Read • Write• Think
Setting Exploration
In Passages 1 and 2, the character is describing a place they are visiting. Describe a
NEW character that lives there in 2-3 sentences. Draw a small sketch of your character.
Passage #1
The sun seemed to be basking in its own rays. It hovered over the horizon, and bright pink and orange collided with the deep blue sky. I could hear the distant sound of pots clattering in the kitchen as Grandma fixed me up a home-cooked meal, and Laney, their cow, faintly mooed in the distance.
I turned the key in the ignition, and my car roared back to life, scattering the peace that had been there seconds before. I made my way up the rest of the gravel path and parked my car next to their rusted John Deere. The tractor seemed to serve more as a decoration now than as a workhorse, but somehow it looked like it belonged right where it was. I stepped out of my car and made my way up to their front door, gravel crunching beneath my boots. The peace overtook me again, and I knocked, feeling the serenity of their simple life wash over me. –wikihow.com
Passage #2
The only sound she could hear was the teasing hum of her neighbor's air conditioner. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine a cool breeze rushing over her body, but when she opened them again, she was back in her sticky, messy, cramped apartment.
The blaring sun fought against the protective cover of her curtains and made its way through a crack in the blinds. She slowly detached herself from her leather couch and went to rearrange her window shades. Usually, the soft plushness of the carpet comforted her, but today she would have given her right arm for a hardwood floor. She approached her window, shielding her eyes from the light that cut right through the room. She yanked the curtains shut and waded through the damp air back to her sticky bastion of comfort. She plopped down on the cushion and continued to wait for her savior, the bringer of cool air, who she feared would never come. –wikihow.com
How do the characters in Passage 1 and Passage 2 differ?
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Your Own:
Choose a location. It can be real, imaginary, or from an existing fiction piece.
Complete the chart below using creative adjectives.
Character Through Dialect
1. 21st Century Teenager A. “Hey! Get walkin’!”
2. City-living woman B. “I reckon this here activity is fun.”
3. Country-living man C. “I must say, I am quite bothered.”
4. British Person D. “Where Momma?”
5. Small child C. “I know, right?”
Dialogue Tags
Read • Write• Think
Acknowledged
Muttered
Admitted
Nagged
Agreed
Pleaded
Answered
Promised
Argued
Questioned
Asked
Remembered
Barked
Replied
Begged
Requested
Bellowed
Retorted
Blustered
Roared
Bragged
Sang
Complained
Screamed
Confessed
Screeched
Cried
Shouted
Demanded
Sighed
Denied
Snarled
Giggled
Sobbed
Hinted
Threatened
Hissed
Wailed
Howled
Warned
Inquired
Whimpered
Interrupted
Whined
Laughed
Whispered
Lied
Wondered
Mumbled
Yelled
Read • Write• Think
Passage #3
Shameka decided that she really deserved an allowance. She had never gotten one, and lots of her friends did. She talked to her dad. It started as an argument, but it ended up okay because she ended up getting an allowance, not as much as she wanted, but at least it was a start. –English Enhanced Scope and Sequence
Passage #4
“Dad, I need to talk to you,” announced Shameka.
“Honey, I’m really busy right now. Can it wait?”
“Actually, Dad, it’s already waited for 13 years. I think we are way overdue for this conversation.”
“Wait a minute,” responded Dad. “I really don’t like being talked to like that. What’s your problem?”
“My problem is that I’m not getting any support from you and Mom,” Shameka yelled as she walked across the room and prepared to slam the door.
“STOP RIGHT THERE, young lady. You will not talk to me that way and you will not walk away.” Dad paused and then calmly asked, “Please, will you tell me what’s bothering you? Obviously, there’s something rather important. What do you mean that we don’t support you?”
“OK, Dad, I’m sorry,” apologized Shameka. “It’s just that my friends all get allowances and I don’t. When we go to the mall, I have to ask you for money. I want to have some money of my own that I can count on whenever I need it.”
Dad sighed and then he explained, “Shameka, Mom and I would really like to be able to give you an allowance. We know that your friends have more money than you do, but it’s hard for us right now. I will talk to Mom about it, but until I do, how about if I give you 10 dollars this week? Mom and I will discuss it, and we’ll see what we can do.”
“Well, Dad, 10 dollars really doesn’t go very far these days, but I guess it’s a beginning. Please, tell Mom how much I want it, and tell her I’ll do more around the house and that I deserve it, OK?” pleaded Shameka.
Dad laughed, hugged Shameka, and promised, “I’ll do what I can.”
–English Enhanced Scope and Sequence