Plot
The highest point of tension or drama. The main character confronts the main conflict directly.
What is climax?
"The Amazon River is the second-longest river and supports thousands of species." What is the author's purpose?
inform
What is the setting of a story?
Setting refers to the time, place, and social context where a story unfolds. Key elements include geographical location, time period, weather, and cultural, political, or emotional environments.
Define first-person point of view and write one sentence explaining how it affects what the reader learns.
First-person point of view uses “I” and “we.” It limits information to what the narrator knows and feels, giving intimate access to their thoughts but possibly unreliable reporting. Evidence: first-person pronouns and personal thoughts.
A statement the author makes that expresses a belief, opinion, or main point meant to be supported.
What is a claim?
The conflict is resolved, and the story concludes, often showing how characters have changed
What is resolution?
"If every student donates one book, our library will grow — help make a difference today!"What is the author's purpose?
persuade
Describe one way an author can use setting to influence the mood of a story.
An author can use a stormy, dark forest to create a tense or scary mood. Evidence: words describing thunder, shadows, or cold that make the scene feel threatening.
What is third-person limited point of view? Describe one advantage this point of view gives the author.
Third-person limited follows one character’s thoughts and feelings while describing others from the outside. Advantage: allows close understanding of one character while keeping broader narrative control.
In informational texts, it explains why something happened and what happened because of it.
What is cause and effect?
The protagonist faces challenges and obstacles that raise the stakes, building tension and suspense.
What is rising action?
Name one feature of fiction that often shows the author wants to entertain.
dialogue, humor, strong characters, plot
Give two specific details you would look for in a text to determine the time period of the story.
Look for explicit dates or historical references (e.g., "in 1865," "World War II"), descriptions of technology or clothing (e.g., "horses and carriages" vs. "smartphones"), and social details (customs, language). Example evidence: "steam engine," "bonnet," or "dial telephone."
The central idea or message of a work.
What is a theme?
Common themes found in sixth-grade fiction. is “friendship,” “perseverance,” or “honesty.”
It includes facts, statistics, expert quotes, research findings, or primary-source documents. Example: a statistic from a peer-reviewed study supporting the claim.
What is strong evidence?
What is exposition?
Compare two excerpts — one with vivid sensory details and one with only facts. Which is more likely meant to entertain and why?
The one with vivid sensory details — because sensory language creates imagery and emotional engagement typical of entertainment.
This stage of plot introduces characters, setting, and background; this stage is the highest point of tension where the main conflict reaches a turning point.
What is the difference between the beginning of a plot (exposition) and the climax?
What is the difference between the beginning of a plot (exposition) and the climax?
Example: exposition sets up the problem; the climax is the dramatic confrontation or discovery.
How is theme different from the moral or lesson of a story? Provide a short example.
Theme is a deeper unifying idea; a moral is an explicit lesson. Example: Theme—stories about teamwork can explore how working together leads to success; moral—“Always share” is a direct lesson.
If an author makes a claim but only uses opinions, what inference should you draw about the claim's reliability?
What is infer that the claim is weak or less reliable because it lacks objective support; you should question its validity and look for better evidence.
The immediate aftermath of the climax; tension decreases as the story begins to work toward a conclusion.
What is falling action?
"The Arctic fox has thick fur, lives in cold climates, and hunts at night." How does this support an informative purpose?
t lists factual details about the fox’s traits and behavior instead of trying to persuade or entertain.
Identify the rising action in a short passage and explain its role in building suspense.
Rising action consists of events that build tension (e.g., a series of obstacles the protagonist faces). Its role: it increases suspense by complicating the conflict. Evidence: identify sentences that add obstacles, hints, or threats.
Leo found a discarded wallet on the playground and noticed it was stuffed with cash. Though he desperately wanted a new video game, he walked straight to the office to return it to its rightful owner. What is the theme of this paragraph?
honesty or integrity
Name one signal word or phrase that shows order in a sequence.
What are words/phrases like "first," "next," "then," "after," "finally," "before," and dates/times?