This unit will conclude with students applying their skills to longer stories. In this section, students will focus on the essential questions: 1) How are stories built? 2) What role does magic play in stories? Similar to in the first section of the unit, students will read a nonfiction article that explores the different roles that magic can bring to stories. Students will then choose from a selection of short stories or novel excerpts written by contemporary middle grade authors. The stories will be selected based on their connection to fairy tales or the presence of magic in the stories and may range from fifteen to fifty pages. The stories listed in the Student and Teacher Resources page are represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, and some are written in ways that include small phrases in Spanish. These stories are a small sampling of what is available, pending student interests. Students will use the six signposts as they take notes on these stories. It is anticipated that this section will take about a week of 90-minute classes.
During this section students will be asked to complete a set of independent performance tasks that will serve as assessments of their learning in the unit.
Activity 1: Reflecting on Magic
The bellringer for this lesson will be for students to respond to the following questions: 1) Do you believe in magic? Y or N. 2) Do you believe in ghosts? Y or N. 3) Do you believe in superstitions? Y or N. 4) Explain why you circled the answers above, giving examples. This will lead into a discussion about why magic is a significant element in so many stories, including fairy tales, fantasy, horror. Students will work in pairs to brainstorm predictions on this topic. Students will then read a nonfiction article on this topic. They should make annotations, remembering the questions: 1) “What surprised you?”2 2) “What changed, challenged, or confirmed what you already knew?”
Activity 2: Choice Read
The bellringer can activate prior knowledge by asking students to describe the two signposts we have practiced so far, which are Word of the Wiser and Again and Again. Students will then review the full list of six signposts. Students will choose from a list of stories to read. As they work through the stories, students will complete graphic organizers or record in their notebooks relating to the signposts, character, setting, and theme. Students will also identify allusions and major turning points in the plot and explain how they contribute to the protagonist’s growth. The note-taking strategies will mirror those previously used in this unit, and much of this section will be self-paced. Each day will have designated reading time and also some opportunity to connect with other students who are reading the same story, or to compare different stories. Students will be alerted from the beginning of this work that it will culminate in several assessments, for which they will be able to use their notes.
At the end of this section, students will be assigned the following key performance tasks, which will be collectively graded as an assessment. These tasks will be completed individually, during a specified class time and students can use their notes.
- Students will complete a plot chart relating to their story.
- Students will complete a graphic organizer that lists the names of each of the six signposts. Students will need to identify an example from their choice story for at least four of the signposts. They will record a) a piece of text evidence, b) the page and paragraph #s of the text evidence, c) a short explanation of why this moment in the story matches the signpost.
- Students will write two RACECES paragraphs, using text evidence to explain the theme of the story and to identify what the presences of magic brings to the story.
