Intention and Craft

Intention and Craft

by Mr. Atkins

​Learning Targets

• ​Analyze how the setting of a short story influences its theme.

• ​Analyze how suspense is built over the course of a story.

• ​Consider details that show how characters change.

Poll

On a scale of 1 - 4, how do you feel about your ability to analyze how the setting of a short story influnces the theme of that short story.  

• 1 

  I'm not sure I can identify a setting or a short story. 

• 2

  I may be able to identify the setting, but probably couldn't explain how it influences the theme. 

• 3

  I can probably identify the settings and how they may impact the theme. 

• 4

  I can definitely identify the elements of setting and explain how they influence the theme.

Poll

On a scale of 1 - 4, how do you feel about your ability to analyze how suspense is built over the course of a story..  

• 1 

  I'm not sure I can identify a suspense in short story. 

• 2

  I may be able to identify aspects of suspense, but probably couldn't explain how it is built over the course of a story.  

• 3

  I can probably identify aspects of suspense and how suspense is bulit over the course of a story. 

• 4

  I can definitely identify the aspects suspense and how suspense is bulit over the course of a story. 

Poll

On a scale of 1 - 4, how do you feel about your ability to​ consider details that show how characters change. 

• 1 

  I'm not sure I can do this. 

• 2

  I may be able to identify details that show characterization, but I'm not sure what to do with it.

• 3

  I can probably identify details that show how characters change. 

• 4

  I can definitely identify details that show how characters change and articulate that in a short essay. 

​On your own, read the short story

What Happened During the Ice Storm

by Jim Heynen

Underline descriptions that help you visualize the setting and better understand the characters.

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Circle unknown or multiple-meaning words or phrases and use context as a clue to determine their meanings. Check your inferred meanings in a print or digital dictionary.

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Participate in a collaborative discussion of the following questions with your classmates.

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In paragraph 3, how does the author link the boys and the pheasants? In what ways do the boys begin to feel like the pheasants?

What do you think is meant by “unsure of their footing” in the final sentence?

Would you be more or less likely to think the boys will continue to behave empathetically, or sensitively, now that they've had this experience with the pheasants?