says something
like, “I wonder…”
Tough Questions
Tough questions are not just about the
answer to the question.
 They are often more about big ideas in
life and in the book.
 They often make us wonder about other
things…
 They may lead us, then, to the theme or
lesson of the book.

Tough Questions
“A Long Walk to Water”
 Sudan (Africa)
 Civil War/ rebels attacking villages
 Salva = protagonist

 11-year old boy
 Separated from his family
Jackie’s Wild Seattle
Return to Chapter 3, page 14.
 What “tough question” does Shannon
ask herself?


What does that make you wonder
about?
 What other questions does it make you ask?
Jackie’s Wild Seattle

Let’s continue looking at the signposts
you noticed in Chapter 4….

...look back for a tough question…can
you find it?
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