Central Idea/Theme
What is the central idea of a story?
The central idea of a story is what the story is mostly about.
What does POV stand for?
Point of View
What is an author's purpose?
Author's purpose is the reason an author creates a story/text.
What are 3 common text structures found in nonfiction?
Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect, Description, Compare/Contrast, Sequential/Chronological
What is a summary?
A summary includes the key (main) points of a text.
How can you identify the theme of a text?
You can identify the theme of a text by identifying what lesson the author is trying to teach you.
Name the different types of point of view.
1st person, 3rd person (omniscient/limited)
List the three main purposes an author might have for writing.
To entertain, to inform, to persuade
How does a cause-and-effect structure work?
It shows the relationship between something happening and the result.
What are the key components of a good fiction summary?
Fiction: character, setting, motives, problem/solution, resolution
Give an example of a theme from a story you've read.
Various answers
How does first-person point of view affect a story?
It gives you insight as to what the narrator is thinking and feeling.
How can you determine an author's perspective in a text?
You can look at word choice and tone.
What is the purpose of using chronological order in a text?
It shows the order in which events happen.
What are the key components of a good non-fiction summary?
Non-fiction: Main idea and supporting details
How does the central idea differ from the theme?
Central idea is what the text is mostly about and theme is the lesson the author wants to teach the reader.
Give an example of a story told from a third-person perspective.
Various answers
Why is it important to understand an author's perspective?
It helps us understand what the text really means.
Describe a problem-solution text structure.
A problem-solution text structure presents an issue and then proposes one or more ways to fix it.
Why is summarizing important when reading?
Summarizing is important because it helps you to understand the main points and key ideas of what you have read.
Why is understanding the central idea important for comprehension?
Understanding the central idea of a text helps you to comprehend what you have read and determine what information if the most important to takeaway.
How can understanding the author's perspective change your view of the story?
Understanding the author's perspective can shape how the reader perceives characters, events, etc.
Provide an example where an author's perspective influenced the message of the text.
Various answers (can use prompting to guide student response)
How does text structure help in understanding the content?
It helps to provide a framework for organizing ideas, identifying relationships, and anticipating what comes next.
How do you differentiate between a summary and a retelling?
A retelling recounts a story in detail, including all significant events, characters, and dialogue, while a summary provides a brief overview of the main ideas, condensing the material and focusing on the central points.