unit (duration): coraline novel study (14 days)

• RL.CR.5.1. Quote accurately from a literary text when explaining what the text says explicitly and make relevant connections when drawing inferences from the text.
• RL.CI.5.2. Determine the theme of a literary text (e.g., stories, plays or poetry) and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
• RL.IT.5.3. Analyze the impact of two or more individuals and events throughout the course of a text, comparing and contrasting two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific textual evidence (e.g., how characters interact).
• RL.TS.5.4. Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
• RL.PP.5.5. Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described, and how that may influence the reader’s interpretation.

need to know:

• story elements
• character (traits)
• basics of plot structure + stories can have more than one problem
• genre: basics (f/nf) + fiction overview (realism vs fantasy)
• setting
• intro theme/message
• POV review w/ pronoun review (intro 3rd limited/omniscient)

lesson flow:

• day 1: read back of the book and open to a quick (~3 min) discussion + predictions (remind students who've read book/seen movie to mindful of spoiling the story for others)
• other days: open with a quick recap w/ slides/questions (2-3 mins), then class will popcorn read. after reading, have a quick discussion (~5 min) on the focus topics while handing out ETs. ETs are quick check-in grades 1-3.

unit overview:

• chapter i
  • i can describe the setting and the traits of characters in a story.
    • focus: what aspects of the setting will be important going forward; coraline's curiosity/need for adventure/boredom; coraline's frustration with her parents
      • what is coraline like as a character?
      • describe the setting of coraline.
• chapter ii
  • i can make inferences about character relationships based on their words and actions.
    • focus: intro foreshadowing and discuss possible foreshadowing in the chap. (the message from the mice + the stone with the hole in it); noticing how coraline interacts with her parents (they're too preoccupied with work and ignore her; she feels ignored and wants their attention)
      • how does coraline feel about her parents? how do you know?
      • do you trust the mice? why or why not?
• chapter iii
  • i can use a characters' words and actions to help describe them.
    • focus: going through the door into the other flat → first rising action of the story; other mother + other father (+ other COMU) intro'd → what are they like? similar/different from originals; OM is very nice/gives coraline attention/gives her food she wants to eat/better bedroom, however, coraline is still freaked out--why? (connect to traits)
      • describe the other mother. include physical traits and how she behaves in this chapter.
      • imagine you are coraline in this chapter. how are you feeling?
• chapter iv
  • i can make inferences about the significance of events in a story and make predictions about what will happen next.
    • focus: more c/c with other characters (MSMF); black cat discussion--why is he talking?; sewing the buttons to stay--open up to reactions/thoughts, why does coraline say no? do you trust the OM?
      • why do you think the black cat ran off while he was talking to coraline?
      • what would coraline have to do to stay with the other mother?
• chapter v
  • i can identify the problems in a story and how a character attempts to solve those problems.
    • focus: parents are missing + how coraline feels about that; the problem and attempted solutions in this chapter; where do you think the parents are? what does the cat mean by challenge?
      • describe coraline's problem in this chapter.
      • coraline shares a story about bravery in this chapter. what is the message of that story?
• chapter vi
  • i can identify the genre of a story by thinking about the events and details of the story.
    • focus: recap the limits of the "world" outside the house; recap genre to make sure they remember differences f/nf (remind of them of their notes also) for et questions; recap POV and intro 3rd limited and omniscient for ET questions
      • what type of fiction is coraline? explain your thinking.
      • what point of view is coraline? how do you know?
• chapter vii
  • i can make a prediction about what will happen in a text based on information in the text.
    • focus: ghost children--what is your impression of them? lead class to understand they've been trapped for a long time, have been in the house for hundreds of years (house is very old); how does coraline feel?
      • describe the ghost children.
      • make a prediction about what you think will happen next in the story.
• chapter viii
  • i can identify other problems in a story beside the main problem.
    • focus: coraline now needs to find her parents AND the souls of the ghost children. wdyt?
      • coraline's first problem is to find and free her parents. what's her new problem?
      • where were the first 2 souls located?
• chapter ix
  • i can recognize the language authors use to show what characters are experiencing in a text.
    • focus: recap the chapter and have students consider sensory description, remind of senses. discuss to prepare them for ET question.
      • there are a number of sensory words in this chapter. look back through the chapter and find an example of each type of sensory description: tactile, auditory, olfactory.
• chapter x
• chapter xi
• chapter xii
• chapter xiii
• movie