Name______________________ Rotation_________________.
Homework for the week of September 28. This packet is Due Friday, October 2, 2015.
We are reading a class novel together titled, Trouble River by Betsy Byars. We are working on learning
how the elements of a story work together. We will be practicing and learning about all the terms on
the attached vocabulary list this week. If your child wants some extra practice, there are some short
fiction stories on the Wonders Website that they are welcome to read. They are “assigned” however
they are optional, not required.
For homework this week. Students should complete the following:
Monday: Read the Lyrics to “Five Things” (Five Elements of a Story) to someone else. They should sign
here that this was read:____________________________.
Students should read for 20 minutes out of their self-selected novel.
What I read?_________________
How long I read?___________________
Who is the protagonist in the novel you are reading? Is there an antagonist? Describe the relationship
between the two:
Tuesday: Fill in the blanks to the “Five Things” lyrics. Read the lyrics to yourself.
Students should read for 20 minutes out of their self-selected novel.
What I read?_________________
How long I read?___________________
Describe, in detail the setting of the book you are reading right now:
Wednesday:
Fill in the blanks to the graphic organizer “Five Elements of a Story.”
Use examples from the book you are now reading for the column “your examples.”
Thursday:
Study for the test! Have someone quiz you. Make SURE you understand the terms and how to apply
them.
Read for 20 minutes.
What I read?______________________ How long I read?_______________
Describe one of the conflicts in your book:
VOCABULARY September 28, 2015
There will be a test on these terms and their application on Friday, October 2.
Plot: is the action of the story told in a chain of events.
Exposition: the first part of the plot. Characters, setting, and the basic story is
revealed.
Inciting Incident: The event that sets the story in motion. Makes the rest of the
story possible.
Rising Action: The main part of the story, moves the plot along. This is where the
complications arise.
Climax: The most exciting or intense part of the story. Usually a turning point.
Falling Action: Events that follow the climax and lead to the resolution. Loose
ends of the plot are tied up.
Resolution: The end of the story. Questions are usually answered and conflicts are
resolved.
Protagonist: The main character in a story.
Antagonist: The character or force in conflict with the protagonist.
Conflict: complications or problems that arise as the characters struggle to reach
their goals.
Internal Conflict: takes place inside a character’s mind or heart. Sometimes
involves a decision.
External Conflict: Takes place between a character and something outside the
character. These forces can include forces like nature, an event or another
character.
Theme: The main idea of the story. The central idea or belief. Sometimes you
can think of it as the “message” the author want to leave you with or the lesson
to be learned.
Setting: Where the story takes place. It gives us the where and when.
Name: ________________________________________ Date: __________________
Five Elements of a Story - Lyrics
"Five Things"
Setting, that's like where it's going down,
Could be the train compartment, a castle or a town,
Could be the Arctic winter - like "To Build a Fire,"
The temperature's dropping, excitement is getting higher,
Setting sets the scene so the scene seems set,
Could be the Italian restaurant where we met,
Setting gives us the where and the when,
Could be modern day, the future, or way back when.
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
Plot is the action, the quest for satisfaction,
What's going down, what's going to happen.
Four men at sea in an open boat,
Rowing and hoping that they can stay afloat. The plot:
They have to make it to the beach,
But the waves are big, and the shore seems out of reach,
Plot is a series of events... like Lemony Snicket,
It could be crazy, wild or straight wicked.
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
Knock knock, who's there? Oh, it's the characters,
The people in the story who carry out the action.
Characters can be pretty, tiny or clean,
Characters can be silly, whiney or mean,
Juliet is a character, and so is Romeo,
Pokemon has characters and so does Yu-gi-oh,
Characters could be dogs, lions, or hippos,
JK Rowling chose Harry Potter. "Why?" Who knows!
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
Uh-uh! Put your snack back in your backpack we're not finished!
Something gone wrong! That's the conflict kids,
A struggle in the plot, now who's on top,
Could be a fight for money, like some robbers and cops,
Could be an internal conflict — a struggle inside,
Like I don't want to tell the truth but I don't ever want to lie,
Flick something in your eye, now you're conflicted,
What created drama? The conflict did.
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
The theme of the story is the main idea,
The central belief or the topic that's in there,
It's usually something abstract like sacrifice,
Isolation or resurrection: we're back to life,
Like don't lie, don't practice libel,
The theme of "To Build a Fire" is survival,
Survival on your own like Fievel Moskowitz,
Flocabulary's something that you HAVE TO GET...
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
11
Five Elements of a Story - Fill in the Blanks
"Five Things"
_____________________, that's like where it's going down,
Could be the train compartment, a castle or a town,
Could be the Arctic winter - like "To Build a Fire,"
The temperature's dropping, excitement is getting higher,
Setting sets the _______________ so the scene seems set,
Could be the Italian restaurant where we met,
Setting gives us the where and the when,
Could be modern day, the future, or way back when.
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
____________ is the __________________, the quest for satisfaction,
What's going down, what's going to happen.
Four men at sea in an open boat,
Rowing and hoping that they can stay afloat. The plot:
They have to make it to the beach,
But the waves are big, and the shore seems out of reach,
Plot is a series of __________________... like Lemony Snicket,
It could be crazy, wild or straight wicked.
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
22
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
Knock knock, who's there? Oh, it's the ______________________________,
The people in the story who carry out the action.
Characters can be pretty, tiny or clean,
Characters can be silly, whiney or mean,
Juliet is a character, and so is Romeo,
Pokemon has characters and so does Yu-gi-oh,
Characters could be dogs, lions, or hippos,
JK Rowling chose Harry Potter. "Why?" Who knows!
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
Uh-uh! Put your snack back in your backpack we're not finished!
Something gone wrong! That's the ________________________ kids,
A ________________________ in the plot, now who's on top,
Could be a fight for money, like some robbers and cops,
Could be an ________________________ ________________________ — a struggle
inside,
Like I don't want to tell the truth but I don't ever want to lie,
Flick something in your eye, now you're conflicted,
What created _______________? The conflict did.
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
33
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
The _______________ of the story is the ____________ ____________,
The _____________________ __________________ or the topic that's in there,
It's usually something ________________________ like sacrifice,
Isolation or resurrection: we're back to life,
Like don't lie, don't practice libel,
The theme of "To Build a Fire" is survival,
Survival on your own like Fievel Moskowitz,
Flocabulary's something that you HAVE TO GET...
Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme,
Setting, yes these are the 5 things
That you're going to be needing
When you're reading or writing
A short story that's mad exciting. (x2)
The Five Elements of a Story
Use this sheet to review the five elements of a short story. Then you
can either write down information
about a story or plan a story of your own.
Learn From the Song, Five Things
The Elements
Setting
Plot
Characters
conflict
theme
Definition
Examples in
the song
Examples from
your reading