Historical Fiction 2009-20010 #1 Mini Lessons
Day 1 Skill: preview/predict
Use a chart to discuss Elements of Historical Fiction.
Description: The author explains historical information
that may be unfamiliar to readers.

A problem to solve:

Characters:



Setting:
Plot:
Dialogue:
Day 1
The main characters are involve din a conflict or a
dilemma that is realistic for that period
All may be fictional; or some may be real, while others
are fictional. They all behave in realistic ways.
A definite period in history; A real historical place
Real events are mixed with fictional events
Reflects what people knew and thought about in
Those times.
Skill: Preview and Predict: January 5, 2009
Bud: chapters 1-2
Trouble River: chapter 1
Lily’s chapters: 1-2
Crispin 1-4
RESPONSE: Preview and predict paragraph
Day 2
Skill: Author’s Craft:
Number of the Stars Ch 1
January 6, 2009
Read My Momma Had a Dancing Heart by: Libba Gray to children and talk about
authors language, how the author makes you feel, what kind of mood, humor, sad, gloom,
or doom.
Bud: chapter 3-4
Trouble River: chapter 2
Lily’s chapters 3-4
Crispin 5-10
RESPONSE: Write about the authors language and how the author is getting you into
the book. Talk about
Day 3
Skill: Time Period January 7, 2009
Read I Have Heard of a Land by: Joyce Thomas to the students and discuss how they
know what the time period is. Make sure to include relevant information that makes you
know the time period this book take place in. You may include the decade, the location,
and any other certain things that leads you to believe where it takes place. Ask how does
the time of the story affect the character’s life? Use worksheet page 67.
Bud: chapter 5-6
Trouble River: chapter 3
Number of the Stars Ch 2
Lily’s chapters 5-6
Crispin 11-16
RESPONSE: After reading, the students will describe in paragraph form how they know
what time period their book takes place in. Make sure to include all relevant items that
indicate the time period.
Day 4
Skill: Plot Diagram January 8, 2009
Use a plot diagram chart to plot events of a plot diagram. Read Danger Zone Unexpected
Summer Storm to the students and have them record five or six events on the plot
diagram. Make sure to use all components of a plot diagram.
Climax
Rising Action
Falling Action
Resolution
Problem
Bud: chapters 7 - 8
Trouble River: chapter 4
Number of the Stars 5-6
Lily’s chapters 7-8
Crispin 17-21
RESPONSE: Pick a chapter that we have read and plot six events on the plot diagram.
Make sure that the climax is on the top, the events that lead up to the most exciting part
of that chapter.
Day 5
Skill: Characters Behavior January 11, 2009
In this particular skill the emphasis is on how the characters behave like a real life person
would in this situation. Be sure to include interaction between other characters and
interaction with problems.
Bud: chapter 9- 10
Trouble River: chapter 5
Number of the Stars Ch 7-8
Lily’s chapters 9-10
Crispin 22-26
RESPONSE: Describe the characters behavior and why you this that they acted this way.
What are their reasons for behaving the way they are, do you agree, and what would you
have done differently and why?
Day 6
Skill: Authors Craft January 12, 2009
Read The Fungus That Ate My School by: Arthur Dorros to the students and have them
tell you how the author is trying to make the reader feel.
Bud: chapters 11
Trouble River: chapter 6
Number of the Stars Ch 9-10
Lily’s chapters 11-13
Crispin 27-32
RESPONSE: Have the students use the Authors Craft sheet to help point out specific
events in the reading that depicts the style the author is trying to convey. Students may
choose three of the five items to discuss.
Day 7
Skill: Summarization January 13, 2009
Revisit information needed for summarizing chapter/chapters in a story. Make sure to
include: title, author, genre, main characters, plot and any other relevant events form the
chapter/chapters.
Bud: chapter 12
Trouble River: no reading
Number of the Stars 11
Lily’s chapters 14-15
Crispin 33-37
RESPONSE: Write summarization of the chapter/chapters.
Day 8
Skill
Plot Diagram January 14, 2009
Review what components need to be present in a plot diagram.
Bud: chapter 13
Trouble River: chapter 7
Number of the Stars 12
Lily’s chapters 16-17
Crispin 38-42
RESPONSE: Pick a chapter that we have read and plot six events on the plot diagram.
Make sure that the climax is on the top, the events that lead up to the most exciting part
of that chapter.
Day 9
Skill: Cause/Effect January 15, 2009
Use a cause effect chart to explain the relationships to events in the chapter. Read Danger
Zone page 1 and 2. Record notes on different cause and effect organizers.
Bud: chapter 14
Trouble River: chapter 8
Number of the Stars Ch 13
Lily’s chapters 18-19
Crispin 43-47
RESPONSE: Insert a cause effect from the chapter to complete one of the organizers.
Day 10
Skill: M L K Reading on your own
Review what is meant by author’s craft. How the author uses dialogue, voice, style or
humor.
Bud: chapter 15
Trouble River: chapter 9
Number of the Stars 14
Lily’s chapters 20-22
Crispin 48-51
RESPONSE: Have the students use the Authors Craft sheet to help point out specific
events in the reading that depicts the style the author is trying to convey. Students may
choose one of the styles to write a paragraph on the authors craft of their book.
Day 11
Skill :Characters Behavior January 19, 2009
In this particular skill the emphasis is on how the characters behave like a real life person
would in this situation. Be sure to include interaction between other characters and
interaction with problems. Use Elements of Historical Fiction to help you with this.
Bud: chapter 16
Trouble River: chapter 10 Number of the Stars 15
Lily’s chapters 23-24
Crispin 52-55
RESPONSE: Describe the characters behavior and why you think that they acted this
way. What are their reasons for behaving the way they are, do you agree, and what would
you have done differently and why?
Day 12
Skill: Cause/ Effect
January 20, 2009
Use a cause effect chart to explain the relationships to events in the chapter. Read Danger
Zone page 3. Record notes on different cause and effect organizers.
Bud: chapter 17
Trouble River: chapter 11 Number of the Stars CH 16
Lily’s chapters 25-26
Crispin 56-58
RESPONSE: Write a paragraph using their cause/effect relationship organizer.
Day 13
Skill: Story Element
January 21, 2009
Use Graphic Organizer
Bud: chapter 18
Trouble River:
Number of the Stars Ch 17
Lily’s chapters 27-28
Crispin
RESPONSE: Use prediction skills to write a paragraph about what you think will happen
at the end of this book.
Day 14
Story Map
January 22, 2009
Use Story map organizer to write a summarization of the book.
HISTORICAL FICTION RESPONSE
Readers Names _________________________ , _________________________
1.)
The place is ______________________, the year is about ________________.
The main character is _____________________. He/She is living in a
_______________. His/Her goal is ______________________________.
2.)
What seems especially unfamiliar to you about the setting?
3.)
In what ways does your main character remind you of modern day people?
4.)
List any phrases from the selection that are new to you.
In what ways might you find explanations of the words or phrases?
5.)
Tell two or three things that you’d hope to find out as you continue to read your
book.