Vocabulary in Action
In language arts, we read a story about a middle school student dealing with moving to a new city, with believable characters and everyday problems. What genre is this?
What is Realistic Fiction?
"Anna and Elsa are Princesses of Arendelle. Their parents are deceased, and Elsa is preparing to become Queen." Which plot stage is this?
What is the Exposition?
"Rick Riordan skipped an entire week of cross-country travel in just two sentences to get straight to the action." What pacing technique is this?
What is a Speed-Up Moment?
"Facing your fears can lead to unexpected and meaningful friendships." Is this statement Plot or Theme?
What is Theme?
"In Greenville, the air is soft and thick with heat. My grandmother stands on the back porch shelling butter beans..." Which sensory detail (sense) is highlighted in this line?
What is Touch / Feeling (or Sight)?
At the beginning of a chapter about courage, the author includes an inspiring line from a famous poet to hint at the lesson. What is this quote called?
What is an Epigraph?
"The entire city of Chicago is consumed by fire, and a man in the stampede shouts, 'This is the end of Chicago!'" Which high-tension plot stage is this?
What is the Climax?
"Ben froze as the laser grid activated. He held his breath, dropped to the tile floor, and slowly crawled under the red beams." What pacing technique slows down the action?
What is a Stretch-Out Moment?
"A young girl moves to a new town and learns how to overcome her fear of making new friends." Is this statement Plot or Theme?
What is Plot?
In Sandra Cisneros's Eleven, Rachel wishes she was 102 years old because she feels embarrassed by this ugly object placed on her desk.
What is the Red Sweater?
"On a quiet, rainy afternoon, Blake felt a soft, thoughtful sadness when thinking about his best friend who moved away." Which unit vocabulary word describes this feeling?
What is Melancholy?
"Bessie pats out a small flame on a stranger's shoulder. He thanks her and tells her to follow the path ahead to reach a safe village." Which plot stage follows the climax?
What is the Falling Action?
Look at this quote: "'Where are you going?' asked Ms. Barran. 'Ummm... to my locker,' hesitated Joey." What narrative technique is used here to move the plot forward?
What is Dialogue?
"Small acts of kindness can create a big ripple effect in the world." Is this statement Plot or Theme?
What is Theme?
In Hairs, the narrator describes her mother's hair as smelling like "the warm smell of bread before you bake it." What type of figurative language comparison is this?
What is a Simile?
Sandra Cisneros wrote a short, descriptive piece called "Hairs" that focuses entirely on the sensory details of her family's hair rather than a full plot. What type of writing is this?
What is a Vignette?
"Bessie reaches the village, follows the sound of crying, and happily finds her mother and brother embracing her father." Which final stage ties up the loose ends?
What is the Resolution?
Every time a brand-new character begins speaking in a story, an author must apply this rule to keep the writing clear.
What is starting a New Paragraph (or Paragraphing)?
"Plot summarizes specific story events, while Theme is a general life lesson for anyone." What does this describe?
What is the difference between plot and theme?
Author Lauren Tarshis stated that the story of the Great Chicago Fire isn't just about disaster, but demonstrates these human qualities.
What are Resilience, Strength, and/ or Courage?
When a student reads teacher feedback and adds descriptive details and fixes story logic before submitting their final draft, what writing step are they performing?
What is Revising (or Revision)?
A character struggling to decide whether to stand up to a bully or stay silent is experiencing this specific type of conflict.
What is an Internal Conflict?
According to narrative writing guidelines, what is the ideal ratio mix of description versus dialogue in a realistic fiction story?
What is 70% Description and 30% Dialogue?
In "This Is the End of Chicago!", Bessie helps a stranger put out a flame, and later strangers help her find her family. What theme does this support?
What is "Help is cyclical" (or helping others leads to receiving help)?
What point of view is used in the Great Chicago Fire narrative continuation where pronouns like she, her, and father are used?
What is 3rd Person Point of View?