Learning Activity

Spooky Tales of 5th Grade-Part 2: Theme and Personification

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

5

Overview

Students will watch a video about an Aesop Fable. They will identify the theme of the fable portrayed in the video and support their answer with evidence from the video. Students will use a Google Slideshow to support a fictional narrative writing. 

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.12

Interpret the meaning of words, phrases, and patterns as they are used in texts, including domain-specific and academic vocabulary and figurative language.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.12

Vocabulary

  • Domain-specific vocabulary
  • Academic vocabulary
  • Figurative language

Knowledge

Student know:
  • Academic vocabulary is language that is more formal than spoken language.
  • Domain-specific vocabulary refers to words that are used specifically in school subject areas, like math, science, and social studies.
  • Figurative language is a creative way to use words and phrases beyond their literal definition to explain or describe something.
  • Strategies to determine the meaning of words, phrases, and patterns in text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Interpret the meaning of domain-specific vocabulary, academic vocabulary, and figurative language as they are used in texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are multiple strategies they can use to interpret the meaning of academic and domain-specific vocabulary, including using context clues in the text, their background knowledge, the morphological structure of the word, and outside resources.
  • Words and phrases, including figurative language, can have different meanings in different texts.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.17

Demonstrate comprehension of text by asking and responding to questions about literary elements used in the text.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.17

Vocabulary

  • Demonstrate
  • Comprehension
  • Literary elements

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Literary elements within a story include the theme, plot, and point of view.
  • Comprehension can be demonstrated by asking and answering questions about a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Ask questions about literary elements used in the text to demonstrate comprehension.
  • Respond to questions about literary elements used in the text to demonstrate comprehension.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • They can show they understood a story they read by asking and answering questions about specific literary elements.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.34

Write personal or fictional narratives incorporating literary elements (characters, plot, setting, conflict), dialogue, strong voice, and clear event sequences.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.34

Vocabulary

  • Personal narratives
  • Fictional narratives
  • Literary elements
  • Characters
  • Plot
  • Setting
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Voice
  • Event sequences

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • A personal narrative tells about an event that was personally experienced by the author, while a fictional narrative tells a made-up story.
  • A narrative story describes a sequence of plot events in a logical order (beginning, middle, end).
  • Narrative writing includes text elements, like characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters in a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Write a personal narrative that recalls a personal experience or a fictional narrative with a made-up story.
  • Write a narrative with a logical sequence of plot events.
  • Incorporate literary elements into their narrative writing, like characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Include dialogue in narrative writing.
  • Use a strong voice in writing by developing a personal writing style.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Narrative writing includes predictable elements, like a logical sequence of events and characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Incorporating dialogue between the characters can add details to their narrative writing.
  • Narrative writing can be used to tell about something that happened to them personally or it can tell a story they made up.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will demonstrate comprehension of a story by identifying the theme.

Students will write a fictional narrative that includes the literary element of theme.

Students will write examples of personification and select two examples to include in a fictional narrative.

Activity Details

1. Review the definition of theme (the moral or lesson of a story). Tell students they are going to view a video. They will identify the theme of the story. View the YouTube video "The Ant and the Grasshopper." After the video, students will write down the theme of the story. They will also give evidence as to why they think this is the theme. Discuss student responses.

2. Students will open the Google Slide viewed previously from Spooky Tales of 5th Grade-Part 1: Personification. Tell students that they are going to write a spooky fictional story. Students will go to slide 2 and 3. Yesterday, they wrote examples of personification. Give students time to write additional examples of personification. Students will highlight two examples they wrote to include in their story. Discuss with students how using personification will add more detail to their story.

3 Students will go to slide 4. Go over the themes listed on this slide. Tell the students that they are going to write a spooky fictional story that incorporates one of the themes listed on the slide. Students may select a theme that is not on the slide, but it must be approved by the teacher.

4. Students will go to slide 5. On this slide, students will brainstorm ideas for their story. Before students complete the graphic organizer independently, the teacher will model how to complete the graphic organizer using one of the themes on slide 4. The teacher will select a theme and then complete the graphic organizer by thinking aloud: "Since this is the theme of my story, what could happen in my story to clearly show the theme?" The teacher will fill in each part-characters, setting, beginning, middle, and end. 

5. Students will complete their graphic organizer. While students work, the teacher will check in with students to answer questions and ensure understanding. Students will submit their completed slides.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will review the students' responses to the theme and evidence of the "The Ant and the Grasshopper." The teacher is looking to see if:

  • the students identified a theme that makes sense for video. 
  • the student supported their answer with evidence from the video.

The teacher will review the graphic organizer the students completed. The teacher is looking to see if:

  • The students completed each part of the graphic organizer. 
  • The students have a clear theme for their story.
  • The events help develop the theme of the story.

The teacher will review slides 2 and 3. The teacher is looking to see if:

  • students highlighted examples of personification they will use in their fictional narrative.
  • the examples highlighted are correct examples of personification.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Students will have previously submitted the Google Slides in Spooky Tales of 5th Grade-Part 1: Personification. The teacher will need to unsubmit the slides and return them so the students can have access to the Google Slides for this lesson.

The teacher will preview the YouTube video, "The Ant and the Grasshopper."

Students need pencil and paper.

Digital Tools / Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_svBrlehmMo

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

tmasuoka
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