Jan. 21 Analyze Story Events Benchmark U6, W2, D4

Analyze Story Events

Today we will think about a story event that teaches Buck a lesson and how Buck applies that lesson.

Analyzing the story events can also help readers understand the theme. 

You know that thinking about characters and their responses can help you think about the message, or theme, of a story. What else can you think closely about?

Purpose for Reading

In paragraph 2, the narrator tells us that Buck learns “an unforgettable lesson” from the dog fight he witnesses.

What is the lesson? How is Buck able to apply this lesson later in the story?

Open Ended

What is the first story event (Key detail) that happens in this paragraph?

Open Ended

What is the lesson Buck learns from this event?

Think Aloud...

• The prompt asks me to think about what lesson Buck learns from witnessing the dog fight. The fight starts in paragraph 2 and continues. I will reread the whole fight scene to understand what Buck learns.

• In paragraph 2, I read that Buck has never seen dogs fight like this and that the attack is fast and unprovoked. In paragraph 4, I read he is “taken aback.” .

Open Ended

What is the second story event (Key detail) that happens in this paragraph?

Open Ended

What lesson does Buck learn from this event?

Think Aloud...

• In paragraph 5, I find the lesson in Buck’s thoughts: “That was the way. No fair play. Once down, that was the end of you. Well, he would see to it that he never went down.” Buck learns that he has to be tough—the weak die.

• The second part of the prompt asks me to tell how Buck applies what he learns. I keep scanning and rereading until I find an event that answers that question.

Open Ended

How does analyzing the story events connect to what you already know about Buck’s character?