Billy is known around the city as a “tough guy”. He only wears leather and can usually be spotted speeding down the street on his Harley motorcycle. He is covered in tattoos, including one that reads “Bad to the Bone”. Little do these people know that Billy has a soft side and spends Tuesday evenings volunteering at the local animal shelter.

After years of slaving away at his boring desk job, Joshua 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.

Charlotte forgot her lunch at home. Everywhere she went she seemed to be followed by reminders of her hunger. In reading class, Charlotte read a short story about a young girl’s quest to bake the perfect batch of cookies. In social studies, Charlotte’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 Charlotte of a delicious cheese pizza.

Kacey was nervous about her upcoming swim meet. 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, Kacey’s father told his daughter, “All you can do is try your best. Don’t let one race define who you are.”

Missy didn’t know what to do. Her best friend Penny had stolen the science test off of Mr. Phillip’s desk. She was offering cheat sheets to anyone who was willing to pay $5. Missy was conflicted: should she pay the money and join her friend or tell the teacher and risk becoming everyone at school’s new target?

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

As soon as he walked into the house, something wasn’t right. Even though she was usually greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies, now her grandmother’s house smelled stale and musty. Lucy closed her eyes and imagined what this house was like before her grandmother passed away: warm and cozy, jazz music playing from the radio, and the smell of delicious cookies rising steadily in the oven.

Chelsea stood at the free throw line. She dribbled the ball and remembered what had happened at the last game when she missed both shots and her team ended up losing by just one point. Chelsea tried to shake the lingering disappointment. She erased the memory from her mind, squared her feet, and released the ball.

What is another word for a contrast and contradiction?

What question should you ask yourself when you find a contrast or contradiction?

An Aha Moment is when a character finally...

Tough questions are easy and always have an answer.

Words of the wiser can also be called...

What question should we ask when we see a words of the wiser moment?

When an author has a character act in a way that is different than they usually act or different than you expect them to act.

When a character receives serious advice from another (typically older) character.

When a character realizes, understands, or finally figures something out.

When you are reading and you notice a word, phrase, object, or situation mentioned over and over again.

When you are reading and the author interrupts to flashback to the past and tells/shows you a memory.

When you are reading and the character is confused or uncertain and asks him/herself a difficult question that doesn’t have an easy answer.

Using the clues in the text to discover what is not directly stated...

I thought about how I use to spend time with my Great Aunt before she passed away. We use to make scrapbooks together and play games. I thought about our talks and the advice she use to give me.

Suddenly I realized what I could never see before. The truth is they had been there for me all along. Through every up and down. It all made sense.

My older sister came over to me and let me know the secret to her success. "No matter how difficult it is, you have to keep trying. When I started at a new school it was difficult at first but I got involved and made friends".

Why might this memory be important?

Why would the author keep bringing this up?

What is the life lesson and how might it affect the character?

What does this question make me wonder about?

How might this change things?

Why would the character act or feel this way?

Ben was always a nice guy. I had never heard him be negative a day in my life. Suddenly he was enraged! Screaming at the top of his lungs. It was shocking.

Gladys is a world-famous fitness guru known for her widely successful “Kick Butt” workout program. She has always been known for her steadfast dedication to healthy eating. On Friday, the paparazzi caught Gladys eating a Big Mac, fries, and a large Diet Coke in the parking lot outside of her gym.

This is an example of which signpost?

Professor Burris has spent his whole career trying to solve a complex mathematical equation. On a recent walk along the beach, the solution suddenly hit the Professor. He rushed home to put his findings down on paper.

This is an example of which signpost?

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.

This is an example of which signpost?

Charlotte forgot her lunch at home. Everywhere she went she seemed to be followed by reminders of her hunger. In reading class, Charlotte read a short story about a young girl’s quest to bake the perfect batch of cookies. In social studies, Charlotte’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 Charlotte of a delicious cheese pizza.

This is an example of which signpost?

Patty 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 penny would magically appear. At home, she continued to find pennies scattered throughout the house. With each penny she discovered, her mood began to brighten. Was someone trying to send her a message?

This is an example of which signpost?

With only thirty seconds left of the game, the coach called for the team’s final timeout. The gym fell quiet as the home team trailed by two points. This would be their last chance to win the championship. “Focus,” said the coach. “Trust in your preparation and anything is possible.” The whistle blew and the players resumed their positions.

This is an example of which signpost?

Michaela could feel the lump forming in her throat. She had failed her math test. Again. Mrs. Richardson saw that Michaela was sad and pulled her aside. “Don’t give up,” she said. “The ability to dust yourself off and try again is a true reflection of your character.”

This is an example of which signpost?

Missy didn’t know what to do. Her best friend Penny had stolen the science test off of Mr. Phillip’s desk. She was offering cheat sheets to anyone who was willing to pay $5. Missy was conflicted: should she pay the money and join her friend or tell the teacher and risk becoming everyone at school’s new target?

This is an example of which signpost?

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

This is an example of which signpost?

As soon as she walked into the house, something wasn’t right. Even though she was usually greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies, now her grandmother’s house smelled stale and musty. Lucy closed her eyes and imagined what this house was like before her grandmother passed away: warm and cozy, jazz music playing from the radio, and the smell of delicious cookies rising steadily in the oven.

This is an example of which signpost?

Marcos approached the bike with fear. It had been a year since his accident when he had been thrown off his bike. He had twenty stitches, two broken ribs, and a cracked fibula that required surgery. He was in the hospital for almost a week and missed ten days of school. Marcos never wanted to ride again, but here he was, ready to face his fear and get back on the road.

This is an example of which signpost?

Sally is always at the top of her class. She never forgets to do her assignments and almost always gets the highest score on her science exams. Today, Sally’s teacher passed back their recent test. Sally received a D.

This is an example of which signpost?

What is an "Aha Moment"?

What is a "Contrast & Contradiction"?

What is a "Tough Question"?

What are "Words of the Wiser"?

What is an "Again & Again"?

What is a "Memory Moment"?

Norman eats lunch with his friends every day at the same table in the cafeteria. Today, Norman sat down alone at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria.

Michael is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. After winning three champions Michael is at the top of his career and everyone expects he will win his fourth MVP award. Yesterday, Michael called a press conference and suddenly announced his retirement.

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.

Charlotte forgot her lunch at home. Everywhere she went she seemed to be followed by reminders of her hunger. In reading class, Charlotte read a short story about a young girl’s quest to bake the perfect batch of cookies. In social studies, Charlotte’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 Charlotte of a delicious cheese pizza.

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

Leonard 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. Leonard couldn’t seem to shake her from his mind.

Patty 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?

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

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.

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.

Marty 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, Marty 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, Marty faced a difficult decision: stay awake and risk a poor grade or go to bed and miss a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Kacey was nervous about her upcoming swim meet. 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. Kacey’s father told his daughter, “All you can do is try your best. Don’t let one race define who you are.”

Michaela could feel the lump forming in her throat. She had failed her math test. Again. Mrs. Richardson saw that Michaela was sad and pulled her aside. “Don’t give up,” she said. “The ability to dust yourself off and try again is a true reflection of your character.”

The Space Rangers were prepared to storm the Intergalactic Compound and rescue Princess Jade from the evil alien overlord. While the other Rangers rushed ahead, Captain Lincoln stayed back with the new member of the force, Kirk. “Remember,” he told him, “be alert. And whatever you do, don’t turn your back.”

As soon as he walked into the house, something wasn’t right. Even though she was usually greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies, now her grandmother’s house smelled stale and musty. Lucy closed her eyes and imagined what this house was like before her grandmother passed away: warm and cozy, jazz music playing from the radio, and the smell of delicious cookies rising steadily in the oven.

Tina beamed with pride as she looked at the photo album. The family reunion had been one of the best days of her life! She enjoyed meeting relatives from all over the world, including two cousins who lived in Poland. Tina smiled, remembering all of the fun games that were played and stories that were shared. She closed the photo album and took out a pen. Perhaps it was time to send her cousins a letter.

Sally is always at the top of her class. She never forgets to do her homework and almost always gets the highest score on her Science exams. Today, Sally’s teacher passed back their recent tests. Sally received a D.

Michael is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. After winning three champions Michael is seemingly at the top of his career and everyone expects he will win his fourth consecutive MVP award. Yesterday, Michael called a press conference and suddenly announced his retirement.

Gladys is a world-famous fitness guru known for her widely successful “Kick Butt” workout program. She has always been known for her steadfast dedication to healthy eating. On Friday, the paparazzi caught Gladys eating a Big Mac in the parking lot outside of her gym.

Billy is known around the city as a “tough guy”. He only wears leather and can usually be spotted speeding down the street on his Harley motorcycle. He is covered in tattoos, including one that reads “Bad to the Bone”. Little do these people know that Billy has a soft side and spends Tuesday evenings volunteering at the local animal shelter.

It was the Soc Cherry who was helping us. The Soc Cherry who was a dreamer, who watched sunsets and couldn’t stand fights. It was hard to believe that there was a Soc that dug sunsets.

Choose ALL correct answers.

A contrast is...

Choose ALL correct answers.

A contradiction is...

What is diction?

What is an inference?

What is an epiphany?

What is a flashback?

What is foreshadowing?