Notice and Note Fiction Signpost Review

Michelle had spent all week trying to tie her shoes. Each time she failed to get the knot to hold and her laces would quickly become untangled. Suddenly, Michelle realized what she had been doing wrong. With a quick twist of her fingers, she finally succeeded and gleefully skipped towards her mother to share the good news.

• aha moment

• tough questions

• memory moment

• words of the wiser

• Contrast and Contradictions

Amie forgot her lunch at home. Everywhere she went she seemed to be followed by reminders of her hunger. In reading class, Amie read a short story about a young girl’s quest to bake the perfect batch of cookies. In social studies, Amie’s stomach growled as the teacher talked about food eaten during the first Thanksgiving. Even in math class, the teacher’s discussion of fractions reminded Amie of a delicious cheese pizza.

• memory moment

• again and again

• tough questions

• words of the wiser

• Contrast and contradictions

Kentez was deathly afraid of heights, but he didn’t want to disappoint his new friends. As they approached the line for the rollercoaster, Kentez had to make a decision. He looked up at the steep drop and took a deep breath. “What should I do?” he thought.

• aha moment

• contrast and contradiction

• tough questions

• again and again

• Memory Moment

James felt guilty about lying to his mother. Everywhere he looked, her disappointment seemed to follow him. Each time she turned her head, he thought he could see her downtrodden face. Whenever he closed her eyes, her disapproving voice was there to greet him. James couldn’t seem to shake her from his mind.

• tough questions

• memory moment

• again and again

• contrast and contradiction

• Aha Moment

Alyssa was having a terrible day. On her walk home from school however, she kept finding pennies scattered across the ground. Every few steps and another one would magically appear. At home, she continued to find money scattered throughout the house. With each discovery, her mood began to brighten. She asked herself, was someone trying to send her a message?

• Words of the wiser

• contrast and contradiction

• memory moment

• tough questions

• Aha moment

As all of his classmates rushed to vote in this year’s Student Council election, Jack stayed behind. His decision should be simple, right? His cousin, Maddi, was running for Treasurer. The only problem? His best friend Thompson was her opponent. Jack looked at the posters each had decorated and hung in the hallway. Where was Jack’s allegiance? To his friends or to his family?

• tough questions

• contrast and contradictions

• again and again

• aha moment

• Memory Moment

After years of slaving away at his boring, mundane desk job, Joshua finally realized that enough was enough. Working in a cubicle would never bring him happiness. Joshua decided to pursue his dream to become a professional actor.

• again and again

• Contrast and Contradictions

• memory moment

• tough questions

• Aha Moment

Michelangelo stared up at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Something didn’t seem quite right. As the sun moved through the stained-glass window, he suddenly saw what was wrong! Michelangelo grabbed his brush and set to work to complete his masterpiece.

• aha moment

• memory moment

• tough questions

• words of the wiser

• Again and Again

Michael could hardly believe was he was seeing. After 108 years, his team was on the brink of winning the World Series. As they game stretched later and later into the night, Michael began to worry. He had a huge exam the next day and knew that a good night’s sleep was important to his success. When the game reached extra innings, Michael faced a difficult decision: stay awake and risk a poor grade or go to bed and miss a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

• again and again

• memory moment

• tough questions

• contrast and contradictions

• Words from the Wise

Kailyn was nervous about her upcoming ice skating competition. She had been practicing for months and her coach said she was the favorite to win the gold medal. After dinner, her father drove her to get ice cream. As they sat at the counter, looking out the window. Kailyn’s father told his daughter, “All you can do is try your best. Don’t let one performance define who you are.”

• memory moment

• tough questions

• Aha moment

• again and again

• Words from the Wise