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Historical Fiction

A Study of Literary Elements

Learning Module

Abstract

Through the use of short stories and novel study, students gain an understanding of historical fiction with a focus on literary elements of plot, setting, conflict, and characterization. Students use metacognition as they reflect on their level of thinking to prepare for book club. The module culminates with students writing a literary essay.

Keywords

conflict, direct characterization, indirect characterization, historical fiction, essay, plot structure

Purpose

​The learning module will help students deepen their thinking and writing through understanding literary elements such as plot, setting, conflict, and characterization. Students will also develop a stronger understanding of historical fiction as a genre.

​Knowledge Objectives & Outcomes

  • Students will identify the elements of historical fiction.
  • Students will monitor comprehension by paying attention to book beginnings.
  • Students will use metacognition to reflect on their inner conversation related to their reading.
  • Students will deepen their thinking by reflecting on their annotations.
  • Students will practice using inferences to create deeper meaning.
  • Students will identify the parts of a plot and construct a plot chart of a story.
  • Students will understand the importance of setting in a story.
  • Students will identify the type of conflict in a story.
  • Students will infer character traits and character motivations by an author use of indirect and direct characterization.
  • Students will discuss books to develop ideas beyond the obvious and dig deeper for a profound understanding.
  • Students will write an essay with a strong structure that includes inferences supported with evidence and explanation.

​Prior Knowledge

  • ​Students have been utilizing the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model
  • Students use RACES (restate, answer, cite, explain/expand, synthesis/sum it up) to respond in conversation and written responses
  • Students have practiced creating thematic statements and discussing literary work
  • Students also know how to use Scholar. Students have created posts, responded, and published their own Updates in prior learning modules. You may direct 

Learning Design

The learning module is based on the four Knowledge Processes developed by Learning by Design (Kalantzis & Cope, 2020). Students interact with each other to learn and grow from interactions and feedback as described by Vygotsky's concept of the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978). The learning module will take approximately 20 school days with synchronized sessions. Students will have their own devices. Although students will meet as a whole class with the teacher to discuss learning targets and the "Think about it" sections without their devices. This can be done in a common meeting area with the teacher projecting the learning target and then the quote. The teacher can also share additional models as needed and ask for volunteers to share their work in a whole class discussion of previous learning. 

The instructor will need one historical fiction picture book and historical fiction novels for book groups for the lessons. The instructor can pick several titles so that each group will have a different book or a class novel can be assigned. The author of the module has taught this unit to a gifted class of fourth and fifth graders.

Structure: The structure below will be used for student lessons and the teacher's directions for each session.

Learner's structure:

  • Learning Target: Directs the student's attention to the goal of the lesson
  • Think About it: Activates the student's prior knowledge and focus their learning
  • Explore: Learning Activities to build and apply knowledge and understanding
  • Communicate: Students reflect and share synthesized learning. They will post and create their Update on Scholr.

Teacher's structure:

  • Knowledge Process/Learning Objectives: Each outcome is identified by one of the eight Knowledge Processes. Learning objectives are described using "Students will be able to..."
  • Teacher Notes: The section will outline the duration, resources, and teaching tips for the instructor.
  • Learning Standards: List of any applicable Illinois Learning Standards, reporting standards, and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

A Brief Description of the Knowledge Processes:

Experiencing the Known: Activities that bring in the students’ own experiences and existing knowledge.
Experiencing the New: Activities that immerse students in new experiences or information.
Conceptualizing by Naming: Activities that get students to group and classify things, form concepts, and define terms.
Conceptualizing with Theory: Activities in which students tie concepts together into generalizations or map the interconnections between concepts.
Applying Appropriately: Activities that require the application of knowledge to actual problems and real-world situations
Applying Creatively: Activities that require the transfer of knowledge to new situations and different contexts.
Analyzing Functionally: Activities that explore the cause, effects, relationships, and functions.
Analyzing Critically: Activities that explore motives, purposes, and interests.

Additional Resource for Assessing

The instruct could use the rubric below for discussion or update posts. The rubric should be shared with students prior to assessing for or of learning.

Discussion & Update Rubric

Update 1: Introduction to Historical Fiction

Student

Learning Target

Reflect on the learning target

  • I can identify the elements of historical fiction.
  • I can monitor my comprehension by paying attention to book beginnings and having an inner conversation.
  • I can use inferences to create deeper meaning.
Think About it!

Complete the survey

You will take a survey. Please answer the questions as honestly as you can. There are no right or wrong answers. We will take the survey again at the end of our unit. Click here for the survey.

Discussion Prompt:

(Guy Vanderhaeghe, n.d.)

Take a moment to reflect and think about the quote above. Turn to share your ideas with your partner.
Explore
Mind Map Creation

Create a mind map about historical fiction based on what you learned from the resources below. Include the qualities and the various story elements of historical fiction. Use the online tool Coggle https://coggle.it/Create to create the mind map.

Media embedded November 22, 2020

Adam Gaha. (2013, September 27). Introducing Historical Fiction [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-6EOBdekU4

Book Beginnings

(Khan, 2020)

Good readers are always thinking about what they are reading. To bring their thinking to a conscious level, they use the stop and jot strategy. This can be done on post-it notes or in your notebook.

Places to stop and jot:

  • Interesting parts
  • Questions
  • Confusing parts
  • Inferences
  • Descriptive language
  • Predictions
  • Conclusions
  • Change
  • Connections
  • Action of character
  • Theme
Media embedded November 22, 2020

Julia Sapphire. (2017, March 29). taking notes on books // [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGzDebo7DIk

Stopping for Inner Conversation: Metacognition

Monitor your comprehension. Do you know when you don’t know? Did you pick up the humor or the underlying tones the author created? Stop to retell the end of a chapter or break up a chapter to help you retell. When something seems important pay attention to…

  • The main conflict/problem
  • Character relationships
  • Character reactions
  • How the setting relates to the plot

Good Readers

Good readers infer using text facts to discover unstated information about

  • Characters
  • Character Traits
  • Motivations (what does the main character want)
  • Forces that cause a change
  • Decisions
  • Outcomes

Good readers infer the theme (author’s message) of the book. They ask-

  • What is this book really about?
  • What can I learn about life from this book?
  • What is the really the imp. message in the book?

Apply

Read the historical fiction picture book from class. As you read:

  • pay close attention to the book beginning
  • use post-it notes to annotate
Communication

 

Post

Share what method you will use to annotate your reading. What colors and/or symbols will you use as you read the text to track your thinking?

Update 1

Share a historical fiction book or movie you have read or watched. What qualities or story elements can you identify?

Reply

Comment on a classmate's update with your thoughts about their ideas they highlighted in their Coggle. Use the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model. Begin your post with @Name, so that your peer knows you are commenting on his or her comment.

 

Teacher

Knowledge Process/Learning Outcomes
  • Experiencing the Known: Complete the survey; Discussion Prompt
  • Experiencing the New: Elements of Historical Fiction
  • Conceptualizing by Naming: Mind Map Creation; Update
  • Applying Appropriately: Post
  • Analyzing Critically: Update 1

Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will identify the elements of historical fiction.
  • Students will monitor comprehension by paying attention to book beginnings.
  • Students will use metacognition to reflect on their inner conversation related to their reading.
  • Students will practice using inferences to create deeper meaning.
Teacher Notes
Duration

The lesson will take two 60 min class periods to complete.

Resources

  • A picture book such as Katie's Trunk by Ann Turner
  • Literacy Notebook
  • Post-it Notes

Tips

Reflect on the learning target: Each update will begin with a reflection on the learning target to help students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Discussion Prompt: Assign students a partner to reflect at the beginning of each of the updates. Reflections questions help students connect their own thinking and experiences to new learning.

Mind Map Creation: If your students are new to mind maps, you may want to review what a mind map is. Further information can be found at mindmapping.com 

Apply: Begin reading the story with students. Model how to annotate and write post-it notes with students.

Assess students' mindmaps for learning. Monitor students' post-it notes for comprehension. Pull a small group of students need further modeling to know how to use post-it notes.
Standards
Reporting Standards
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing

Technology Standards:

  • ISTE 6b: Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
  • ISTE 6d: Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

 

Update 2: Deepening Our Thinking

Student

Learning Target
Reflect on the learning target
  • I can deepen my thinking by reflecting on the annotations I make in my reading.
  • I can use inferences to create deeper meaning.
Think About It!
Discussion Prompt
(Boris Pasternak Quote, n.d.)
Take a moment to reflect and think about the quote above. Turn to share your ideas with your partner.
Explore

How Deep is My Thinking

(Khan, 2020)

Monitor your comprehension by analyzing how deep your thinking is. Below are the levels of thinking.

  • Level 0- Out of the Water: Little to no understanding of the text
  • Level 1: On the Surface: Literal Level-SHOWS IDEAS DIRECTLY STATED IN THE TEXT
  • Level 2: Just Under the Surface: Interpretive Level- SHOWS IDEAS NOT DIRECTLY STATED IN THE TEXT (IDEAS THAT MUST BE INFERRED)
  • Level 3: Deep: Evaluative Level-Shows My Thinking About Ideas in & Beyond the Text
(Khan, 2020)
(Khan, 2020)
(Khan, 2020)
(Khan, 2020)

 
Communicate

Post

Look through your annotations and evaluate what your level of thinking on the post-it notes is. In your post share the trends you identified in the types of annotations you made.

Update 2

Create a goal related to your post-it notes for the next book we will read. Be specific in your description of how you will grow as a thinker because of the way you close read and take notes on your post-its. Remember you will be evaluating how you used post-it notes in the book you are reading to help you write an essay.

Reply

Comment on a classmate's update with your thoughts about their ideas. Use the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model. Begin your post with @Name, so that your peer knows you are commenting on his or her comment.

 

Teacher

Knowledge Process/Learning Outcomes
  • Experiencing the Known: Complete the survey; Discussion Prompt
  • Experiencing the New: Learning the levels of thinking
  • Conceptualizing with theory: Categorizing types of annotations
  • Applying Appropriately: Update
  • Applying Appropriately: Sorting post-it notes

Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will deepen their thinking by reflecting on their annotations.
  • Students will practice using inferences to create deeper meaning.
Teacher Notes

Duration: The lesson will take one 60 min class period to complete.

Resource: Historical Fiction Picture Book (i.e. Katie's Trunk by Ann Turner)

Tips

Reflect on the learning target: Each update will begin with a reflection on the learning target to help students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Discussion Prompt: Assign students a partner to reflect at the beginning of each of the updates. Reflections questions help students connect their own thinking and experiences to new learning.

Explore: Students may need to add further annotations/post-it notes to their text.

Students learn the levels of their thinking and analyze the annotations they did in the first lesson with Katie’s Trunk. Place students in their groups and have them discuss which level their postings are. Ask them to provide evidence for their thinking.

Review with students how they can monitor their comprehension by analyzing how deep their thinking is. There are three levels of thinking.

  • On the Surface: Literal Level-SHOWS IDEAS DIRECTLY STATED IN THE TEXT
  • Just Under the Surface: Interpretive Level- SHOWS IDEAS NOT DIRECTLY STATED IN THE TEXT (IDEAS THAT MUST BE INFERRED)
  • Deep Pondering: Evaluative Level-Shows My Thinking About Ideas in & Beyond the Text

Students are also introduced to level 0 which shows a misinterpretation of the text referred to outside of the water.

Assess: Continue monitoring students' post-it notes for comprehension. Pull a small group of students that need further modeling on how to use post-it notes.
Standards
Reporting Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9: Draws evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. 

 

Update 3: Plot Structure

Student

Learning Target

Reflect on the learning target

  • I can identify the parts of a plot and construct a plot chart of a story.
  • I can understand the importance of setting in a story.
Think About It!
(Edwardson, 2014)

Take a moment to reflect and think about the quote above. Turn to share your ideas with your partner.
Explore

Parts of Plot

"The king died and then the queen died." "The king died and then the queen died of grief."

 If an author writes, "The king died and then the queen died," there is no plot for a story. But by writing, "The king died and then the queen died of grief," the writer has provided a plotline for a story.

A plot is a causal sequence of events, the "why" for the things that happen in the story. The plot draws the reader into the character's lives and helps the reader understand the choices that the characters make.

Media embedded November 22, 2020

Kate Hall. (2015, January 6). Plot Diagram [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHw5SMNlbtg

(Khan, 2020)

A plot's structure is the way in which the story elements are arranged. They include 5 main parts:

  • exposition also known as the introduction; setting is introduced; characters are introduced
  • rising action which also has the complication that results in conflict
  • the climax is the turning point of the story
  • falling action
  • resolution

Writers vary structure depending on the needs of the story. For example, in a mystery, the author will withhold plot exposition until later in the story.

Visit K.M. Weiland's database of stories where she deconstructs the plots of movies and books.

Six-Word Plot

Hemingway ‎wrote a famous six-word story that is an example of a plot: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” The reader is intrigued. You can break up the story into the 5 parts of a story:

  • Exposition: This person’s normal: selling items, presumably no longer needed. It’s an ordinary, everyday circumstance everyone can relate to.
  • Rising Action: Baby shoes? That could be a happy thing; assumedly, the baby grew out of them. Of course, this raises the stakes. Used baby shoes could be no good for a child, after all, so now we’re not sure we want to purchase them.
  • Climax: Never worn. And in this moment, everything comes to a head. It’s the worst possible direction this little story could have taken, and while it answers all the little questions (such as shoe-size; it’s probably newborn), this one moment is the gut-punch in the middle of the story. It even carries a cost with it—and oh, such a horrible cost.
  • Falling Action/Resolution: In six words, we don’t have a ton of resolution, but we can come to the conclusion that this seller has a new normal: childless, and selling the items that remind this grieving parent of that child.

(Reid, 2020)

The setting is also part of the plot

One element common to every story is the setting. It is part of the plot of the story. There are three major components to setting: social condition, place, and time.

The setting could be simply descriptive, like a lonely cabin high up in the mountain. Social condition is another aspect of the setting. It describes the living condition of any group of people. Things such as the characters’

  • economic circumstances,
  • cultural expectations,
  • race and ethnicity,
  • the influence of religion or
  • politics.

It could include how they dress, general health, housing conditions, education, etc.

In historical fiction, you need to pay close attention to how the social condition of the time period impacts' the plot & characters.

In literature, the mood is the atmosphere of the narrative. The mood is created by means of setting (locale and surroundings in which the narrative takes place), attitude (of the narrator and of the characters in the narrative), and descriptions. Watch the video below to see how setting and mood interact.

Media embedded November 22, 2020

Flocabulary. (2017, April 6). The Importance of Setting in a Story [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30CPmgVQNks&t=13s

Apply

Connect to Katie’s Trunk. Discuss the plot structure and the impact of the setting. Use Digital Plot Diagram Template.
Communicate

Post

Post your plot diagram of a story or movie you have read or watched.

Update 3

Create a 6-word story and diagram the plot structure.

Reply

Comment on a classmate's update with your thoughts about their ideas. Use the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model. Begin your post with @Name, so that your peer knows you are commenting on his or her comment.

 

Teacher

Knowledge Process/Learning Outcomes
  • Experiencing the Known: Discussion Prompt
  • Experiencing the New: Six Word Story
  • Conceptualizing by Naming: Parts of a Plot
  • Applying Appropriately: Post applying plot structure
  • Analyzing Critically: Update

Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will identify the parts of a plot and construct a plot chart of a story.
  • Students will understand the importance of setting in a story.
Teacher Notes

Duration: The lesson will take two 60 min class periods to complete.

Resources

  • Historical Fiction Picture Book from previous lesson
  • Literacy journal

Tips

Reflect on the learning target: Each update will begin with a reflection on the learning target to help students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Discussion Propmpt: Assign students a partner to reflect at the beginning of each of the updates. Reflections questions help students connect their own thinking and experiences to new learning.

Assess students' digital plot diagrams for learning and 6 part stories. Share exemplars with the whole class. Continue monitoring students' post-it notes for comprehension. Pull a small group of students that need further modeling on how to use post-it notes.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3: Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

 

Update 4: Conflict

Student

Learning Target

Reflect on the learning target

  • I can identify the type of conflict in a story.
  • I can use inferences to create deeper meaning.

(Cassandra Clare Quote, n.d.)

Take a moment to reflect and think about the quote above. Turn to share your ideas with your partner.
Explore

Types of Conflict

Conflict is a literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces, usually a protagonist, the leading character, and an antagonist, the opposing force.

Learn about the types of conflict in literature.

Apply

Practice applying the six types of conflict by correctly matching the words and images in the interactive activity.

Discuss with the class what types of conflict are present in the picture book.
Communicate

Post

Repost your 6-word story. Elaborate on an internal and external struggle that could evolve out of your story.

Update 4

Create a digital or paper comic strip to visually and textually represent the different types of conflict that can be present within the literature. Creatively choose how to structure the comics to define and represent the six types of conflict.

Types of Conflict Comic Strip Checklist
Reply

Comment on a classmate's update with your thoughts about their ideas. Use the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model. Begin your post with @Name, so that your peer knows you are commenting on his or her comment.

 

Teacher

Knowledge Process/Learning Outcomes
  • Experiencing the Known: Discussion Prompt
  • Experiencing the New: Exploring Types of Conflict
  • Conceptualizing by Naming: Interactive Activity
  • Applying Appropriately: Post on elaborating 6 word's story's conflict
  • Analyzing Creatively: Update Creating Comic

Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will identify the type of conflict in a story.
Teaching Notes

Duration: The lesson will take one 60 min class period to complete.

Resources: Picture book from previous update

Tips

Reflect on the learning target: Each update will begin with a reflection on the learning target to help students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Discussion Prompt: Assign students a partner to reflect at the beginning of each of the updates. Reflections questions help students connect their own thinking and experiences to new learning.

Explore: Conduct a class discussion on the types of conflict present in the picture book. Have students practice using the RACES format when providing their thoughts.

1. Restate the question. “I think…” or “I believe…”

2. Answer the question “I think…” BECAUSE “I believe…” BECAUSE

3. Cite evidence to support the answer “In the reading passage….” Or “In the story…..”

4. Expand/Explain How does it all fit together?

5. Sum it up. Closing statement but you do not restate what you have already said.

Assess students' for learning by their ability to discuss types of conflict in the picture book.
Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9: Draws evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

 

Update 5: Characterization

Student

Learning Target

Reflect on the learning target

  • I can infer character traits and motivations by an author's use of indirect and direct characterization.
  • I can discuss books to develop ideas beyond the obvious and dig deeper for a profound understanding.
Think About It!
Discussion Prompt
(TOP 5 QUOTES BY MAREN ELWOOD, n.d.)

Take a moment to reflect and think about the quote above. Turn to share your ideas with your partner.Qualities of Historical Fiction
Explore

​Review

Defined Historical Fiction

(Khan, 2020)

Qualities of Historical Fiction

(Khan, 2020)

Key Ideas related to Historical Fiction. The infographic is based on our mini-lesson on the qualities of HF

  1. A mixture of real and fictional events. Significant historical events are historically accurate but minor events and/or characters may be added or modified
  2. Characters are involved in conflict or problems that are real (or mirrors life) for that time period.
  3. Historically authentic setting that sets the tone for the story.
  4. Is it a real place and a definite period of time in history that the reader wants to know more about?

Book Club

For each day you must turn in a typed reflection based on the job you have decided in your group. Jobs should rotate daily. Your answers need to be in a RACE format. You should have a google document for each of the days. You can copy and paste the requirements into that document as a starting point. Save this in a folder with the name of the book.

Learn & Apply

Each day this week you will learn about characterization an aspect of characterization. You will also meet with your book group to discuss your assigned reading.

Book Club Day 1: Characterization Defined

Book Club Day 2: Creating Characterization

Book Club Day 3: Direct Characterization

Book Club Day 4: Indirect Characterization

Book Club Day 5: Motivation Characterization

Day 6-10 Book Club Reading and Jobs
Communicate

Post

What was the best thing you observed from your group? You can use this link to help you.

OR

What was the most troubling thing you observed? How could this troubling thing be corrected or improved?

OR

Did you participate fully in the group discussion and did you contribute to the ideas and work done by your group? Justify your answer with evidence.

Update 5

Look back through your work what was the most interesting idea to come from a classmate? Who was the contributing person? What made the idea interesting? How did this conversation in your Book Club help you gain a better understanding of your ideas?

Reply

Comment on a classmate's update with your thoughts about their ideas. Use the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model. Begin your post with @Name, so that your peer knows you are commenting on his or her comment.

 

Teacher

Knowledge Process/Learning Outcomes
  • Experiencing the Known: Discussion Prompt; Defined Historical Fiction;
  • Qualities of Historical Fiction
  • Experiencing the New: Exploring Types of Conflict
  • Conceptualizing by Naming: Characterization
  • Applying Appropriately: Book Club
  • Analyzing Critically: Book Club

Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will infer character traits and character motivations by an author's use of indirect and direct characterization.
  • Students will discuss books to develop ideas beyond the obvious and dig deeper for a profound understanding.
Teaching Notes

Duration: The update will take ten 60 min class periods to complete.

Resources: Historical fiction novels for book groups.

Tips

Reflect on the learning target: Each update will begin with a reflection on the learning target to help students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Discussion Prompt: Assign students a partner to reflect at the beginning of each of the updates. Reflections questions help students connect their own thinking and experiences to new learning.

Explore: Introduce the idea of a book club compare it to a potluck. A meal where everyone contributes and celebrates over delicious food. Same way in a book club everyone contributes deep thinking and celebrates over the delicious conversation inspired by the ideas. On the first day, review book club jobs. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4. Assign a historical fiction novel for students to read. Divide the reading over ten days. During the 60 minutes time frame, students will spend at least 20 minutes in their book club. The other time they will work on completing the next day's reading and book club job. Additionally, in the first five days, students will explore characterization prior to moving into their book club. 

Assess students' learning through their book club jobs. Monitor students' post-it notes for their depth of thinking. Model for small groups to thinking and writing deeper thinking.   
Standards
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9: Draws evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3: Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing

 

Update 6: RACE to the End

Student

Learning Target

Reflect on the learning target

I can write an essay with a strong structure that includes inferences supported with evidence and explanation.
Think About It!

Discussion Prompt

(Bardo, 2020)
Take a moment to reflect and think about the quote above. Turn to share your ideas with your partner.
Explore

RACES

Use the presentation to review:

  • the parts of a written response that uses the acronym RACES,
  • transition words,
  • and summarizing ideas.

Apply

Your task will be to write an essay that shows how the protagonist changed in the book you read. Use passages from the novel to illustrate how the protagonist is transformed. Organize your ideas by drafting using the Google document. 

Feedback

For your peer review, you will use the RACE Rubric to provide feedback. Remember to always balance your feedback with a compliment and a constructive suggestion. Also, be polite when asking for any clarification. You will need to make at least 5 annotations in your classmate's work using the comment section of the Google Doc. Make sure your comments refer back to a variety of the elements in the rubric.

RACES Rubric
​Revisions

You will revise your paper with the feedback provided to you by your peer. When you have completed your revisions, evaluate your writing with the rubric.
Communicate

Post

Brainstorm ways that your protagonist changed. Share at least one of the ways they have changed. Support your thinking with textual evidence.

Update 6

Post your final written essay.

Reply

Comment on a classmate's update with your thoughts about their ideas. Use the RISE Meaningful Feedback Model. Begin your post with @Name, so that your peer knows you are commenting on his or her comment.

Complete the survey

You will take a survey. Please answer the questions as honestly as you can. There are no right or wrong answers. Click here for the survey.

 

Teacher

Knowledge Process/Learning Outcomes
  • Experiencing the Known: Discussion Prompt
  • Applying Appropriately: RACES Essay Draft; Post
  • Analyzing Critically: RACES Essay; Update

Learning Outcome: 

  • Students will discuss books to develop ideas beyond the obvious and dig deeper for a profound understanding.
  • Students will write an essay with a strong structure that includes inferences supported with evidence and explanation.
Teaching Notes

Duration: The lesson will four 60 min class periods to complete.

Resources: none

Tips

Reflect on the learning target: Each update will begin with a reflection on the learning target to help students understand the purpose of the lesson.

Ponder: Assign students a partner to reflect at the beginning of each of the updates. Reflections questions help students connect their own thinking and experiences to new learning.

Explore: Assign students in groups to review and provide peer feedback. Use the final update to evaluate students' essays.

Use the race rubric to evaluate students' final essays.

RACES_20Rubric_20.pdf
Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9: Draws evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3: Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing

 

References

Adam Gaha. (2013, September 27). Introducing Historical Fiction [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-6EOBdekU4

Bardo, N. (2020, November 4). [Graphic] 87 Quotes about Changing Your Life for the Better. It’s All You Boo. https://itsallyouboo.com/quotes-about-changing-your-life-for-the-better/

Boris Pasternak Quote. (n.d.). [Graphic] A-Z Quotes.com. Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://www.azquotes.com/quote/225911

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