Characters

 

Figure 1 BookFlix

 

Unit Overview

This unit focuses on Character Traits, Subject and Predicates, and Narrative Writing. You will be able to accomplish the following objectives by the end of this unit:

1.  I can use spelling patterns and rules to help me spell new words. L.3.2.F

2.  I can describe the characters in stories and explain how their actions affect the story. RL.3.3

3.  I can identify the elements of fiction. RL.3.1

4.  I can ask and answer questions to show that I understand the stories that I am reading. RL.3.1

5.  I can find the answers to specific questions within the stories that I read. RL.3.1

6.  I can show that I know how to use words correctly when I write and speak. L.3.1

7.  I can plan my writing with the help of peers and adults. W.3.5

8.  I can say and write simple sentences. L.3.1.I

 

Spelling List

next

many  

between

left

very

three

help

been

easy

please

seen

sea

believe

 she

leave

 

Let's Practice

Click on SPELLING TRAINING to practice your spelling words. Add each of your spelling words to the list. Then, complete one of the activities below the list.

 

 

Vocabulary List

 charming

 Very kind

 cottage

 A small house

 custard

A type of pudding

 distressed

 Upset

 escort

 To go somewhere with someone

 furious

 Very mad

 grateful

Thankful

 horrid

Terrible

 lurking

Hiding

 stranger

A person you don' know

 wicked

Very bad

 

Above is your list of vocabulary words with their definitions. 

Be sure to study and practice these words daily before you begin your reading lessons.

 

Let's Practice

Below is a Quizlet activity on your vocabulary words for the unit.  You should practice the Flashcard and Learn activites each day during the week of this unit.

 

Characters

 

Every story has characters.

These characters can be people, animals, or objects that have been brought to life.

Types of Characters

When an author writes a story, the author decides what type of characters the story will have.

The protagonist is usually the main character in a story. This character is often portrayed positively, so the reader roots for them throughout the story.

The antagonist is the person, or group of people, who are actively working against the protagonist.

As the author develops the characters, they give us clues to determine essential character traits and character feelings.

A character's feelings are different from a character's traits.

Character Traits

Character traits are the qualities that make up a character's personality. For example, a character can be good or evil, selfish, funny, or serious. All characters have a motivation or a reason why they behave as they do. Understanding a character's traits, feelings, and motivations can help you better understand a story's plot.

 

 

Let's Practice

 

 

 

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Use actions and dialogue to understand characters to complete the skill.

 

 

Reading Log & Journal

Writing journals can be compelling to you as a student.  It helps you respond to your Read-Aloud and Oral Readings to gain further understanding.  You must write at least one journal per unit in this course based on one of your readings.  Click on the Unit Resource icon to the left of your screen to download the Reading Log & Journal template.  Also, you have an option to create your journal book for this course.

 

 

Reading

The above two stories will be used for your Read Aloud and Oral Reading activities. 

 

Read-Aloud

Your read-aloud is a fiction story called "Red Riding Hood." Mother always told Red Riding Hood not to talk to strangers. But the wolf she met on the way to Granny's was so charming. What could be the harm of telling him that she was on her way to Granny's pretty yellow house on the other side of the woods? Who could be a better escort than the big-eyed, long-armed, big-toothed wolf?

This story falls in the fairytale genre, which usually has some magic or fantasy and a hero or heroine. Fairytales usually have some lesson in them. Make sure to watch and listen to these elements in the story of Red Riding Hood.

Click the image below to begin your read-aloud activity.

 

Did you hear the new vocabulary words? Did it help you to know what those words meant before you watched the video?

Were you able to identify the magical or fantasy elements (a talking wolf), the hero (the hunter), and the lesson of the story (don't talk to strangers)?

 

Let's Practice

 

 

 

 

 

Oral Reading

Your oral reading is a nonfiction text called "Forests." This text introduces you to different types of forests and their inhabitants.

Before you begin your oral reading activity, let's recall the difference between fiction and nonfiction. Fiction tells about imaginary things, or make-believe, while nonfiction tells about things in real life.

You will be reading a nonfiction book about forests. A nonfiction book contains facts about a subject.

Click the image below to begin your oral reading activity.

Let's Practice

 

 

  

Subjects and Predicates

 

A complete sentence must have two parts: subject and predicate.

The complete subject tells who or what is doing something. It can be one word or more than one word.

·      She sleeps a lot.

·      Her friend sleeps a lot.

·      Her best friend sleeps a lot.

Each complete subject tells who sleeps a lot.

 

The complete predicate tells what the subject is doing. It is the verb plus any other words that tell more about it. It can be one word or more than one word.

·      Her friend sleeps.

·      Her friend sleeps a lot.

·      Her friend sleeps a lot on the weekend.

 

Each complete predicate tells what her friend does.

 

 

Let's Practice

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Identify the complete subject of a sentence to complete the skill.

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Identify the complete predicate of a sentence to complete the skill.

  

Narrative Writing

Learning to write is like learning to read. Both follow a sequential process. The Writing Process includes several steps to guide you from writing to creating a finished piece. We will be using the writing process to write a narrative essay. In this unit, we are focusing on prewriting or planning.

The table below displays the why, when, how, and what of narrative writing.

Why?

 

Why do we write narratives?

 

The primary purpose of a narrative is to entertain and engage the reader in an imaginary experience.

 

When?

 

When do we write narratives?

 

Short stories, picture storybooks, folktales, fairytales, fables, myths, legends, science fiction, adventure, fantasy, historical fiction, novels.

 

How?

 

How do we write a narrative?

 

Here's a framework:

 

Orientation (beginning)

Who?

When?

Where?

 

Events that lead to a complication or problem (middle)

Development of a story

Details

Descriptions

 

Resolution (ending)

How everything is resolved and finishes up.

 

What?

 

What features do we see in a narrative?

 

ü Well-defined characters

ü The descriptive language was chosen to create images in the reader's mind

ü Usually written in the past tense

ü Use of dialogue

ü Use of action verbs but also verbs for showing what characters felt, said, or thought

ü Can be written in first person (I/we) or third person (he/she/they)

 

 

Prewriting

During the prewriting step of the writing process, you brainstorm to generate ideas for writing. It is essential to answer these questions:

                                                            i.      What is your purpose?

                                                         ii.      What kind of writing will this be? (story, letter, report, poem, etc.)

                                                      iii.      Who is your audience?

                                                      iv.      What is your topic?

                                                         v.      What are your ideas about your topic?

Prewriting can take many different forms. You can make a bulleted list, a web, a Venn diagram, or use another type of graphic organizer.

You can use your reading log and journal to practice your narrative writing.

 

Let's Practice

IXL Skill Check – Go to the Unit Resource tab on the left and click Choose topic sentences for narrative paragraphs to complete the skill.

Please click the Narrative Prewriting Activity to practice your prewriting skills.

 

Cursive Handwriting

In the previous unit, you practiced making an undercurve.  You saw how an airplane could swing up as it is coming out of a dive. You practiced making letters that have an undercurve. Now, we are going to look at another curve.  What do you think it will be?  Well, if you guessed "downcurve," you are right.

A down curve is one of the basic strokes used to write cursive letters.  A downcurve stroke dives down.



Let's look at a cursive letter "a."  Notice that it begins at the middle line and dives down to the bottom line using a downcurve.



Now, let's look at an animation of a cursive letter "c."  Notice that it begins at the middle line and dives down to the bottom line.


 

There are downcurve strokes in some cursive lowercase letters. Let's practice them now.  Click on the Unit Resource icon to the left of your screen to practice Lowercase Letters. First, trace the first letter, noting where the downcurve is.  Next, print that letter several times on the line that follows.  Then, move on to the following letter, repeating the directions. 
 
There are also downcurve strokes in some uppercase letters. Let's practice them now.  Click on the Unit Resource icon to the left of your screen to practice Uppercase Letters.  First, trace the first letter, noting where the downcurve is.  Next, print that letter several times on the line that follows. Then, move on to the following letter, repeating the directions