Literary Elements
In a story, what is a character?
A person, animal, or other figure who takes part in the story.
Why does an author write a story?
To entertaining readers, informing them, or persuade.
What does the prefix re- mean in reread?
Again
What is a simile?
A comparison between two things using like or as.
What is the theme of a story?
The message or lesson the author communicates through the story.
In *Kitoto the Mighty*, what does Kitoto learn about being small?
Being small does not mean you cannot do brave things.
Why might an author include dialogue between two characters?
To show what characters say, think, or feel,.
What does the prefix un- mean in unhappy?
not
Identify the figurative language: 'The classroom was as quiet as a mouse.'
Simile
Which is a theme rather than a topic: friendship or true friends support one another during difficult times?
True friends support one another during difficult times.
In *The Year of the Rat*, Pacy experiences challenges involving friendship and growing up. What can readers learn by examining how she responds to challenges?
Readers can understand how her experiences affect what she learns about herself and others.
Why might an author include a character who faces a difficult problem?
The problem helps develop the plot and lead to a lesson
What does the suffix -ly usually do when added to an adjective, as in slowly?
It often changes an adjective into an adverb that describes how an action is done.
What point of view uses I, me, and my to tell a story?
First-person point of view.
What does it mean to support an answer with text evidence?
Use a specific detail or event from the text that helps prove the answer.
What is a character trait? Give an example of a trait a character might show through actions.
A quality that describes a character, such as brave, kind, or determined. Answers should connect the trait to an action.
Why might an author use descriptive words to explain how a character feels?
To help readers picture the scene and better understand the character's emotions.
Read the sentence: 'Ulysses was astonished when he discovered something unexpected.' What does astonished mean?
Very surprised. The word unexpected provides a context clue.
If a narrator says 'I was nervous when I entered the room,' whose feelings does the reader learn about directly?
The narrator's feelings.
In *Kitoto the Mighty*, how do Kitoto's experiences support the idea that bravery is not determined by size?
Kitoto learns that even someone small can do brave things. Students should identify a relevant event from the story.
How can a character's experiences change the way the character thinks about themself?
Experiences can teach a character something new about their abilities, identity, or relationships. Students should support their answer with a detail from one of the texts.
In *Flora & Ulysses*, why is the unusual relationship between Flora and Ulysses important to the story?
It drives important events and helps develop the characters and their relationship.
Read the sentence: 'Pacy felt uneasy before the conversation, but she became comfortable after her friend reassured her.' What does uneasy most likely mean?
Worried or uncomfortable. The contrast with feeling comfortable helps explain the word.
How can a first-person narrator affect what readers know about a character or event?
Readers experience events through the narrator's perspective and may not know everything other characters think or feel.
Choose one of the three module texts. Explain a lesson the character learns and use two details to show how the events support that lesson.
A strong response states a clear lesson, includes two accurate details from the chosen text, and explains how the details support the lesson.