8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Module 1.0: Short Stories

“There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.” -Willa Cather

In Module 1 you will explore the various elements of the short story and you will develop your own short story. Think about what common human experiences we all share. Many short stories that you read could be your own story or similar to your own story. That is the “thing” about all stories, we all have one, and many of them are similar in one way or another.

Watch this series of videos about the elements of a short story:http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLEC780856D187E254&v=Eiph8nvdpOE&feature=player_detailpage

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Goals and Outcomes

Goals

During this module, students will: Gain exposure to the short story Understand the elements of the short story Understand how their lives and imagination contribute to their own short story

Outcomes

After completing this module, students will be able to: Identify and understand all structural elements of plot and setting Identify and understand all aspects of characters Identify and understand all aspects of narrator and voice Identify and understand all aspects of symbolism and irony Compose a short story

Topic 1.1: Plot and Setting

Interesting storytellers instinctively know how to shape a plot. They can draw you in, help you imagine the setting, and build suspense. If you can explain what happens in a story, then you understand plot. If you can describe where and when a story takes place, then you understand setting.

Watch this video for more information on short story elements:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c6I24S72Jps

Plot:

Plot: The plot of a story is a series of related events. It has several parts: a basic situation, sometimes http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c6I24S72Jpscalled the exposition, a conflict, which is a character’s problem or problems, a series of complications, a climax, which is the point at which we learn what the outcome of the conflict will be, and a resolution, which is the closing of the story. In most stories the plot is built around

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Characters who experience a problem or conflict is somehow resolved.

Time and Sequence: A chronological sequence is when stories present events in the order in which they happen. A chronological sequence is used in Jack Finney’s “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” Finney builds suspense by seeming to slow the passage of time as he narrates each event as it happens.

Flashback: Sometimes writer’s will interrupt the forward movement of a plot with a scene from an earlier time. A scene that tells of events that happened in the past and occurs out of sequence is called flashback. Writers will use flashback to deepen our understanding of a situation or reveal details of a character’s past.

Foreshadowing: Writers often place clues in their stories that hint at what will happen later in the plot. These clues are called foreshadowing. Using foreshadowing helps to keep readers interested by building suspense.

Suspense: When you quickly turn the page with a racing heart to see what will happen next you are experiencing suspense. Writer’s will create interesting characters, people that you will care about who are involved in conflicts to which you can relate, to create this suspense. Writer’s will also vary sentence structure to heighten a reader’s anticipation of events to come. They will use foreshadowing to hint at upcoming danger or future conflicts. Suspense is also created when writer’s slow down, speed up, or interrupt plot events through flashback or flash-forward.

Conflict: If your day runs smoothly you will usually have fewer stories to tell. The reason is that a good plot needs a problem or a struggle- a conflict. Conflict occurs when two forces oppose one another. Internal conflict occurs inside a character’s heart or mind. External conflict occurs when a character faces off against nature, another character, or a group of people-even a whole society.

Setting:

Setting: Setting is the time and place in which a story takes place. The setting can also reveal information about the customs of the society in which the story takes place. The setting can also contribute to the conflict of the story. For example, in Jack Finney’s “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” the main character struggles to keep his balance and his fear at bay as he attempts to retrieve an important paper from the ledge outside his eleventh-story apartment. Mood: Setting also contributes to a story’s emotional effect, or its mood, or atmosphere. A story’s mood might be joyful frightening, or gloomy. For example, a ghost story usually contains specific details such as a haunted house to create a creepy, scary, mood.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Watch this video on setting:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lgo1yU9Lueg

Topic 1.2: Character

You can think of characters as the actors in the story. When they are believable they seem like actual people who we can identify with. We can relate to their conflicts and experiences and we care what happens to them. Writers use a variety of techniques to create characters.

Character Traits: Characters are defined by their special qualities, or traits. For example, characters can be outspoken, brave, or selfish. In “Two Kinds,” the narrator has a common character trait: she thinks she is a failure.

Characterization: A writer reveals character in two ways: direct characterization and indirect characterization. In direct characterization, a writer describes a character’s traits. In indirect characterization the writer lets us see the character in action. We might also learn what the character looks like, hear what the character says, share the character’s thoughts, and watch how other people respond to the character. With all this evidence we infer what the character is like.

Characters and Motivation: Just like people fictional characters have reasons for behaving the way they do. These reasons are called motivations. Motivations stem from a character’s goals or desires. You can discover motivation by answering the question: “What does the character want?”

Types of Characters: The main character in the story, the one who drives the action, is the protagonist. The character who prevents the protagonist from getting what he or she wants if the antagonist. Critics often use the following to refer to fictional characters: ~ Flat Character: A flat character is a two-dimensional character with only one or two key personality traits. ~Round Character: A round character has dimensions of a person from real life with many traits and complexities. ~Stock Character: A stock character is one who fits our preconceived notions of a “type” such as the nutty professor or the mad scientist.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Characters in Conflict: Often, what one person wants is at odds with what another person wants. Conflict is the struggle at the heart of every story and is closely tied to character motivation. To understand a conflict, examine what the characters want.

Visit this site for more information on characters:

http://ms.loganhocking.k12.oh.us/~madame/english/characters.html

Topic 1.3: Narrator and Voice

Successful recording artist have distinctive voices. Something about their phrasing, accents, and word choice draws us in and makes us want to hear more. The same is true of compelling narrators, the people who tell stories from different points of view. Listening to narrators with interesting voices encourages us to read on.

Narrator:

First-Person Narrator: A first person narrator is a character in the story. Just like a friend telling you about something that happened to them, the first-person narrator uses the pronoun “I” to describe these events. Therefore, what we know about the story is limited to what the first-person narrator knows, perceives, and describes. Sometimes this fictional first-person narrator is called persona. Sometimes we have to decide whether we can trust the narrator’s version of the events. Often, we may have to infer a truth that the narrator might not reveal directly.

Omniscient Narrator: The omniscient narrator knows everything that is going on in the story, unlike the first-person narrator, as omniscient means “all-knowing.” The omniscient narrator does not participate in the story’s action can tell us what every character thinks and feels. The omniscient narrator uses the third-person pronouns: he, she, and they.

Third-Person-Limited Narrator: The third-person-limited narrator is between the two extremes of the omniscient and first-person points of view. The third-person-limited tells the story using the third-person pronouns: he, she, and they, as an omniscient narrator. However, the third-person-limited narrator focuses on the experiences of only one of the character. What we learn about the story is limited to what this character thinks, feels, and perceives.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Watch this video for more information on narrator:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NKcqfI6kuZM

Voice:

Voice: Even if you don’t know the song, you can usually recognize the voice of your favorite singer. Just as no two people sound exactly the same when singing, no two writers have the same voice, or distinctive use of language. Factors that shape a writer’s voice include tone and diction. Tone is the writer’s attitude toward the subject, the characters, or audience, and sentence structure. Diction is the choice of words.

Topic 1.4: Symbolism and Irony

Symbolism:

Symbolism: Writers use symbols to invest objects, events, settings, animals, or people with deeper connections and associations. A symbol can be a setting, character, object, name, or anything that has a literal meaning while also suggesting a deeper meaning.

Allegory: An allegory is a type of story in which all the characters symbolize certain vices and virtues. Two examples of allegories are parables and fables. Fables use animal characters to teach practical lessons. Parables use everyday situations to teach practical lessons.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Irony:

Irony: Irony is when someone says one thing but means the opposite and when a situation or a person turns out to be the opposite of what we expect. If a story is totally predictable, it is not true to life. Writers will use irony to create uncertainty and sometimes even shock. There three basic types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic. ~Verbal Irony: Verbal irony occurs when someone says one thing, but means the opposite. ~Situational Irony: Situational irony describes an occurrence that is not just surprising, but is also the opposite of what we expected. ~Dramatic Irony: Dramatic irony occurs when we know something that a character in the story does not know. This type of irony, which is often found in plays and movies, creates anticipation and suspense as we wait for the character to learn what we already know to be the truth.

View this presentation for more information about symbolism and irony:

http://prezi.com/hqhjtbrgthcl/symbolism-and-irony/

Study the information at the following link. Practice with the flashcards. Take the test. Check your answers. Than retake it again after the course. See how much you have learned!

http://quizlet.com/9425793/mrs-beckwiths-8th-grade-elements-of-plot-flash-cards/

Selective Readings and Assignments

RequiredComplete the below work in MS Word Documents and submit in the submissions area of Moodle.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

9/2 – 9/8 Plot and Setting:First Week: All assignments due by Wednesday or Sunday night at 11:59 pm the first week of the this module.

Due by 11:59pm Wednesday, 9/4~Read the short story, “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” by Jack Finney, pg. 16 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 33 of your text.~Complete the Vocabulary Development, pg. 34 of your text.~Complete the “Your Turn” writing application, pg. 35 of your text. ~Under “Choices” on pg. 35 of your text, complete “Analyze Plot and Setting” or “Write the Sequel”.

Due by 11:59pm Sunday, 9/8~Read the short story, “The Trip” by Laila Lalami, pg. 46 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 57 of your text.~Complete the Vocabulary Development, pg.58 of your text. ~Complete the “Your Turn” writing application, pg. 59 or your text.~Under Choices, pg. 59 of your text, complete “Film the Story” or “Create a Different Ending”.

9/9 – 9/15 Plot and Setting:

Second Week: All assignments due by Wednesday or Sunday night at 11:59 pm the second week of this module.

Due by 11:59pm Wednesday, 9/11~Read the book excerpt from, “In the Shadow of Man” by Jane Goodall, pg. 80 or your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 85 of your text. ~Read the newspaper article, “What Your Pet Is Thinking” from The Wall Street Journal, by Sharon Begley, pg. 86 of your text. ~Answer the questions on pg. 91 of your text.

Due by 11:59pm Sunday, 9/15~Read the selection, “Snow” by Julia Alvarez on pg. 92 of your text.~Answer the questions on pg. 93 of your text on plot and setting.~Read the selection, “Wolf Speak” by Ruth A. Musgrave on pg. 94 of your text.~Answer the questions on pg. 95 on Main Idea and Supporting Details

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

9/16 – 9/22 Character:

Third Week: All assignments due by 11:59pm on Wednesday or Sunday the third week of this module.

Due by11:59pm Wednesday, 9/18 ~Read the information about “Character” in your text on pages 102-107.~Complete “Your Turn” on pg. 107.~Read the short story, “Powder” by Tobias Wolff on pg.108 of your text.~Complete the “Write About” section on pg. 113 of your text.~Read the pre story/author information on pg. 128-130 of your text.~Read the short story, “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?”, by Tim O’Brien, pg. 131.~Answer the questions on pg. 139 of your text.

Due by 11:59pm Sunday, 9/22~Read the pre story/author information on pgs. 140-142 of your text.~Read the short story, “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, pg. 143 of your text.~Complete the questions on pg. 153 of your text.~Complete “Your Turn” on pg. 155 of your text.~Complete either “Give Relationship Advice” or “Fill in the Blanks” on pg. 155 of your text.

9/23 – 9/29 Character:

Fourth Week: All assignments due by 11:59pm on Wednesday or Sunday of the fourth week of this module.

Due by 11:59pm Wednesday, 9/25~Read the pre story/author information on pgs. 156-158 of your text.~Read the short Story, “The First Seven Years” by Bernard Malamud, pg. 158 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 169 of your text.~Read the information on “Comparing Characters Across Genres” and the author information on pgs. 170-172 of your text. ~Read the novel excerpt from, “The Kite Runner” by Khalrd Hosseini, on pg. 173 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 178 of your text.

Due by 11:59pm Sunday, 9/29~Read the memoir, “Escape From Afghanistan” by Farah Ahmedi with Tamim Ansary on pg. 179 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 186 of your text.~Do the “Writing Focus” on pg. 187 of your text, comparing/contrasting characters in an essay.~Read the information on Drawing Conclusions on pg. 188-189 in your text.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

~Read the interviews on pg. 190 and 194 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pg. 195 of your text.~Read “The Cookies” by Naomi Shihab Nye on pg. 196 of your text.~Complete the Literary Skills Review on pg. 198 of your text.

9/30 – 10/6 Narrator and Voice:

Fifth Week: All assignments due by 11:59pm on Wednesday or Sunday of the fifth week of this module.

Due by 11:59pm Wednesday , 10/2~Read the Narrator and Voice information on pgs. 208-213.~Complete the “Your Turn” activity on pg. 213.~Read the short story, “What Happened During the Ice Storm” by Jim Heynen, pg. 214 of your Text.~Complete the Skills Wrap Up activities on pg. 217 of your text.~Read the pre story/author information on pgs. 218-220 of your text.~Read the short story, “The Storyteller” by Saki, pg. 221 of your text.~Complete the questions and activities on pgs. 227-228 of your text.

Due by 11:59pm Sunday, 10/6~Read the pre story/author information on pgs. 230-232 in your text.~Read the short story, “Housepainting” by Lan Samantha Chang, pg. 233 of your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills questions and activities on pg. 241 of your text.~Read the pre story/author information on pgs. 242-244 in your text.~Read the short story, “Evacuation Order No. 19” by Julie Otsuka, pg. 245 of your text.~Complete the Apply Your Skills activities and questions on pgs. 257-258 of your text.~Complete the Your Turn activity on pg. 259 of your text.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

10/7 – 10/13 Narrator and Voice:

Sixth Week: All assignments due by 11:59pm on Wednesday or Sunday of the sixth week of this module.

Due by 11:59pm Wednesday, 10/9~Read the Comparing Texts/author information on pgs. 260-263 of your text.~Read the essay, “My First Free Summer” by Julia Alvarez, pg. 264 of your text.~Read the poem, “Exile” by Julia Alvarez, pg. 268 of your text.~Read the poem, “All-American Girl” by Julia Alvarez, pg. 272 of your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills activities and questions on pg. 274 of your text.~Read the Preparing to Read information on pg. 275 in your text.~Read the short story, “Antojos” by Julia Alvarez, pg. 276 in your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills activities and questions on pg. 284 of your text.

10/14 – 10/20 Symbolism and Irony:

Seventh Week: All assignments due by 11:59pm on Wednesday or Sunday of the seventh week of this module.

Due by 11:59pm on Wednesday, 10/16~Read the Symbolism and Irony information on pgs. 308-313 of your text.~Complete the Your Turn activities on pg. 309,311, and 313 of your text.~Read the short story, “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortazar, pg. 314 in your text.~Complete the Skills in Action Wrap Up questions and activities on pg. 321 of your text.~Read the pre story/author information of pgs. 322-324 of your text.~Read the short story, “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing, pg. 325 in your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills activities and questions on pgs. 335-336 of your text.

Due by 11:59pm on Sunday, 10/20~Read the pre story/author information on pgs. 352-354 of your text.~Read the short story, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, pg. 355 of your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills questions and activities on pg. 363-364 of your text.~Complete the Your Turn writing activity on pg. 365 of your text.~Read the Comparing Themes Across Texts/author information on pgs. 376-378 in your text.~Read the short story, “The Seventh Man” by Haruki Murakami, pg. 379 in your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills questions and activities on pg. 390 in your text.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

10/21 – 10/27 Symbolism and Irony:

Eighth Week: All assignments due by 11:59pm on Wednesday or Sunday of the eighth week of this module.

Due by 11:59pm on Wednesday, 10/23~Read the essay, “The Man In The Water” by Roger Rosenblatt, pg. 391 in your text.~Complete the Applying Your Skills activities and questions on pg. 394 in your text.~Complete the Writing Focus activity of Comparing Texts Wrap Up on pg. 395 in your text.~Read the Informational Text Focus and the Preparing to Read on pg. 396-397 of your text. ~Read the historical article, “R.M.S. Titanic” by Hanson W. Baldwin, pg. 398 in your text.~Read “A Fireman’s Story” and “From a Lifeboat” on pgs. 411 and 412 of your text.~Complete Applying Your Skills questions and activities on pg. 413 in your text.~Read the Literary Skills Review on Symbolism and Irony, pg. 414 in your text. ~Complete the questions on pg. 416

Due by 11:59pm on Sunday, 10/27~Read the Information Skills Review, pgs. 417-420. ~Complete the questions pgs. 420-421 of your text.~Continue to work on the Assessment assignment for Module 1, due 10/27.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

“To Do” List

Discussions: Please see instructions at the bottom of this section

Please note that you have two discussions due the first week. Please also note that you have two responses to your classmates threads due on Sunday of each week.

Self-Introduction: Due 9/5

The discussion topic for this weekis to introduce yourself to the class. Please include the following information:~Preferred first name~Hobbies/Interest~Pets, if any~What you hope to learn in this course~What you career you would like to pursue in the future and why

“Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket”: Due 9/5

The discussion topic for this week is: Give your opinion of the story, “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket”, and why you formed this opinion.

“In the Shadow of Man”: Due 9/12

The discussion topic for this week is: Would you like to have the job that Jane Goodall has, and why or why not.

“Powder”: Due 9/19

The discussion topic for this week is: How would you describe the narrator’s father?

“The First Seven Years”: Due 9/26

The discussion topic for this week is: Compare/contrast any two characters in the story.

“What Happened During the Ice Storm”: Due 10/3

The discussion topic for this week is: What sort of personal qualities did the boys have that made them act the way they did?

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

“My First Free Summer”: Due 10/10

The discussion topic for this week is: Describe the narrator of this story and tell about her feelings that you gather as you read the story. Can you relate to her, why or why not.

“House Taken Over”: Due 10/17

The discussion topic for this week is: Give your opinion of this story, and why you feel the way you do.

“R.M.S.Titanic”: Due 10/24

The discussion topic for this week is: Do you agree with the band members continuing to play while the women and children were being loaded into the boat? Why or why not? How would you have felt if you had been on this ship? Include in your answer how you think you would have reacted, now at your age, and in the future at about age 25.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONS:

Make your initial posts before 11:59 p.m. U.S. EST/EDT on Thursday of each week. After making your initial postings, review at least two of your classmates’ postings and reply to their threads. Complete your replies before 11:59 p.m. U.S. EST/EDT on Sunday of each week.

Discussion postings should always be thoughtful and courteous and include some references or direct evidence from the module’s content, readings, or assignments to support your statements. In order to ensure that postings are appropriate in length and substance, please limit your initial postings to 50 – 100 words and each of your responses to 25 – 50 words.

Assessment 1: Short Story

Overview and Instructions

Refer back to the quote at the beginning of the Module: Write your own short story about a human story. This can be about you or someone else. It can be a true story, based on some truths, or totally fiction. Be sure to include the elements we have discussed in this module. This assignment is your assessment for Module 1 and is due on the last day of this Module, 10/27. I am looking for depth, rather than length, but be sure to write a well-developed short story, including all the elements we have discusses. See the grading rubric at the end of this module for reference on how it will be scored.

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

Goals

Exposure to the short story Understand the elements of the short story Understand how their lives and imagination contribute to their own short story

Outcomes

Identify and understand all structural elements of plot and setting Identify and understand all aspects of characters Identify and understand all aspects of narrator and voice Identify and understand all aspects of symbolism and irony Compose a short story

Submitting

To submit your assignment to your instructor, save your MS Word file as a DOC/DOCX file and name in the following manner:

assign1_lastnamefirstinitial (i.e., assign1_suggsk.doc)

Submit your finished work to the assignment link in the Submissions area of Moodle before 11:59 p.m. U.S. EST/EDT on the last day of Module 1, 10/27

Grading

Grades on this short story will be based on the following rubric. Read it carefully to get a sense of the instructor’s specific expectations.

Poor Fair Good ExcellentCriteria 1

No indication of plot or setting

Some indication of plot and setting

Plot and setting is obvious, but could be more consistent

Plot and setting is obvious, well developed, and consistent

Criteria 2

No development of character/characters, character/characters are unbelievable

Little development of character/characters, they are somewhat

Character/characters are believable for the most part, could be more developed

Well developed character/characters who are totally believable

8th grade Elements of LiteratureModule 1.0

believableCriteria 3

Narrator/Voice can not be determined

Narrator/Voice can somewhat be determined, but is not consistent

Narrator/Voice can be determined and is pretty much consistent throughout the story

Narrator/Voice can easily be determined and is consistent throughout the story

Criteria 4

No use of symbolism or irony

Little use of symbolism and irony

Some use of symbolism and irony

Good use of symbolism and irony

Criteria 5

Does not use correct grammar, spelling, and correct use of English language

Uses some correct grammar, spelling, and correct use of English language

Most of story uses correct grammar, spelling, and correct use of English language

All of story uses correct grammar, spelling, and correct use of English language