Events That Advance the Plot

1. Events That Advance the Plot ELA Initiative Power Point A Changing World 7.L.R. 3.2

2. Events That Advance the Plot • Beginning in elementary school, you have learned about the elements of a story. We will review those in a later slide. • Think about one of your favorite novels. • Now think about how the author moved the story along and kept you interested. • What else did the author do?

3. Events That Advance the Plot • Authors carefully choose events to move story plots along. • Authors also plan out the order in which events will occur. • One event may cause another, leading to still another event. • Let’s review the story elements.

4. Events That Advance the Plot • Plotis the pattern of action in a story. • The plot is kicked off when the main character faces a problem that needs to be cleared up. • The plot builds as the author presents the story incidents or events in the form of rising actions. • When events come to a head or reach their highest point of excitement, the plot achieves its climax. • When the problem is solved or the situation straightened out, the plot reaches itsresolution.

5. Events That Advance the Plot • Let’s focus for a moment on how well an author explains past, present and future actions in a story. • How does an author accomplish that task? • Authors use prediction, visualizing, and summary to explain past, present and future actions.

6. Events That Advance the Plot • What is Prediction ? • It is looking at the clues the author gives you to point you in the right direction. • To make predictions you must make educated guesses about future actions-what will happen next in the story. • Predictions are not random guesses. When you predict the outcome of a sports event ,you base your prediction on the team’s record of wins and loses.

7. Event That Advance the Plot • When you read you should base your predictions on clues the author hints at that foreshadow future actions.

8. Events That Advance the Plot • What is visualizing? • It is when you form mental images of the details in a story. • Tips for visualizing: take note of sensory details that describe how something looks, feels, tastes , smells, or sounds. • Write notes or draw sketches • Read out loud…hearing the words will help you create those mental images.

9. Events That Advance the Plot • What is summarizing? • When you summarize a text, you highlight the most important information in your own words.

10. Events That Advance the Plot Often a story unfolds in time order (one event happens after another event) However, an author may use two techniques to play with time. Foreshadowing • Flashback • Let’s focus on these elements

11. Foreshadowing and Suspense • Foreshadowing: the technique of hinting about something that will occur later in a story • Suspense : a feeling of growing tension and excitement felt by the reader

12. Foreshadowing and Suspense • Think of a time when you could tell by the environment around you that a storm was coming. • These signs in the weather, signaling events to come, are similar to foreshadowing events in a story.

13. Guided Practice • Let’s work together to identify and analyze foreshadowing. • Foreshadowing creates suspense and makes readers eager to find out what will happen. • Look at the example on your student document and predict what might happen later in this story(foreshadowing)

14. Foreshadowing • “I should have stopped and gotten gas at that last station,” said Bert. “We’re almost on empty . I’d hate to run out on this lonely stretch of road.” • “Don’t worry, there’s one in Millersport,” said Amy. “We can get gas there.” • “No,” Bert replied, frowning,” it closed down last summer.” • Amy turned off the radio and thought. “I’m sure we can make it to Gray Haven,” she said finally.

15. Foreshadowing • What might happen later in this story? • Fill in your answer then share with your neighbor.

16. Suspense • Now let’s identify and analyze suspense. • Suspense makes a reader curious about the outcome of an event within a story. • A writer creates suspense by raising questions in a reader’s mind. When you wonder or worry you are feeling suspense.

17. Suspense • ‘We should have just waited in the car for help, like you said,” said Bert, “instead of looking for a gas station. It’s freezing out here.” • Amy shivered and pulled her thin coat tightly around her.”I think we might have turned off the main road ny mistake an hour ago when I-” • But her sentence ended in a terrible gasp. A huge bear, growling loudly, had just lumbered onto the road in front of them.

18. Suspense • Answer the next 3 questions then “share and compare” with your neighbor • 1.Identify your feelings about the situation these two characters face. • 2.What else might happen? • 3.What other question is on your mind?

19. Foreshadowing • “This time the Christian archers sent a thick, bright shock of arrows that stunned the attackers, and when they reached us they were already unsteady. I caught a bearded man in the head with twin strokes of my hammer. He went down, hooves gouging his body. My sense of fear was lessened. • Our knights called, “Let us at them!” in several languages. • “Wait!” cried King Richard, his fine horse snorting, silvery with sweat, his own sword stained with red. “Patience!” he cried, a word nearly the same in Frankish and English. • But then the wind shifted and the smoke from the burning tower blinded us. The sound of hoof beats were getting closer, though I couldn’t see anything but black. I should have stayed on my horse. • (from The Book of Lion by Michael Cadnum)

20. Foreshadowing • What examples of foreshadowing can you find?

21. Foreshadowing • “This time the Christian archers sent a thick, bright shock of arrows that stunned the attackers, and when they reached us they were already unsteady. I caught a bearded man in the head with twin strokes of my hammer. He went down, hooves gouging his body. My sense of fear was lessened. • Our knights called, “Let us at them!” in several languages. • “Wait!” cried King Richard, his fine horse snorting, silvery with sweat, his own sword stained with red. “Patience!” he cried, a word nearly the same in Frankish and English. • But then the wind shifted and the smoke from the burning tower blinded us. The sound of hoof beats were getting closer, though I couldn’t see anything but black. I should have stayed on my horse. • (from The Book of Lion by Michael Cadnum)

22. Flashbacks • By definition a flashback is an account of a conversation or action that happened before the beginning of a story, or at an earlier point. • Flashbacks interrupt the chronological order of events.

23. Flashbacks • In the following passage: • Identify the place where the action shifts to the past or to a remembered time (underline) • Identify the words that signal the flashback’s beginning • Identify where the flashback ends

24. Flashbacks • As I was watching my favorite my favorite sitcom, I saw a scene of two teenaged sisters squabbling over a pair of running shoes. The arguments brought back fond memories of the fights I had had with my older sister about who would get to wear a pair of my mother’s red spiked heels to parties. “It’s my turn,” I’d whine. “It’s not!” she’d yell back. Because she was older, she usually got her way.

25. Flashbacks continued • Right now, though, I would love to hear her voice on the telephone, even if it was just to argue about trivial subjects such as favorite actresses or singers. That’s unlikely to happen since she’s deployed with a special task force in a remote area overseas and cannot be reached. At least I know she’s not wearing those red high heels now.

26. Flashbacks • In the following passage: • Identify the place where the action shifts to the past or to a remembered time (It begins in the third sentence) • Identify the words that signal the flashback’s beginning (brought back fond memories) • Identify where the flashback ends • (Right now, though)