Literary
This narrative technique shows what a character is feeling through actions, dialogue, or sensory detail instead of directly stating the emotion.
Show, Don’t Tell
A sentence that clearly states what the author is trying to prove or explain in an informational text.
Claim
"I dont need to hang my stocking"
All I Want for Christmas Is You
This early plan of government created a very weak national government after the American Revolution.
The Articles of Confederation
This mathematical operation helps you find how many equal groups fit into a total amount.
Division
The part of a narrative where the conflict is introduced and the reader begins to understand what problem the character will face.
Rising Action
Facts, statistics, examples, or quotations from a source that are used to support a claim.
Textual Evidence
“You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why.”
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Under the Articles of Confederation, this branch of government was the only one that existed at the national level.
The Legislative Branch/Congress
The step in the scientific method where a scientist analyzes results to determine whether the data supports the hypothesis.
Drawing Conclusions
This element answers the question, “Why does this moment matter?” and gives the story a deeper meaning beyond what happens.
Theme
: The reason an author includes specific details, examples, or data—to inform, explain, or persuade the reader.
Author’s Purpose
Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie and we’ll do some caroling.”
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
This document replaced the Articles of Confederation and created a stronger federal government.
Constitution
This term describes a primary source that shows how people lived or thought during a specific historical time period.
A Historical Artifact
The deliberate choice of words and images that appeals to the reader’s five senses to make a scene vivid and believable.
Sensory Language
This skill explains how the evidence supports the claim instead of simply repeating or summarizing the evidence.
Analysis or Reasoning
“And so I’m offering this simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two.”
The Christmas Song
One major power the Constitution gave the federal government that the Articles did not.
Power to Tax
This literary skill explains how a character’s actions, dialogue, or thoughts change over the course of a text.
Character Development
This narrative move slows down time to focus closely on a moment that changes the character in an important way.
Turning Point or Climax)
The skill of combining ideas from two or more sources to show similarities, differences, or deeper understanding of a topic.
Synthesis
“Now I’ve found a real love, you’ll never fool me again.”
Last Christmas
This principle in the Constitution divides power between the national government and the states.
Federalism
This skill involves analyzing a primary source by considering the author’s perspective, purpose, and historical context.
Sourcing