GOAL:
To review the basic structure of a story and apply this structure to Shiloh
ASSIGNED READING:
Chapters 13-14
WRITING PROMPT:
Do you think Marty is "crazy" for talking to Judd the way he does? What makes him feel brave?
Is making a deal with Judd the right thing for Marty to do? Why do you think so?
Do you predict that Judd will honor his agreement with Marty? Why?
ONLINE PROMPT:
Participate in the online book club by using the Student Comment Form and the Student Comments About Shiloh page.
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Review with students the basic structure of a story: rising action,
climax, and falling action. If necessary, explain that every story has
a central conflict or problem, and that the climax of the story is when
the problem is solved. The events leading up to the climax, called the
rising action, create a feeling of suspense because the reader wonders
how the problem will be solved. The events after the climax, called
the falling action, tell how any remaining issues are resolved. You
might draw a graph on the chalkboard to illustrate these story elements,
giving a familiar story as an example. (Fairy tales often provide simple
examples of this structure. See the sample story graph on page 222 of
the teacher's
handbook.)
Ask students what they think is the central problem in Shiloh. Suggest that they keep this problem in mind as they continue reading and that they look for a climactic scene in which the problem is solved.
During community share, ask students whether they think the events in Chapters 13 and 14 represent the climax of this story. If necessary, prompt them with questions such as: What has prevented Marty from owning Shiloh since the beginning of the book? Was there ever any hope that Judd would simply let Marty buy Shiloh? What happened in today's reading that changed Marty's situation? Is his problem solved now? (Note: Although there are still some doubts in Marty's mind that Judd will honor their agreement, Marty now has information that he can bargain with. Up until this point in the story, he has had only his love for Shiloh, which means nothing to Judd.)
Once your class has reached agreement about the climax of the story, you might ask students what issues still remain to be resolved in the final chapter. Students can share any predictions that they recorded in their reading logs.
Click to go to Lesson 8.
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