B. Recognize the use or effect of literary elements and devices--including setting, character traits, stated purpose, metaphors, and simple symbolism--and recognize stated purpose and gain information from various text formats, including tables and charts (AL  COS 3)

1. Identify and analyze literary elements

1. theme (AL COS) (SAT 10)
2. character traits, motivation or behavior (AL COS) (SAT 10)
3. setting (time and place) (AL COS)
4. stated and implied purpose (AL COS)
5. plot (problem and solution)
6. point of view
7. author's tone (SAT 10)
8. figurative language (metaphors, personification, simple symbolism) (AL COS)

2. Recognize stated purpose and gain information from various text structures (SAT 10)

1. read and interpret graphs, maps, globes, charts, tables, diagrams, and pictures (AL COS)
2. use dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, directory, newspaper, catalog, encyclopedia, brochure, periodical, and almanac
3. use technical resources and electronic media such as websites, software programs, and television programs
4. use parts of a book-title, heading, graphic aids, boldface print, index, glossary, table of contents, and publication information
5. evaluate sufficiency of and distinguish important from less important information (SAT 10)

3. Distinguish fiction from nonfiction (AL COS) (SAT 10)

Compare and Contrast
Students learn the elements of and write comparison and contrast paragraphs.

Action Is Character: Exploring Character Traits with Adjectives
In this activity, students "become" one of the major characters in a book and describe themselves and other characters, using Internet reference tools to compile lists of accurate, powerful adjectives.

Behind the Scenes With Cinderella
This lesson invites students to explore two different versions of the well-known folk tale Cinderella and to make connections between story background elements.

Figuratively Speaking
Students will learn about and create examples of figurative language.

Book Report Alternative: Character and Author Business Cards
When students make business cards for characters in books they've read or for the authors of those books, they're forced to think symbolically in order to create a short, simple text that represents the target appropriately.

Book Report Alternative: Comic Strips and Cartoon Squares
Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. By creating comic strips or cartoon squares featuring characters in books, they're encouraged to think analytically about the characters, events, and themes they've explored.

Lift Every Voice and Sing
By analyzing the poem's figurative language, students will come to understand how the poem conveys a sense of hope and unity despite hardship.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs
This lesson plan teaches idioms in a creative, fun way.

Awesome Authors
In this lesson students will use the Internet to research an author and create and present a presentation on the author.

Life Size Characters
Students will analyze character traits by creating character webs and poems. Students will also create a life-size character outline which will contain words, ideas, descriptions, and pictures related to a character.

A Bad Case of Bullying: Using Literature response Groups with Students:
In this lesson, students make personal connections to a humorous back-to-school story (A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon) by writing in their journals and discussing the story in literature response groups. Students also explore the central theme of bullying in the story.

Flying to Freedom: Tar Beach and The People Could Fly
Comparing Tar Beach and The People Could Fly enables students to interpret themes of liberation and racism in a complex, multifaceted manner. Third- through fifth-grade students work in small discussion groups to compare and contrast the two texts and develop Venn diagrams.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi: Mixing Fact and Fiction
This site offers a lesson with multiple objectives, including: author's purpose, story elements, and differentiating between fact and personification. This is part one of a two part lesson. The second lesson,

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi: Mixing Words and Pictures, includes the above objectives and art objectives.

Gigantic Learning with Giants:  Go colossally creative with these fun, brain-stretching fairytale activities

Figurative Language Resources:  This site offers figurative language terms with definitions and examples.

Elements of Fiction:  A reference source for literary terms

Reference Resources Online:  A list of sites that include online dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs, telephone directories, and Internet searches to locate information. Also learn about primary sources and where to find them.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:  This site offers a free online dictionary and thesaurus.

Newspapers in Education Online:  This website lists many activities using the newspaper. This site is updated weekly. Please note that this does not correspond to the Mobile Press Register.

Suggestions for English Language Learners (ELLs):
(E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding) 

E/B: Create a pictorial main idea diagram as you verbalize the parts. Draw the diagram both ways, with the details "adding up" to the main idea and vice versa. Have students point to the main idea in both diagrams; D, E: Have small groups review a topic they've learned in class (i.e. animal adaptations). Model creating a main idea diagram for one of the animals in its habitat. Then have students make a main idea diagram about another animal and its habitat. Invite groups to share their diagrams with the class.
E/B: Identify basic features of text, including title, table of contents, and chapter headings, by pointing, gesturing, or using simple spoken or written sentences; D: Identify features of text such as title, table of contents, chapter headings, supporting illustrations, glossaries, and indexes; E: Locate features of text, including format, diagrams, charts, and illustrations, and indexes, and identify their purpose.
E/B: Using nonverbal methods (i.e. pictures, charts, graphic organizers) or key words or phrases, identify the main idea of a story read aloud.
E/B: Relate text to one's own prior knowledge and experiences and express nonverbally (i.e. pictures, charts, graphic organizers), with key words or phrases (spoken or written); D: Relate text to one's own prior knowledge and experiences and express with simple spoken and written sentences.
E/B: Identify basic sequence of events in stories read aloud nonverbally (i.e. pictures, charts, graphic organizers) or using key words or phrases; D: Identify the sequence of events using spoken or written sentences.
E/B: Identify examples of fact and opinion in familiar texts and express with simple spoken or written sentences; D: Read brief literature and content-area texts to identify examples of facts and opinions; E: Identify facts, supported inferences, and opinions in text.
D: Recognize main ideas and supporting details asserted in a given text; E: Identify the main idea, make predictions, and support with details using simple spoken and written sentences.
E: Use the main ideas and illustrations of texts to draw inferences and conclusions.
 

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