Module 5 Activities 5.01 and 5.02

​Module 5 Timeless Tales
Activities 5.01 and 5.02

By Donna Kapa

Poll

What makes a story timeless?

• It only describes events that could happen in real life.

• It explores universal themes and emotions relatable across generations.

• It is set in a very specific historical time period.

• It avoids moral or emotional lessons to stay neutral.

​Objectives

After this lesson you will be able to:

• Identify literary elements.

• Determine how elements combine to create meaning.

• Explain how classical stories influence modern works.

Labelling

Label the elements of plot.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Rising Action

Exposition

Dream Sequence

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

​Elements Work Together

Setting and character work together to create conflict.

Setting isn’t just where or when a story takes place — it includes the world’s conditions, like culture, weather, social class, laws, expectations, or dangers.

Character means a person’s traits, desires, and flaws — who they are inside.

When those two things interact, tension arises. In other words, a story’s external world and a character’s internal world often clash. That clash creates conflict, which drives the plot and reveals theme.

​Elements Work Together

The Hunger Games

Setting: A dystopian world that forces children to fight to the death.

Character: Katniss is compassionate and protective.

Conflict: Her empathy and sense of justice directly oppose the cruelty of her society.

Romeo and Juliet

Setting: A city divided by family feuds.

Characters: Two young lovers from opposing houses.

Conflict: Their love defies their world’s social rules — the setting makes their relationship tragic.

Categorize

Options (8)

Drag each description into one of the four categories: Setting, Character, Conflict, or Theme.

Setting

Character

Conflict

Theme

Drag and Drop

Label each part of the sentence with the correct story element.



The kingdom ruled by fear and superstition ​

Placeholder

causes a soldier’s inner conflict between loyalty and conscience​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

setting

conflict

theme

character

Drag and Drop

Label each part of the sentence with the correct story element.



A man’s ambition ​

Placeholder

drives him to betray his closest friend​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

character

conflict

theme

setting

Drag and Drop

Label each part of the sentence with the correct story element.



A girl’s kindness ​

Placeholder

makes her an outsider in a harsh world​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

character

setting

theme

conflict

Drag and Drop

Label each part of the sentence with the correct story element.



Too much pride​

Placeholder

can destroy the bonds of family and friendships​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

character

theme

setting

conflict

Drag and Drop

Label each part of the sentence with the correct story element.



A soldier ​

Placeholder

must choose between loyalty and conscience​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

character

theme

conflict

setting

​What is a Seminal Text?

A seminal text is a foundational work that shapes language, archetypes, and culture.

​What is a Seminal Text?

These are some of the seminal texts that shape Western culture:
The Odyssey • The Bible • Greek tragedies • Shakespeare’s plays

​Other examples

O Brother, Where Art Thou? → The Odyssey

West Side Story → Romeo and Juliet

​Review

Multiple Choice

Which of the following shows the correct order of events in a traditional plot?

• Falling action → Climax → Exposition → Resolution

• Rising action → Climax → Falling action → Resolution

• Exposition → Resolution → Rising action → Climax

• Climax → Rising action → Exposition → Resolution

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the rising action in a story?

• To reveal how the story ends

• To introduce the characters and setting

• To build suspense and develop the conflict

• To explain the theme and moral lesson

Multiple Choice

How do characters and conflict work together in a story?

• Characters create or respond to conflict, which reveals their traits.

• Conflict usually appears before characters are introduced.

• Conflict is separate from character development.

• Conflict ends as soon as the theme is revealed.

Multiple Choice

Which combination of elements most directly helps reveal a story’s theme?

• Setting and Plot

• Title and Tone

• Rising Action and Resolution

• Character and Conflict

Multiple Choice

What is a seminal text?

• A story that is new and original.

• A work that builds on modern entertainment.

• A foundational text that shapes culture and art.

• A text that is only studied in college courses.

Multiple Choice

In literature, what does it mean when a story is adapted from a seminal text?

• The author updates details, setting, or characters to fit a new audience.

• The new story copies every event and line exactly.

• The story is rewritten because the original version was incorrect.

• The author summarizes the original story to make it shorter.