6 ELA SpringBoard Unit 1
Study guide
Name _________________________
I. Narrative Texts
Plot
A.
B.
C.
D.
The sequence of events in a story.
Contains a clear beginning, middle and end
Usually focuses on a main character who faces a problem
Example: In “My Superpowers,” Dan Greenburg tells the story of a walk home when bullies stole
his hat and he fought back. He scared away the bullies and gained confidence in himself. Dan
later went on to become a risk taker and wrote about characters who used superpowers to
defeat evil like the bullies he encountered in his childhood.
Conflict
A.
B.
C.
D.
A struggle the character faces in a story.
Internal conflict takes place inside a character.
External conflict takes place between two characters or between a character and nature.
Example: In “My Superpowers,” Dan had the internal conflict of feeling embarrassed in front of a
pretty girl. Dan had an external conflict with Vernon, the bully.
Setting
A.
B.
C.
D.
When and where a story takes place.
Can include time period, time of day, weather, nature and places the action occurs.
Affects how the characters act and the action of the story.
Example: In “My Superpowers,” the setting was on a very cold winter day in Chicago. The fact
that Dan had to wear a coat and a hat influence what happens in the story.
Theme
A. An important idea, lesson, or message the writer wants the audience to understand.
B. Always a statement; never one word
C. Sometimes stated directly by the writer, but often the reader must figure out the theme by
paying attention to the events of the plot and what happens to the characters.
D. Example: In “My Superpowers,” Dan learned that his superpowers came from within himself. He
had the power to stand up for himself all along.
Point of View
A. The perspective from which a story is told.
B. First person – A character involved in the action is telling the story. Uses the pronouns I, me, we,
etc. to tell the events from the character’s perspective.
C. Third person – A narrator who is not part of the action tells the story. Pronouns such as he, she,
they are used to tell the events.
D. Example: “My Superpowers” is told in first person point of view because Dan is the narrator and
we learn about the events from his perspective. “How Fire Came to the Six Nations” is told in
third person point of view because it is told by a narrator who is not a character in the story.
Characterization
A. The ways a writer expresses a character’s traits.
B. Character description
C. Dialogue
D.
E.
F.
G.
Actions
Authors may reveal a character’s thoughts and feelings
Characters usually change from the beginning to the end of the story.
Example: In “Kira Kira” we learn a lot about Lynn from Katie’s description of her. We also learn
about Lynn from the things she said to Katie and from her actions with the dog. The writer
revealed Lynn’s thoughts and feelings when the excerpt from Lynn’s diary was included at the
end of the story. All of these methods were used by the writer to show us things about Lynn and
her personality.
II. Expository Texts Central (Main) idea
A.
B.
C.
D.
The most important point the writer wants to get across
All other information supports the central (main) idea
Sometimes the central (main) idea is not stated directly in the text.
Example: The central idea in “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail” is that you should
not change who you are to get someone to like you.
Sentence Functions
A. hook – capture the reader’s attention; usually at the beginning of the text. AQQS is an acronym
to remember effective hooks (anecdote, question, quote, statement of intrigue). Example: In
“He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail” the hook is “Have you heard of the story about
giving up everything for the one you love?”
B. topic sentence – the main idea of a paragraph; usually at the beginning of the paragraph
Example: In “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail” the topic sentence of the second
paragraph was “Before I relinquished my voice, I didn’t realize how strong and happy I was.”
C. detail – supports the topic sentence by giving specific examples, description, or facts about the
main point of the paragraph Example: In “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail” a detail
used to support the topic sentence in the second paragraph is “I had a loving family and friends
and my voice was celebrated by all who heard it.”
D. conclusion – wraps up the text (or paragraph) by giving closure and re-stating the main point
Example: In “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail” the concluding paragraph states:
“The day I changed from a mermaid of the sea to a prisoner of the land was the most important
day of my life. Now I live in a little hut by the sea, silently singing the sea songs of my girlhood,
pining for the voice I once had.”
Author’s purpose
A. An informative or expository text is written to explain, clarify, define or inform readers.
B. Example: “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail” was written to explain the
consequences of changing who you are to get someone to like you.
III. Language Context clues
A. Using the words or sentences around an unfamiliar word to figure out the word’s meaning
B. On a multiple choice test, try substituting the choices to find an answer that makes sense
C. Example: In “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail,” you can guess the meaning of the
underlined word in this sentence by using the other words in the sentence. Before I relinquished
my voice, I didn’t realize how strong and happy I was. (Relinquished means “gave up”)
Figurative Language
A. Simile – compares two unlike things using like or as. Example: Her voice sounded like fingernails
scraping against the chalkboard.
B. Metaphor – directly compares two unlike things; a stronger statement than a simile. Example:
Shaq was a beast on the basketball court.
Sensory Details
A. Describe people, places, objects and events to appeal to one of the five senses
B. Used to bring a story to life and to help the reader understand the experience
C. Example: In “He Might Have Liked Me Better With My Tail,” the following sentence appeals to
the sense of sound. It is written to help the reader imagine the mermaid’s voice. “My singing
was like the gentle sound of wind chimes swaying in the sea breezes.”
IV. Writing
Sentence Types
A. Simple sentece – one independent clause; expresses one complete thought
Example: It is important to be true to yourself.
B. Compound sentence – two independent clauses joined with a semicolon or a comma and a
coordinating conjunction (and, but, or)
Example: It is important to be true to yourself; you may not be happy with yourself if you aren’t.
Example: You can change yourself to get others to like you, but you may not end up liking
yourself.
Transitions
A. Guide the reader through the text
B. Show a change in events, setting, importance or time
C. Examples: Next, then, finally, later that day, as a result, therefore, etc.