Plots & Events
What is the setting of a story, and why is it important?
Setting is the time, place, and location
What clues help you figure out how a character is feeling?
Context Clues
Text Evidence
Dialogue
Inner Thoughts
Actions
Descriptive Words
What is a theme in a story?
The theme of a story is the main message or lesson the author wants to share.
What are context clues?
Context clues are hints in a story that help you figure out what a word means.
What is a cause? What is an effect?
A cause is something that makes something else happen. An effect is the result or outcome of the cause.
What is the conflict in a story? Give an example.
The conflict in a story is the main problem the character faces.
What does it mean if a character is “developing” or “growing”?
The character is changing in a big way.
This change is usually about how they feel, think, or what they believe.
How do you find the theme of a story?
To find the theme of a story, think about:
What is the story trying to teach?
How do the characters change?
What’s the big problem, and how is it solved?
Are there ideas that keep repeating?
How can you figure out what a new word means when reading?
Context clues
Nearby examples or descriptions
What clue words help you find cause-and-effect relationships?
Clue words that help you find cause-and-effect relationships include:
Because – Shows the reason for something.
"She was tired because she stayed up late." So – Shows the result of something.
"It rained, so we stayed inside."
*Teachers Discretion*
What is the climax of a story? How can you tell?
The climax is the most exciting part of the story.
It’s when the main problem gets really big and the character has to face it.
How can a character’s actions show you what kind of person they are?
What someone DOES speaks louder than what they say. Is the character kind or caring, brave or courageous, or selfish & rude?
What’s the difference between a theme and the main idea?
The theme is the big lesson or message the story is trying to teach
The main idea is what the story is mostly about.
What does a prefix tell you about a word?
A prefix is a part added to the beginning of a word that changes its meaning
Why is understanding cause and effect important when reading?
Understanding cause and effect helps you see why things happen and what happens because of it.
It makes the story easier to understand and helps you follow along!
How do events in the beginning of a story affect what happens later?
The beginning of a story introduces the characters, the setting, and the main problem.
What do you call a character who goes through big changes in a story?
Dynamic Character-they grow or learn something important
In contrast, a static character remains the same from the beginning to the end of the story.
Give an example of a common theme in fiction.
A common theme in fiction is "friendship"
*Teachers Discretion*
How can a suffix help you understand a word’s meaning?
A suffix is a part added to the end of a word that changes its meaning or tells you how the word is used in a sentence.
For example:
-ful means "full of," so "hope" becomes "hopeful", meaning "full of hope."
What might happen if a character breaks the rules in a story?
It could lead to problems or consequences. The characters could face punishment, conflict or trouble.
How does the main character change from the beginning to the end of a story?
Character development means how a character changes during the story.
At the beginning, the character is a certain way.
Then, during the story, they go through problems or challenges.
By the end, the character learns something or grows in an important way.
Why is it important to understand how a character feels?
This can help us understand why they do what they do & it helps you connect with the character.
How can a character’s choices help you figure out the theme?
The choices help you figure out the lesson of the story.
For example, if a character helps others, the theme might be about kindness. If they keep trying even when things are tough, the theme might be about never giving up.
What are some signal words that give hints about a word’s meaning?
Signal words help you figure out what a word means.
For example – Tells you an example is coming.
"She likes animals, for example, cats and dogs."
How can one small event cause a big change in the story?
A small event can change a story by starting something bigger. A simple decision or action can lead to big consequences, changing what happens next in the story.
Ex) The Butterfly Effect