Context Clues & Other Detective Work
What's That Theme?
Genres
Narrators & The Author
A GOOD Author would...
100
Explain this metaphor, detective.
"The ocean was a perfect shining mirror"
The ocean was smooth and flat, and you could see reflections in it like a mirror.
100
Little Red Riding Hood talks to a stranger, the wolf, on her walk to grandmothers house. The wolf eats her grandmother AND her in many versions of this fairytale.
What is the theme of this fairytale?
The theme is...
Don't talk to strangers, it can be dangerous!
100
What genre is this story?
FANTASY!
For 10 bonus stars... how can you tell?
100
Is this first or third person? 
THIRD PERSON
100
When a GOOD author writes a summary, they are sure to include... (select all that apply)
A. Important dates
B. Important names
C. Small details about every main subject.
D. Opinions about what they read
A & B!
200
Explain this simile.
The marker was as dry and old as dirt.
The marker was very dry, and maybe even crumbly!
200
In Disney's multiple versions of the fairytale Cinderella, Cinderella wins the prince's heart by being naturally beautiful, kind, and humble. Her stepsisters, who are usually cruel and egotistical, disgust the prince.
What is the theme of the story?
The theme is...
200
What genre is this?
MYSTERY!
For 20 bonus stars... How can you tell?
200
Is this narrator speaking in first or third person? 
First Person!
For 20 bonus stars... How do you know?
200
A good author uses imagery to describe things, this author is describing a cake.
Fluffy pale yellow clouds spilled from underneath each brown earthy layer of chocolate heaven.
What was the author's goal when using this imagery?
The author's goal was to help you picture the icing and chocolate cake, and make it look really delicious in your mind!
300
Use context clues to determine the meaning of "antagonist".
"The antagonist of the story pushed the hero over the edge of the volcano, but the hero miraculously survived!"
Antagonist is the villain.
300
Which of these statements is a complete theme?
A. Learning new things
B. Facing your fears
C. Honesty is the best policy
D. How to share
C. Honesty is the best policy
For 20 bonus stars, why is this a complete theme?
300
What genre is this?
HORROR!
For 20 bonus stars... how can you tell?
300
Is this narrator omniscient or limited?
"As Margot and Anne snacked on their crisps, they both felt a warm sense of safety and love. Even a simple act of sharing crisps in a pillow fort can strengthen a bond between sisters."
OMNISCIENT!
We can tell because the author knows the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.
300
A GOOD Author shows their characters changing as the story progresses.
How can you show characters growing, or changing, when writing a story?
*Characters can experience similar situations more than once, and the author can show how they react differently the second or third time they have that chance. (Picture Jesse and May-Belle. He interacts with his sister every day, and at the end we see the change in how he treats her.)
*Characters can express their changes through dialogue.
*Characters can think or feel differently as the story continues.
400
Use context clues to discover the meaning of "exuberant".
"James and John were twins, but one was very shy, while the other was often exuberant."
Exuberant means outgoing and full of excitement.
400
Which of these choices is a theme?
A. The king isn't always trustworthy.
B. Snakes are hardly ever good friends.
C. When somebody shows you that they are untrustworthy, believe them!
D. Sometimes, people lie.
C. When somebody shows you that they are untrustworthy, believe them!
For 20 bonus stars, why is D not a theme?
For 20 bonus stars, why is B not a theme?
400
What genre is this?
Historical Fiction!
For 20 Bonus Stars...How can you tell?
400
Can a first person narrator be omniscient? Explain your answer.
No, because a first person narrator speaks from one character's perspective.
The ONLY exception to this would be if the main character could read minds...
400
A good author uses a balance between dialogue and description to...
A. make the story more interesting
B. make the story easier to read
C. show character development
D. make the story longer
A B & C are ALL correct.
500
Use context clues to draw a conclusion about the following story.
"Penny was sleeping soundly when suddenly she heard a long 'HHHHRROOOOOAAANNN....' The sound was surely very close, so she stayed very still and pretended to be asleep.
'HHHHHRRROOOANNNN...' The noise happened again right away! It was louder this time... and she could tell it was coming from her parents room! She shivered under the covers, wondering what sort of horrible monster could be looming over her parents right-
'HHHHHHNNRROOOAANNN..." Penny shrieked with terror and began to cry, surely this was the final call of the beast before it dragged her loving parents under the bed to the realm of monsters!
Penny was so distraught under the covers that she didn't even notice the noise had stopped, and her father had opened her bedroom door.
"Penny! Penny, what's wrong?!" Penny was overjoyed that the noise had stopped, and ran to her fathers arms. She told him the whole story about the monster and the noise. To her surprise, her father began to laugh!"
A. We know that the noise was actually Penny's father snoring because he laughs at her at the end.
B. We know that the noise was actually Penny's father snoring because the noise stops when he wakes up.
C. We know that the noise was actually Penny's father snoring because Penny is happy when her dad is at the door.
D. We know that the noise was actually Penny's father snoring because he was there and not eaten by a monster.
B. We know that the noise was actually Penny's father snoring because the noise stops when he wakes up.
500
In the Barbie movie, Barbie as Rapunzel, Rapunzel is trapped in a tower by an evil witch. The witch lies to her for many years, claiming that Rapunzel was unloved and abandoned. Rapunzel meets a handsome prince, but never learns his name. The witch demands to know his name and casts a spell to trap ALL LIARS in the tower. Rapunzel tells the truth, she doesn't know the prince's name! The witch is trapped forever and Rapunzel is free.
What is the theme?
The theme is...
Honesty is the best policy
OR
The truth will set you free
OR
Be truthful always
500
How can WATCHING a horror story, LISTENING to a horror story, and READING a horror story can all be different.
What do you picture the audience has to imagine on their own in each version?
WATCHING
*Audience does not have to picture what characters look like, or imagine the setting on their own.
*Audience does not have to imagine sounds either!
LISTENING
*Audience has to imagine what things LOOK like
*Audience does NOT have to imagine on their own what things sound like.
READING
*Audience can imagine the looks and sounds of the characters and settings in the story.
Many readers prefer their own imagination over movie remakes.
500
Write 2 sentences in first person point of view.
You must include the words "catastrophe" and "disaster"
GREAT JOB!
500
What are all of the things a good author would include in a narrative exposition (introduction)?
*main characters
*main setting
*context (background information)
^ remember when you gave clues to your reader that your characters were moving to a new house? That detail counts as "context"