Characterization and Analyzing Characters

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During this seminar, you will describe a character in depth. You will learn how to look at characters in a narrative in both a direct and indirect way. You will be learning how to look at a character’s speech, thoughts, effects on others, actions, and looks to help describe them. You will also be learning how to define character traits and how to analyze characterization.StandardsCC.1.3.4.C Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

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Author: Tracy Rains

Plot and Setting of a Story

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When reading a narrative, there are some key story elements to pay close attention to. The two we are focusing on in this seminar are setting and plot. You will be able to describe in depth the setting and the plot using specific details from the text. First, you will be applying past knowledge to help you identify the parts of a plot as well as the setting. Using a graphic organizer, you will be listening to audiobooks and filling in these five elements of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. By looking closely at a story, you are learning how a story is written and how important these parts are.StandardsCC.1.3.4.C Describe in depth a character, setting or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Summarizing

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In this seminar, you will be learning the difference between retelling and summarizing a fictional story. You will be given questions to ask yourself to help you pick out the most important details in a fictional story. It will introduce the Somebody Wanted But So Then strategy to help you summarize stories you have read. You will be applying past knowledge to new situations. Some activities you will be doing include creating a comic strip summary of story, as well as, creating a project of your choosing to summarize a story you have read.StandardsCC.1.3.4.ADetermine a theme of a text from details in the text; summarize the text.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Problem Based Learning Module: How Much Information is Too Much on Social Media?

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In this project, you will explore a real-world problem, and then work through a series of steps to analyze that problem, research ways the problem could be solved, then propose a possible solution to that problem. Often, there are no specific right or wrong solutions, but sometimes one particular solution may be better than others. The key is making sure you fully understand the problem, have researched some possible solutions, and have proposed the solution that you can support with information / evidence.Begin by reading the problem statement in Step 1. Take the time to review all the information provided in the statement, including exploring the websites, videos and / or articles that are linked. Then work on steps 2 through 8 to complete this problem-based learning experience.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Narrative Writing: Better Beginnings

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In this seminar, you will be focusing on developing a “better beginning” to a narrative writing piece. The purpose of narrative writing is to entertain, and the beginning of your piece is an important first step. You will learn how to “hook” your reader in the beginning. Some ways you can do this is by introducing developed characters, establishing an exciting or relatable setting, and creating the mood of your piece. In this seminar, you will work on improving all of these to create a “Better Beginning” to your narrative writing.StandardsCC.1.4.4.M/ 1.4.5.MWrite narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Developing Dialogue

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In this seminar, you will learn how to use quotation marks, punctuation, and capitalization correctly to enhance story. Adding dialogue to a narrative writing piece helps you develop characters, move the plot along, and keeps the reader interested and invested in reading the story until the end which is a goal of all authors. During this seminar, you will learn how to use quotations marks and punctuation correctly by learning the grammatical rules for dialogue and analyzing the errors in examples of dialogue. You will be comparing and classifying both narratives with and without dialogue and different ways dialogue can be written within text. You will also create your own dialogues within your narrative writing.StandardsCC.1.4.4.M/ 1.4.5.MWrite narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Piecing Together the Plot

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In this seminar, you will be working on developing your narrative writing. By focusing on the plot, or the series of events, in a narrative writing, you will be able to create a more engaging and interesting story. The emphasis will be on creating a story arc that includes a problem and a solution and/ or rising and falling action. You will learn about these elements by seeing examples, identifying them, and finally writing them yourself. You will also compare and classify elements of plot in multiple examples of text. This seminar is the next logical step after completing the “Better Beginnings” seminar because it focuses on the “middle and end” of narrative writing. After completing both of these seminars, you should feel ready to create a narrative writing that has a strong beginning-middle-end.StandardsCC.1.4.4.M/ 1.4.5.MWrite narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Storytelling

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Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Latin and Greek Roots

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In this seminar, you will be introduced to common Greek and Latin root words and their meanings. You will gain a basic understanding how knowing etymology (a word’s origin) helps a reader pronounce multisyllabic words and define unknown words that are found in more complex texts. You will be exposed to common Greek and Latin roots, common prefixes and suffixes, and have opportunities to practice breaking down multisyllabic words and defining them based on the meanings of each part of the word. You will compare parts of new words to words you already know to help decode and define the new words. You will classify the parts of a multisyllabic word into prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Knowing a word’s origin is helpful in defining unknown, multisyllabic words. After this seminar, you should have a solid introduction and foundation in word origins.StandardsCC.1.1.3.D/ 1.1.4.DKnow and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. • Decode words with common Latin suffixes. • Decode multisyllable words.

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Author: Tracy Rains

Multiple Meaning Words

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In this seminar, you will be learning how to use context clues to help determine the meaning of a word that has multiple definitions. By classifying and comparing meanings of words, you will be able to choose the correct meaning of a word in a passage. This will help you comprehend what you are reading and gain a full understanding of the text you are reading.StandardsCC.1.2.4.K/ 1.2.5.KDetermine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Prefixes and Suffixes

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In this seminar, you will be discovering how adding prefixes and suffixes to root words change the meanings of the root words. Additionally, you will be learning the meaning of common prefixes and suffixes. You will also be choosing the correct prefix and suffix to add to certain root words by classifying and comparing meanings of prefixes and suffixes and accessing prior knowledge.StandardsCC.1.1.3.DKnow and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. • Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.

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Author: Tracy Rains

Project Based Learning Module: Why Do Words Matter?

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Author: Tracy Rains

Changing Perspectives

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In this Seminar, you will be learning how to compare and contrast an event or topic told from two different points of view. You will be learning about how different points of view change the way you look at a subject or situation.StandardsCC.1.2.4.DCompare and contrast an event or topic told from two different points of view.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Say’s Who? 1st, 2nd, 3rd Person Point of View

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In this seminar, you will be discussing the different points of view. The points of view we will be focusing on are 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person point of view. You will be able to identify the point of view in the given text or video. StandardsC.C.1.3.3.D Explain the point of view of the author.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

What’s Your Point? Defending Your Point of View

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In this seminar, you will be learning how to defend your own point of view of a topic. Through the activities in this seminar, you will consider how you would defend your point of view and the different ways you can back it up. We will be introducing logical appeals, emotional appeals, and moral appeals.StandardsCC.1.4.5.G Write opinion pieces on topics or texts.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Project Based Learning Module: Analyzing Point of View in the Media

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In this project, you will explore a real-world problem, and then work through a series of steps to analyze that problem, research ways the problem could be solved, then propose a possible solution to that problem. Often, there is no specific right or wrong solutions, but sometimes one particular solution may be better than others. The key is making sure you fully understand the problem, have researched some possible solutions, and have proposed the solution that you can support with information / evidence.Begin by reading the problem statement in Step 1. Take the time to review all of the information provided in the statement, including exploring the websites, videos and / or and articles that are linked. Then work on steps 2 through 8 to complete this problem-based learning experience.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Introduction to Types of Text Structure Narrow Focus-Descriptive and Compare/Contrast

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In this seminar, you will be introduced to the six common types of text structure. Then, the seminar will narrow its focus to the first two structures. You will learn how authors organize ideas to help you to better understand the nonfiction texts you encounter, and you will explore the graphic organizers used to support them.StandardsCC.1.2.5.E Use text structure, in and among texts, to interpret information.

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Author: Tracy Rains

Mixed Review, Application, and Design

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This seminar consists of a mixed review, application, and design of all the text structures you have learned in the past; Descriptive/Spatial, Compare/Contrast, Chronological Order, Sequence, Cause/Effect, and Problem/Solution. You will be exposed to texts using all of the text structures. In addition, you will be further reminded of how text structure is applied to real life situations. Lastly, you will be given more opportunities to design your own texts which correlate to the text structures you have practiced and learned.StandardsCC.1.2.5.E Use text structure, in and among texts, to interpret information.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains

Sequence/Chronological Order, Cause/Effect, and Problem/Solution

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This seminar is a study of Sequence/Chronological Order, Cause and Effect, and Problem/Solution text structures. Research shows sequence and chronological order as separate structures and also as one and the same. As for cause/effect and problem/solution text structures, these are often confused by learners. These concerns will be addressed in this seminar while you learn how authors organize ideas. As a result, this will help you to better understand the nonfiction texts you are exposed to, along with the graphic organizers used to support the texts.StandardsCC.1.2.5.E Use text structure, in and among texts, to interpret information.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Tracy Rains