Understanding by Design
Unit 3 – Personal Challenges
Grade Level(s): 8th grade
Unit Title: Personal Challenges
Subject/Topic Area(s): Reading and Language Arts
Key Words: point of view, drama, theme
Designed By: Jenny Bernardi, Julie
Giordano, Michele Jones, Jay
Waggoner, Hanna Poist, Catherine
Jackson, Lindsay Heatwole, Karen
Carroll
Time Frame: 9 weeks
School District: Wicomico
Unit Description (including curricular context and unit goals):
This unit introduces students to the idea of personal challenges. Students will begin
to understand that personal challenges can be influenced through different factors
such as environment, culture, gender, age, race, etc. Skills in this unit include
dramatic elements, point of view, theme, and text features.
Materials and Resources:
Short Works from Elements of Literature
 “Stop the Sun” p. 268 (short story)
 “from Alice and Wonderland” p. 806 (drama)
 “Flowers for Algernon” p. 52 (diary)
 “The Gentleman of Rio en Medio p.297 (short story)
 “Pyramus & Thisbe” p. 818 (graphic play)
 Reading Consumer Documents p. 624 (variety)
 Skateboard Park Documents p. 612 (variety)
 “A Retrieved Reformation” p. 178 (short story)
 “Mrs. Flowers” p. 213 (autobiography)
 “from The Glass Menagerie” p. 966 (drama)
 “Theater in Shakespeare’s Day” p. 815 (article)
 “The Medicine Bag” p. 281 (short story)
 “A Shot At It” p. 309 (autobiography)
 “How I Learned English” p. 319 (poem)
 “The Circuit” p. 404 (short story)
Extended Works Options
 Uglies
 Red Badge of Courage
 Strays Like Us
Understanding by Design
Stage 1: Desired Results
What content standards are addressed?
1.D.3.a Use context to determine the meanings of words
1.E.4.a Identify and explain the main idea (of the text or a portion of the text)
1.E.4.b Identify and explain information directly stated in the text (in the text or a
portion of the text)
1.E.4.c Draw inferences and/or conclusions and make generalizations (from the text or a
portion of the text)
1.E.4.d Confirm, refute, or make predictions
1.E.4.e Summarize or paraphrase (the text or a portion of the text)
1.E.4.f Connect the text to prior knowledge or personal experience
2.A.1.b Read, use, and identify the characteristics of workplace and other real-world
documents such as sets of directions, science investigations, atlases, posters, flyers, forms,
instructional manuals, menus, pamphlets, rules, invitations, recipes, advertisements,
other functional documents.
2.A.2.a Analyze print features that contribute to meaning
2.A.2.b Analyze graphic aids that contribute to meaning
2.A.2.c Analyze informational aids that contribute to meaning
2.A.2.d Analyze organizational aids that contribute to meaning
2.A.2.e Analyze online features that contribute to meaning
2.A.2.f Analyze the relationship between the text features and the content of the text as a
whole
2.A.3.a Analyze the organizational patterns of texts such as sequential and/or
chronological order, cause/effect, problem/solution, similarities/differences, description,
main idea and supporting details, order of importance, transition or signal words and
phrases that indicate the organizational pattern.
2.A.3.b Analyze the contribution of the organizational pattern to clarify or reinforce
meaning and support the author’s purpose and/or argument
2.A.3.c Analyze shifts in organizational patterns
2.A.4.a Analyze the author’s/text’s purpose and intended audience
2.A.4.b Analyze the author’s argument, viewpoint, or perspective
2.A.4.c State and support main ideas and messages
2.A.4.d Summarize and paraphrase
2.A.4.e Analyze information or ideas peripheral to the main idea or message
2.A.4.f Analyze relationships between and among ideas
2.A.4.g Synthesize ideas from text
2.A.4.h Explain the implications of the text or how someone might use the text
2.A.4.i Connect the text to prior knowledge or experience
2.A.5.d Analyze repetition and variation of specific words and phrases that contribute to
meaning
2.A.6.a Analyze the extent to which the text or texts fulfill the reading purpose
2.A.6.b Analyze the extent to which the structure and text features clarify the purpose
and the information
2.A.6.c Analyze the text and its information for reliability
2.A.6.f Analyze the effectiveness of persuasive techniques to sway the reader to a
particular point of view
2.A.6.g Analyze the effect of elements of style on meaning
3.A.2.a Analyze text features that contribute to meaning
3.A.3.a Distinguish among types of grade-appropriate narrative such as short stories,
folklore, realistic fiction, science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, essays, biographies,
autobiographies, personal narratives, plays, and lyric and narrative poetry
3.A.3.d Analyze characterization (character’s personal growth and development)
3.A.3.h Analyze the author’s approach to issues of time in a narrative
3.A.3.i Analyze the point of view (connections between point of view and meaning)
3.A.3.j Analyze the interactions among narrative elements and their contribution to
meaning
3.A.5.a Use structural features to distinguish among types of plays
3.A.5.b Analyze structural features of drama that contribute to meaning
3.A.5.c Analyze how dialogue and stage directions work together to create characters
and plot
3.A.6.a Analyze main ideas and universal themes
3.A.6.b Analyze similar themes across multiple texts (experiences, emotions, issues, and
ideas across texts that give rise to universal themes)
3.A.6.c Summarize or paraphrase
3.A.6.d Reflect on and explain personal connections to the text
3.A.6.e Explain the implications of the text for the reader and/or society
3.A.7.a Analyze and evaluate how specific language choices contribute to meaning
3.A.7.b Analyze and evaluate language choices that create tone
3.A.7.c Analyze the appropriateness of a particular tone
3.A.7.d Analyze and evaluate figurative language that contributes to meaning and/or
creates style
3.A.7.e Analyze imagery that contributes to meaning and/or creates style
3.A.7.f Analyze elements of style and their contribution to meaning
3.A.8.b Analyze and evaluate the extent to which the text contains ambiguities,
subtleties, or contradictions
3.A.8.c Analyze and evaluate the relationship between a literary text and its historical,
social, and/or political context
3.A.8d Analyze the relationship between the structure and the purpose of the text
What enduring understandings are desired
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(and what misunderstandings will be addressed)?
The choices that individuals make affect how they live their lives.
Reading is a way to explore personal challenges and build understanding of the many
dimensions of human experience.
The author makes intentional word choices that are designed to produce a desired effect on the
reader.
Elements such as environment, religion, age, gender, race, occupation, etc. impact the challenges
that one may face.
The consequences of past decisions help you learn from your mistakes.
Determining the usefulness of text for a specific purpose, evaluating language and textual
elements, and analyzing the author’s style are all ways to critically examine texts.
What essential questions will guide this unit and focus teaching/learning?
How can a person’s decisions or actions change his or her life?
How does reading influence the way we face future challenges?
What importance does word choice play on an author’s work?
Why are we held accountable for the decisions we make?
How do readers critically examine texts?
What topical questions will guide this unit and focus teaching/learning?
How do I know if I understand what I read? What do I do if I didn’t understand what I
read?
How does analyzing similar themes across multiple texts help the reader relate to universal
themes?
How does the author’s word choice influence the reader?
How do text features give the reader a better understanding of the text?
Why does background information help a reader make inferences?
How does the narrator’s point of view connect to the meaning of the text?
How does summarizing/paraphrasing the text or portion of the text aid to understanding?
What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Knowledge of:
 Theme
 Main Idea
 Details of the text (directly stated)
 Inferences
 Generalizations
 Summarizing
 Paraphrasing
 Word Choice
 Point of View
 Text Features
Skills:
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Analyze theme
Identify main idea
Identify and explain information directly stated in the text
Make inferences
Analyzing text features
Summarize or paraphrase the text or a portion of the text
Analyze point of view
Making generalizations
Understanding by Design
Stage 2: Acceptable Evidence of Understanding
Title: Theme Collage Poster
Time Frame: 1-2 weeks
What evidence will show that students understand?
Performance Tasks*
Wicomico County Public Library has asked 8th grade students to create collages
based on themes found in the various stories from your anthology. These collages
will be displayed throughout the library to promote the stories. Before you begin
your poster, you must read a selection from the unit that has not been discussed
or read in class. After reading the story and determining the intended theme, you
will select pictures that represent that theme based on the events from the story.
The pictures can be drawn, printed, cutout, etc. or a combination. Your poster
must include the title, author, and theme displayed, the pictures displayed in a
creative but organized manner, and captions with the pictures explaining how
they connect to the theme.
*Complete a Performance Task Blueprint for each task (next page).
Other Evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues, work samples, etc.):
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See Standardized Test Preparation Workbook to select appropriate selections and
questions relating to the knowledge and skills of the unit
See Collection Resource workbooks to identify appropriate selection assessments
Use questions in the textbook.
See journal suggestions offered for each selection.
See side margins for good discussions of the skills that have been taught.
Story Maps
Graphic Organizers
Student Self-Assessment:
In a warm-up or for a journal topic, have the kids write about the performance task. Have
them explain what they liked about the task, didn’t like about the task, how it could be
changed.
Performance Task Blueprint
Task Title: Theme Collage Poster
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Approximate Time Frame: 1-2 weeks
What desired understandings/content standards will be assessed through this task?
Analyze the theme of the story
Justify
Paraphrase
What criteria are implied in the standard(s) understanding(s) regardless of the task
specifics?
In order to complete this task, students will need to know:
 how to paraphrase
 how to analyze
 higher order thinking
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?
Wicomico County Public Library has asked 8th grade students to create collages
based on themes found in the various stories from your anthology. These collages
will be displayed throughout the library to promote the stories. Before you begin
your poster, you must read a selection from the unit that has not been discussed
or read in class. After reading the story and determining the intended theme, you
will select pictures that represent that theme based on the events from the story.
The pictures can be drawn, printed, cutout, etc or a combination. Your poster
must include the title, author, and theme displayed, the pictures displayed in a
creative but organized manner, and captions with the pictures explaining how
they connect to the theme.
What student products/performances will provide evidence of desired understandings?
Product: Theme Collage Poster
Performance: To display the theme of a story using
pictures and captions in the form of a collage
poster.
Understanding by Design
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
Suggested Learning Plan ~ Unit 3
1. Introduce/define the core vocabulary words to be used throughout the unit as the story is
read. These words can be found at the beginning of each story under “Academic
Vocabulary”.
2. Use questions from each text (Literary Perspective, Literary Focus, etc) to assess students
on information that is directly stated from the text.
a. All text can be used
3. As an opening for the unit, Personal Challenges, have students fold a piece of blank paper
into four squares and write an occupation in each square. Have students write the top five
challenges in that occupation that a person would face. Have students discuss the
challenges that they listed with the class. Pass out the Give One Get One (see Appendix
A) worksheet to each student and have them fill in the topic challenges of middle school
students. Have students fill in five boxes with the top five challenges that a middle school
student would face. Then have students fill in the remaining boxes by traveling around
the classroom and sharing their ideas with classmates. Students should give one idea from
a classmate and get one from a classmate and then move on.
4. The unit will begin with an introductory lesson to see what background knowledge
students possess about dramatic elements. Think, Pair, Share can be used to get students
thinking and talking with their classmates. As students are sharing, create a classgenerated list of “What We Know About Drama” on a piece of chart paper or a spot on
the board that can remain there until unit is complete. Keep this list posted throughout
the unit, and as elements are introduced, added, edited, or deleted from the list.
5. Hook- Video Google provides a video that relates to the dramatic elements by going
backstage with the well-known musical “Wicked”. The video is titled Wicked on Tour:
Behind the Scenes Documentary. The video, about 25 minutes long, refers to many
aspects of the theater. It is up to teacher discretion to have students view the entire video
or just a portion (depending on time). If a portion is chosen, it is recommended to begin
video at time marked 14:30, section titled Behind the Scenes.
6.
a. A PowerPoint from Holt Power Notes can be used to introduce students to the various
types of drama along with the elements of drama. PowerPoint can be found in
Collection 8: What Do You Need to Know About Drama? Students can take notes
based on teacher discretion. If PowerPoint is not accessible, the same information
can be found on p.800-801 in Elements of Literature.
b.
Have students turn to p.802-803 in Elements of Literature. Have students work in
pairs to analyze the photos on both pages, and complete questions 1-2 (p.802) and
questions 1-3 (p.803).
7. Students will have an opportunity to read a portion of a play. Have students read “from
Alice in Wonderland” independently first, making note of the various dramatic elements
being used on the What I Know/Partner Know Worksheet (see Appendix B). Then, have
students partner read the script taking turns as the various characters. Have students
compare notes as to what dramatic elements were identified in the play and fill in any
new information provided from partner.
a. “from the Glass Menagerie” p. 966 (optional text)
8. In order to build background and become familiarized with characters for the next
dramatic selection, have students read “Theater in Shakespeare’s Day” p. 815 in
Elements of Literature. This selection not only provides the students with information,
but also serves as an excellent review of main idea and details. Pass out Main Idea &
Details worksheet to students (see Appendix C). As students read the selection, have
them create new subheadings for each section as their main idea (p.815-816). In
addition to new subheadings (main idea), have them support their new subheading with
details from each section.
9. To introduce elements of humor have teacher explain the difference between wordplay,
misstatements and exaggerations to students using 1-2 examples for each (refer to pages
802-803 in Elements of Literature if needed). To introduce elements of humor you may
give students sentences strips and have them write an example of either a misstatement,
wordplay or an exaggeration. Collect strips from students and pass them back to the
students randomly. Have students identify and then place their statement under the
correct column to identify and explain why their statement is a misstatement, wordplay or
an exaggeration.
10. Explain that the play, Pyramus & Thisbe, has many examples of archaic language (oldfashioned or used in a different way-p.824 EOL). Have students individually read
Pyramus and Thisbe p.818. While reading, have them think about the elements of humor
that are portrayed throughout the play. After a complete read through, pass out
Visualizing Chart worksheet (see Appendix D). Students fill in the two-columned chart
by writing lines from the play in the left column and an explanation of what they
visualize in the right column. Bring class together, and discuss play from beginning to
end while students check their work.
11. The activity is to introduce point of view. To begin this activity you need to first 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. Display the story The House
(see Appendix E) and read it aloud to your students. While you are reading, students
should not be taking notes. Once the reading is complete, remove the story 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. 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. 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. Discuss whether the lists would be different from another viewpoint (e.g., child,
interior decorator, pet dog).
12. Before students read the next selection, review the concept of point of view and the
different types of point of view that an author may use in their writing. (see Appendix F )
Then as a class activity have students determine the point of view by reading various
novel selections. (See Appendix G)
13.
a. The story, Flowers for Algernon, is told through the point of view of a man
named Charlie whose perception of the world is very different from those of the
average person. Have students determine from what point of view this story is
told. Make sure to emphasize that readers learn about the character and events
from the story from a journal.
b. After students have read the story, a suggestion for assessment of point of view is
to have them reread journal entry March 6th (p. 55 in EOL). Have students rewrite
that journal entry through the test giver’s point of view. Be sure to have students
include what the test giver is experiencing, such as what he sees, his thoughts, and
his feelings. You may have the students write the journal entry inside the shape of
an eye or in a picture of eyeglasses to enforce that the story is told through that
person’s point of view.
c. This story is also an excellent example to review inferencing with students. The
reader has to make inferences while reading Charlie’s journal diaries in order to
understand what is really happening to him. While reading the story, have
students list several inferences that they make and then have them compare with a
peer after reading.
14. Remind students that many texts include various features that make the text easier to
understand. Have students think, pair, share, about what an author may include in an
informational text to make it easier for the reader to understand. (Features such as
pictures, diagrams, maps, etc should be mentioned) In order to review text features, have
students become familiar with “Reading Consumer Documents” p. 625 in EOL. Once
students have skimmed over the documents, pass out Text Feature Worksheet (see
Appendix H) to each student. Have students complete the text feature chart based on the
documents in the book.
a. Copies of local newspaper (optional text)
b. Magazines such a National Geographic or Time for Kids (optional text)
c. Skateboard Park Documents p. 612 (optional text)
15. As text features are being reviewed, it is suggested to review author’s purpose. “The
Skateboard Park” provides various examples that could be analyzed to determine the
author’s purpose. What Do You Think Now prompt on p. 617 provides a great
opportunity for students to write down their thoughts as to why the author wrote the text,
the intended audience, and the viewpoint.
16.
a. This activity is to introduce the skill “theme”. First, remind students that the
theme of the story is the lesson or the message that they author wants the readers
to take away from the story.
b. First, you need to have several of Aesop’s fables where the theme is easily found.
(Appendix I) Have the fables posted around the classroom along with a piece of
chart paper. Divide students into groups based on the number of themes posted
around the room, and assign each group to a fable. Pass out a different color
marker to each group. Explain to the groups that they will need to read the fable
and discuss with one another the fable’s intended theme. Once a consensus is
reached, have the groups write what they think the theme of the story is leaving
enough room for the other groups to write their thoughts. Then have the groups
rotate to the next fable and complete the same task. Continue rotating until all
groups have visited each fable. Then, as class, review the thoughts of each group
comparing ideas.
17. A good story for students to read that is a good example of theme is “Stop the Sun”. As
students read, have them think about main ideas or topics that are continually emphasized
throughout the story. Once the story has been read, have students complete Theme
Worksheet (see Appendix J).
a. “The Gentleman of Rio en Medio” p. 297 (optional text)
b. “The Medicine Bag” p. 281 (optional text)
Name:_______________________________________ Date:_________________ Period:____________
A
Name:____________________________________ Date:__________________________ Period:___________
What I Know
What My Partner Knows
B
Name:________________________________ Date: _______________________ Period:_____________
Main Idea and Details Graphic Organizer
C
Name:___________________________________Date:__________________________Period:___________
D
Dialectical Journal
Directions: Write quotes or lines from the play in the left column. In the right column, write a
brief explanation of what you, as reader, visualize to be going on in the story/play.
Quotation/Line
What I Visualize
The House
By Laurie Henry
E
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.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=23
Point of View
F
An automobile accident occurs. Two drivers are involved. Witnesses include four sidewalk spectators, a
policeman, a man with a video camera who happened to be shooting the scene, and the pilot of a helicopter that
was flying overhead. Here we have nine different points of view and, most likely, nine different descriptions of
the accident.
In short fiction, who tells the story and how it is told are critical issues for an author to decide. The tone and feel
of the story, and even its meaning, can change radically depending on who is telling the story.
Remember, someone is always between the reader and the action of the story. That someone is telling the story
from his or her own point of view. This angle of vision, the point of view from which the people, events, and
details of a story are viewed, is important to consider when reading a story.
What is the point of view in "A Jury of Her Peers?" Is it fixed or does it change? Does it stay the same distance
from the events of the story, or does it zoom in and zoom out, like a camera lens? Who is telling the story?
Types of Point of View
Objective Point of View
With the objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from
the story's action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel,
remaining a detached observer.
Third Person Point of View
Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly
how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.
First Person Point of View
In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of the story. When reading stories in
the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We
should question the trustworthiness of the accounting.
Omniscient and Limited Omniscient Points of View
A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient.
A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a limited omniscient point of
view.
As you read a piece of fiction think about these things:
How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters? How is your response influenced by how
much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is? First person narrators are not always trustworthy. It is
up to you to determine what is the truth and what is not.
Think about the ways that point of view is used to help you solve the murder in "A Jury of Her Peers."
POINT OF VIEW
Name ____________________
Date ________ Period ______
G
Choose from these points of view: first person, third person omniscient, third person limited
1. From Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
So he turned and started walking north on Hector, right down the middle of the street, right down the invisible chalk line
that divided East End from West End. Cars beeped at him, drivers hollered, but he never flinched. The Cobras kept right
along with him on their side of the street. So did a bunch of East Enders on their side. One of them was Mars Bar. Both
sides were calling for him to come over.
Point of view? _________________________________
2. From From the Mixed-Up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg
Claudia was furious . . . She refused to look at Jamie again and instead stared at the statue. The
sound of footsteps broke the silence and her concentration. Footsteps from the Italian Renaissance were
descending upon them! The guard was coming down the steps. There was just too much time before the
museum opened on Sundays. They should have been in hiding already. Here they were out in the open witha light on!
Point of View? _________________________________
3. From The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois
It is funny that my trip has ended by being such a fast trip around the world. I find myself referred to now as one of the
speediest travelers of all times. Speed wasn’t at all what I had in mind when I started out. On the contrary, if all had gone
the way I had hoped, I would still be happily floating around in my balloon, drifting anywhere the wind cared to carry me –
East, West, North, or South.
Point of View? _________________________________
4. From Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
One of the soldiers, the taller one, moved toward her. Annemarie recognized him as the one she and Ellen always called,
in whispers, “the Giraffe” because of his height and the long neck that extended from his stiff collar. He and his partner
were always on this corner.
He prodded the corner of her backpack with the stock of his rifle. Annemarie trembled. “What is in
here?” he asked loudly. “Schoolbooks,” she answered truthfully.
Point of View? _________________________________
5. From Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
The day after May didn’t come to us, Ob didn’t get out of bed. He didn’t get me up either, and from a bad
dream I woke with a start, knowing things were wrong, knowing that I had missed something vitally important. Among
these, of course, was the school bus. It was Monday, and OB should have called me out of bed at five-thirty, but he didn’t,
and when I finally woke at seven o’clock, it was too late to set the day straight.
Point of View? _________________________________
6. From The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
He himself was a very old man with shaggy white hair which grew over most of his face as well as on his
head, and they liked him almost at once. But on the first evening when he came to meet them at the front
door he was so odd-looking that Lucy (who was the youngest) was a little afraid of him, and Edmund (who was the next
youngest) wanted to laugh and had to keep on pretending he was blowing his nose to hide it.
Point of View? _________________________________
7. From I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
For one whole semester the streetcars and I shimmied up and scooted down the sheer hills of San Francisco. I lost some
of my need for the Black ghetto’s shielding-sponge quality, as I clanged and cleared my way down Market Street, with its
honky-tonk homes from homeless sailors, past the quiet retreat of Golden Gate Park and along closed undwelled-inlooking dwellings of the Sunset District.
Point of View? _________________________________
8. From The Olympic Games by Theodore Knight
While still a teenager, Lee met and began to train with some of the best divers in the country, among them several former
Olympians. One former champion – Farid Simaika the Egyptian 1928 silver medalist who had moved to this country—
gave Lee a piece of advice that he took to heart. He told the young diver that he might encounter prejudice in competition
because he was of Korean descent. Simaika told Lee he would simply have to work twice as hard as other athletes.
“You’ve go to be so much better that they have to give you the medal,” Simaika said.
Point of View? _________________________________
9. From “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing
He was an only child, eleven years old. She was a widow. She was determined to be neither
possessive nor lacking in devotion. She went worrying off to her beach.
As for Jerry, once he saw that his mother had gained her beach, he began the steep descent to the
bay. From where he was, high up among red-brown rocks, it was a scoop of moving bluish green fringed with white. As he
went lower, he saw that it spread among small promontories and inlets of rough, sharp rock, and the crisping, lapping
surface showed stains of purple and darker blue.
Point of View? _________________________________
10. From “Pictures on a Rock” by Brent Ashabranner
One spring day a few years before the Rough Rock Demonstration School was opened, a five-yearold
Navajo boy named Fred Bia was watching the family sheep flock in the arid countryside near the little
town. It was his daily chore to follow the sheep as they drifted over the red, rocky earth in their endless
search for grass and leaves of semi-desert plants.
Point of View? _________________________________
H
Text Features
Complete the following chart by stating the type of document, two text features that are used within each
document, the purpose of each text feature, and what other text feature could be added or substituted to
improve the document with an explanation.
Type of Document
2 Text Features
Purpose of Text
What Could Be
Used
Feature
Added & Why?
The Ant and the Grasshopper
I
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping
and singing to its heart's content. An Ant walked by, grunting as he carried
a plump kernel of corn.
"Where are you off to with that heavy thing?" asked the Grasshopper.
Without stopping, the Ant replied, "To our ant hill. This is the third kernel
I've delivered today."
"Why not come and sing with me," said the
Grasshopper, "instead of working so hard?"
"I am helping to store food for the winter," said the Ant,
"and think you should do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "we
have plenty of food right now."
But the Ant went on its way and continued its work.
The weather soon turned cold. All the food lying in the field was covered
with a thick white blanket of snow that even the grasshopper could not dig
through. Soon the Grasshopper found itself dying of hunger.
He staggered to the ants' hill and saw them handing out corn from the
stores they had collected in the summer.
It was then that the Grasshopper learned:
____________________________________________________
The Tortoise and the Hare
I
There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run.
Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and Steady, the tortoise, challenged him to
a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch.
Hare ran down the road for a while and then and paused to rest. He looked
back at Slow and Steady and cried out, "How do you expect to win this race
when you are walking along at your slow, slow pace?"
Hare stretched himself out alongside the road and fell asleep, thinking,
"There is plenty of time to relax."
Slow and Steady walked and walked. He never, ever stopped until he came
to the finish line.
The animals who were watching cheered so loudly for Tortoise, they woke
up Hare.
Hare stretched and yawned and began to run again, but it was too late.
Tortoise was over the line.
After that, Hare always reminded himself, "Don't brag about your lightning
pace, for Slow and Steady won the race!"
It was then that the Hare learned:
_______________________________________________________
The Lion and the Mouse
I
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running
up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who
placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to
swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse:
"forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but
what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?"
The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able
to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.
Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the
hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him
to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him
on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and
seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him
and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the
Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.
It was then that the lion learned:
________________________________________
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
I
There was a Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at the foot
of a mountain near a dark forest. It was lonely for him, so he
devised a plan to get a little company. He rushed down
towards the village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers
came out to meet him. This pleased the boy so much that a
few days after he tried the same trick, and again the villagers
came to his help. Shortly after this a Wolf actually did come
out from the forest. The boy cried out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder
than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled
twice before, thought the boy was again lying, and nobody
came to his aid. So the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's
flock.
It was then that the Shepherd Boy learned:
__________________________________________
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
I
A Town Mouse and a Country Mouse were acquaintances, and the
Country Mouse one day invited his friend to come and see him at
his home in the fields. The Town Mouse came, and they sat down
to a dinner of barleycorns and roots, the latter of which had a
distinctly earthy flavor. The fare was not much to the taste of the
guest, and presently he broke out with "My poor dear friend, you
live here no better than the ants. Now, you should just see how I
fare! You must come and stay with me, and I promise you shall live
on the fat of the land." So when he returned to town he took the
Country Mouse with him, and showed him into a larder containing
flour and oatmeal and figs and honey and dates. The Country
Mouse had never seen anything like it, and sat down to enjoy the
luxuries his friend provided: but before they had well begun, the
door of the larder opened and someone came in. The two Mice
scampered off and hid themselves in a narrow and exceedingly
uncomfortable hole. Presently, when all was quiet, they ventured
out again; but someone else came in, and off they scuttled again.
This was too much for the visitor. "Good-bye," said he, "I'm off.
It was then that the Country Mouse realized:
______________________________________________
The Fox and the Grapes
I
One hot summer's day a certain fox saw a juicy bunch of grapes
hanging from a vine. It certainly was very hot, and the fox was
thirsting for something to drink. “These grapes are just what I need
to quench my thirst!” said the fox.
But the vine on which the grapes hung was too
high for him to reach even with his longest stretch.
So he decided to jump.
Drawing back a few paces, he ran towards the
vine and took a great big leap, but missed the
grapes. Turning around, he jumped again. This
time too, with no success. The fox tried to jump for
the grapes again and again and yet again, to no
avail.
Since he could not reach the delicious looking
grapes, the fox finally concluded, “These grapes must be sour!” and
walked away with his nose in the air, though hotter and even
thirstier than before!
The theme of the story is
______________________________________________
THEME Worksheet
Name: ____________________
J
Date: ___________
Class: ____________________
Story Title: ______________________________
Directions: Name two main topics that are discussed throughout the story. Explain each topic as
clearly as you can in the boxes below. Then, based on the information in the boxes, determine the
theme of the story.
Main Topic #1:
Theme: What
message or lesson
does the author want
the readers to take
away from the story?
Main Topic #2: